greatest guitar riff of all time

[faceplant]

agree?....


Jimi’s jam is the greatest guitar riff

VOODOO Child was today named the greatest guitar riff of all time, more than 40 years after Jimi Hendrix recorded the psychedelic rock classic.
Hendrix, who topped the singles chart with the track in 1970, triumphed in a poll of musicians.Voodoo Child beat Guns n' Roses' Sweet Child O'Mine into second place in the poll by musicians' website MusicRadar.comThe poll shows that older riffs are the best, with just two from the past decade - Muse's Plug In Baby at 11 and The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army at 15 - making it into the top 20.Voodoo Child - with its distinctive 'wah-wah' opening - was first released on Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album.The American guitar great died in London, aged just 27, in September 1970.
THE TOP 20
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
2. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
3. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
4. Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water
5. Derek and the Dominos - Layla
6. AC/DC - Back In Black (6)
7. Metallica - Enter Sandman
8. The Beatles - Day Tripper
9. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
10. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
11. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
12. Muse - Plug In Baby
13. Eddie Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
14. The Kinks - You Really Got Me
15. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
16. AC/DC - Highway to Hell
17. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
18. Black Sabbath - Iron Man
19. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog 20. Michael Jackson - Beat It
Publication date 27/11/09

score 1 for the old guys 8)

 

[deadheadskier]

Who published this? Some decent selections, some not. Why they pick I can't Get No Satisfaction from the Stones when there's many, many, many better selections from Keith 'the riff master' Richards shows that it's more a popularity contest than anything. I'll take Can't You Hear me Knocking over I can't get No any day of the week.

 

[MR. evil]

Thats a pretty good list. My #1 would be AC/DC Back in Black. The other one I think should be on the list is VanHalen Unchained.

 

[andyzee]

I disagree with any top 20/10/etc list, their all a bunch of crap, that are suddenly taken as fact.

 

[Geoff]

How can a top 20 list not have Stevie Ray Vaughan in it? Other than Hendrix, that list is all cliche rock guitar riffs. My top 20 would be pretty much exclusively blues. Albert King, Muddy Waters, Clapton, ...

 

[andyzee]

I'd say they don't know Diddley!

 

[mondeo]

I disagree with any top 20/10/etc list, their all a bunch of crap, that are suddenly taken as fact.

This.

I mean, Nirvana?

 

[hrstrat57]

Who published this? Some decent selections, some not. Why they pick I can't Get No Satisfaction from the Stones when there's many, many, many better selections from Keith 'the riff master' Richards shows that it's more a popularity contest than anything. I'll take Can't You Hear me Knocking over I can't get No any day of the week.

Richards one of the greatest riffsters of all time......

Remember, for most of his famous riffs he plays his 5 string tele, removing the bottom E and tuning to open G.....that's why when you hear cover bands doing stones it never quite sounds right.....

Honky Tonk Woman opening is right up there in the riffage factor.....

Let's remember that riffs set the tone for a tune thru out - we are not talking solos here....

The obvious thread poach?

My 2 fav rock solos are Yardbirds "I Ain't got You" (Clapton) and David Gilmour "Time" both very slow and melodic with absolute killer tone. One Gibson and one Fender.....

I have huge fan of many fine guitarists of many different styles and genres....but those 2 solos give me goose bumps every single time.....

Poach, off back to riffs.....

 

[Warp Daddy]

As an axeman i think there are some great riffs represented . I a huge fan of Slash and Angus , but frankly lists like these are all subjective and Don't mean Squat ! Whatever is number one is a moving target i can think technically demanding riffs that might be considered musically more interesting some of Alex Lifeson's stuff is unique IMO.

But no argument the ole guys did well on THIS list

 

[mondeo]

i can think technically demanding riffs that might be considered musically more interesting some of Alex Lifeson's stuff is unique IMO.

Freewill's solo always impresses me.

 

[riverc0il]

Hard to argue with many of those songs. I think the definition of a great guitar riff would be that you could go up to the average Joe and say "hum me this guitar riff" and they would get every note (in tune or not :lol: ). Its a riff that sticks with people. And great riffs are riffs that aspiring guitar players have a need to learn.

Now if you want to talk about technically demanding... well that is a different story entirely. But some of the greatest riffs off all time are great because they are so simple.

 

[deadheadskier]

Good point Riv, I completely agree.

Many great 'riffs' come from guitarists who I'd hardly grade as masters. Keith Richards is the perfect example. In terms of a soloing or technical composition, he's really not all that impressive. Same could be said for Angus Young, though he definitely is a better soloist than Keith. But Keith has a knack for writing fantastic riffs. Some of that is accomplished with odd tunings and dropped strings as has been pointed out, which is very cool, but he's hardly a maestro on the instrument.

When someone says 'great guitar riff' my mind immediately thinks of Richards first and foremost. And as mentioned, my mind thinks of many, many tunes before Satisfaction.

 

[faceplant]

Who published this? Some decent selections, some not. .

here ya go....
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.2535922.0.jimis_jam_is_the_greatest_guitar_riff.php

 

[Warp Daddy]

it is probably just me but keith is meeah just a couple of riffs in drop d otherwise boring

 

[ERJ-145CA]

It's a hard choice but my 4 personal favorite riffs would be:
1. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
2. Black Sabbath - Iron Man
3. Alice In Chains - Man In a Box
4. Black Sabbath - Sweet Leaf

As for the songs they are not necessarily my favorite songs from these bands but they are my favorite riffs.

 

[Greg]

This.

I mean, Nirvana?

Nirvana might possibly be the most overrated band of all time.

 

[dmc]

Good point Riv, I completely agree.

Many great 'riffs' come from guitarists who I'd hardly grade as masters.

Keith is a master... I mean... really... Even Jerry played his licks...

This shit is sooooo subjective it's sickening...

 

[dmc]

Nirvana might possibly be the most overrated band of all time.

it was a moment thing...
At the time we craved something other then hair bands and the fruity ballads... Seattle just pummeled the music scene... I bought that stuff as soon as i could get my hands on it.. So raw and unproduced..

Take the Cinderella posters down and put up Nirvana and Pearl Jam..

 

[ERJ-145CA]

Nirvana might possibly be the most overrated band of all time.

Yeah, the best of the Seattle scene of the 90's was, IMHO, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

 

[gorgonzola]

Good point Riv, I completely agree.

Many great 'riffs' come from guitarists who I'd hardly grade as masters. Keith Richards is the perfect example. In terms of a soloing or technical composition, he's really not all that impressive. Same could be said for Angus Young, though he definitely is a better soloist than Keith. But Keith has a knack for writing fantastic riffs. Some of that is accomplished with odd tunings and dropped strings as has been pointed out, which is very cool, but he's hardly a maestro on the instrument.

When someone says 'great guitar riff' my mind immediately thinks of Richards first and foremost. And as mentioned, my mind thinks of many, many tunes before Satisfaction.

agreed - think sympathy for the devil, could be worst/best at the same time...