Iconic guitar riffs for the generations

The electric guitar as we know it has been around for about 60 years now.  In those 60 years many a great riff as been played. From smooth jazz lines, to soulful moaning blues licks, to skull crushing detuned nu metal assaults on the low strings.  So much of what is played on a guitar is forgotten almost as soon as it is played.  The music is for the moment and then it is on to the next chord or melody line.

There have been through the years a great many memorable riffs.  These magical note combinations seem to live forever.  They are etched in our brain becoming part of our musical DNA.  These riffs are immediately identifiable and recognized by people across generations and musical genres. While there are dozens of riffs that fall into this category there are fewer that can be called a defining moment in guitar.  I have put together a very short list of what are in my opinion, the iconic guitar riffs from decades past.

Let’s check them out.

 

Johnny B. Good

Released in 1958, this upbeat song by Chuck Berry started with a riff that really turned some heads.  While the riff itself is taken from a piano solo it was Berry’s application of this riff to the guitar that seemed to change the way the guitar was to be played from that point on.

 

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

In 1965, the rules changed again and Keith Richards was the man writing (or erasing) the rule book.  Richards envisioned the opening riff to this song as being done by a horn section.  His recording of the riff through a fuzz box to add sustain was only meant to be a scratch track.  Well we all wish we could record such a scratch track.  That riff ushered in the era of thick, saturated guitar.

 

Eruption

While this is technically not a song but a guitar solo there is no denying that this piece of music is actually chock full of iconic riffs.  From the first opening notes that shook the very foundation of guitar playing in 1978, to the signature two handed tapping that put every guitarist in check.  Edward Van Halen took guitar playing to a new level and forever changed the landscape of the guitar world.

 

Sweet Child O' Mine

The 1980’s were the decade of shred guitar.  Hair metal was rampant and lighting fast solo’s were the norm.  Guitar playing had been advancing steadily through the decade but for every advance in technique was and equal loss of the it’s soul.  In 1987, Slash brought us to our knee’s with a simple repetitive intro that took millions by storm.  As he tells it, the riff was meant as a joke, but that riff and the rest of the song brought some dignity and soul back to rock guitar.

 

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Many call this the riff that killed hair bands.  I would probably agree. In 1991 Kurt Cobain kicked down the door of the technical guitar heroes and showed the world that a simple riff could get the job done.  Grunge music was now officially main stream.  Guitar playing would take a bit of a back seat as the meat of the song became more important that the solo. 

 

Scott