14 of the Greatest Electric Guitar Riffs
Within the world of electric guitar, soloing gets most of the attention. The solo is the lead guitarist’s opportunity to shine—to wail away on his instrument and prove his creativity and skill, all while giving the fans exactly what they came to see. But a great riff is just as important as a virtuoso solo. In fact, it may be even more important, since it serves not only as the backbone of the song being soloed over, but also the most memorable element of the tune. It’s the riff that helps the song stick in people’s minds and turns songs into legends.
While solos are ephemeral, fleeting journeys along the scales—often improvised and perfected in the moment—riffs are solid, enduring, and planned long in advance. A good solo thrills the crowd in the short term, but a great riff is what makes a song last forever.
A riff is typically a short series of notes that serves as a song’s theme. It is often used in the introduction, although it can pop up anywhere in the song, whether repeatedly or as a single expression. What makes it stand out is the way it anchors the song and makes it memorable. Not every great song has a great riff, but every tune with a great riff usually becomes a great song.
Throughout the years, there have been hundreds of riffs that have withstood the test of time, establishing themselves in our collective consciousness, to the point that we know exactly what song and musician we are hearing after only a few bars. For dedicated guitarists, learning these riffs is a rite of passage—an opportunity to emulate the genius of those who have come before us and a steppingstone to longer, more improvised licks and eventually original solos.
Compiling an authoritative list of the greatest riffs in history is a nearly impossible task, especially since taste is subjective. Still, there are a handful of riffs that virtually everyone can agree represent moments of musical greatness, regardless of genre. The following are 15 of the most memorable.
Born to Be Wild (Steppenwolf)
The opening riff of this late 1960s rock song was pure slasher metal, before metal was really a thing. The fact that it drives the song from beginning to end, setting the backdrop for what almost qualifies as gravely crooning, makes this riff a timeless classic.
Walk This Way (Aerosmith)
Jaunty and raw at the same time, the opening riff on what was arguably Aerosmith’s biggest hit distracted listeners from its very risqué lyrics. Like most memorable riffs, it reappeared throughout the song, laying the foundation for one of the all-time greats.
Beat It (Michael Jackson, featuring Eddie Van Halen)
Rock guitar riffs were a rarity in pop music, and many purists from both genres would likely have scoffed at the idea that the King of Pop would ever collaborate with the greatest guitarist of all time. But Michael Jackson changed music history when he asked Eddie Van Halen to lay down the perfect riff for Beat It—and Eddie proved his genius transcended genres when he did exactly that.
Message in a Bottle (The Police)
Lighter and happier than many of the riffs on this list, the underlying musical theme of “Message in a Bottle” belied the melancholy lyrics of this classic from The Police and inspired thousands of guitarists to learn how to finger their strings.
(Don’t Fear) the Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult)
Another soft, jaunty guitar line on a list full of heavier rock performances, the opening notes of “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” have echoes of the riff from “Message in a Bottle,” but with a deeper, richer, less frantic tone. The riff provides an airy foundation for a somewhat dark song about death; it also received its pop culture resurrection decades later when Saturday Night Live’s Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon (along with guest Christopher Walken) used the song for their infamous “More Cowbell” sketch.
I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction) (The Rolling Stones)
Despite the name, the riff on this song from The Rolling Stones is eternally satisfying, both to listen to and play. Fans loved it then, just as they love it now, and guitarists around the world have been playing it for decades.
Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd brought rebel rock into the new age, blending Southern angst, country roots, and pure rock talent into the natural progression of what legends like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard started years before. The opening riff on their biggest hit is infinitely fun to play and unmistakably recognizable, and continues to endure as one of the all-time greats.
Enter Sandman (Metallica)
Heavy metal has a tendency to mask genius with its commitment to hard, loud noise, which is what makes the dark opening to “Enter Sandman” stand out so starkly. A scary song about the things that scare us at night, this masterpiece by Metallica needed the perfect intro to set the scene, and that’s exactly what it got.
Day Tripper
The Beatles had more hit songs than just about any band in history, and many of them started with intro riffs that would be recognizable by just about anyone on Earth. For this reason, it’s difficult to choose a single best Beatles riff. Rather than attempting to do so, maybe it’s enough to simply tip the hat to one of many moments of genius—like the rolling, frolicking intro riff on “Day Tripper,” itself a song about rolling and frolicking through life.
Layla (Eric Clapton/Derek and the Dominoes)
Eric Clapton is one of the all-time greatest guitarists, a fact that has been proven over and over through both his collaborations and solo work. One of his most enduring works with the band Derek and the Dominos was the song “Layla,” which Clapton re-recorded an acoustic version of on his Unplugged album. Whether amplified or acoustic, the intro riff is classic Clapton, blending the best of both blues and rock.
Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry)
Perhaps the greatest riff of all time, bolstered by the fact that it predates all of the others on this list, is the intro to Chuck Berry’s classic “Johnny B. Goode.” The jangly intro blends perfectly into the body of the song, then melts into an incredible solo played by the one of the best in guitar history. The fact that the song is about a fictional guitar virtuoso only makes it better.
Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne)
There are many guitar authorities who would claim that the song “Iron Man” features Ozzy’s best riff, but the intro on “Crazy Train” is arguably just as good (and more recognizable for the average listener). Everyone young rock guitarist wants to play this riff, and most end up learning it at some point.
Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple)
Simple, solid, and heavy without being harsh, “Smoke on the Water” tops many people’s lists as the most important riff of all time. At the very least, it shows up in virtually everyone’s top five. It’s hard to argue the relevance of this intro, which perfectly sets the stage for one of the greatest rock songs ever. The way it’s used again at the end of each chorus only serves to reinforce its power. The fact that a single guitarist could repeat the same four notes over and over to such effect is evidence of true genius.
Back in Black (AC/DC)
When it comes to pure rock n’ roll, it is hard to beat AC/DC. “Highway to Hell” is the ultimate example of taking bad and making it so good, while “You Shook Me All Night Long” is pure sensuality in rock form. The band had a dozen hits that became timeless classics, and virtually all of them utilized heavy, raw electric guitar as their driving force. But perhaps none was as impactful as “Back in Black,” which features an opening riff of pure power. This intro riff goes on to make up the vast majority of the song, playing on repeat during everything but the chorus and solo, both of which are just as impactful. The fact that we never get tired of it—either during a single listen to the song or over the decades—is proof of its perfection.