Somewhere deep in the primordial ooze of rock and roll there exists a phenomenon known as the "riff", with the power to make a decent song great, and a great song an all-time classic. There were a handful of great riffs in the ’50s ("Susie Q" comes to mind), but the form really began to flourish in the ’60s, at the hands of Dave Davies, Pete Townshend, Keith Richards and other, predominantly British, guitar heroes. In the ’70s, it was part and parcel with "classic" rock. You couldn’t throw a pet rock without hitting some axeman coming up with his own "Iron Man" or "Sweet Home Alabama". The ’80s kept the tradition running, with guitarists from decades past, like Keith Richards and Tony Iommi, still flexing their muscles, along with a new breed of riffmasters like Slash and Vivian Campbell.
It’s tough narrowing down the decade of Reagan and Rubik's Cubes – and when all-stars like Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi and the boys from Iron Maiden don’t make the cut, you know you’ve got a tough list – but here are the 10 most totally awesome riffs of the 1980s, as compiled by Michael Wright from Gibson.com.
10. Rush, "Limelight"
You’ve got to love Alex Lifeson. Blessed (or cursed) with sharing trio space with one of the best bass players on the planet and probably the best drummer on Earth, Lifeson still manages to stand out with imaginative solos and, in the case of this Moving Pictures tour de force, major league riffage – his best since "Passage To Bangkok".
9. Guns N' Roses, "Sweet Child O' Mine"
"Appetite For Destruction" ushered in a new age of stripped down, rip-out-your-throat rock and roll. And while the album was stacked with heavy hitters like "Welcome To The Jungle" and "Mr. Brownstone", it was the ballad of the set that had the most unique and memorable riff. Kudos to Slash, Izzy and company for finding a way to wrap a love song around this torturous hand exercise.
8. The Clash, "Should I Stay Or Should I Go"
Sometimes you only need two chords to kick an audience in the teeth, and certainly Mick Jones and Joe Strummer did just that with this "Combat Rock" fave. Beginners, if you need a showpiece for that school talent show but only know a handful of chords (no pun intended), you could do a lot worse.
7. Michael Jackson (featuring Steve Lukather), "Beat It"
Even metal dudes had to cop to the fact that this Michael Jackson track freakin’ rocked. Yes, it had that insane guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, but the engine driving the song was a weighty bounce by session whiz Steve Lukather.
6. Judas Priest, "Breaking The Law"
Priest fans might argue that "Livin' after Midnight" or "Heading Out to the Highway" are more deserving – fair play, I actually prefer "Highway" – but it’s hard to deny the brutal simplicity of this "British Steel" classic. Kinda makes you want to rob a bank with your guitar, doesn't it?
5. Def Leppard, "Photograph"
There’s a bit of alchemy on this one, not unlike the opening chord of The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night". There are actually two guitar parts interwoven on this seemingly simple blast from "Pyromania". It proved to be a memorable entrance for Phil Collen into the band, just as their career was about to kick into overdrive.
4. Scorpions, "Rock You Like A Hurricane"
Maybe the heaviest combination of simple power chords ever, Rudolf Schenker’s five-chord opening on this "Love At First Sting" track is instantly memorable – the key to any great riff. Case in point: I defy you to attend an air show and not hear this song 10 times!
3. Ozzy Osbourne (featuring Randy Rhoads), "Crazy Train"
In the 1980s, you couldn’t throw a dead cat in a music store without hitting some kid playing this Randy Rhoads warhorse. The churning, sinister opening section hurls the song forward and creates a momentum that never lets up, even as Ozzy takes it off the rails.
2. The Rolling Stones, "Start Me Up"
Twelve years after "Honky Tonk Women", Keith Richards could still conjure an open-tuned gem like no one else. This 1981 classic is so stirring that nearly 30 years later you’re still unlikely see a football stadium not use it to psych their fans up for a kickoff.
1. AC/DC, "Back In Black"
Perhaps the greatest riff-oriented album of all time is the band’s 1980 farewell to dearly departed singer Bon Scott. Brothers Angus and Malcolm Young cooked up some of the greatest riffs of their career on this magnum opus (including "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Hell's Bells" and "Have A Drink On Me"), but none is more memorable than the hard and heavy title track.
Do you agree with the choice or is there something missing? Let us know in the comments.
We know that's what you we're "just saying." No need to put that in there. Doing so is like a song writer who ran out of lyrics and starts singing la la la. It's flat out annoying.
1983-1988, you mean? Because it's top 10 riffs of the '80s. But I don't know any other Metallica riff that should be on the list. Maybe Seek and Destroy. They are the most well known riffs of '80s Metallica. I mean, I like the riffs but do they belong to top 10 riffs of the '80s? Also Peace Sells by Megadeth could be here.
Accept - Balls to the Wall should be here. That's a bitchin' riff.
And you're another douche bag Metallica hater. Do you feel special? Well, you're not. You're probably just butthurt because you really know deep down that Metallica is far better than any of the shit you listen to. Master of Puppets was a ****ing groundbreaking riff, and you know it. Fucking hipster piece of shit.
I agree that Master eats all these riffs up and then spits them out but maybe UG was going for that 80's sound. Can you imagine an 80s montage with Metallica blaring behind you?
I'm surprised Seek and Destroy or Tornado of Souls didn't get a mention. I'd expect at least one song from the Big Four. This list is okay. Not all of these riffs exactly come to mind when I think of amazing riffs.
1. Bruce Dickinson
2. Brian Johnson
3. Phil Anselmo
4. Marty Friedman
5. Rick Wakeman
6. Bill Bruford
7. Kirk Hammett
8. Zack Wylde
9. Ringo Starr (A lot of people don't know that he replaced Pete Best in The Beatles)
10. Dave Grohl
Gilmour wasn't actually a replacement. He joined the band during the Piper At The Gates of dawn sessions, but since he didn't write anything and since the band was well-practiced enough to record the songs, he didn't record anything on the album. As a member of the band he toured with them as a guitarist while they were promoting Piper at the gates of dawn and started writing songs with them that would appear on A Saucer Full of secrets.
The fact that Syd Barrett quit the band and Gilmour seemed to fill the void left by him is just a coincidence. Gilmour and Syd, along with the rest of the band, all played on A Saucer full of secrets.
SCOM is one of the biggest songs out of that whole list and it has an instantly recognisable riff, how is that not even in the top 5? And The Clash and Def Leppard shouldn't even be on this list.
I think the list is pretty good, although I have to agree that the lack of metal is disappointing. @Nerdpunx: Motley Crue, yes! Can't agree with Pour Some Sugar On Me though. Unlike a lot of Def Leppard's work, that song is terrible.
In the 80's, bands like AC/DC, GNR, Scorpions, Ozzy & Judas Priest etc were considered to be a part of the heavy metal genre. Some people have just re-classified them as rock as the metal genre has evolved.
Well I personally like Def Leppard and that song introduced me to that band. That intro riff is pretty epic. But everybody has their own opinions and I respect them But Mötley, hell yeah!
I've always found that Iron Maiden's riffs are alright but there songs are amazing. The riffs don't really stand alone too often but when you add in Bruce's vocals and Steve's bass, the solos etc etc the song becomes ****in amazing
Frayed Ends of Sanity. I wonder why Metallica haven't played it live. 1989 at Seattle has like two minutes of it and then they stop playing it. It's one of the greatest Metallica songs ever.
I'd leave Rush - Limelight, the Stones - Start Me Up, & AC/DC - Back in Black, but replace the others with:
Candlemass - Demon's Gate
Celtic Frost - Jeweled Throne
Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene
DRI - Mad Man
Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized
Great Britain Hardcore - Vietnamese Blues
Husker Du - It's not Funny Anymore
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Megadeth - The Conjouring
Why Slash dislikes it? Because he played that riff as a joke while rehearsing and thought it was crap, but Axl liked it. I don't like that intro either, but the guitar solo makes it up for me. That's just, like, my opinion, man.
Very cool riff. But not a lot of people know anything about Sonic Youth. Which is a shame. And I heard the story about Slash playing the Sweet Child riff as a joke and Axl liked it.
I don't understand why the metal community can't acknowledge the difference between stuff that is iconic/recognisable to the masses and stuff that is iconic within metal. You can't make a top 10 list that is only relevant to metal fans. I'm so sick of the "Where is *metal band*" spam.
There's a larger amount of riffs in a metal song than in a rock song, depending obviously of the band in question. The repetitive radio friendly approach of some songs, like Back in Black for instance, is not nearly as interesting as something a little more variate or elaborated like a King Crimson song, or a Megadeth song. Being iconic or popular has nothing to do with the aforementioned situation, this is mostly about quality, not impact.
the 80's was the golden age of guitar riffs and music in general so I think a list like this is next to impossible to come up with. That said I think master of puppets has to be on the list because of it's groundbreaking influence and renown... and cos it kicked alot of ass too
Hmm....I have sneaking suspicion that these groups made the list because they play Gibson guitars, seeing as though it was compiled by someone from Gibson.com, I'd say its a fair guess
i wouldve put sweet child o mine in the top 5 probably even 1 but thats cuz im a GNR fan XD..and i saw a comment that disagreed with sweet child o mine making rhe list..its a damn good riff and does desreve top 10
Also, GNR, ACDC, Rush, and Maiden are all hella overrated and real rock fans dont like them except the children on UG who think they know what real rock is. This list is horrible and only lists mainstream BS
Your posts on the blackstar pedal review were extremely rude, immature and downright pathetic also. Grow the hell up. What are you achieving with this sort of behaviour?
So me saying OD pedals should be used on tube amps instead of distortion pedals was pathetic and rude? I bet you a big majority of guitar players agree with me.
You should go back and and look at all the other posters calling me dumbass etc....so it got under my skin a little but I didnt insult anyone back because I am more mature than that
You're both pathetic, him for thinking his opinion is supreme, and you for letting him get under your skin with that opinion and calling him mentally retarded.
"Fuck GNR, they're glam"
1. GNR aren't glam, they hated the whole thing.
2. You can't just hate a band because of it's supposed genre. I overall don't like extreme metal genres like black or death metal but I quite enjoy Cradle of Filth.
I know this is probably a bit of a stretch, but I loved the riff in No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Beastie Boys, along with the solo by Kerry King. That was bad ass.
The fact that Metallica's four best albums came out in the 80's and not one of their 35 songs from that point made this list is disgraceful. Master Of Puppets? Seek and Destroy? Blackened? Creeping Death? Battery? Do any of those songs ring a bell? How do Def Leppard, The Rolling Stones, and The Clash make the list but Metallica does not? Or Megadeth? Or Slayer? I usually don't complain about these list but this is horrible.
totally agree. If every list doesnt have metal only all the little wannabe teen metalheads on UG get their panties in a bunch and bitch. I am tired of it.
I know you have no brain and that Sweet Child is probably your favourite song, but please keep your ignorance to yourself. You'll be doing us a favor by not having to look at you, and you'll help yourself by not acting like a complete turd.
Too many riffs in one song I guess? idk, they're all great. This list was probably for songs that were built mainly around the riff.... But idk, I could be way out in left field on that. That's just my guess.
I do find Sweet Child's intro to be one of the most irritating riffs ever to be honest, but considering it's only gone downhill since it's so overrated and so mainstream, what I really am suprised is how it isn't in #1 place. Then again, it's not at #1 so I'm glad, but I still don't know why it's even up here. This is a top 10 list, not a most popular list, so why put it in the list at all? Every other riff sounds better then that songs beginning.
First of all, Rush doesnt belong in a top 10 of anything. I have never even heard that song Limelight...how in the hell is it even in the top 100 let alone 10 i will never know. SO much more better riffs than that. UG always fails on these lists, so i dont really give a fuk anymore
How can you know that there is better riffs than Limelight, if you have never heard Limelight? For all you know it could be the best riff in the history of music, but you will never know as you're clearly too narrow minded to even listen to it to check it out.
Sorry, keyboards are not rock and roll. Rush is a joke, I mean really There are far more influential riffs made in the 80s. This site is full of rush and iron maiden fanboys cluttering every f***** list up with their nonsense
I love how so many people bitch about metalheads being ignorant and narrow minded, when there are actually hardly any metal songs on the list (I consider Crazy Train and Breaking the Law more rock than metal). The Trooper definitely deserves a spot here, as does Master of Puppets. Also they could've picked better tracks for Rush and GNR, I myself would've chosen YYZ and Paradise City. Replacing Def Leppard with Motley Crue would be nice too, but that's somewhat less important.
I actually was rooting for some Van Halen on this list. Jump is like...the most recognizable keyboard riff in history. Panama or Hot For Teacher could be in there as well. This is actually a decent list. A few personal replacements would be made, of course.
Well... There was Number of the Beast from Iron Maiden, There was How Soon is Now from The Smiths, AC/DC Who Made Who, Motley Crue Shout at the Devil.... The list goes on and on...lol
Ace of spades - Motorhead
Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden
Back in Black - AC/DC
Sweet Child O'Mine - GNR
How Soon is Now The Smiths
Crazy Train - Ozzy
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
Heaven and Hell - Black Sabbath
