Agreed. Like, the first ~30 seconds of The Trooper is simply amazing, as is the rest of the song. But Number of the Beast is also acceptable. Both have amazing riffs.
@@stonetheforbidden I say bass as well because the galloping bass line was played fingerstyle and is just as iconic as the main riff. I can't believe Tyler seems to have no idea about Iron Maiden. I'm not the biggest fan either, but I am aware of them and some of there most wonderful musical moments.
There are actually a lot of riffs I think are better than wasted years, but my favourite is no prayer for the dying, I would like to understand why I can’t find anyone who said no prayer for the dying?
Shoutout to Chuck Berrry, AC/DC, RATM, RHCP, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, SRV, Jimi Hendrix, The Police... (and several others who actually became mainstream with the electric guitar). You can literally make a whole list only with them lol
The one I would definitely add is Pearl Jam's "Evenflow." Honorable Grunge mentions: STP's "Plush," Soundgarden's "Spoonman." ACDC: Back in Black, Hells Bells, TNT,
I'm surprised at the absence of AC DC. The Intro to back in black is pretty dang iconic. Almost anyone on the planet besides my dad would recognize and jam to thunderstruck as well.
@@chizorama honestly i think stevie ray vaughan did a better version of voodoo child than jimi did, but i also think that you almost have to have texas flood in there as well
Idk how nobody has mentioned “Aces High” as the best Iron Maiden riff, or atleast the most iconic. Cant help but get excited when I hear the opening riff
Personally, I think the greatest Iron Maiden riff is 2 Minutes to Midnight. It's more simple than a lot of Maiden's discography, but I think that gives it more focus and drive.
Evil that men do chorus riff is by far one of their best. 2 minutes is great in all aspects, especially for how it fits the song. But that melodic harmony between Dave and Adrian on evil that men do is just out of this world.
For Alice in Chains, I have to go with Man in the Box. Satisfaction is the most iconic Rolling Stones riff but not Keith's best. Can't You Hear Me Knocking is amazing...Tumbling Dice is one of my favorite to play...Midnight Rambler could be a valid choice too...Brown Suger is unforgettable...A strong case can be made for Jumping Jack Flash...Beast of Burden is beautiful...Basically there's a whole lot of freaking options.
Best Maiden Riff has got to be the Trooper. Everyone knows it, everybody recognizes it, and it's utterly relentless. Either that or Fear of the Dark. I see cases made for Number of The Beast and yes, I agree with that.
I'll make my case for the verse riff to The Prisoner. Maybe not recognizable to somebody who doesn't listen to Maiden, but damn as a guitarist it's so fun to play
@@ry7xsfa872 That song is a killer to play live. The verse is so energetic it takes a hold on people like The Undertakes making a Chokeslam. Still my favorite riff is Powerslave.
I'd bet you know this, but if you don't, you should TOTALLY check out the version of Layla by Derek and the Dominoes. It's still Eric Clapton singing and playing guitar, but also features Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band on guitar. Eric Clapton and Duane Allman are both nasty on guitar in there own individual ways, and the whole album is worth a listen (Layla and Other Love Songs). Just wanted to throw this out there because that version of Layla is up there in my favorite songs of all time. I really like Eric Clapton's acoustic version on his Unplugged album, but it still pales in comparison to the original with not 1 but 2 electric guitar greats. You've probably already heard it and maybe were referring to this one to begin with, but if you haven't, you've gotta check it out. It's a real treat. Nothing but bangers on that album.
For Iron Maiden, probably their most iconic riffs are The Trooper and Number of the Beast, although I think Wasted Years was listed because it was one of the few Maiden songs that ever got mainstream airplay - and I happen to love the entire Somewhere in Time album. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray are perhaps the greatest dual-lead guitar duo in the business.
@@andrewmingst1797 it’s my favourite song but i think the reason tyler didn’t like the song being on this list is because its not a riff, more like solo
I feel johnny marr needs to have at least one riff on here, his guitar playing changed british music forever, his guitar playing is so unique and it created indie music which dominated the 90’s and 2000’s guitar music
i would agree but at the same time marr didn’t really have orthodox ‘riffs’ that u can play and represent the whole song as he loved to overlay and combine
@@alexrobertson1472 Not really sure about that. 035 pretty heavily contributed to the popular knowledge of the song. I didn't know of the band or the song until it was memed to death- and that's with playing guitar for a decade now
Jerry Cantrell is one of the most underrated riff writers of all time, Facelift is absolutely jam packed with incredible riffs. Sunshine and Put You Down are two of my favorite ever
My favourite Maiden riffs of every album Iron Maiden-Prowler Killers-Killers NOTB- Hallowed by Thy Name Piece of Mind- Where Eagles Dare Powerslave-2 minutes to Midnight Somewhere in Time-Wasted Years 7th Son-The Evil That Men Do NPFTD-No Prayer For The Dying Fear Of The Dark-Wasting Love X Factor-Man on the Edge Virtual IX- Clansman BNW-Out of the Silent Planet DOD-Rainmaker AMOLAD-Different World The Final Frontier-The Final Frontier TBOS-Empire of the Clouds Senjetsu-Stratego
Love War Pigs too but I'm surprised Iron Man doesn't ever get mentioned, I heard/played that riff way more than anything else, including Smoke on the Water
Children of the Grave is underrated. Unquestionably the grooviest Sabbath riff. But Iommi could crowd out a top 20 all on his own. The guy wrote every cool riff there is and left scraps for the rest of us. Sabbra Cadabra, Snowblind, Sweet Leaf, Electric Funeral, N.I.B, Supernaut... All better than some of the picks for this list.
@Ernesto87 Ooh, a fellow man of culture. If you like this song, you've got to check out Soundgarden's cover of Into the Void. It's such a dope version with Chris Cornell singing.
Great tune, but I'm not sure if I'd put on a greatest/favorite guitar riff list. however, from the same album, I believe that the opening riff from "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" could/should garner some consideration. Just my humble opinion.
8:08 HELL FUCKING YES WAR PIGS IS THE GREATEST!!! You'd think that having a verse where everyone does two notes and then just silence with nothing but a soft hi hat for two measures would be boring, but no. It's badass. Having the balls and patience to just be silent for a bit is badass. AND EVERY RIFF IS AMAZING!!!
It's true. I'd say the only thing more important than knowing when to play, is knowing when not to play. Rests and silence can have way more of a dramatic impact in a song than just being busy all the time, even at high technical levels.
Iron Maiden was a band that I overlooked for years and years. No one in my family listened to them when I was growing up but my uncles do love all kinds of classic rock. When I finally got into them it was awesome. So much good music to catch up on. You should give them another shot at some point.
@@fyretnt Walk This Way is originally by Aerosmith. They collaborated with Run DMC for a rap-rock crossover. Similar to Anthrax and Public Enemy doing Bring the Noise
The intro riff on 'The Trooper' is the one that sticks out for me. Possibly because it is the first Iron Maiden song I ever had to learn (I am also not a big Maiden fan personally) but the intro riff from 'Run To The Hills' is extremely iconic.
I agree "I've Got a Feeling" is interesting as well he frets the A on the high E but also I like the way they are about to uses sevenths to build tension then how it resolved with E G D. Very cool
With Ratt, like so many "Hair Metal" Bands, their work is underappreciated. I, personally love the riff from Lay It Down. Check that one out, I think you'll appreciate the musicality, and the sense of urgency the opening conveys.
I think ac/dc's back and black is one of the greatest guitar riffs ever. When it comes to a/dc, they showed that you didn't need a complicated guitar riff to be rock n roll.
Definitely. The simplicity of the riff but yet the amount of fucken power that no one else besides AC/DC can give and with Malcolms playing is the reason it is so damn powerful.
My top ten riffs are: Double talkin jive by Guns n Roses Runnin with the devil by Van Halen Don't back down by Mammoth WVH Unchained by Van Halen Straight to hell by Ozzy Osbourne Icky Thump by The White Stripes For whom the bell tolls by Metallica Man in the box by Alice In Chains Hell's bells by AC DC Children of the grave by Black Sabbath
personally Peace of Mind has always been my favorite Boston riff (and one of my favorite licks too!), but yeah I could definitely agree with More than a Feeling being included in this list
Yeah, exactly what I was thinking. That riff might not be the best of all time if it hadn't been the literal cornerstone for the next 2 decades, I mean imo that song is what inspired rock music as we know it.
Ok so "You really got me" wasn't the first riff with distortion. (Although replying to another comment it was 4 or 5 years before "Revolution"). I think it was just the first song where the distortion was intentional and utilized.
Not a huge Iron Maiden fan, so for me, either The Trooper, 2 Minutes To Midnight, or The Number Of The Beast. All of these, I'd say, are great introduction songs for Iron Maiden.
i strongly think that the start "women in love" riff by Van Halen is amazing think about it this way he figured out that you can tap harmonics then made a actually quit difficult riff with it, its just amazing to me
Coming late to the party, but Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" as covered by Nirvana is up there. It sends shivers down my spine every time. Something about the crunch in the tone paired with Cobain's vocals and the counter-tone of the cheerful acoustic guitar just...dunno. Hits all the feels.
Although Face of Melinda is my favorite song by them, Blackwater Park does have some fantastic riffs in there. My favorite however is the one where the vocals start.
Masters Apprentice is a riff I play so often I don’t even realize I’m playing it. It’s definitely one of favorites, then again I’m such an Akerfeldt junkie I own a PRS Akerfeldt custom SE. I love their entire catalog
Hearing and see it live was even better, especially with those stacks and speaker arrays just blasting it in to your face and body!!! I am lucky to have seen them multiple times. Their farewell show here, in Japan, was so killer - even though Tony flubbed a couple chords, with Ozzy giving the "Da fuq?!" look :D
It's never too late to pick up some Maiden!!! The most iconic Iron Maiden riff is The Trooper at (0:12) or the intro to Fear of the Dark, or the chorus of Hallowed Be Thy Name (0:59), or the intro to Aces High (0:28), .or Revelations at (1:07), or the Dance of Death intro... I could go on and on and on.
I think the Kinks "You Really Got Me" might be one of the greatest if just for it's historical significance. Rock and punk wouldn't be the same without the Kinks.
Iron Maiden has so many awesome and underrated riffs. I never actually listened to them as a kiddo either, but I decided to dig deep into their guitar playing and found some very cool stuff. Here are some of my favorite Iron Maiden riffs to play: 1. Murders in the rue morgue (chorus riff) 2. Sea of Madness (intro riff) 3. Invaders (intro riff) 4. Wrathchild 5. Innocent Exile 6. Die With Your Boots On (intro riff) 7. 2 Minutes to Midnight (this is a no-brainer) 9. The Wicker Man 8. The Writing on the Wall These songs include some riffs that are very iconic but somewhat underappreciated for reasons unknown to me.
Black Sabbath - Into the Void, Black Sabbath, Iron Man AC/DC - Highway to Hell, Back in Black, Shoot to Thrill Roy Orbison - Pretty Woman Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the name, Freedom, people of the sun Beatles - Something, Day Tripper Pearl Jam - Alive U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday The Smiths - this charming man The list can go on and on…
Some iconic riffs i love from bands that didnt make the list: Day tripper (B's) Tornado of souls (megadeth) Love me two times (doors) Bad horsie (vai) American woman (the guess who) Beatiful people (manson) Walk (pantera) E-pro (beck) La granje (zz top) Crossfire (SRV)
@@imthekbk yeah maybe, but also a lot of these "iconic" riffs from all these top lists are overrated, walk is maybe the most famous riff from pantera and a staple of 90-2000 groove metal
Great video, as always! The opening riff to Wasted Years is actually a little trickier than it sounds to get it right (it’s often cheated with hammer-on’e and pull-offs) but super-iconic for those of us “growing up guitar” in the 80’s as we all attempted to learn it. That being said, Number of the Beast! It’s not the hardest Iron Maiden riff by any means, but it’s so recognizable and (more importantly) so FUN to play. It represented the angst and rebellion for so many of us, and playing the Number of the Beast riff in church in between sets for the youth ministries always invoked amusing and hilariously irrational reactions from people. Miss those days!
There are so many good Iron Maiden riffs that it’s hard to choose, but these are some of my favorite riffs of theirs: When the Wild Wind Blows - 9:04 (the whole song is amazing and severely underrated) The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - 1:57 Powerslave - intro Judas Be My Guide - intro Dance of Death - intro and 2:58 If you get a chance to listen to any of those, I hope you like them!
"When the Wild Wind Blows" appreciation, finally! Personally my favourite riff is what they play after Adrian's breathtaking solo, with Janick and Dave harmonising while Adrian plays some heavy chords underneath.
My personal favorite riffs/licks idk the difference: Danzig - Mother Living Colour - Cult of personality Whitesnake - You're gonna break my heart again Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser Def Leppard - Pour some sugar on me Rush - Working man Metallica - Seek and destroy Judas Priest - Breaking the law Judas Priest - Painkiller Black sabbath - Children of the grave Ozzy Osbourne - I don't wanna stop Iron Maiden - Run to the hills Metallica - Creeping death (but that one part Kirk Hammet plays idk how to describe it it's sick af) Pantera - Cowboys from hell Disturbed - Decadence Asking Alexandria - New devil Black sabbath - Black sabbath Twisted Sister - I wanna rock Whitesnake - Here I go again Metallica - Fuel I also liked the ones you mentioned (walk this way, crazy train etc.), but i didn't wanna put them here
I would say that Iron Maiden's best riffs are either in Fear of the Dark, or Where the Wild Wind Blows. But Blood Brothers has some great riffs too, and their new album is full of amazing riffs. Honestly, Iron Maiden should be know for their riffs, because they have so many amazing riffs.
Round and Round isn't so much a riff as it's "movement" with the chords and the melody together on the chorus. And it's pretty friggin awesome. The solo in Wasted Years is throughly unique. The way it extends into the chorus with that melodic quarter note triplet phrase is beyond epic. You must check it out. You Really Got Me? I think you have to be a boomer to get it. Never before was there a recorded guitar sound so raw. And those two punctuated chords coming over a transistor radio was life altering. But I can go the rest of my life without ever hearing it again. The same goes with Satisfaction and Smoke on the Water. Greatest Guitar riff of all time? Well, of course -- it's Ticket To Ride.
On the topic of Iron Maiden, I know alot of people would recommend The Trooper or Number of the Beast. That said, one that I think is definitely worth a mention for the intro riff alone is Writing on the Wall. Dudes are grandfather age now and still writing bangers.
"The Writing on the Wall" has some incredible riffs. Other relative "deep cuts" (for the non-Maiden-fan) with great riffs would be songs like "The Book of Souls", with that stomping palm-muted riff, or "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns", especially the heavy 7/4 main riff--although maybe going into A Matter of Life and Death is cheating because all the songs have terrific guitar parts.
RATT absolutely belongs on this list... however, the riff chosen should have been "Lay It Down" without question. That opening riff STILL gives me chills.
"Silhouette" by KANA-BOON really kickstarted my love for guitar as a kid with that catchy intro. Not saying it's the best but imo it made a huge impact.
Its really good! but doesnt belong on the list, like many others there.... AiC has done other waaay better riffs, like Aint like that, We die young etc
Most iconic AiC riff should definitely go to Man in the Box, its easily the most recognizable to people who don't normally listen to AiC. My personal favorite guitar part from them though is the lick from the beginning and rythm of Get Born Again, it was the second thing I learned when I got my first wah like 20 years ago. First thing I learned was Electric Funeral by Sabbath.
I think the best part of round and round is the riff that plays in the verses, it’s a lot of fun to play and it sounds very cool, especially with a couple pinch harmonics.
Trooper is definitely up there and I’d also include Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills (verse riff), Aces High, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Hallowed Be Thy Name or Alexander the Great
I honestly like the guitar riffs in Ram Jam's Black Betty. The licks fit nicely, the drum and bass doesn't detract from the guitar or try to steal the spotlight and the guitar player is really good. Though the ending solo to Hotel California is a close second
As for Iron Maiden, I'd recommend Aces High because that's the song that got me into them! I couldn't stop listening to it for dayyyys; and I'd also recommend Wasting Love, which I think is a rather unique song in their catalogue; it's a power ballad and it grew on me a lot the more I listened to it.
11:40 It fits the definition of a riff. A lick would be a short phrase that isn't repeated and is often used to transition into another part of the song, the opening is definitely a riff in that it's a repeating musical phrase/idea
Maiden riffs... damn, there's so many. Number of the Beast intro, and the riff after the solo which is criminally under-discussed. Both of the riffs in The Trooper are amazing. Ace's High has like 5 godlike riffs. Fear of the Dark has 3 different incredible riffs built on the same chord progression. The list goes on - Hallowed Be Thy Name, Powerslave, 2 Minutes to Midnight...
Everything you mentioned in here I would have included as well! I also think The Wicker man is a good one, that intro is pretty sweet. But I also like the deeper cuts off albums.
Afraid to shoot strangers, or is it a lick?. Well anyway there is a lot Iron Maiden riffs what could be on the list. I can’t believe he is not ”listening” them 😀
“Run to the Hills” is a super iconic Maiden song, with probably one of the best opening metal riffs of all time. I also really enjoy “Fear of the Dark” and “Powerslave”.
Run to the hills is great but the whiny-ness of the intro always bugs me a bit, still love maiden tho, greatest riff tbh i really like the intro to rainmaker
Round and round absolutely deserves a spot on the list, one of my favorite riffs of all time! It's also quite hard to play because of the big stretches
It is like all the "things" we try categorize (sports/music/art/....). It is imposable to name the best of anything. There are so many greats in every category.
ok what's the greatest riff ever
thunderstruck
Eruption- Van Halen
@@mikebutnotike which Riff from the song
Black dog by Led Zeppelin
@@panossyngounis6902 the tapping of course while not the most difficult part of the piece it is without a doubt the most iconic part for sure
Iron Maiden's greatest riff by far, "The Trooper". It's one of those riffs that all guitar and bass players should learn.
Agreed. Like, the first ~30 seconds of The Trooper is simply amazing, as is the rest of the song. But Number of the Beast is also acceptable. Both have amazing riffs.
@@stonetheforbidden I say bass as well because the galloping bass line was played fingerstyle and is just as iconic as the main riff. I can't believe Tyler seems to have no idea about Iron Maiden. I'm not the biggest fan either, but I am aware of them and some of there most wonderful musical moments.
It’s addictive ear candy.
It’s like an ear-worm for people who don’t know the song.
Beat me to bastard, lol
Came here to say this
“The Trooper” is probably Iron Maiden’s most iconic and musically interesting riff, but my favorite is either “Fear of the Dark” or “Run to the Hills”
Given the story of the song, I love that Run to the Hills has that galloping feel to it. It’s like word painting, but with the guitar. Tres cool
To tame a land is my favorite.
"Fear of the dark...
Fear of the dark...
I have a constant fear that someone's always there !"
I'll never get enough of it
Fear of the dark is a really fun riff to play in my opinion, and it’s a great song too. 11/10 would learn again
There are actually a lot of riffs I think are better than wasted years, but my favourite is no prayer for the dying, I would like to understand why I can’t find anyone who said no prayer for the dying?
Shoutout to Chuck Berrry, AC/DC, RATM, RHCP, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, SRV, Jimi Hendrix, The Police... (and several others who actually became mainstream with the electric guitar). You can literally make a whole list only with them lol
The one I would definitely add is Pearl Jam's "Evenflow."
Honorable Grunge mentions: STP's "Plush," Soundgarden's "Spoonman."
ACDC: Back in Black, Hells Bells, TNT,
I would argue Alive by Pearl Jam is more iconic than Even Flow.
@@joelcastro-reyes1667 More iconic, perhaps, but Even Flow is much harder of a riff, and it's a constant motif
@@joelcastro-reyes1667 Nah. Even Flow all the way
I'm surprised at the absence of AC DC. The Intro to back in black is pretty dang iconic. Almost anyone on the planet besides my dad would recognize and jam to thunderstruck as well.
Hard agree. & I would add Hell's Bells to that list.
Someone agrees Tyler. Time to fix the list LOL.
Thunderstruck has the same issue as Eye of the Tiger that Tyler pointed out.
Im more surprised by the lack of Dragonforce. Like heroes of the storm, or obviously. Flames!
lol besides my dad. good one
i think the intro to voodoo child (slight return) has to be the greatest riff of all time. Still gives me chills.
Zero Jimi, not even Purple Haze, but yeah, Voodoo Child should be in the top 10.
@@chizorama honestly i think stevie ray vaughan did a better version of voodoo child than jimi did, but i also think that you almost have to have texas flood in there as well
Chills.
It’s the ultimate rock song for electric guitar, to this day, in my opinion.
@@bryan3487you're smoking rock
Idk how nobody has mentioned “Aces High” as the best Iron Maiden riff, or atleast the most iconic. Cant help but get excited when I hear the opening riff
YES
This is my pick too.
Couldn't agree with you more
Anything of Powerslave tbh, but yeah probably Aces High.
This would definitely be my pick too!
The opening riff of paint it black by the Rolling Stones is so amazing and iconic
14:45 is why I love this channel
Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood is definitely one of the most iconic and recognizable riffs of all time.
Mannish boy is the original of the riff
My favorite riff by George is 'Gear Jammer' ♥ He should be on every list as far as I'm concerned lol
@@nickwilliams6621 Hell yes it should.
One bourbon one scotch one beer is orders of magnitude better!
Definitely a Willie Dixon riff.
I don't listen to Iron Maiden either, but Afraid to Shoot Strangers is a great track.
This guy from "music is win" doesn't like Maiden. Might as well UNSUBSCRIBE. Maiden IS WIN!
The whole fear of the dark album is a must listen. My faveorite is The Apparition
Oh you should. They have some great tracks. Currently, for whatever reason, Rainmaker is holding my attention.
As far as Iron Maiden goes, Hallowed Be Thy Name has a few riffs that I think compete with a lot of the riffs on this list.
Hallowed Be Thy Name is boss!!!!!
Hallowed be thy name, the trooper, stranger in a strange land
Personally, I think the greatest Iron Maiden riff is 2 Minutes to Midnight. It's more simple than a lot of Maiden's discography, but I think that gives it more focus and drive.
I’m a fan obv but that’s a lick dude
I don't think we're thinking of the same part, because what I'm thinking of is pretty riffy
Tygers of Pan Tang Hellhound sounds very similar also.
Been my favorite Maiden song since I was 15. Will always love Maiden
Evil that men do chorus riff is by far one of their best.
2 minutes is great in all aspects, especially for how it fits the song.
But that melodic harmony between Dave and Adrian on evil that men do is just out of this world.
How could they miss AC/DC?
Also, Symphony of destruction by Megadeth is pretty legendary 👌
Yes!
Pantera as well!
Thunderstruck is iconic as hell
I prefer megadeth over metallica don't punch me
Because acdc stink?
Iron Maiden’s most fun riff to play is by far “hallowed be thy name “. From intro to bridge it changes pace so many times it’s just so fun
Either that, phantom of the opera or stranger in a strange land
Indeed
Number of the beast as well
I'd nominate Hallowed be thy Name's bridge for their best riff. Love it.
Rime of the ancient mariner
For Alice in Chains, I have to go with Man in the Box.
Satisfaction is the most iconic Rolling Stones riff but not Keith's best. Can't You Hear Me Knocking is amazing...Tumbling Dice is one of my favorite to play...Midnight Rambler could be a valid choice too...Brown Suger is unforgettable...A strong case can be made for Jumping Jack Flash...Beast of Burden is beautiful...Basically there's a whole lot of freaking options.
Man in the Box is one of the most famous rock songs ever. I definitely thing it belongs
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" - Iron Maiden has several great riffs.
imo their absolute masterpiece!
Pretty much anything from Number of the Beast would deserve a spot
Best Maiden Riff has got to be the Trooper. Everyone knows it, everybody recognizes it, and it's utterly relentless. Either that or Fear of the Dark. I see cases made for Number of The Beast and yes, I agree with that.
I'll make my case for the verse riff to The Prisoner.
Maybe not recognizable to somebody who doesn't listen to Maiden, but damn as a guitarist it's so fun to play
@@ry7xsfa872 That song is a killer to play live. The verse is so energetic it takes a hold on people like The Undertakes making a Chokeslam.
Still my favorite riff is Powerslave.
Fear of the Dark is a great one too! I still think The Trooper is number one though.
Song gives me goosebumps still
I'm going with The Wicker Man.
I really like the riff from "Ace of spades" by Motörhead. It's just so energetic and fun to play.
Facts
Fr
I personally love the opining riff of Layla by erc Clapton it's just amazing
I'd bet you know this, but if you don't, you should TOTALLY check out the version of Layla by Derek and the Dominoes. It's still Eric Clapton singing and playing guitar, but also features Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band on guitar. Eric Clapton and Duane Allman are both nasty on guitar in there own individual ways, and the whole album is worth a listen (Layla and Other Love Songs).
Just wanted to throw this out there because that version of Layla is up there in my favorite songs of all time. I really like Eric Clapton's acoustic version on his Unplugged album, but it still pales in comparison to the original with not 1 but 2 electric guitar greats.
You've probably already heard it and maybe were referring to this one to begin with, but if you haven't, you've gotta check it out. It's a real treat. Nothing but bangers on that album.
For Iron Maiden, probably their most iconic riffs are The Trooper and Number of the Beast, although I think Wasted Years was listed because it was one of the few Maiden songs that ever got mainstream airplay - and I happen to love the entire Somewhere in Time album. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray are perhaps the greatest dual-lead guitar duo in the business.
Paschendale too
Where Eagles Dare
One song that is iron maiden “phantom of the opera”
i would say the trooper aswell, but since its the whole two guitars together he is gonna be nitpicky about it.
Aces high
I’d say No Quarter is my favourite riff. Not my favourite LZ song, but this riff is beyond amazing
It has the same lick in it as "somewhere" from jimi hendrix. wonder who did it first
@@johnlemon874 oh, another legendary black musician Led Zeppelin stole from. And I didn’t know about it. NOICE
Such a killer track. Favorite LZ song
I like Led Zeppelin’s version but Tools cover is also special
@@thedarkfalafel9323 Didn't say that, just said its the same lick lmao. I don't even know which song came out first
Without doubt, Money for nothing is the best riff. Though, it is probably one of the hardest riffs to play really well.
Yes
It’s a legendary riff indeed!
I was thinking sultans of swing but that's more of a whole package deal than just a riff
@@andrewmingst1797 it’s my favourite song but i think the reason tyler didn’t like the song being on this list is because its not a riff, more like solo
utter bullshit, its not the best at all, not even remotely close. the stones zep and acdc have 20 - 30 better riffs.
I think "The Zoo" by Scorpions is still one of the greatest riffs. Really wish they got more love.
IKR. Animal Magnetism is a great record, a clinic on how to write hard rock riffs and songs.
I feel johnny marr needs to have at least one riff on here, his guitar playing changed british music forever, his guitar playing is so unique and it created indie music which dominated the 90’s and 2000’s guitar music
Yes I agree… some girls are bigger than others for me
i would agree but at the same time marr didn’t really have orthodox ‘riffs’ that u can play and represent the whole song as he loved to overlay and combine
This Charming Man for sure
Smoke on the water has become under appreciated. It has a solid riff, very good solo and a really good bass line.
And who is responsible for the band has such bad rep?
@@GuitarsRockForever I blame all the guitarists who play this everytime they enter a guitar store. And lazy air guitarists!!!
Church!
Yeh it became a meme, shame really.
@@alexrobertson1472 Not really sure about that. 035 pretty heavily contributed to the popular knowledge of the song. I didn't know of the band or the song until it was memed to death- and that's with playing guitar for a decade now
Jerry Cantrell is one of the most underrated riff writers of all time, Facelift is absolutely jam packed with incredible riffs. Sunshine and Put You Down are two of my favorite ever
‘Rain when I die’ is epic as well.
For me it's "would?"
@@dtabor85 the bass riff?
I think Jerry is the 90’s version of Tony Iommi
My favourite Maiden riffs of every album
Iron Maiden-Prowler
Killers-Killers
NOTB- Hallowed by Thy Name
Piece of Mind- Where Eagles Dare
Powerslave-2 minutes to Midnight
Somewhere in Time-Wasted Years
7th Son-The Evil That Men Do
NPFTD-No Prayer For The Dying
Fear Of The Dark-Wasting Love
X Factor-Man on the Edge
Virtual IX- Clansman
BNW-Out of the Silent Planet
DOD-Rainmaker
AMOLAD-Different World
The Final Frontier-The Final Frontier
TBOS-Empire of the Clouds
Senjetsu-Stratego
The bridge of Creeping Death by Metallica is simple BUT with the whole band it's badass.
I liked the OC supertones cover of the riff (supertones strike back). Completely different feel. Great riff by Metallica, definitely iconic
@@B-10theFuzz they only used the intro though, not the bridge riff
Iron Maiden's best riff BY FAR is the chorus from 2 minutes to midnight, because it's incredibly fun to play and to listen to.
This. I'm honestly not much of a Iron Maiden guy myself generally, but this should be mandatory study material for anybody writing metal.
The opening riff to Phantom of the Opera is a pretty cool one too.
I immediately thought the same!! Although Number of the Beast is also pretty killer!
That's a good one but I love back in the village
I’m politely adding “Die With Your Boots On” is a favorite of mine.
Love War Pigs too but I'm surprised Iron Man doesn't ever get mentioned, I heard/played that riff way more than anything else, including Smoke on the Water
I agree, Iron Man would be my pick for Sabbath, not that you can go too far wrong with Sabbath.
Children of the Grave is underrated. Unquestionably the grooviest Sabbath riff. But Iommi could crowd out a top 20 all on his own. The guy wrote every cool riff there is and left scraps for the rest of us. Sabbra Cadabra, Snowblind, Sweet Leaf, Electric Funeral, N.I.B, Supernaut... All better than some of the picks for this list.
Fairies Wear Boots!
I would have put "Into The Void" instead.
@Ernesto87 Ooh, a fellow man of culture. If you like this song, you've got to check out Soundgarden's cover of Into the Void. It's such a dope version with Chris Cornell singing.
what about the riff from Photograph by Nickelback, Im pretty sure at this point its iconic lol
Lmao
They play that in my local elevator, it sounds better than the original.
no
You must be joking.
@@ethanroyer5671 Hes deadly serious, a lot of die hard Nickleback fans out there, its like a cult.
One of my personal favorite guitar riffs is "Then Came the Last Days of May" by Blue Oyster Cult. Every solo in it has so much soul
Blue oyster cult is one of the most underrated bands imo
@@user-ne6nz2lb6w I only know don’t fear the reaper but that one is a masterpiece
Great tune, but I'm not sure if I'd put on a greatest/favorite guitar riff list. however, from the same album, I believe that the opening riff from "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" could/should garner some consideration. Just my humble opinion.
@@acelynch8110 Just About to say that, "Cities..." has one of the best riffs of all time
Great song
8:08 HELL FUCKING YES WAR PIGS IS THE GREATEST!!!
You'd think that having a verse where everyone does two notes and then just silence with nothing but a soft hi hat for two measures would be boring, but no. It's badass. Having the balls and patience to just be silent for a bit is badass.
AND EVERY RIFF IS AMAZING!!!
It's true. I'd say the only thing more important than knowing when to play, is knowing when not to play. Rests and silence can have way more of a dramatic impact in a song than just being busy all the time, even at high technical levels.
Tension
I've counted the amount of riffs Tony put in the song. There's eight in total. Its a law to include at least one in this list.
I think the riff at the end is freaking awesome too
@@falconbaker8553 yes that's the best one!!!
I love that you put CKY's 96 Quite Bitter Beings in your list. Very underrated riff.
I'd add Kickstart My Heart to both yours and WatchMojo's list. The whole song gets me MOVIN
Iron Maiden was a band that I overlooked for years and years. No one in my family listened to them when I was growing up but my uncles do love all kinds of classic rock. When I finally got into them it was awesome. So much good music to catch up on. You should give them another shot at some point.
Dude you’re so right about the “walk this way” best part being the shuffle. It’s so fkn sweet. Such ridiculous swagger to it
I haven’t seen the video yet, but when you say walk this way do you mean Aerosmith or run dmc
@@fyretnt Walk This Way is originally by Aerosmith. They collaborated with Run DMC for a rap-rock crossover. Similar to Anthrax and Public Enemy doing Bring the Noise
@@joelcastro-reyes1667 yeah I knew that I just hadn’t watched the video yet lol
Sure, but it’s utterly unrecognizable out of context. Just sounds like generic guitar comping.
It may be overly played, but “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is beyond iconic.
Perfect 5ths! It’s gonna change the game xD
I guess!!
the whole bleach album has much better riffs, they’re simple but sound so good
Oh no! that's a recycled riff
Ripped from Boston "More than a Feeling"
OVERRATED!!!!!!
For Ratt, Opening riff to Way Cool Junior had me hooked. Great job mate, always entertaining, love your stuff!
The intro riff on 'The Trooper' is the one that sticks out for me. Possibly because it is the first Iron Maiden song I ever had to learn (I am also not a big Maiden fan personally) but the intro riff from 'Run To The Hills' is extremely iconic.
Aces High
"Dig A Poney" by the Beatles, I think, is an underestimated and overlooked riff that is a beautiful and has a very intriguing melody
I agree "I've Got a Feeling" is interesting as well he frets the A on the high E but also I like the way they are about to uses sevenths to build tension then how it resolved with E G D. Very cool
There are a butt ton of great Beatles riffs and licks that are always overlooked!
@@Wapohead I Want You(She's So Heavy), Because, Helter Skelter, Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey, just to get us started
With Ratt, like so many "Hair Metal" Bands, their work is underappreciated. I, personally love the riff from Lay It Down. Check that one out, I think you'll appreciate the musicality, and the sense of urgency the opening conveys.
Agreed 100%. Way Cool Junior is so different and great, too.
100%
Hell yeah
I love the opening riff to Everlong, doesn’t get old. It’s so simple, but so catchy and recognizable
"How Soon Is Now?" absolutely belongs on this list. Near the top.
This charming man as well
I think ac/dc's back and black is one of the greatest guitar riffs ever. When it comes to a/dc, they showed that you didn't need a complicated guitar riff to be rock n roll.
Definitely. The simplicity of the riff but yet the amount of fucken power that no one else besides AC/DC can give and with Malcolms playing is the reason it is so damn powerful.
Yeah dude I'm surprised it didn't make the list
Back in Black would be my #1 greatest guitar riff
Most of their riffs are fairly simple yet absolutely genius. I love it
AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath are the 3 kings of guitar riffs in my opinion
My top ten riffs are:
Double talkin jive by Guns n Roses
Runnin with the devil by Van Halen
Don't back down by Mammoth WVH
Unchained by Van Halen
Straight to hell by Ozzy Osbourne
Icky Thump by The White Stripes
For whom the bell tolls by Metallica
Man in the box by Alice In Chains
Hell's bells by AC DC
Children of the grave by Black Sabbath
I see you with that VH And Mammoth
Unchained is like the better version of the Ratt riff. (And which riff in for whom the bell tolls?)
@@kirkwahmmett1666 The chorus riff
@@Leviathan5599 Nice
Respectable list
Personally I think the best Iron Maiden riff is “Back in the Village”, very underrated
It's so good, Powerslave has so many great riffs
More than a feeling by Boston is a great riff. By one of the most influential guitar players in history.
Boston showed up on Beato’s list and had he not mentioned it I would’ve forgot. I agree, Boston had great riffs and tone.
personally Peace of Mind has always been my favorite Boston riff (and one of my favorite licks too!), but yeah I could definitely agree with More than a Feeling being included in this list
@@whilemyguitarblowsup4174 it’s so good kurt kobain used the riff as well
@@ajfanotreally2523 *Cobain
I was thinking the exact same thing
The Kinks riff was also the first ever w distortion so that also adds to the legacy
Yeah, exactly what I was thinking. That riff might not be the best of all time if it hadn't been the literal cornerstone for the next 2 decades, I mean imo that song is what inspired rock music as we know it.
I thought Revolution by The Beatles was the first with distortion but I guess I was mistaken.
Ok so "You really got me" wasn't the first riff with distortion. (Although replying to another comment it was 4 or 5 years before "Revolution"). I think it was just the first song where the distortion was intentional and utilized.
And to think that riff was originally going to be played by a saxophonist
“Back in the village” or “Sea of madness” are some killer Iron Maiden riffs. Both are challenging, but fun to play.
yessir agreed
Yep! Sea of madness is a wonderful song!
Not a huge Iron Maiden fan, so for me, either The Trooper, 2 Minutes To Midnight, or The Number Of The Beast. All of these, I'd say, are great introduction songs for Iron Maiden.
For me, it's the opening of American Woman by The Guess Who. I also love Terry Kath's solo in Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4.
i strongly think that the start "women in love" riff by Van Halen is amazing think about it this way he figured out that you can tap harmonics then made a actually quit difficult riff with it, its just amazing to me
This list could’ve been mostly Van Halen songs
Coming late to the party, but Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" as covered by Nirvana is up there. It sends shivers down my spine every time. Something about the crunch in the tone paired with Cobain's vocals and the counter-tone of the cheerful acoustic guitar just...dunno. Hits all the feels.
To quote Tyler: that’s a lick, not a riff
For me Layla is just too good
It's catchy af and It really gives you the vibes the lyrics tell
That intro is not a riff, it's a lick
@@balajiedlyngdoh8366 but... A lick that you repeat and is a theme is pretty much the definition of a riff. So yeah, it's a riff.
When you played the barracuda riff, the legato and tone reminded me of the final guitar part in the crossroads movie guitar battle
Blackwater Park from Opeth has some of my favorite riffs in it, maybe around minute 7 with that amazing transition! Bleak is another good one.
Between Deliverance and Damnation, so many great tracks to choose from!
Opeth has so many amazing riffs, I love all those. Also the first couple riffs in Serenity Painted Death.
Although Face of Melinda is my favorite song by them, Blackwater Park does have some fantastic riffs in there. My favorite however is the one where the vocals start.
Masters Apprentice is a riff I play so often I don’t even realize I’m playing it. It’s definitely one of favorites, then again I’m such an Akerfeldt junkie I own a PRS Akerfeldt custom SE. I love their entire catalog
@@BlueeyesofSkye One of the best bands of all time. Such awesome songwriting and riffs
Fear of The Dark by Iron Maiden is one of their most iconic of all time musically satisfying and instantly recognizable
I think my most favorite riff of all time would be Into The Void by Black Sabbath. I just love the tone and the articulation of Iommi's playing :)
Agreed
Hearing and see it live was even better, especially with those stacks and speaker arrays just blasting it in to your face and body!!! I am lucky to have seen them multiple times. Their farewell show here, in Japan, was so killer - even though Tony flubbed a couple chords, with Ozzy giving the "Da fuq?!" look :D
@@Wapohead I would love to see them live :( Sadly got into metal like 4 years ago. Envy u a lot :)
You could argue the first metal album came before Master Of Reality, but you absolutely cannot argue that it came after.
This guy turned his attick into a hall of fame, filled it with guitars and turned it into studio
Respect+
It's never too late to pick up some Maiden!!! The most iconic Iron Maiden riff is The Trooper at (0:12) or the intro to Fear of the Dark, or the chorus of Hallowed Be Thy Name (0:59), or the intro to Aces High (0:28), .or Revelations at (1:07), or the Dance of Death intro... I could go on and on and on.
"Fairies Wear Boots " is loaded with some of the best riffs ever.
Honestly the whole band is loaded with the best riffs ever
I think the Kinks "You Really Got Me" might be one of the greatest if just for it's historical significance. Rock and punk wouldn't be the same without the Kinks.
For me it's tied between Holy wars, and wake up dead. I love those technical thrashy riffs.
Iron Maiden has so many awesome and underrated riffs. I never actually listened to them as a kiddo either, but I decided to dig deep into their guitar playing and found some very cool stuff.
Here are some of my favorite Iron Maiden riffs to play:
1. Murders in the rue morgue (chorus riff)
2. Sea of Madness (intro riff)
3. Invaders (intro riff)
4. Wrathchild
5. Innocent Exile
6. Die With Your Boots On (intro riff)
7. 2 Minutes to Midnight (this is a no-brainer)
9. The Wicker Man
8. The Writing on the Wall
These songs include some riffs that are very iconic but somewhat underappreciated for reasons unknown to me.
Phantom of the opera's opening riff is one of my favorites from them. Also the riff when the full band drops in is great too.
The Wicker Man is among my top riffs. It's so good. Didn't even think about The Writing on the Wall, but yeah, that one is incredible as well.
Also the moonchild chorus riff
Black Sabbath - Into the Void, Black Sabbath, Iron Man
AC/DC - Highway to Hell, Back in Black, Shoot to Thrill
Roy Orbison - Pretty Woman
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the name, Freedom, people of the sun
Beatles - Something, Day Tripper
Pearl Jam - Alive
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
The Smiths - this charming man
The list can go on and on…
i think alive might be a lick. i’d say the ending to the chorus in “Given to Fly” is better than alive anywata
Forgot Know Your Enemy by RATM
Run Like Hell?
@@41g28 money riff maybe more iconic imo
@@ricardobrasil20 Yh but imo Run Like Hell better
Some iconic riffs i love from bands that didnt make the list:
Day tripper (B's)
Tornado of souls (megadeth)
Love me two times (doors)
Bad horsie (vai)
American woman (the guess who)
Beatiful people (manson)
Walk (pantera)
E-pro (beck)
La granje (zz top)
Crossfire (SRV)
I AGREE
The “B’s”?? Who the hell are the B’s?! The Bee Gees? B-52s? Beach Boys?! Hah
Walk is overrated as hell
@@imthekbk yeah maybe, but also a lot of these "iconic" riffs from all these top lists are overrated, walk is maybe the most famous riff from pantera and a staple of 90-2000 groove metal
@@imthekbk your way of thinking is overrated.
George Thorogood on One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.. that lick before the muted verse is one of my all time favorites
Based pick
Great video, as always! The opening riff to Wasted Years is actually a little trickier than it sounds to get it right (it’s often cheated with hammer-on’e and pull-offs) but super-iconic for those of us “growing up guitar” in the 80’s as we all attempted to learn it. That being said, Number of the Beast! It’s not the hardest Iron Maiden riff by any means, but it’s so recognizable and (more importantly) so FUN to play. It represented the angst and rebellion for so many of us, and playing the Number of the Beast riff in church in between sets for the youth ministries always invoked amusing and hilariously irrational reactions from people. Miss those days!
There are so many good Iron Maiden riffs that it’s hard to choose, but these are some of my favorite riffs of theirs:
When the Wild Wind Blows - 9:04 (the whole song is amazing and severely underrated)
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - 1:57
Powerslave - intro
Judas Be My Guide - intro
Dance of Death - intro and 2:58
If you get a chance to listen to any of those, I hope you like them!
"When the Wild Wind Blows" appreciation, finally! Personally my favourite riff is what they play after Adrian's breathtaking solo, with Janick and Dave harmonising while Adrian plays some heavy chords underneath.
My personal favorite riffs/licks idk the difference:
Danzig - Mother
Living Colour - Cult of personality
Whitesnake - You're gonna break my heart again
Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser
Def Leppard - Pour some sugar on me
Rush - Working man
Metallica - Seek and destroy
Judas Priest - Breaking the law
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Black sabbath - Children of the grave
Ozzy Osbourne - I don't wanna stop
Iron Maiden - Run to the hills
Metallica - Creeping death (but that one part Kirk Hammet plays idk how to describe it it's sick af)
Pantera - Cowboys from hell
Disturbed - Decadence
Asking Alexandria - New devil
Black sabbath - Black sabbath
Twisted Sister - I wanna rock
Whitesnake - Here I go again
Metallica - Fuel
I also liked the ones you mentioned (walk this way, crazy train etc.), but i didn't wanna put them here
I would say that Iron Maiden's best riffs are either in Fear of the Dark, or Where the Wild Wind Blows. But Blood Brothers has some great riffs too, and their new album is full of amazing riffs. Honestly, Iron Maiden should be know for their riffs, because they have so many amazing riffs.
Thank u for shouting out the newish stuff! It’s so underrated
I second this
Fear of the dark is the better one
@@alech5280 I second this to the degree of giving it its own comment! I mean any time you hear that riff its like "oh mint, its fear of the dark"
Aces high fan myself but yeh
Cemetary gates man, that main riff hits every time
wholeheartedly agree, that riff alone cemented the song as one of my absolute favorites
For me it would be "Bark at the moon" by Ozzy , the part after slight divebomb at 1:17, i just love that part.
Thought the same for an ozzy riff. Not really anOzzy fan but I have always thought Jake e Lee was his best guitarist.
Round and Round isn't so much a riff as it's "movement" with the chords and the melody together on the chorus. And it's pretty friggin awesome. The solo in Wasted Years is throughly unique. The way it extends into the chorus with that melodic quarter note triplet phrase is beyond epic. You must check it out. You Really Got Me? I think you have to be a boomer to get it. Never before was there a recorded guitar sound so raw. And those two punctuated chords coming over a transistor radio was life altering. But I can go the rest of my life without ever hearing it again. The same goes with Satisfaction and Smoke on the Water. Greatest Guitar riff of all time? Well, of course -- it's Ticket To Ride.
On the topic of Iron Maiden, I know alot of people would recommend The Trooper or Number of the Beast. That said, one that I think is definitely worth a mention for the intro riff alone is Writing on the Wall. Dudes are grandfather age now and still writing bangers.
Hell yes they are. The new album is great.
"The Writing on the Wall" has some incredible riffs. Other relative "deep cuts" (for the non-Maiden-fan) with great riffs would be songs like "The Book of Souls", with that stomping palm-muted riff, or "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns", especially the heavy 7/4 main riff--although maybe going into A Matter of Life and Death is cheating because all the songs have terrific guitar parts.
RATT absolutely belongs on this list... however, the riff chosen should have been "Lay It Down" without question. That opening riff STILL gives me chills.
Nah round and round is better
Totally agree.
@@Happylink75
You're insane... I mean... I'm Insane
@@Happylink75 Maybe...but Wanted Man is their best song ever, IMO
Fuck. Yes.
"Silhouette" by KANA-BOON really kickstarted my love for guitar as a kid with that catchy intro. Not saying it's the best but imo it made a huge impact.
naruto
I see a man of culture.
Yes! Totally agree, such a great melody and overall an uplifting song despite the Great ninja war
Always been one of my favorite OP's of any Anime period.
Ah yes
Personally I definitely agree with the ratt riff! Round and round is iconic and a great riff
slipknots duality riffs are awesome, I love the open power chords with the pinch harmonic
Spit it out is groovin doe
Psychosocial
I was half expecting them to put Stairway in all 20 spots but they actually did a pretty good job!
I definitely think the Ratt riff belongs in the list…very iconic and very instantly recognizable
If your gunna put ratt on the list I think it’s gotta be way cool jr. that riff is jumping
@@barriem5318 This. Lay it Down is more iconic and a bit of a bugger to play properly.
Has to be Lay It Down though, that riff is sick!
maybe just me but ive never heard it before in my life
@@ayeyobossman6151 give it a listen it bangs
I love the fact you angled a camera at your crouch just in case you wanted to play along.
Actually the "Check My Brain" riff is one of my favorite Alice in Chains moments. It's so simple but always makes me want to crank it up.
I totally agree, however, I think there are plenty of songs on “Dirt” and their self titled album with much better riffs.
Its really good! but doesnt belong on the list, like many others there.... AiC has done other waaay better riffs, like Aint like that, We die young etc
Most iconic AiC riff should definitely go to Man in the Box, its easily the most recognizable to people who don't normally listen to AiC. My personal favorite guitar part from them though is the lick from the beginning and rythm of Get Born Again, it was the second thing I learned when I got my first wah like 20 years ago. First thing I learned was Electric Funeral by Sabbath.
Those bends are nauseating…in a *good* way! Cantrell has a gift.
@@zakkmylde1712 yeah man in the box is so darn iconic!❤️
I think the best part of round and round is the riff that plays in the verses, it’s a lot of fun to play and it sounds very cool, especially with a couple pinch harmonics.
The trooper by iron maiden is by far the best riff they made
Hands down The Trooper. I would say is the most iconic riff for Iron Maiden!
Trooper is definitely up there and I’d also include Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills (verse riff), Aces High, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Hallowed Be Thy Name or Alexander the Great
+1
I honestly like the guitar riffs in Ram Jam's Black Betty. The licks fit nicely, the drum and bass doesn't detract from the guitar or try to steal the spotlight and the guitar player is really good.
Though the ending solo to Hotel California is a close second
Black betty is such a good song...up until the halfway point when they change up the style...i very much dislike the latter half of it.
As for Iron Maiden, I'd recommend Aces High because that's the song that got me into them! I couldn't stop listening to it for dayyyys; and I'd also recommend Wasting Love, which I think is a rather unique song in their catalogue; it's a power ballad and it grew on me a lot the more I listened to it.
I was thinking the exact same thing, definitely underrated, or number of the beast
I feel like a skynyrd riff should be on there - they have so many great guitar parts!
Might I submit Saturday Night Special?
Simple Man has a pretty nice intro riff
Sweet Home Alabama. Probably the most recognized.
Molly Hatchet had some killer riffs as well.
@@HarambeKojima true
"Cherub Rock" by the smashing pumpkins is one of the greatest riffs ever imo
_Siva;_ _Zero;_ _I am One:_ all absolute classic riffs too.
I love playing Cherub Rock! Great tune.
Zero is the better riff. Though Cherub Rock is a better song.
11:40 It fits the definition of a riff. A lick would be a short phrase that isn't repeated and is often used to transition into another part of the song, the opening is definitely a riff in that it's a repeating musical phrase/idea
Eh. Is it? Like we call “For Whom the Bells Tolls” a bass line, but it’s not really.
Maiden riffs... damn, there's so many. Number of the Beast intro, and the riff after the solo which is criminally under-discussed. Both of the riffs in The Trooper are amazing. Ace's High has like 5 godlike riffs. Fear of the Dark has 3 different incredible riffs built on the same chord progression. The list goes on - Hallowed Be Thy Name, Powerslave, 2 Minutes to Midnight...
Everything you mentioned in here I would have included as well! I also think The Wicker man is a good one, that intro is pretty sweet. But I also like the deeper cuts off albums.
Rime of the ancient mariner gets missed cuz it’s long but it deserves love, all of the riffs are amazing especially in and out of the slow part
@@bryangoad9061 I thought of Wicker Man too.
Afraid to shoot strangers, or is it a lick?. Well anyway there is a lot Iron Maiden riffs what could be on the list. I can’t believe he is not ”listening” them 😀
Yeah wicker man gets the old ticker goin!!!
“Run to the Hills” is a super iconic Maiden song, with probably one of the best opening metal riffs of all time. I also really enjoy “Fear of the Dark” and “Powerslave”.
Run to the hills is great but the whiny-ness of the intro always bugs me a bit, still love maiden tho, greatest riff tbh i really like the intro to rainmaker
Powerslave riff underrated imo
Round and round absolutely deserves a spot on the list, one of my favorite riffs of all time! It's also quite hard to play because of the big stretches
@@MKhavik They both have stretchy parts but yeah Lay it Down is harder I think
It is like all the "things" we try categorize (sports/music/art/....). It is imposable to name the best of anything. There are so many greats in every category.
Music is such a personal thing that no one can have the perfect list.
True words.
Love Heartbreaker, but Black Dog is the best Zep riff by a mile.
Black Dog definitely #1. Heartbreaker is not even the best riff of the Zeppelin II album.
Hard agree
In my time of dying is easily my favorite riff of theirs
Great riff, but hard to no pick The Ocean as the best to my ear
I adore Heartbreaker but my favorite is Kashmir.
The Tropper by Iron Maiden is by far their best riff. Country Girl by Black Sabbath is another highly underrated riff.
Love The Tropper
Ain't Talking "bout love...the absolute genius of Ed. He messes up, figure out where, and DUPLICATE it