Jimi Hendrix tops guitar riffs list

Reuters

RIFFTASTIC: Jimi Hendrix has been voted as having creatd the best guitar riff of all time.

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The 1970 track beat Guns N' Roses classic Sweet Child O'Mine - which topped the poll five years ago - to the top spot in the poll by website MusicRadar,com, with Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin coming third.

Just two songs from the past decade made the list; Muse's 2001 hit Plug In Baby at 11 and The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, which was released in 2003, at 15.

MusicRadar.com's editor-in-chief Mike Goldsmith said: "Nearly 40 years after his untimely death, Jimi Hendrix is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar.

"Of the current generation of six-string stars, only Jack White of The White Stripes and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy feature in the higher echelons of our list. No surprise given both Bellamy and White share - or have inherited - Hendrix's unique blend of experimental instincts and white-knuckle showmanship.

"Above all though, our poll seems to indicate one thing - in 2009, classic rock still rules."

Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water and Derek and the Dominos' Layla - which features Eric Clapton on guitar - made up the rest of the top five, with AC/DC, Metallica, The Beatles, Nirvana and The Rolling Stones also featuring in the top ten.

More than 5000 MusicRadar.com users took part in the poll.

Greatest Guitar Riffs of All Time according to MusicRadar.com top 20:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
2. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
3. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
4. Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water
5. Derek and the Dominos - Layla
6. AC/DC - Back In Black
7. Metallica - Enter Sandman
8. The Beatles - Day Tripper
9. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
10. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
11. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
12. Muse - Plug In Baby
13. Eddie Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
14. The Kinks - You Really Got Me
15. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
16. AC/DC - Highway to Hell
17. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
18. Black Sabbath - Iron Man
19. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
20. Michael Jackson - Beat It

* What do you think the best guitar riff is? Post your comments below.

Newest First

Oldest First

RJ   #88   11:49 am Jan 12 2010

Van Halen - Unchained

Titch   #87   03:40 pm Dec 04 2009

What about Goldern Earing's, Radar Love

Jimi   #86   04:32 pm Dec 03 2009

These lists are insane. The greatest riff of all time? Its a matter of personal taste making it a popularity contest. I bet those who voted can't even play a guitar. Ask them what key any of those songs are in, now that would be a list to see what key the voters think the songs they voted for are in.

Matt   #85   09:09 pm Dec 02 2009

Lists like this are so retarded. I mean come on, Enter Sandman the best Metallica riff? Hahahaha

bruce   #84   06:21 pm Dec 02 2009

What is a riff?!? I'm glad you asked http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff

Norman   #83   05:20 pm Dec 02 2009

Cocaine - JJ Cale

Realist   #82   04:34 pm Dec 02 2009

The fact that Enter Sandman represents Metallica's contribution to the list shows what ignorant muppets must have voted in this poll

ab   #81   04:32 pm Dec 02 2009

Who cares, all that matters is the songs you, the individual like. I like Pali Gap by Jimi way more than Voodoo

Bevan   #80   12:34 pm Dec 02 2009

@ billy #73: Becauase it sparks interesting conversation about a subject which people are very passionate about. Dork.

T   #79   09:54 am Dec 02 2009

what about "to live is to die"???? or "freebird"?

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