The greatest guitar riffs in rock and roll history is an age old debate. Attempting once again to settle this debate is Guitar World and Total Guitar Magazines. The greatest riff of all time belongs to Led Zeppelin for the song “Whole Lotta Love.” It’s hard to argue that, but here’s what they say about it.
“The guitar figure took just 2.7 seconds to play, but it immediately projected music into another decade. While everyone else was still playing the ’60s, Zeppelin were now playing the ’70s. It wasn’t the first great riff, but it is the defining one. It’s why riffs became central to guitar music, the reason bands search for the guitar hook that can propel a whole song — or even a whole career.”
The Top 10 greatest riffs of all-time, as chosen by the readers of Total Guitar and Guitar World magazines, are:
- “Whole Lotta Love” – Led Zeppelin / riff by Jimmy Page
- “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne / riff by Randy Rhoads
- “Back in Black” – AC/DC / riff by Angus Young
- “Smoke on the Water” – Deep Purple / riff by Ritchie Blackmore
- “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” – Van Halen / riff by Eddie Van Halen
- “Enter Sandman” – Metallica / riff by Kirk Hammett
- “Iron Man” – Black Sabbath / riff by Tony Iommi
- “Walk” – Pantera / riff by Dimebag Darrell
- “La Grange” – ZZ Top / riff by Billy Gibbons
- “Purple Haze” – Jimi Hendrix
