Which guitar riffs stand the test of time and truly define rock and roll? At guitarplayers.net, we’ve taken on the challenge to definitively answer this question. We polled Guitar World readers to tap into the collective wisdom of guitar enthusiasts and get their take. Even with a strict rule of “one riff per artist,” our initial list was extensive, featuring 125 riffs, meaning tough choices had to be made, leaving out even classics like Paranoid or Highway to Hell.
The guitar community largely agreed with our curated selection. So, dive in and explore 50 of the most legendary guitar riffs ever recorded. We’ll delve into the stories behind these riffs and highlight the guitarists who brought them to life. Let’s get started with our countdown…
50. Opeth – Heir Apparent (2008)
Opeth Heir Apparent album art, showcasing progressive metal guitar riff from Swedish band Opeth, featured on guitarplayers.net's list of all time best guitar riffs.
Progressive Metal Majesty from Sweden
Kicking off our list is Swedish progressive death metal band Opeth, celebrated for complex and heavy guitar work. While Heir Apparent is packed with intricate riffs, the one that hits around the 2:30 mark truly showcases Mikael Åkerfeldt’s genius for sonic destruction.
This riff starts with powerful chords from the first fret, then shifts to rapid descending octave shapes higher up the neck, contrasted with palm-muted chromatic notes lower down. This creates a dynamic and chaotic interplay. Fredrik Åkesson’s guitar solo amplifies this chaos with blues-inspired bends and diminished runs, perfectly capturing the song’s intense feel.
49. The Beatles – Ticket to Ride (1965)
The Beatles Ticket To Ride single cover, iconic 1960s guitar riff played on Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, recognized as one of the all time best guitar riffs.
Rickenbacker Chime and Indian Music Influence
Released in 1965, Ticket to Ride became The Beatles’ seventh consecutive UK number one single. Its instantly recognizable opening guitar riff, played with two fingers on a 12-string Rickenbacker, is a masterclass in melodic construction. The chiming arpeggiated riff, anchored by repeating A chords and a low A drone, subtly hints at the Indian musical influences that would increasingly shape the band’s sound.
George Harrison’s playing on his Rickenbacker 360/12 gives the riff a distinctive ethereal quality. The staggered phrasing, incorporating a quarter-note triplet at the end, adds to the song’s relaxed, 60s vibe. This riff is a testament to The Beatles’ innovative approach to pop music.
48. Free – All Right Now (1970)
Free All Right Now live performance, featuring Paul Kossoff playing the iconic opening guitar riff on his Les Paul, considered one of the all time best guitar riffs in rock history.
Paul Kossoff’s Les Paul Tone Mastery
It might be surprising that Free’s massive 1970 hit All Right Now is only at number 48, but its opening is undeniably one of the most recognizable in rock. Paul Kossoff’s cranked-up Les Paul, locked in with Simon Kirke’s drumbeat, creates pure guitar riff magic from the very first seconds. Kossoff used one of his sunburst Les Pauls, plugged into a Marshall stack, to achieve this legendary tone.
Singer Paul Rodgers described Kossoff’s sound: “Koss had such an amazing sound on that opening chord and with his chord structure on the A chord. He had such a long reach and could actually hold the A note on the E string on the 5th fret. He could get a real ripping sound and it had a lot of depth to it.” This riff is a lesson in simplicity and feel.
47. Polyphia – G.O.A.T. (2018)
Polyphia G.O.A.T. music video still, showcasing modern guitar techniques and innovative riffs by Tim Henson and Scott LePage, recognized as one of the all time best guitar riffs in contemporary music.
Redefining Modern Guitar Sounds and Techniques
Polyphia guitarists Tim Henson and Scott LePage have become leaders in modern guitar music, blending fusion, tech-metal, and trap beats into a unique and complex sound.
G.O.A.T., released in 2018, is one of their most popular tracks, with over 50 million plays across YouTube and Spotify. The main guitar riff is built on a foundation of harmonics, 19th and 20th fret tapping, open string resonance, and B natural minor arpeggios. This intricate combination showcases their technical prowess and innovative approach to guitar riff construction.
Henson and LePage both used Ibanez guitars for the recording. Henson’s tone came primarily from a Fractal and BIAS FX setup, while LePage opted for a more traditional Orange amp and cabinet, highlighting the diverse approaches within the band.
46. Soundgarden – Outshined (1991)
Soundgarden Outshined music video still, featuring Kim Thayil playing the grunge-era riff in 7/4 time signature, celebrated as one of the all time best guitar riffs of the 90s.
Grunge Power in an Unusual Time Signature
1991 was the year Seattle grunge conquered the music world, and Badmotorfinger was Soundgarden’s breakthrough album. Outshined became one of its most recognizable tracks, featuring a powerful and accessible guitar riff. The opening and verse riff in drop D tuning is a quintessential stoner rock groove, enhanced by single-finger bends from guitarists Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell. It’s a riff that embodies raw, unapologetic rock power.
Adding to Soundgarden’s signature unconventional style, the riff is in 7/4 time signature. Kim Thayil’s guitar playing, blending Stooges-style aggression with psychedelic Sabbath heaviness through his 70s Guild SG-100, was crucial to the band’s experimental and inventive sound.
45. Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows (2002)
Queens Of The Stone Age No One Knows music video still, showcasing Josh Homme playing the stoner rock anthem riff on a unique guitar amp setup, recognized as one of the all time best guitar riffs of the 21st century.
Stoner Rock’s Defining Riff
QOTSA’s breakout hit No One Knows boasts a guitar riff so strong it effectively functions as the chorus. While the lyrical “I realise you’re mine” section repeats, the guitar riff is what truly drives the song and ignites crowds at live shows.
Josh Homme famously took a non-conformist approach to guitar gear during the Songs For The Deaf sessions, avoiding typical Marshall, Vox, Fender, or Gibson amps. For No One Knows, he combined three amps: a solid-state Peavey, an Ampeg VT40, and an old Tube Works head. The unique recorded guitar tone was achieved by carefully blending microphones from this unconventional setup, resulting in a distinctive and powerful riff tone.
44. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Can’t Stop (2002)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Can't Stop music video still, featuring John Frusciante demonstrating funky fret-hand muting techniques in the iconic guitar riff, considered one of the all time best funky rock guitar riffs.
Funky Fret-Hand Muting Masterclass
John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a master of funk guitar, and Can’t Stop, the third single from By The Way, features the album’s most rhythmically driven guitar riff. Frusciante, known for playing vintage Stratocasters and Telecasters, uses a sharp, powerful single-coil bridge pickup tone for this track.
The verse riff’s repeating two-note figure, D to E (on the G string, 5th and 7th frets), represents the flat 7th and root of the E minor key. Frusciante emphasizes the root notes of the chords (Em, D, Bm, C) and maintains a clean sound using his deceptively complex fret-hand string muting technique. Combined with his aggressive and funky right-hand technique, this creates an undeniably infectious and unstoppable guitar riff.
43. Eagles – Life in the Fast Lane
Eagles Life In The Fast Lane album cover, featuring Joe Walsh's iconic guitar riff that started as a warm-up exercise and became a hard rock classic, recognized as one of the all time best guitar riffs in rock history.
Country Rockers Dive into Hard Rock Territory
Another legendary riff that originated as a warm-up exercise, Life In The Fast Lane began as a jam by Joe Walsh before catching the ears of his Eagles bandmates. The riff’s effectiveness comes from rhythmic displacement. It’s essentially the same idea repeated three times with slight variations, but the fourth repetition starts half a beat earlier, generating a powerful sense of urgency and drive.
The Eagles’ guitar tones during the Hotel California era were Fender-based, and this track features the raw sound of overdriven Fender Tweed Deluxes and Champs. Walsh played a Stratocaster, while Don Felder played his ’59 Les Paul, creating the ultimate guitar duo and instrumental tag team.
42. The Police – Message in a Bottle (1979)
The Police Message In A Bottle music video still, featuring Andy Summers playing the signature hooky guitar riff that blends post-punk and reggae, recognized as one of the all time best guitar riffs of the new wave era.
Their Breakthrough Number One Hit
Powered by Andy Summers’ signature catchy guitar riff, Message in a Bottle perfectly captured The Police’s unique blend of post-punk and white reggae, which Summers himself described as “a very different-sounding pop song”. Despite internal tensions, Summers recognized that The Police was the ideal platform for his distinctive guitar playing style.
“It was a unique chemistry,” he explained, “between the guitar, the bassline, the high vocals that Sting had then, and Stewart (Copeland)’s unique drumming. Never to be repeated.” This riff is a cornerstone of new wave guitar and a testament to the band’s innovative sound.
41. Rainbow – Stargazer (1976)
Rainbow Stargazer album cover, featuring Ritchie Blackmore's unstoppable guitar riff in this epic track, known for its walking feel and chromatic runs, celebrated as one of the all time best guitar riffs in heavy metal.
Ritchie Blackmore at Peak Guitar Power
Stargazer, an epic track from Rainbow’s classic album Rising, features a main guitar riff with a distinct walking feel, achieved through passing tones within its pentatonic framework. A three-note chromatic run, starting on the fifth fret of the fifth string from the minor 7th to the major 7th and then to the E octave, adds complexity and drama.
Around this time, Ritchie Blackmore primarily used an Olympic White ’73 Strat and a sunburst ’74 Strat, both with scalloped necks, plugged into a Marshall Major amp modified for increased power and distortion.
“This extra output stage basically made the 200-watt into a 280-watt,” he once revealed. “So I did have the loudest amp in the world.” This riff showcases Blackmore’s virtuosic and powerful guitar playing at its finest.
