My personal favorites, no particular order. Sweet child o' mine - Guns n Roses Plug in baby - Muse Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana Money - Pink Floyd Everlong - Foo Fighters Fortunate son - Creedence Clearwater Revival Here comes your man - Pixies Day tripper - The Beatles When I come around - Green Day Song 2 - Blur What do you think about this list :)?
Dr moist 69 when you think nirvana you think smells like teen spirit. When you think led zeppelin you think immigrant song and black dog not stairway to heaven
and .... the guitar riff of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, and that Brian May executes with precision and accuracy being that one of the most difficult riffs to execute first because it is very long and lasts 2 minutes! but my dear watch mojo in spanish you were wrong, it is not from Brian May, it is from Freddie. yes gentlemen, Bohemian Rhapsody was written and composed in its entirety, by our dear Freddie. Lo ejecuta Brian obviamente, pero lo presentaste como un riff de Brian May.
@@jasonouellette2436 but there is a small drawback ... a small error, and in composers to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Freddie did the riff for Bohemian Rhapsody. That song is entirely his. I would have liked Let it say look here is an interesting fact, the riff of the 20th century song, it was not composed by a guitarist, on the contrary, it made the guitars cry, Mr. Freddie Mercury (Meteor in his spare hours, ). Meteorite in his free hours, Precisely who made the papers to give him that name, in tribute to his great friend.
Pruthvi Dinesh I’m assuming he was being sarcastic because that song is one of the most iconic but yet wasn’t included in this list. Basically watch mojo made it seem like some nobody song so hes being sarcastic by following up with how he just found out about that “underrated” song
Clearly CM was expressing the clear injustice of stairway not being in the top 10 let alone an honorable mention. Especially because WM clearly know who the zep are!
No thunderstruck, eye of the tiger, smells like teen spirit, dream on, johnny b Goode, nothing by the Beatles or queen and sweet child of mine is an honorable mention WHAT?!??? Edit: i would have switched back in black and whole lotta love for thunderstruck and immigrant song. Also helter skelter/day tripper on the list at least honerable mention
@@michaelb9537 A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music; it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompaniment of a musical composition.
My Opinion 10. Rock You Like A Hurrakine 9. Paranoid 8. Layla 7. Whole Lotta Love 6. Crazy Train 5. Back In Black 4. Voodoo Child 3. Johnny B Goode 2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 1. Smoke On The Water
Sara Sapphire Well, that is just your opinion. Because everyone thinks different, for example from me, the best riff on electric guitar is Shine On You Crazy Diamond of Pink Floyd, and I did not included on this list.
This list should be all metallica. 10. Wherever I may roam 9. Seek & Destroy 8. And justice for all 7. Ride the lightning 6. For whom the bell tolls 5. Nothing else matters 4. Fade to black 3. Master of puppets 2. Welcome home sanitarium 1. ONE!!!
@@beefaveli3443 ONE as number 1 is more of a right answer than saying the absolute value of 1 plus the absolute value of 1 is 2 (if we are only using base 10)
BarredToaster4556387 K, ok buddy 1. The intro to Stairway IS a riff 2. I’m aware, but what I’m saying is that they could’ve chosen Stairway to Heaven over Whole Lotta Love
random booster101 yeah I really was directing it more towards stairway and dream on, thunderstruck just popped into mind, the riff is a lot more memorable to me I guess lol
In all fairness any TOP 10 list in any artistic category is purely speculative and subjective unless based on a verifiable, documented variable such as sales, etc.
“Money for Nothing” is definitely up there for greatest riff ever. Some of my favorites though are Black Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell” and Dio’s “Straight Through the Heart.”
Yea seems more like that rather than the "best". Certainly difficult to boil it down to 10 best since highly subjective but some here probably don't belong. Eric Clapton?? No freaking way that's in the top 10 and I would say probably not even in the top 100. The Kinks is very questionable also.
@@tfriddo most signature or skilled? Come on then Metallica doesn't belong here at all (they didn't anyway). They have none of that and can't even hear the guitars through all the noise to really put any defining label on it... besides noise I guess.
Like many of you out there, I also have some favorites that are not included in the list but, for most of the picks I agree. Van Halen's Jump, The Guess Who's American Woman, Jethro Tull's Aqualung, The Hollies' Cool Long Woman; also La Grange by ZZTop or Purple Haze by you know who may have at least been mentioned, but all this is so subjective and depends on taste and favoritism. There will never be a list on which we all concur.
itsPayo6802 I feel like a top 50 that quickly goes through it would have to many of the same artists tho. I mean you have Prince, ACDC and so many more people/bands who are famous for gutair/riffs.
My top 10: 10. Back in black 9. Day Tripper 8. Stairway 7. Can’t get no satisfaction 6. Sweet Child 5. I Feel Fine 4. 7 Nation Army 3. Do I Wanna Know 2. Hey Bulldog 1. She’s So Heavy I know 4 of these are Beatles riffs, but you gotta say they were great
@@E_V878 it’s up there. Also… with a year more of music listening experience, I can say that 4 Beatles riffs don’t belong on that list. I had just recently gotten into them at the time and I thought that everything they did was great. I still do, but none those 4 are in my top 10 anymore. 😂😂
I'm glad to see Iron Maiden and The Trooper get any acknowledgement, as they often get far too little, but I think they really should have made the top 10!
When Eddie Van Halen and Slash are merely honorable mentions, the entire list is a tad suspect. That said, the others on this list are dead on. Love every one.
Why is no one saying anything about the Ozzy Osbourne footage? The narrator is talking about Randy Rhoads' guitar work... but the footage is Ozzy playing with frigging Brad Gillis! Rhoads wrote the damn riff and it's not like video doesn't exist of him playing this song. Gillis is awesome and everything, but Mojo, just make sure you're using footage of the artist you're talking about, alright?
Well done Erin!!!! I just watched this and was appalled by the Crazy Train video clip as you were. How the hell do you honor someones guitar work with a video of someone else playing it?????? ESPECIALLY, when there are plenty of video clips of Randy. Sometimes, WATCH MOJO has their head up their ass.
***** Yeah...it didn't sound like Randy either. Close but I knew something was off...Randy never played strats live and that was a dead giveaway. It was always the polka dot V or creme Les Paul.
I scrolled thru comments to c if anyone mentioned the footage of crazy train..... Yes younger viewers that wasn't the almighty Randy roads!!! C'mon mojo Wtf???!!?!!
As a guitar player, I have to say that Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode" riff (which actually he used variants of in many songs) is ESSENTIAL. So much in rock depends on that riff, that it's inexplicable.
Totally agree with you, burst the list is not the most influential, but rather the greatest, & usually the first attempts at something are not the greatest
My best guitar riffs: Ozzy Osbourne- I Don't Know Iron Maiden- Aces High Loudness - Crazy Nights Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane Whitesnake- Still Of The Night Dokken- In My Dreams Ratt- Lay It Down Motley Crue- Looks That Kill Dio- We Rock Rush- Limelight Judas Priest- Breaking The Law Black Sabbath- Iron Man Van Halen - Runing With The Devil Poison- Talk Dirty To Me Cinderella- Gipsy Road Saxon- Denim and Leather Accept- Balls to the Wall Survivor- Eye of the Tiger Toto- Hold The Line Foreigner- Feels Like The First Time Heart- Barracuda Stryper- Soldiers Under Command
Yeah, I think its harsh to say he butchered it, especially since he had practically no time to learn the entire setlist. But the point is well taken about the video. I'm certain nobody at WatchMojo knows that's not Randy in the shots they showed.
*No Johnny B. Goode?* Not even an honorable mention? I'd put it at least in the top 3, Chuck Berry literally invented rock & roll. Basically every guitarist that came after him was influenced by him. I'm shocked Johnny B. Goode wasn't at least in the top 5, but not even giving it an honorable mention? Really?
My top 10, using riffs from this list. 10. You Really Got Me 9. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) 8. Master Of Puppets 7. Back In Black 6. Paranoid 5. The Trooper 4. Money For Nothing 3. Sweet Child O’ Mine 2. Crazy Train HN: Layla, Whole Lotta Love, Ain’t Talking ‘bout Love, Holy Wars... The Punishment Due, Sunshine Of Your Love, Seven Nation Army, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. 1. Smoke On The Water
Sweet child o mine in the honorable mentions?! It should be in the number one. Another riff that should be in the top 5 is rocks off by def leppard, I know that it's not so popular but it is realy badass.
Thank you, thank you. One of Keith's best opening riffs and seldom, if ever, mentioned in any all time list. But Mr. Richards had so many great ones it's hard to choose.
Ikmel A.A.A. One of my absolute favorite songs man!!! I made my new band learn it!! You got cocaine eyes.. .and I thought they said "you got nasty boots". So I make my singer say it. Hahah
I know I'm pretty late but It's actually hard to appeal to everyone, everyone's taste is different and has a lot of variables when it comes to picking just 10. (Sorry for my horrible english)
Most people in the comments don't seem to know what a riff is: It's a phrase that's repeated all through a song, a simple motif that is the basis of the song. There's no riff on tracks like "Eruption" or "Hotel California", or "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" (except maybe the iconic "4 notes", but I see it as a theme more than a riff) . "Ain't Talk About Love", "Life in the Fast Lane" or "In The Flesh?" are riff based.
MetalSonic A rift doesn’t have to be repeated throughout the song that’s more of a hook and a hook is a Rift but yeah they were getting guitar parts or guitar solos mixed up with riffs lol
Hey Mojo, Next time show the correct person when touting their abilities. The lead guitarist with Ozzy was not Randy Rhoads but Brad Gillis (Night Ranger) performing Crazy Train. He filled in to complete Ozzy's tour after Randy died from a plane crash in 1982...
Wow! For the most part this was actually a good list. Only a few things, one I wouldn't have chosen I Can't Get No satisfaction as number one but the riff does make the top ten. Another: Whole Lotta Love would be one of my last picks for Jimmy Page's greatest riff: I would've chosen Communication Breakdown, No Quarter, The Ocean, How Many More Times, The Lemon Song, Heartbreaker, Moby Dick, Black Dog, Immigrant Song, Out on The Tiles, Rock and Roll, When The Levee Breaks, Misty Mountain Hop, Stairway to Heaven, The Rover, In My Time of Dying, Houses of The Holy, Kashmir, Ten Years Gone, The Wanton Song, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In The Evening, heck even Hot Dog before I chose Whole Lotta Love (sorry for the long list I won't do it again). Also Ain't Talking bout Love is far from Eddie's best riff, I think Unchained, Mean Street, Panama, or 5150 should've made the list (not just the honorable mentions)
Well, there are only a few good videos of Randy playing live, but they are easy enough to find. But yeah, that's akin to showing Eruption with Dweezil Zappa playing it.
heyskipj as soon as I saw the Red Strat with black pickguard I knew it wasn’t Randy! But it is strange they used footage from the tour he was killed during. That’s really weird? I had just made a very similar comment just a few minutes ago! Brad’s good but he ain’t Randy!
MIA: Rolling Stones 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', Byrds ' Eight Miles High', Who 'I Can't Explain', Deep Purple 'Burn', Chicago '25 Or 6 To 4', Beatles 'I Feel Fine'.
You're prosto not in course. The best riff is in K Crimsion's "21-st Century Schizoid Man". The rests are kids. But Led Zepp, Jimi and objectively DP's "Smoke on the Water" in favour. Talents are not drunk.
@@mrkickless392 no he is not, He is always in the top 10 greatest guitarist , I don't why they put him in the top 10 , He doesn't have much of solos and riffs . But I do find him extremely talented and also a cool guy because he is an astrophysicist and a rock and roll guitarist...
Try a little experiment. Play just the music of Sweet Child Of Mine without Rose’s lyrics and voice. (You can google it). You will marvel what a great song it is. Rose’s whiney voice just plain ruins it!!
Alive-Pearl Jam Fly away-Lenny Kravitz La grange-ZZ Top Heart Shaped Box-Nirvana Snow-RHCP Smooth-Santana More than a feeling-Boston And I guess we don't have to talk about Money for nothing
I can’t get no satisfaction from this list
Oh cool, me too, but only because of SOME mentions on it
Levon11 that's only because you don't know anything about music MC
@@markclayton7294 stfu
that's soo funny
@NSBDS gnr ? what do you expect it's watchmojo
Ozzy when he sings you can understand every word perfectly.. When he talks you can't understand a word.
Because he had a stroke several years ago, he has trouble articulating...
Just like a someone with a studder
So fucking true
@@zippythechimp4219 *stutter
Many reasons but the main ones are stutter, drugs and the fact he's from Birmingham and when he sings loses his accent like many people
4:09 can we just appreciate how badass that transition was?
Almost sounded like one song.
‘Twas smooth indeed
heck yeah. i like it.
@꧁Christopher꧂ he's talking about the music
@꧁Christopher꧂ that’s what cutting is dude lol
“Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits
It should be in this list!
I'm still really torn about the missing verse....
There is no speaker loud enough to handle that first riff
@@vstrmrk nicely said
yeah it really should
its a honorable mention but should be on the list
My personal favorites, no particular order.
Sweet child o' mine - Guns n Roses
Plug in baby - Muse
Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana
Money - Pink Floyd
Everlong - Foo Fighters
Fortunate son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Here comes your man - Pixies
Day tripper - The Beatles
When I come around - Green Day
Song 2 - Blur
What do you think about this list :)?
Jimi Hendrix ?
Dream on?
Good list👍🏻
Not as good as the original, and that's saying something
Enter Sandman -Metallica
The honourable mentions make more of a good list than the actual list.
I second that
I was at that Van Halen concert
Not quite...I think you are not right
@Nathaniel Butcher lmao
Truth
Stairway to heaven, dream on, iron man, thunderstruck, smells like teen spirit all shoulda been on this list
Zack Thompson not smells like teen spirit. The rest I sort of agree
Kurwa smells like teen spirit is more recognisable and iconic than dream on and stairway to heaven
A.J.S Nirvana sucks so much i hate smells like teem spirit so much
A.J.S Stairway to heaven is 10x more recognisable
Dr moist 69 when you think nirvana you think smells like teen spirit. When you think led zeppelin you think immigrant song and black dog not stairway to heaven
“Money for Nothing” is a requirement when talking about the best riffs. I can never get that one out of my head.
No doubt. One of the top 5 riffs of all time
Na
and .... the guitar riff of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, and that Brian May executes with precision and accuracy being that one of the most difficult riffs to execute first because it is very long and lasts 2 minutes! but my dear watch mojo in spanish you were wrong, it is not from Brian May, it is from Freddie. yes gentlemen, Bohemian Rhapsody was written and composed in its entirety, by our dear Freddie. Lo ejecuta Brian obviamente, pero lo presentaste como un riff de Brian May.
@@jasonouellette2436 but there is a small drawback ... a small error, and in composers to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Freddie did the riff for Bohemian Rhapsody. That song is entirely his. I would have liked Let it say look here is an interesting fact, the riff of the 20th century song, it was not composed by a guitarist, on the contrary, it made the guitars cry, Mr. Freddie Mercury (Meteor in his spare hours, ). Meteorite in his free hours, Precisely who made the papers to give him that name, in tribute to his great friend.
@@jasonouellette2436 pppp
Yo guys I found this track called Stairway To Heaven, it's not bad lol
U do know that song is considered one of the greatest Rock songs of all time?
Pruthvi Dinesh I’m assuming he was being sarcastic because that song is one of the most iconic but yet wasn’t included in this list. Basically watch mojo made it seem like some nobody song so hes being sarcastic by following up with how he just found out about that “underrated” song
Pruthvi Dinesh r/wooosh
Clearly CM was expressing the clear injustice of stairway not being in the top 10 let alone an honorable mention. Especially because WM clearly know who the zep are!
@@pruthvidinesh9846 fuck you bullshit
Honorable mentions are better than the actual list lol
Tox- ic in other news, the sky is blue
Agreed
Ikr? Trooper gets an honorable mention? Are they showing us videos or trolling us?
Tox- ic What would you remove from the list ?
Roger that! Mark & the Straits were SO cheated.
No thunderstruck, eye of the tiger, smells like teen spirit, dream on, johnny b Goode, nothing by the Beatles or queen and sweet child of mine is an honorable mention WHAT?!???
Edit: i would have switched back in black and whole lotta love for thunderstruck and immigrant song. Also helter skelter/day tripper on the list at least honerable mention
Exactly
Stairway to heaven? Do you know what a riff is?
@@patrickobrien4391 now that you say it you are right
Hail king Johnny
It’s watch mojo. My expectations were low, but holy fuck!
Watch mojo: Do you agree with our list ?
Everyone: where do I start ?
Best place to start: what’s a riff
@@michaelb9537 and what a guitar is
When they put GVF in the worst snl performance I realized their lists are not a true representation of what rock fans know and love.
@@michaelb9537 A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music; it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompaniment of a musical composition.
Best place to start: fuck off you fucking amateurs
4:09 SMOOOOOOTH AS FRICK TRANSITION
Nolan Harrison ha ha yeah
Yeah lmao
Ok nolan harrison
@@LiamEgan17 new favorite song
Watch Mojo: (puts Nirvana in intro, doesn't mention it)
Nirvana: "Am I a joke to you?"
I didn't even see them in the intro, I didn't think they'd make the list when I saw what was #10
A 'mind blowing' joke
I hate Nirvana and I live in Seattle LOL
"Am I a joke to you?" - yes
Yes, they are
Watchmojo: *Talks about Randy Rhoads*
Also Watchmojo: *Shows Brad Gillis*
Randy is too good to be showed on such a shitty channel
@@ALLMETAL1970 agreed
I thought the same thing!!!!
Agreed, boo to watchmojo
Well, there's not really much videos with Randy. Fucking thank you, Sharon!
Name a person who hears the opening to Sweet Home Alabama and doesn’t know exactly what song it is
What song
Still think their best riff is Call me the Breeze but no Skynard at all?
@@Fix_Bayonets That one's good but I go with Gimme Three Steps.
Not Free Bird?
My Opinion
10. Rock You Like A Hurrakine
9. Paranoid
8. Layla
7. Whole Lotta Love
6. Crazy Train
5. Back In Black
4. Voodoo Child
3. Johnny B Goode
2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
1. Smoke On The Water
I'm happy for you Santiago and Imma let you finish but No one like you (Sorpions) has the best riff of all the time!!
Sara Sapphire Is Excellent, but not most important as this.
Important, maybe not, but damn! the riff is orgasmic!
Sara Sapphire Well, that is just your opinion.
Because everyone thinks different, for example from me, the best riff on electric guitar is Shine On You Crazy Diamond of Pink Floyd, and I did not included on this list.
I'm talking about *only* Scorpions songs.
Sweet Child O' Mine is just an honourable Mention? WTF?
Queen
That riff makes me want to chop off my ears
Oodibigah fair but everyone knows it and it’s so iconic it should at least be on the list
Yoda _ woah chill😂😂
GNR sucks so an honorable mention is more than it deserves.
Watch mojo: master of puppets #9
Metallica: am I a joke for you
It’s really sad because that is one of there most popular song
This list should be all metallica.
10. Wherever I may roam
9. Seek & Destroy
8. And justice for all
7. Ride the lightning
6. For whom the bell tolls
5. Nothing else matters
4. Fade to black
3. Master of puppets
2. Welcome home sanitarium
1. ONE!!!
@@beefaveli3443 ONE as number 1 is more of a right answer than saying the absolute value of 1 plus the absolute value of 1 is 2 (if we are only using base 10)
Master of puppets is not only sick to listen to but it’s relatively easy to play it you can get the down picking right
@@beefaveli3443 They should've replaced Master of Puppets with something else and just done a separate video for Metallica riffs instead
“Money For Nothing” should be on this list, there’s no speaker in the world loud enough for that intro riff.
Hey bud let’s party
Honorable mention - but should have been on the main list.
Well done you just offended the whole fricking guitar community
, not just the guitar community the rock community
Not 'frickin' but pickin' and yer rite !
Dire Straits ''Money for Nothing" shoulda been at least 3rd and not just a honorable mention
yes
Dire straits is better than 99% of the newer artists
Straight facts
Amazing riff
I feel like that should’ve been number one. That riff is amazing
Stairway to heaven, Dream On, Thunderstruck?
Stairway is literally referred to as the forbidden riff ‘cause it’s so overplayed lol.
Eli Tiller only one song per artist.
Why isn’t through the fire and the flames by dragon force on there?!
BarredToaster4556387 K, ok buddy
1. The intro to Stairway IS a riff
2. I’m aware, but what I’m saying is that they could’ve chosen Stairway to Heaven over Whole Lotta Love
Really? For me it's Back In Black.
random booster101 yeah I really was directing it more towards stairway and dream on, thunderstruck just popped into mind, the riff is a lot more memorable to me I guess lol
Not a Clapton fan by any means…and definitely a metal head…but Layla gets my vote for best riff of all time. It’s just untouchable.
it's really more of a lick
And I’m my opinion just unlistenable. A whining boring song.
"only Jimi Hendrix was really capable of producing it"
SRV: "am I a joke to you?"
Sam S stevie left the chat
Stevie played it a lot better
R.I.P to both of those legends
Just as well... in the top 10 underrated guitarists, SRV wasn't even mentioned either. But they mentioned EVH
@@naimsguitarandoutdooradven1261 No Jimi = No Stevie
Thunderstruck, Barracuda and Spirit of Radio all deserve at least an honorable mention
Smells like teen spirit was the first song showed lol
damb straight
Barracuda definitely.
Thunderstruck - honorable mention if AC/DC didn't already have a better riff on the list.
well, at least back in black is on the list. i wouldhave chosen a different one from the band, but still, they are there and sure deserve it
Spirit of the radio absolutely
This is a top 10 most POPULAR guitar riffs for people who don't really know guitar or rock music .
Really! How the fk 'Satisfaction' made the list let alone #1 is pathetic.
@@Businessmobilewebdesign because a lot of people like it and the stones. Satisfaction was also the first song i learned on guitar.
In all fairness any TOP 10 list in any artistic category is purely speculative and subjective unless based on a verifiable, documented variable such as sales, etc.
I don't see 'Johnny B. Goode' on here, that's like one of the most famous riffs of all time.
@@mwilliamson7533 btw I really like satisfaction, its a really good song. But I get what he means it's not that hard of song to play.
Shine on you crazy diamond still gives me goosebumps when gilmour plays that note
Me: I know this list is wrong
*clicks anyway*
Ikr, i must end this habit
Well, share your list... Let's see what people think of your picks. You might be right
@@jesuscalderon6809 I’ll probably be wrong also
There are so many good riffs than your favourites
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir or Immigrant Song
Definitely Kashmir,this song has best riff ever.
I'm against immigrants. I also don't like Kashmir. Terrible place
Ramble on is a little better
Kashmir!
Immigrant song definitely
Riff #2 Crazy Train. That's Brad Gillis in the video, not Randy Rhoads, lol.
fucking Sharon cant even let Randy take the credit
Sad thing is they showed him in the intro of the countdown
Guitar Lessons - EASY TO LEARN BobbyCrispy something seemed off when I saw the pink strat
And sweet Child o' mine isn't a riff
I saw that!
“Money for Nothing” is definitely up there for greatest riff ever. Some of my favorites though are Black Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell” and Dio’s “Straight Through the Heart.”
I guess by 'best' they mean 'instantly recognizable by most' ...
I mean out of 1000s of different bands there are so many riffs to choose from, a true definitive top 10 list would be impossible.
Exactly, they should give their heads a good shake, What is this list, and where is SRV?😬
Yea seems more like that rather than the "best". Certainly difficult to boil it down to 10 best since highly subjective but some here probably don't belong. Eric Clapton?? No freaking way that's in the top 10 and I would say probably not even in the top 100. The Kinks is very questionable also.
they didnt say the best they said the top 10 ("most signature" "most memorable" and "most skilled")
@@tfriddo most signature or skilled? Come on then Metallica doesn't belong here at all (they didn't anyway). They have none of that and can't even hear the guitars through all the noise to really put any defining label on it... besides noise I guess.
Layla rift is just so beautiful. Bad list still though XD
Its riff not rift
Riff*
Dumbass
Sweet Child O Mine is great in everyway possible. dont know why its only an honorable mention.
I feel the same way
It's no.1 on most lists!
sweet child o mine solo influenced evryone who ia new to guitar
I agree
+James Tisdale probably because it was played the s*it out of
The fact that stairway to heaven wasn’t on the list or even an honourable mention is a tragedy
That’s prob because it’s acoustic
@@iplayroblox2317 He didn’t play that song on an acoustic he played it on his double neck with the twelve string.
My favourite band is led zeppelin!
But stairway to heaven is not a riff
@@tbreezy8681 wasn’t that live
@@joaoferreiradealmeida1102 no the whole song is not a riff I’m just talking about the first riff it’s iconic
“Weve excluded instrumentals” Me: there goes eruption
Eruption is not a riff but a solo
They even showed it in the beginning
And I was sad when they said that cause the excluded goat by polypha with is the hardest riff
Yeppers urgh
Not a riff ..
Zz tops “la grange” should have been on there
yes that ones very famous
Yessir
I would give don't fear the reaper at least an honorable mention.
vgames89 MORE COWBELL!
+vgames89 thank you
Like many of you out there, I also have some favorites that are not included in the list but, for most of the picks I agree. Van Halen's Jump, The Guess Who's American Woman, Jethro Tull's Aqualung, The Hollies' Cool Long Woman; also La Grange by ZZTop or Purple Haze by you know who may have at least been mentioned, but all this is so subjective and depends on taste and favoritism. There will never be a list on which we all concur.
Top 10 guitar riffs? Theres too many to make just a top 10. You can get a top 20 just from Black Sabbath... what about a top 1000?
itsPayo6802 I feel like a top 50 that quickly goes through it would have to many of the same artists tho. I mean you have Prince, ACDC and so many more people/bands who are famous for gutair/riffs.
Yep and add at least 20 from Slayer 🤘
Top 10 is just way too small to put in all the best riffs. Should be top 100 at least.
itsPayo6802 (l.p.
Another 20 from Iron Maiden easy
Iommi might accidentally play twenty if he feels like
Slash's 'Sweet child o' mine' on the "honorable mentions" .... lol
☣ Tsjernobylol ☣ ikr
Ikr shouldn't even be in the video
if you even can't appreciate sweet child o' mine you dont have a very good music taste.
☣ Tsjernobylol ☣ I was about to say the same thing like wtf lol
☣ Tsjernobylol ☣ don't feel bad....Stranglehold by ted nugent was probably never considered either
My top 10:
10. Back in black
9. Day Tripper
8. Stairway
7. Can’t get no satisfaction
6. Sweet Child
5. I Feel Fine
4. 7 Nation Army
3. Do I Wanna Know
2. Hey Bulldog
1. She’s So Heavy
I know 4 of these are Beatles riffs, but you gotta say they were great
I agree with you.
Money for Nothing has the single greatest opening riff of all time imo
@@E_V878 it’s up there. Also… with a year more of music listening experience, I can say that 4 Beatles riffs don’t belong on that list. I had just recently gotten into them at the time and I thought that everything they did was great. I still do, but none those 4 are in my top 10 anymore. 😂😂
@@E_V878 sultans of swing is a better mark knopfler riff
List would be perfect if it had “ 4:11 dire straits money for nothing “
I'm glad to see Iron Maiden and The Trooper get any acknowledgement, as they often get far too little, but I think they really should have made the top 10!
When Eddie Van Halen and Slash are merely honorable mentions, the entire list is a tad suspect. That said, the others on this list are dead on. Love every one.
Why is no one saying anything about the Ozzy Osbourne footage? The narrator is talking about Randy Rhoads' guitar work... but the footage is Ozzy playing with frigging Brad Gillis! Rhoads wrote the damn riff and it's not like video doesn't exist of him playing this song. Gillis is awesome and everything, but Mojo, just make sure you're using footage of the artist you're talking about, alright?
THANK YOU! RIP RANDY
Well done Erin!!!! I just watched this and was appalled by the Crazy Train video clip as you were. How the hell do you honor someones guitar work with a video of someone else playing it?????? ESPECIALLY, when there are plenty of video clips of Randy. Sometimes, WATCH MOJO has their head up their ass.
***** Yeah...it didn't sound like Randy either. Close but I knew something was off...Randy never played strats live and that was a dead giveaway. It was always the polka dot V or creme Les Paul.
they could've used crazy train video from after hours. live with randy
I scrolled thru comments to c if anyone mentioned the footage of crazy train..... Yes younger viewers that wasn't the almighty Randy roads!!! C'mon mojo Wtf???!!?!!
As a guitar player, I have to say that Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode" riff (which actually he used variants of in many songs) is ESSENTIAL. So much in rock depends on that riff, that it's inexplicable.
Philip Frandsen , for me he’s The Godfather of Rock Guitar,
I agree with you. The Beatles and the Stones both talked about the influence of Chuck Berry.
Totally agree with you, burst the list is not the most influential, but rather the greatest, & usually the first attempts at something are not the greatest
My best guitar riffs:
Ozzy Osbourne- I Don't Know
Iron Maiden- Aces High
Loudness - Crazy Nights
Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane
Whitesnake- Still Of The Night
Dokken- In My Dreams
Ratt- Lay It Down
Motley Crue- Looks That Kill
Dio- We Rock
Rush- Limelight
Judas Priest- Breaking The Law
Black Sabbath- Iron Man
Van Halen - Runing With The Devil
Poison- Talk Dirty To Me
Cinderella- Gipsy Road
Saxon- Denim and Leather
Accept- Balls to the Wall
Survivor- Eye of the Tiger
Toto- Hold The Line
Foreigner- Feels Like The First Time
Heart- Barracuda
Stryper- Soldiers Under Command
I think Kashmir could have been Led Zeppelin 's song.
The Ocean
@@dynjarren5454 I think that has a good riff as well, but Kashmir and Whole Lotta Love are more well known.
@@dynjarren5454 It's probably also my favorite song from Houses of the Holy.
Thank you
Probably stolen
Sweet child "o" mine should've been number 1. When you hear that riff, you either jump for joy or roll your eyes; but EVERYONE knows that one!
Agreed..love from India
It sucks
@@bobstalder7278 fuck u
Most annoying piece of guitar work of all time. Made me want to jump off a building every time I heard it.
@@Corehinduism Fuck U 2.. It still sucks
That transition between Paranoid and Back in Black. You just got a like WatchMojo.
jimmy made enough songs to make the list for himself.
jimmy hendricks
This video should be called “most iconic guitar riffs”
If you're going to talk about Randy Rhoads, you might want to use actual footage of him and not Brad Gillis butchering his solo..just saying.
Butcher? Gillis is no joke! Granted no RR but still.....
Yeah, I think its harsh to say he butchered it, especially since he had practically no time to learn the entire setlist. But the point is well taken about the video. I'm certain nobody at WatchMojo knows that's not Randy in the shots they showed.
i was confused also...
kinda sounded like Randy, but i kept
seeing Brad...
(Don't Fear) The Reaper should've at least gotten an honorary mention.
Maybe if there was more cowbell
yeah
+Jimmy Neutron AHHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA
it just needs more cowbell
I think....I think I have... a fever.We got a doctor nearby?
War pigs by Black Sabbath is also really memorable. Also I think the only thing they got right was smoke on the water
4:07 that transition from paranoid to back in black tho
I was hoping someone was gonna comment about that lol. It was so fluid
Yeah at first I thought it was Highway To Hell but then quickly realised.
*No Johnny B. Goode?* Not even an honorable mention? I'd put it at least in the top 3, Chuck Berry literally invented rock & roll. Basically every guitarist that came after him was influenced by him. I'm shocked Johnny B. Goode wasn't at least in the top 5, but not even giving it an honorable mention? Really?
Anthony Sclafani has a
Buddy, he’s at the very beginning
Man ....im with you 100%
He did not invent rock and roll. Rock and roll is a blending of blues and country western. Without those 3 piece cw bands it never happens.
Agreed!
Breaking The Law by Judas Priest
amen to that
1984 wls rockfest Chicago
Breaking The Law is good, but I personally like Living After Midnight and You've Got Another Thing Coming more.
ɷɷɷ I Have Watcheddd Thissss Moviee Leakedddd Versionn Hereee : - t.co/RlKbv1hghK
Max Ward
Painkiller is legendary, no questions asked. I think it got its status from Halford's singing skills and not the unique riff though.
dat boi from a guitarist, I'd say the riff is a bit generic and BABYMETAL ruined the vocals, however the drums are phenomenal from start to finish
Where is “Money for Nothing”? One of the best riffs of all time, instantly recognizable and iconic.
Bro didn’t watch the video💀💀
Were is Eruption? Freebird? One? Crossroads? Mister Crowley? Surfin USA? Anything David Gilmour or Brian May?
9
Dennis Anderson Are you aware of the difference between a riff and a solo??
Dennis Anderson Those are solos my man.
Eruption,freebird, one is a solo David Gilmore, Brian may are guitarist and
Queen and pink floyd are better with their solos than with their riffs
The whole Crazy Train segment didn't once show Randy Rhodes.
>facepalm
Yeah who the hell was that guy on stage, I thought I was crazy for a second. Pun intended.
I'm thinking well I guess I don't know his face that well
That's Brad Gillis.
I don't know who Randy Rhodes is, I know Randy Rhoads played for Ozzy.
I was like that's not randy.
Stevie Ray Vaughn did incredible justice to Jimmy Hendrex’s “Voodoo Child”.
Legend
His version of little wing is great
*Jimi Hendrix*
SRV brought Jimi back for too short of time . Incredible talent.
Stevie also did "Superstition" some fantastic justice!
Totally agree with Ain't Talkin Bout Love VH... Gives me shivers every time.
My top 10, using riffs from this list.
10. You Really Got Me
9. Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
8. Master Of Puppets
7. Back In Black
6. Paranoid
5. The Trooper
4. Money For Nothing
3. Sweet Child O’ Mine
2. Crazy Train
HN: Layla, Whole Lotta Love, Ain’t Talking ‘bout Love, Holy Wars... The Punishment Due, Sunshine Of Your Love, Seven Nation Army, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.
1. Smoke On The Water
I agree with you
GD JuryJohn NO SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT?!?
You don’t play guitar my friend...do you
I do
Holy wars!
This the worst top 10 you guys have ever chosen
@thegeorgezila its their opinion as well......
Their list is just opinions......
This is not that bad a list. These riffs are absolutely iconic
The Metallica song is terrible that shouldn’t be anywhere near the top 10 what a joke.
You should see there top male guitarists they put keith Richards higher than Clapton and forget about Jeff beck ,George Harrison, and slash
And that’s sayin somethin
Voodoo child (slight return) has the meanest intro riffs ...
Yep. It's just because they need to puto at least one Hendrix song in their lists...
Surprised that Welcome to the Jungle was not there. My favorite riff: Rattlesnake Shake by Motley Crue.
My fave is Girls Girls Girls
Apparently these people have Never Heard "You DON'T TALK OVER the MUSIC ! ! !"
johnny B. Good may be too old for a RUclips list, but if 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' is absent, so am I.
Sweet child o mine in the honorable mentions?! It should be in the number one. Another riff that should be in the top 5 is rocks off by def leppard, I know that it's not so popular but it is realy badass.
I’ve loved Layla for over fifty years!
Do yourselves a favour a listen to the riff on The Rolling Stones' Can't You Hear Me Knocking, instead of Satisfaction.
Or Start Me Up.Or Beast of Burden.
Thank you, thank you. One of Keith's best opening riffs and seldom, if ever, mentioned in any all time list. But Mr. Richards had so many great ones it's hard to choose.
Ikmel A.A.A. One of my absolute favorite songs man!!! I made my new band learn it!! You got cocaine eyes.. .and I thought they said "you got nasty boots". So I make my singer say it. Hahah
Ikmel A.A.A. lisa fiisher gimme shelter
Can't forget Ronnie wood though. Love faces stuff where he was able to not be in Richards shadow.
Watch the live video of I'm Losing You - love it.
That AC/DC riff still makes me happy when I hear it lol! My mom raised me on harder rock from the 70's and 80's. So it has good memories lol
🤟🤟🤟 don't let AC/DCs songs die
I know I'm pretty late but It's actually hard to appeal to everyone, everyone's taste is different and has a lot of variables when it comes to picking just 10. (Sorry for my horrible english)
Yeah but this is watch mojo so it’s fun to make fun of them
(Also your English is wonderful)
Crazy Train is number one, it's by far, the greatest riff ever. Metallic Seek and Destroy should be on the list.
Most people in the comments don't seem to know what a riff is: It's a phrase that's repeated all through a song, a simple motif that is the basis of the song.
There's no riff on tracks like "Eruption" or "Hotel California", or "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" (except maybe the iconic "4 notes", but I see it as a theme more than a riff) . "Ain't Talk About Love", "Life in the Fast Lane" or "In The Flesh?" are riff based.
MetalSonic you mean like TNT by ac/dc. Missing from this list too
how about aqualung by Tull.
@@billiey61 one of my favorites!
MetalSonic A rift doesn’t have to be repeated throughout the song that’s more of a hook and a hook is a Rift but yeah they were getting guitar parts or guitar solos mixed up with riffs lol
Master of Puppets at 9? That should be a sin
Yeah, it should have been 10
Austintistic yikes 😬
Shouldn’t have made the list
MoP but not One is rough. Also Wasted Years is Iron Maiden's best IMO.
Ur right it shouldn't be in the top 10
Hey Mojo,
Next time show the correct person when touting their abilities. The lead guitarist with Ozzy was not Randy Rhoads but Brad Gillis (Night Ranger) performing Crazy Train. He filled in to complete Ozzy's tour after Randy died from a plane crash in 1982...
Wow! For the most part this was actually a good list. Only a few things, one I wouldn't have chosen I Can't Get No satisfaction as number one but the riff does make the top ten. Another: Whole Lotta Love would be one of my last picks for Jimmy Page's greatest riff: I would've chosen Communication Breakdown, No Quarter, The Ocean, How Many More Times, The Lemon Song, Heartbreaker, Moby Dick, Black Dog, Immigrant Song, Out on The Tiles, Rock and Roll, When The Levee Breaks, Misty Mountain Hop, Stairway to Heaven, The Rover, In My Time of Dying, Houses of The Holy, Kashmir, Ten Years Gone, The Wanton Song, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In The Evening, heck even Hot Dog before I chose Whole Lotta Love (sorry for the long list I won't do it again). Also Ain't Talking bout Love is far from Eddie's best riff, I think Unchained, Mean Street, Panama, or 5150 should've made the list (not just the honorable mentions)
The honorable mentions are better than all of the top 10
Fresh Bacon nope
True
except for SotW and layla that should take the 2nd and 3rd spots after sunshine of my love
Goddmn, you right
You dont like master of puppets?
WatchMojo, you are forever disgraced for honoring the Randy Rhodes riff, while showing Brad Gillis. Back to top 10 Boy Bands for you.
RIGHT?! Unbelievable. What an insult to Rhodes.
Well, there are only a few good videos of Randy playing live, but they are easy enough to find. But yeah, that's akin to showing Eruption with Dweezil Zappa playing it.
TRUE AS FUCKING FUCK
IKR!!! So disrespectful to one of the greatest guitarists ever
heyskipj as soon as I saw the Red Strat with black pickguard I knew it wasn’t Randy! But it is strange they used footage from the tour he was killed during. That’s really weird? I had just made a very similar comment just a few minutes ago! Brad’s good but he ain’t Randy!
You could make a top 100 rock riff and people won’t be satisfied 🤦♀️
they could make a list of every riff ever made and some people would say " oh i composed a riff no one knows and this one is missing."
They can't get no satisfaction xD
CodyTheDoggo correct
@@codythedoggo7671 oh how this both pleased and irritated me
yep
MIA: Rolling Stones 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', Byrds ' Eight Miles High', Who 'I Can't Explain', Deep Purple 'Burn', Chicago '25 Or 6 To 4', Beatles 'I Feel Fine'.
Sweet child of mine, Money for Nothing, Sunshine of your love and the most popular of em all Seven nation army not in the list. High on what?
How is seven nation army more popular than sweet child o’mine 😂
MichaelTheGamer 2.0 well uncultured swines are more likely to recognize seven nation army than sweet child o mine
NyanZi Gamer oof
Hm, a better question is why they didn't put in Ocean Man by Ween instead of any Ozzy Black Sabbath
@@nyanzigamer3929 it would've been wiser to get something from the good Black Sabbath rather than the druggie BS
This list could've just been Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix
Logan Perry which would've been perfectly fine
You're prosto not in course. The best riff is in K Crimsion's "21-st Century Schizoid Man". The rests are kids. But Led Zepp, Jimi and objectively DP's "Smoke on the Water" in favour. Talents are not drunk.
Ok, but let´s put some Iommi´s riffs
I was literally coming to the comment section to say this exact thing word for word. Weird
It also could have been just Kieth Richards
What no Brian May who built his guitar from scratch. A major face palm
Overrated
@@mrkickless392 he definitely is hammer to fall is the pentatonic boxes
He had great tones and solos, but Queen doesn't really have many iconic guitar riffs
@@mrkickless392 no he is not, He is always in the top 10 greatest guitarist , I don't why they put him in the top 10 , He doesn't have much of solos and riffs .
But I do find him extremely talented and also a cool guy because he is an astrophysicist and a rock and roll guitarist...
Agreed!! Read the comments first. Now, not even bothering to warch.
Shame about excluding instrumentals, because the “Orion” riff is truly epic
Smoke on the Water is always the one guitar riff everyone must learn beginning to play, just how is that not #1
Because 035
Because 035
RIP Malcom Young
Hasindu Wela rip cliff Burton
Rest in Peace, Malcom Young. We'll miss ya in this world and need more people like you instead of those who produce today's shitty music! ❤️
RIP
Hasindu Wela king riff master
Sweet child of mine not in the top 10..? I guess it's a generational thing, but for me in my 40's now, it's just the most iconic riff ever
I realy love this Song.
Couldn't agree more, Jon. SCOM just HAS to be No. 1
I'm in my 40's too and I disagree, I love it though.
Try a little experiment. Play just the music of Sweet Child Of Mine without Rose’s lyrics and voice. (You can google it). You will marvel what a great song it is. Rose’s whiney voice just plain ruins it!!
Alive-Pearl Jam
Fly away-Lenny Kravitz
La grange-ZZ Top
Heart Shaped Box-Nirvana
Snow-RHCP
Smooth-Santana
More than a feeling-Boston
And I guess we don't have to talk about Money for nothing
Stevie Ray Vaughn.. The rift in, Cold shot..
agree , one of the first addictive riffs that popped into my head pal. SRV. gone too soon.
Beatles, Day Tripper and Paperback Writer.
Revolution, Taxman, Come Together, Ticket to Ride, and I Feel Fine also deserve mention
Common guys!! everybody knows that the beatles are in the gods level, that is a fact and nobody can argue 😂
Not even an honourable mention for Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper?
nobody even knows the name of your band and you want it on a top 10 list of all time?
Towlysfriend Nobody knows the name of the band, but most people will recognize the song. It's got kind of a cult status- it pops up everywhere!
i know the song and think it is great but not near a top 10 list of all time.
if it had more cowbell it definetly would of been near the top
Ryan Garten tink tink tink tink tink
I think “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie should be In this list the opening riff was amazing
Mick Ronson is a legend...
I realy miss Queen in this list. I mean what about Songs like "Tie your mother down", "Hammer to fall" or "Stone Cold Crazy".
Or the Godfather of headbanging! The Solo from Bohemian Rhapsody!?!
One Vision aswell
@@GDP999-z1u yeah you're right
Queen is overrated Zeppelin wannabes
@@shanewalton8888 You might say that because of the movie, but Queen Songs are pure Magic
How did they forget one of the most iconic classic rock songs of all time, stairway to heaven
Pink Floyd / David Gilmour could fill the top 10, but doesn't get a mention...
Damn right!
Exactly
Ya, whoever wrote the list is way, way too much into metal.
But the riffs?
Huge fan of David Gilmour-but he’s not known for strong riffs..he’s more of a king of the guitar solo.
"Layla" deserved to be higher than 6!!!!!