The Twenty Greatest Guitar Riffs for Music Aficianados | RANKED
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- Опубликовано: 12 дек 2023
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The vocal representation of the riffs are superb!
That would be great if Jimmy came up with the Black Dog riff, but it was, in fact, the maestro himself, Mr. John Paul Jones.
Didn’t know that. He’s always been a great bass player and musician.
Correct. It was Jimmy’s idea to have the stop/start aspect a la “So What”
He had wanted a riff that would be nigh on impossible to cover.
And it turned out too tricky for Zep to do live so they went to 4/4.
But that's just what I've read.
Yup Jimmy explains in a RUclips interview that’s it was JPJ riff.
Andy, it was JPJ, not Jimmy Page, who wrote the main riff of Black Dog, though the band had to simplify it before they had the final result. Maybe go with the riff of Heartbreaker instead?
Living Colour - Cult of Personality
Now THAT’S a riff!
It's only recently I saw that Vernon uses no open strings.
A fantastic riff that I've never seen mentioned on any top riff list is Lil' Devil by The Cult. Sticking with the devil theme but a little more obscure Call Me Devil by WWIII. I can't complain, you put my favourite Sabbath riff, from my favourite Sabbath song at number two.
Jethro Tull is the king of clasic prog riffs.
Sweet dreams.
Cross eyed Mary
Aqualung. and the list goes on and on.
Another band with some Great riffs is French funk federation its heavy and funky as hell.🤘
Yes ! Cross eyed Mary has a great combination of heaviness and groove. That heavy combo of guitar, bass, and some kind of grimy organ sound, is sublime. And Tull’s pocket with Clive Bunker on drums, was second to none.
You ask where Angus' riff "lesson" in Let There Be Rock comes from, and it's "Guitar Boogie" by Arthur Smith, released in 1945. It has of course been discussed as one of the foundational corner stones of what later became rock'n'roll for flippin' ages. Covered by a veritable boatload of people etc etc etc...
For your consideration, a little band called THE ROLLING STONES. Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Jumpin’ Jack flash, Bitch, Start me up, etc.
Loved the video Andy! As i saw that nobody mention Hendrix on the comments, i must say that that riff in the middle of muchine gun where Hendrix and Billy Cox communicate within the riff is just phenomenal and then Hendrix goes complitely nuts with the solo.
Schizoid Man! Symptom of the Universe! Frankenstein! Rice Pudding! Hit it and Quit it! Lark's Tongs Pt. 1! Paperback Writer! Soul Craft! ( Bad Brains ) A Passage to Bangkok!
there could be only one.. Let There be Rock is such a special song. unique in so many ways.
Andy, the "Right Off" (Take 12), "Noonward Race" riff stems from Sly Stone's "Sing A Simple Song".
..just put my penny worth - ‘Hocus Pocus by Focus..great show as ever..
Definitely one for the algorithm / list-hunters!! Meanwhile, glad to see that Blackmore is likely to get some love here!
Sine You've been gone (The Rainbow cover version), Hocus Pocus - Focus, Eternity's Breath - Mahavishnu, In a Gadda da Vida - Iron Butterfly.....
Hocus Pocus, that riff is my ultimate earworm.
Whenever I hear that, I suffer with hearing it in my head for the next 2 weeks ...
Just for the record, a list of greatest guitar riffs without one from the man lierally known as the human riff is incomplete.
Andy the scat meister.
I was surprised you didn't have Train Kept A Rollin' in there.
You should sing the killer riff to Rhubarb And Custard.
Which isn't out of place here !
Perhaps the most entertaining rock music analysis video I’ve ever watched. I don’t even care what the choices were, or whether I agree.It just made me stop on almost every choice and play the track to check out the ideas.
Andy, you're great
I appreciate that!
Kick ass vid Andy-Merry Christmas -Geordie Dave -still in Thailand xx
Beatles’ Day Tripper/Paperback Writer need a special award, since they got TWO great riffs out of the same idea, as far as I can tell.
STATUS QUO!!!
... the highlight was your short ramblings on Right off ... and all those repercussions ... you could do a special on that riff ... Sly and the familly, Chic, Queen ...it's the Archetypical, Spinal Tab
The more I watch Andy’s videos, the more I realize that he’s my kindred spirit in regards to musical tastes/opinions. Great video as always.
Btw, “Dandelion” by Rain has some of my favorite riffs in modern prog music.
I wrote those riffs sir
So pleased that you mentioned the "Right Off" riff - I love it, and your vocalisation of it was brill!
That Fleetwood Mac riff.. I remember REO Speedwagon playing that riff.. lol
Sylvia, mate ! Sylvia, mate !
great choices andy - heres my top 20 - owner of a lonely heart yes - china grove the doobies - the moon upstairs mott the hoople - livewire motley crue - finding my way rush - dog eat dog ac dc - never in my life mountain - shock me kiss - sabbath bloody sabbath - top of the bill scorpions - pretty vacant sex pistols - master builder gong - love me two times the doors - cat scratch fever ted nugent - space station no five montrose - always on the run lenny kravitz / slash - yestedays rain the sweet - no sleep till brooklyn beastie boys - the rover led zep - this is life george harrison
the moon upstairs ✌👍
greatest lost riff ever noone ever talks about!!!@@davidpopplewell4102
The Rover !
I Totally 100% Agree with
"Let There Be Rock" it is Epic Legendary and has a Gospel Preaching Vibe , but its like The Most Basic Riff but chuggin along with a Blueprint of Rock Music and the gaps with just Mark Evans and Phil Rudd behind Bon Preaching then Angus and Malcolm come in with The Rock Groove, I'm So Glad you get it, which is Born out of Blues& Gospel , ive been saying this since 77 It is Just So Perfect 👌 Let There Be Rock is Rock Music's own Anthem 😈 on my Favorite album of All Time along with Whole Lotta Rosie and Overdose 👌
Absolutely agree with you, Andy, about Bloodsucker by Purple - amazing track on an awesome album.
I guess if you switch ‘greatest’ for ‘favourite’, then this sort of list works. Not sure it would be the same list any two weeks running, for me, though, on any musical subject. I think my favourite riff would have to be All Right Now, by Free. Kossoff was awesome!
That was fun. The thing that binds us all is good old Rock and Roll.
LOL- I can't wait to see what the curve ball is here, but I feel like maybe my comment was noted from a recent prior video where I said "Ritchie, Iommi and Page own this issue front to back", the issue being of best riffs or whatever variation on the theme was, and someone chimed in and added Angus/Malcom to the fold and that's not a bad point. Then I thought about it and as much as I wanted to find a better answer, and there's certainly players I like more doing different stuff in different styles, the issue of "riffs" in the way we think about them, those guys really do own the issue. There's some others obviously, but does Hendrix have a riff that carrys a tune like Iron Man or Smoke on the Water? Does SRV have one of those? Steve Howe? Fripp? McLaughlin? I don't think they do. Fripp actually kind of does, but it's too weird to meet the basic criteria. Anyway.. Whatever.
Re OhWell/ACDC Beatin' Around the Bush
Wow, I didn't know you are such a Come Taste the Band fan. Agree - a very underrated album, love it a lot.
Andy, ....talkin' of Bon Scott being a priest, .... it's Sunday and your show was like a church service ... I loved it ....'Let there be Rock' as nr. 1 is a bit of a surprise , but .... AMEN
Van Halen: Ain*t talkin' bout love
... the stealer ... ace tune
Some omissions, imho.
Yes - Siberian Kathru
Mahavishnu Orchestra- Vital Transformation
Living Color - Cult of Personality
Santana - Batuka
Free - Wishing Well
Zappa - Eat That Question
Btw, I totally agree re Let There Be Rock. Absolutely my favourite riff of all time. The Ur Riff.
Good call on In The Light. In my mind the riff is related to Sunshine of Your Love (SOYL), with all of the descending chromatic stuff going on. I was born in 1966 and so SOYL has been part of my DNA without knowing it. As a small child the riff was stuck in my brain and I even invented nonsense words to represent the riff. I even believed that I had made it up until 1975, when I was 9, I heard In The Light and thought that perhaps this band called Led Zeppelin stole my secret riff! It wasn’t too long after that that I discovered my older brother’s copy of Disraeli Gears and figured out the source of my innate riff-tastic genius! 😂
Highly entertaining, as usual! I'm looking forward to tracking down some of the songs and checking out the surprising connections you mentioned. For some more contemporary monster riffs, check out "The Rex" by the Hedvig Mollestad Trio (from the 2013 Album "All Of Them Witches")!
That LTBR riff comes from an old blues pattern 13567653.
Wow Andy! After following along for an hour doing riff after riff with you, I now have to go out to the kitchen and wipe all the spit and snot off of the screen on my phone!!😮
Never In My Life, unforgettable, Rice Pudding, Moby Dick, updated from Im Not Talkin, classic basic 1-4-5 it (though for Zep, Black Dog probably tops it, 3 amazing riffs). Politician was indeed Jack Bruce, great riff, I actually played on Ann Wilson’s remake. Power to Love (almost all of BOG). Agreed on In Rock. Back in Black’s greatest riff is also contained, not the main one, it just takes off. Great topic and selects, great vid.
Wipe Out- The Surfaris
The Black Dog riff was John Paul Jones’s creation, though, just for the record! ;)
Oh Andy, Andy, Andy. You seldom disappoint me but you missed an opportunity to highlight Gentle Giant as the Prog riff meisters that they so clearly are - Cogs in Cogs, Just the Same,Peel the Paint and . . . Playing the Game, probably the greatest prog guitar riff ever! Go and give these a listen and I think you’ll have to agree that GG wear the crown when it comes to REAL prog riffs.
The riff that comes in halfway through "In A Glass House" and continues to the end of the track is my all time favourite.
Indeed. I think Gary Green is a bit of an unsung hero of prog riffing.
aficiOnados, please! Ty
Your Ian Gillan scared my cat away.
This was highly entertaining...good job with it.
Asia "one of the first progerati to really hit the top of the charts" Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall Pt2, how about Procal Harum -Whiter Shade of Pale or The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin plus Asia only got to number 1 in the rock charts, in the billboard charts they hit number 4
50:15 Lol
I demand the Andy Edwards Acapella Album
Comment if Andy should do an acapella version of Hocus Pocus - It would be awesome
Pretty Woman is simply a confirmation that Roy Orbison liked to listen to Lucille by Little Richard. So, can we give that one to one of the unsung heroes of rock n roll? It will make the Crimson omission easier to deal with. Pretty please?
Very entertaining Andy. Enjoyed your vocal workouts.
Thanks! Most entertaining and loved the spiritual aspects of AC⚡️DC. Not meant tongue in cheek.
I totally agree about Let There be rock. Kind of like a Chuck Berry riff but better.
Well done Andy!!! (mouthing everything and beatboxing)
Leslie West - Never In My Life / Crossroader / M'Queen.
Spoonman!!! Great choice.
This was epic in verbal/vocal performance!
Bloodsucker is a better riff than Smoke on the Water?
God love ya, Andy, that’s a hot take!
Such a fun video!😆 So hard to limit to a top 20 when you start thinking about it! A few that jumped out to me
Metallica: Master of Puppets The Who: The Punk and the Godfather Judas Priest You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Alice in Chains: Man in the Box
Great talk. One cud do whole vids just on ritchie riffs or page or acdc
Andy, being from the states, it is difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what I find so highly entertaining by your content but your combination of knowledge and sense of humor is wonderfully entertaining for me. If you be so inclined to answer one question for me, I would very much appreciate it. As a musician and lover of music myself, I truly want to expand my interests deeper into the progressive genre. Given the knowledge that I am a huge fan of Rush, Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden, what albums would you recommend to me that would best meet that objective? Thanks in advance and please keep up your work. You are appreciated.
Fun video! The vocalizations were pure entertainment. That's the way to do it! Lots of great and thoughtful choices out of so many options. You could do multiple parts of this concept and I'm sure people would enjoy it.
"The Italian Opera Section" is actually in the song N.I.B. I will always think of it that way now, haha!
The greatest audience invented call and response riff is to the song Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again (by The Angels, Australian legends, aka Angel City in the USA), " no way, get fucked, fuck off". Classic and hilarious at a concert.
Jethro Tull - A New Day Yesterday
Wishbone Ash - Blind Eye
Great list, but in the style of an Andy Edwards rant I can't overstate how big an omission Budgie are from this list. They could easily have 10 of the places in the list of 20.
Most of my favorites are on the same album, Morrison Hotel by the Doors.
Tough one picking out the best Van Halen riff.
I use a different metric. Hot for teacher makes me grin from ear to ear 😁
Fun video Andy and makes sense giving #1 to greatest Rock N Roll band ever. Foundations of Rock for sure with "Let There Be Rock".
Do ya (Move)? Hey hey my my? Cocaine? Can't you hear me knocking? Aqualung? Layla? Sweet Jane? Sweet Peace & Time (H.Pie)? The Nile Song (P.Floyd)? Cold Ethyl (Cooper)? Train In Vain? 12XU (Wire)? Too drunk to f_ck (Dead Kennedys)? Let the children play (Santana)? The great escape (L. Coryell)?
Bloodsucker rules, IN ROCK woo!
You inadvertently did Bombtrack. The dangers of ‘off the cuff a cappella’ lol
The trouble with that particular album is that ‘every’ track had a classic riff.
How about Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper.
Using Cutlery in a song may be great, but Cardiacs Using Scissors is even greater !
And i say that
All of Andy's video's are very entertaining, and it's his fault that i fell into music by Cardiacs and all of the associated bands and musicians.
Andy thinks NIB is in the song Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. He's gone too deep, poor fellow. Great list Andy.
Gentle giant. Peel the paint they virtually hide the riff in the first 2mins before it really takes off
Thought you were going to say War Pigs with the Sabbath tune... man. That's so heavy. They had so many too. AC/DC's catalogue is like the Hall of Riffs.
Fantastic - for the past 40 years I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with AC/DC however after what you've just said I'm going to be squarely in the love side - though I note that just about all your examples were Bon Scott era, whihc is my favourite.
And I'd never made that connection between Xanadu and Sweet CoM. I spose everyone nicks from everyone else though and either improves it or shines a light on the greatness that came before.
Some of the best riffs ever that don't get mentioned in these discussions and I might upset some people with the amount of metal I've got here.
CKY: 96 Quite Bitter Beings (honestly this one is extraordinary, absolutely up there with the best riffs ever)
Dark Funeral: Thus I Have Spoken - Intro Riff
Avenged Sevenfold: The Beast and the Harlot
Killswitch Engage: My Curse
Arch Enemy: Heart of Darkness
Devil Driver: Clouds over California
Satyricon: King
Unearth: One Step Away (rhythm guitar during the solo)
QOTSA: The Sky is Fallin'
Alice in Chains: We Die Young
Pantera: There's a badass riff during Cemetary Gates
Primus: To Defy the Laws of Tradition
Daft Punk: Robot Rock (it's not a guitar but it's most definitely a riff, and an absolutely killer one at that)
Limp Bizkit: Break Stuff (not even joking with this one)
My favourite riffs that all this lot here will absolutely know:
My favourite Sabbath riff: Supernaut
My favourite AC/DC riff: Back in black
Favourite Zappa riff: Five Five Five, Willie the Pimp is a close 2nd.
Favourite Led Zeppelin Riff: Black Dog
Favourite Metallica riff: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Favourite Holdsworth Riff: Metal Fatigue
P.S. My own best riff, and the one that gave me tinnitus spending hours making it (be careful, it's mixed LOUD)
And the best riff ever? The Trooper by Iron Maiden
riffmason.bandcamp.com/track/the-nail
Haven't watched the vid yet!
The sweet - man from mecca
#7 McLaughlin/Miles became “One Phone Call”.
And it originates from Sly Stone's "Sing a Simple Song", but who knows where Sly got it from.
Fleetwood Mac: No-one ever recognises what a great guitarist Lindsay Buckingham is.
I'm a fan of guitarists who are great and sing at the same time. That to me is the pinnacle of knicker elastic snapping technology 😁
Can find an audience anywhere!
There is a band that I was 100% sure would be on this list somewhere. ZZ Top Andy???? 😅
As I said in the previous riff video, it has to be Getcha Rocks Off by Def Leppard. Not only does the riff start the song, but it does what all good riffs should do, it keeps going under the verse vocal.
Great analysis/picks.Agree In Rock is Purple’s best album .. just for the opening racket alone. The Burn 🔥 riff is pretty hard to beat but as you say Blood Sucker is phenomenal.
Snow blind has my favourite Sabbath Riff but there are so many.
Ritchie Blackmore said “Free are the only band Britain should feel proud to have” Fav’ free moment is on Free Live .. Mr Big, when Koss goes into the arpeggiated chords which back the stellar bass solo with Simon Kirk supporting on drums.
Yes...Andy Fraser i brilliant on that
A great riff from the grunge era: School, by Nirvana.
Really hard to narrow it down to a list of 20, and then rank them, but I Soft Machine Hazard Profile would have to be on it. Holdsworth's riff on that is epic.
Eddie Van Halen could also write quite pretty stuff, as in the intro and main riffs to Dance the Night Away.
Top 20 vamps should be a video.
🌠 I can't even begin 2 tell ya how good this is ...off the charts good...the vocal riff ege had me cracking up / dyin...I woulda put Whole Lotta Love ..on the list ..but u mentioned in the light ..which is also a good one ...Fantastic Video ...Father Zappa is cracking a Smile upstairs
Thanks so much!!
seriously..really good dude !.I'm friends with a female ac/dc tribute called hells belles they rock ..let there be rock !
@@AndyEdwardsDrummer
"Aficionados"🖖
Hello please acknowledge the Holdsworth bundles riff. 😊
Check out "Test Drive" The Bunnys - Mid 60's Japanese Surf Rock. The Bass Riff and tone is amazing
Any views on In a Gadda Da Vida? Killer riff from '68.
I'm glad you mentioned that basic rock and roll riff at the end of the video because in the early part of this video I was thinking that why everyone always leave out 1950s form these. Even without considering the basic riff you mentioned (which probably originates from boogie woogie piano pieces), there are some riff meisters in the 1950s. Just as an example, there's Eddie Cochran who had hit songs that were very riff oriented (Summertime Blues, C'mon everybody, Something Else,...). Btw. when you were singing the "Italian opera" part of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, I think what you were singing was actually from NIB which I guess is somewhat similar to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath's "opera" part.
Yes, major mistake...i got carried away