Top 20 Greatest Guitar Riffs of All Time

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Let's rock! For this list, we'll be ranking the most powerful, influential and iconic guitar riffs ever recorded. Our countdown includes "Walk This Way", "Barracuda", "Welcome to the Jungle", "Layla", "Smoke on the Water", and more! What iconic riffs rock your world? Let us know in the comments!

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#Music
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[WatchMojo]

Correction: It wasn’t Eddie Van Halen who played lead guitar on "Beat It", he played the solo. Rather it was Steve Lukather. Thanks for the comments letting us know about the error. thanks

[mnagz]

AC/DC's Back in Black only getting an honourable mention is criminal.

[SaguaroBlossom]

Many of the "Honorable Mentions" were better then many riffs that made the list.

[HelloKittyisMyPal]

No Cream? No Queen? Eagles? Lynyrd Skynard? ZZ Top? Creedence Clearwater Revival?
Who wrote this list?!

[andrewpappas]

How the hell was there no riffs from Queen or even Johnny B. Goode from Chuck Berry, which is literally one of the best (not to mention one of the first) rock and roll riffs of all time

[littlee]

I would have given “Don’t Fear The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult at least an honorable mention. With or without More Cowbell.

[jerrumite]

I find your lack of AC⚡DC disturbing.


Yes, I saw the the honorable mentions but come on.

[NewlyBoughtSpatula]

The fact that AIC made it with "Check My Brain" is beyond ridiculous. Them Bones, We Die Young, Man in the fucking mean come on

[acdcfan]

How dare you disrespect Back in Black by putting them in Honorable Mentions

[guitarist]

Crediting EVH for the riff that Steve Lukather wrote. So many people get that one wrong

[kwantumangaliso]

No ways purple haze isn't mentioned. Thats literally perfection

[andrewwalker]

Where is Killing in the name by Rage against the machine? That’s the greatest guitar riff I’ve ever heard.

[loveolicity]

What about Kansas' 'Carry On Wayward Son?" (SPN family ASSEMBLE)

[timfortch]

I feel like smells like teen Spirit should have been on this list being one of the most iconic riffs of the 90s

[jeffreybrown]

I'd put Led Zep on top as well, but for Kashmir. That opening riff builds the tension in a sublime way.

[LB]

The fact that Queen is not on this list is insulting.

[spatu]

Black Sabbath's "Into the Void" is one of the best riffs for me

[melancholia]

Should I Stay or Should I Go- The Clash
The Trooper-Iron Maiden
Anything by Queen
Breaking the Law- Judas Priest

[guitartunez]

20. Walk This Way - Aerosmith
19. Round and Round - Ratt
18. No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age
17. Check My Brain - Alice In Chains
16. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
15. Beat It - Michael Jackson
14. Barracuda - Heart
13. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
12. Wasted Years - Iron Maiden
11. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love - Van Halen
10. Raining Blood - Slayer
9. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns ‘n’ Roses
8. Money for Nothing - Dire Straights
7. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
6. Master of Puppets - Metallica
5. You Really Got Me - The Kinks
4. Layla - Derek and the Dominos
3. I Can’t Get No Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
2. Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
1. Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin

[shivanshgilhotra]

Back in black in honourable mentions just hurts too much
Though i like the list (not sure)
Some songs like sunshine of love (cream ), Day tripper (beatles), Californication (RHCP) deserved a spot or honourable mention too i guess