Jamie Reidy reveals his list of Rock-n-Roll’s Top 10 Most Recognizable Opening Guitar Riffs.
This is the first in a series; bass lines, drum beats, piano… will follow.
Before you start yelling at me for this list, I invite you to take a deep breath and re-read the headline.
It says “Most Recognizable.” It does not say “Best” or “Most Epic” or “Most Influential.” It says “Most Recognizable,” as in “The majority of the people in your car, bar or party instantly know what song it is by the first note of the song.”
That first note part is key; “Back in Black” wouldn’t work in the guitar category because it starts with drums.
Important to understand that I took women into account, here. For instance, my AC/DC vote would’ve gone to “Highway to Hell,” but I realize infinitely more Sheilas know “Shook Me All Night Long.”
First, here are the runners up:
Livewire – Motley Crue
American Girl – Tom Petty
Blister in The Sun – Violent Femmes
Lonely Is The Night – Billy Squier
Suite Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Message in a Bottle – The Police
Take It Easy – Eagles
Wicked Game – Chris Isaak
Photograph – Def Leppard
Now, for the Top 10 Most Recognizable Opening Guitar Chords of All-Time.
I will go in descending order:
10. Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughn
9. Unchained – Van Halen
8. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
7. Layla – Derek and the Dominoes (a.k.a Eric Clapton)
6. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
5. Smoke on The Water – Deep Purple
4. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns-n-Roses
3. Hard Days Night – Beatles
2. Satisfaction – Rolling Stone
1. Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
Agree? Disagree? What song did I miss?
Editor’s note: The original title of this article was “Top 10 Most Recognizable Opening Guitar Chords of All-time” – Thankfully, a helpful commenter pointed out that what I am actually referring to are “riffs” – not chords. Thanks for the correction!
Photo by: Don Wrigh
Where is Sweet Home Alabama
UNCHAINED!!!!
I’d put the opening chords to Roadhouse Blues by The Doors up against any on that list.
Hotel California HAS to be on the list of most recognizable OPENING guitar riffs. It would probably be at the top of mine.
Nothing else matters -Metallica
Great list. One of my favorite openings to a song is Detroit Rock City from the Kiss Alive 2 album. The second that guitar riff starts, you automatically react in some way, shape, or form. I also did not see any Rush anywhere?
AC/DC Thunderstruck, G&R Sweet Child O Mine
Really great list but where is aqualung on either?
Yes, totally agree.
Great list but most recognizable: one has to be the Kinks All Day and All of the Night.
Seventeen-Winger?
Winger, hehe
How about Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult?
Great list and agree with most except that I feel that Ronnie Wood’s opening riff on “Stay With Me” needs to be on the list.
Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes!
Most definitely one of the most recognizable opening guitar riffs belongs to Rock You Like A Hurricane!!
Great job Jamie Reidy.. Thank you for your information..
Logan –
GREAT point!
For starters, I thought “Under Pressure” starts with a bass line. But it’s not in my top ten bass lines, either; so, whichever way we look at it, I blundered.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
How could you miss Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions? Matthias Jabs’ composition on that opening is huge and was vey influential to many bands.
I think you guys have made great suggestions for this list and the list in general was well done, but nobody has mentioned under pressure by queen. I heard someone listening to their music across the roomand i immediately knew it was under pressure.
I think you forgot about Muse’s opening guitar riff from Plug In Baby:)
What? No Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorps? And they are STILL playing it on tour.
Well this is wicked late, but I’d say Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode’s opening riff is wicked recognizable.
Notable by its absence on a mere technicality, would be Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Band. Quite a big technicality really in so far as Edgar played it as lead on a keyboard slung round his neck, however when ZZ Top borrowed the riff for cheap sunglasses it became a bonafide guitar riff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-8AlOHuMs&feature=player_detailpage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9WTlP08LEg&feature=player_detailpage
Right on @Classic Rock Radio… one of my favorites!
No one had mentioned it that I could see and it’s not on the list but ‘All Right Now’ by Free has a very distinctive opening chord.
There is “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream, and then there are all the others. I would put “Smoke on the Water” in second place.
I would put free fallin instead of American girl. And BORN IN THE USA!! Sorry but to me that’s the most recognizable guitar opening of all time.
Oops my fault. I always thought it was a combo of guitar and keyboard. Looks like its just keyboard. My bad 🙂
Also Mark Knopflers right. Money for Nothing is definitely somewhere here.
Also, speaking of “Hard day’s night” and the ‘chord heard around the world, here’s an amazing breakdown of what that chord really is, and how it was actually played (and it sure ain’t just one guitar chord):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvxPc5MPEuQ