Top 10 Hard Rock Guitar Riffs

hard rock wouldn’t be as energetic or

hard rock wouldn’t be as energetic or exciting without him welcome to

exciting without him welcome to

exciting without him welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting

watchmojo.com and today we’re counting

watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top ten hard rock

down our picks for the top ten hard rock

down our picks for the top ten hard rock guitar riffs

for this list we’ve chosen one song per

for this list we’ve chosen one song per artist and stuck to what we felt were

artist and stuck to what we felt were

artist and stuck to what we felt were their most signature guitar riffs we’ve

their most signature guitar riffs we’ve

their most signature guitar riffs we’ve also excluded instrumentals

mere seconds after the drums lure you in

mere seconds after the drums lure you in the sounds of Joe Perry’s guitar grab

the sounds of Joe Perry’s guitar grab

the sounds of Joe Perry’s guitar grab you and hold you tight so it’s no wonder

you and hold you tight so it’s no wonder

you and hold you tight so it’s no wonder Aerosmith second single from Toys in the

Aerosmith second single from Toys in the

Aerosmith second single from Toys in the Attic took the masses by storm in the

Attic took the masses by storm in the

Attic took the masses by storm in the 70s

after the band hit a brief snag the song

after the band hit a brief snag the song brought the bad boys from Boston back

brought the bad boys from Boston back

brought the bad boys from Boston back into the spotlight when they

into the spotlight when they

into the spotlight when they collaborated with hip hoppers Run DMC in

collaborated with hip hoppers Run DMC in

collaborated with hip hoppers Run DMC in 1986

number nine rocky like a hurricane by

number nine rocky like a hurricane by scorpions

the sound of 80s hard rock wouldn’t be

the sound of 80s hard rock wouldn’t be the same without this top 40 hit thanks

the same without this top 40 hit thanks

the same without this top 40 hit thanks to a catchy riffs and anthemic chorus

to a catchy riffs and anthemic chorus

to a catchy riffs and anthemic chorus the tune turned these Germans into the

the tune turned these Germans into the

the tune turned these Germans into the ambassador’s of rocks

whether it’s at sporting events in

whether it’s at sporting events in movies TV shows or video games

movies TV shows or video games

movies TV shows or video games the songs pervasiveness in pop culture

the songs pervasiveness in pop culture

the songs pervasiveness in pop culture demonstrates the scorpions you do know

demonstrates the scorpions you do know

demonstrates the scorpions you do know how to rock us like a hurricane

this song’s big bad guitar sound fuses

this song’s big bad guitar sound fuses Pete Willis’s rhythm playing with the

Pete Willis’s rhythm playing with the

Pete Willis’s rhythm playing with the solo and lead guitar work of Phil Collen

solo and lead guitar work of Phil Collen

solo and lead guitar work of Phil Collen and skeet Clarke

after the Rif ensnares you the tracks

after the Rif ensnares you the tracks lyrics and Jill Eliot’s loud vocals put

lyrics and Jill Eliot’s loud vocals put

lyrics and Jill Eliot’s loud vocals put a hold on us

alongside the songs off Def Leppard’s

alongside the songs off Def Leppard’s pyromania photographs set the blueprint

pyromania photographs set the blueprint

pyromania photographs set the blueprint for 80s hard rock and paved the way for

for 80s hard rock and paved the way for

for 80s hard rock and paved the way for the popularity of pop metal

number seven still of the night by

number seven still of the night by Whitesnake these Brits sure know how to

Whitesnake these Brits sure know how to

Whitesnake these Brits sure know how to grab your attention

starting off with an epic opening riff

starting off with an epic opening riff Whitesnake adds intrigue and aura by

Whitesnake adds intrigue and aura by

Whitesnake adds intrigue and aura by slowly building up towards the guitar

slowly building up towards the guitar

slowly building up towards the guitar solos

sound and David Coverdale wails this

sound and David Coverdale wails this became a hard rock classic the track

became a hard rock classic the track

became a hard rock classic the track also earned crossover success when its

also earned crossover success when its

also earned crossover success when its self-titled parent album reached

self-titled parent album reached

self-titled parent album reached billboards top two

number six smoke on the water by deep

number six smoke on the water by deep purple

you’ll be hard-pressed to find any

you’ll be hard-pressed to find any hardrock enthusiasts who doesn’t

hardrock enthusiasts who doesn’t

hardrock enthusiasts who doesn’t recognize this iconic ritchie blackmore

recognize this iconic ritchie blackmore

recognize this iconic ritchie blackmore riff

backed by John Lourdes fuzzy Hammond

backed by John Lourdes fuzzy Hammond organ Ian paces smooth drumming and

organ Ian paces smooth drumming and

organ Ian paces smooth drumming and Roger Glover’s electric bass

Roger Glover’s electric bass

Roger Glover’s electric bass he helped drive smoke on the water

he helped drive smoke on the water

he helped drive smoke on the water forward with ass Fender Stratocaster

forward with ass Fender Stratocaster

forward with ass Fender Stratocaster electric guitar

add e’en Gillan’s vocals to the mix and

add e’en Gillan’s vocals to the mix and you got one of the most popular and

you got one of the most popular and

you got one of the most popular and successful songs in Deep Purple’s

successful songs in Deep Purple’s

successful songs in Deep Purple’s repertoire number five back in black by

repertoire number five back in black by

repertoire number five back in black by ac/dc this Aussie van wouldn’t be the

ac/dc this Aussie van wouldn’t be the

ac/dc this Aussie van wouldn’t be the same without Bon Scott after his death

same without Bon Scott after his death

same without Bon Scott after his death ac/dc celebrated their former singer

ac/dc celebrated their former singer

ac/dc celebrated their former singer with this hard-hitting in-your-face

with this hard-hitting in-your-face

with this hard-hitting in-your-face track opening with an unforgettable riff

track opening with an unforgettable riff

track opening with an unforgettable riff the tune is driven by the dual guitar

the tune is driven by the dual guitar

the tune is driven by the dual guitar sound of brothers Angus and Malcolm

sound of brothers Angus and Malcolm

sound of brothers Angus and Malcolm young the screeching vocals of the

young the screeching vocals of the

young the screeching vocals of the recently hired Brian Johnson completed

recently hired Brian Johnson completed

recently hired Brian Johnson completed the package and assisted back in black

the package and assisted back in black

the package and assisted back in black in becoming one of history’s

in becoming one of history’s

in becoming one of history’s best-selling albums

number four ain’t talking about love by

number four ain’t talking about love by Van Halen

before topping charts with Sammy Hagar

before topping charts with Sammy Hagar in the mid-80s

in the mid-80s

in the mid-80s van Halen changed rock and roll with the

van Halen changed rock and roll with the

van Halen changed rock and roll with the groundbreaking sound of their 1978

groundbreaking sound of their 1978

groundbreaking sound of their 1978 self-titled debut

while the album spawned several classics

while the album spawned several classics it’s ain’t talking about love that

it’s ain’t talking about love that

it’s ain’t talking about love that stands out after being hooked by the

stands out after being hooked by the

stands out after being hooked by the opening riff you’re immediately

opening riff you’re immediately

opening riff you’re immediately transfixed by Eddie Van Halen’s raw

transfixed by Eddie Van Halen’s raw

transfixed by Eddie Van Halen’s raw guitar and entranced by David Lee Roth’s

guitar and entranced by David Lee Roth’s

guitar and entranced by David Lee Roth’s hard rock and vocals

number three sweet child of mine by Guns

number three sweet child of mine by Guns N’Roses

with mercurial frontman Axl Rose and

with mercurial frontman Axl Rose and slash on guitar Guns N’Roses exploded

slash on guitar Guns N’Roses exploded

slash on guitar Guns N’Roses exploded onto the scene with 1987’s fierce and

onto the scene with 1987’s fierce and

onto the scene with 1987’s fierce and dirty Appetite for Destruction

while welcome to the jungle and night

while welcome to the jungle and night train can’t be ignored it’s sweet child

train can’t be ignored it’s sweet child

train can’t be ignored it’s sweet child of mine that makes this list

though its original and brilliant riff

though its original and brilliant riff was conceived as a joke

was conceived as a joke

was conceived as a joke the song’s chart-topping success was

the song’s chart-topping success was

the song’s chart-topping success was anything but

Appetite for Destruction also became the

Appetite for Destruction also became the best-selling debut in American history

number two whole lot of love by Led

number two whole lot of love by Led Zeppelin you

mixed Jimmy Page’s incomparable guitar

mixed Jimmy Page’s incomparable guitar Robert Plant’s emotional vocals John

Robert Plant’s emotional vocals John

Robert Plant’s emotional vocals John Bonham’s thunderous drums and John Paul

Bonham’s thunderous drums and John Paul

Bonham’s thunderous drums and John Paul Jones timeless bass and you get an

Jones timeless bass and you get an

Jones timeless bass and you get an innovative and unmatched sound that

innovative and unmatched sound that

innovative and unmatched sound that blends blues folk and hard rock though

blends blues folk and hard rock though

blends blues folk and hard rock though whole lot of love is filled with guitar

whole lot of love is filled with guitar

whole lot of love is filled with guitar goodness its pages blues influence power

goodness its pages blues influence power

goodness its pages blues influence power riffing during the intro that remains

riffing during the intro that remains

riffing during the intro that remains implanted in our brains

the song also became Led Zeppelin’s

the song also became Led Zeppelin’s first American top 5 hit

number one voodoo child slate returned

number one voodoo child slate returned by the Jimi Hendrix Experience Purple

by the Jimi Hendrix Experience Purple

by the Jimi Hendrix Experience Purple Haze gave us the Hendrix chord but it’s

Haze gave us the Hendrix chord but it’s

Haze gave us the Hendrix chord but it’s the last song on Electric Ladyland that

the last song on Electric Ladyland that

the last song on Electric Ladyland that captured Jimi at his finest with a

captured Jimi at his finest with a

captured Jimi at his finest with a killer opening rip his signature wah-wah

killer opening rip his signature wah-wah

killer opening rip his signature wah-wah pedal and one of the greatest solos ever

pedal and one of the greatest solos ever

pedal and one of the greatest solos ever voodoo child slight return showcases

voodoo child slight return showcases

voodoo child slight return showcases Jimi’s electric guitar talents to a tee

in concert the original Seattle rocker

in concert the original Seattle rocker could even be found jamming to an

could even be found jamming to an

could even be found jamming to an 18-minute version

18-minute version

18-minute version musical innovator indeed

do you agree with our list what’s your

do you agree with our list what’s your favorite hard rock room if you didn’t

Top 10 Hard Rock Guitar Riffs

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