LIKE GIGWISE ON FACEBOOK TO GET THE HOTTEST NEWS FIRST!


Enjoy bonus videos, photos and posts and have your say on the the latest music!

Not convinced? Check it out.

by Louis Kerry | Photos by WENN

Tags: Bon Jovi, Metallica 

New BBC Radio 2 poll seeks the greatest guitar riff ever

Top 100 riffs poll now open - what's your favourite?

 

New BBC Radio 2 poll seeks the greatest guitar riff ever Photo: WENN

BBC Radio 2 presenter Simon Mayo has launched an audience vote to find the greatest guitar riff of all time. See the full list of riffs below. 

Selected by a panel of music experts including radio DJs, critics and producers, 100 riffs have been selected for the poll. The list, mainly consisting of classic rock songs, includes tracks such as Bon Jovi's 'Livin on a Prayer', Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' and Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

Jeff Smith, Head of Music Radio 2, and panelist, said: "We’ve all been brought up with the most amazing guitar riffs throughout the history of pop music, but our trusty panel have drawn up a strong and eclectic mix we know our Radio 2 listeners are going to love."

Celebrating their 'guitar season' since May, Radio 2 have featured in-depth documentaries, features and live sessions across the weekly schedule, sharing the fascinating history and importance of the guitar. 

To see the whole list see below, and to vote for your all time favourite guitar riff click here

20th Century Boy -T. Rex
A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - Van Halen
Alive - Pearl Jam
All Right Now - Free
Apache - The Shadows
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
Atomic - Blondie
Back In Black - AC/DC
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Block Buster! - Sweet
Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
C'mon Everybody - Eddie Cochran
Cannonball - The Breeders
Cigarettes & Alcohol - Oasis
Day Tripper - The Beatles
Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys
Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Don’t believe A Word - Thin Lizzy
Down Down - Status Quo
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
Fools Gold - The Stone Roses
Get Lucky - Daft Punk
Good Times - Chic
Hocus Pocus - Focus
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
I Can't Explain - The Who
I Can't Get No Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Jack & Diane - John Mellencamp
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Killing in The Name - Rage Against The Machine
Layla - Derek And The Dominoes
Life In The Fast Lane - Eagles
Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll - Rainbow
Loser - Beck
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle - Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)
Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters
Marquee Moon - Television
Milk and Alcohol - Dr. Feelgood
Misirlou - Dick Dale
Money - Pink Floyd
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Motorcycle Emptiness - Manic Street Preachers
Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds
My Sharona - The Knack
Need You Tonight - INXS
No One Knows - Queens of The Stone Age
No Surprises - Radiohead
Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Oh Well - Fleetwood Mac
One Vision - Queen
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
Peter Gunn - Duane Eddy
Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
Purple Haze - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Rocks - Primal Scream
Rumble - Link Wray
Run To You - Bryan Adams
Running Down A Dream - Tom Petty
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
Seven Nation Army - White Stripes
Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
Should I Stay Or Should I Go - The Clash
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
Song 2 - Blur
Spoonman - Soundgarden
Stay With Me - Faces
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
That Lady - The Isley Brothers
The One I Love - R.E.M.
The Riverboat Song - Ocean Colour Scene
The Spirit Of Radio - Rush
Theme From Shaft - Isaac Hayes
There She Goes - The La's
Unbelievable - EMF
Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Walk This Way - Aerosmith / Aerosmith & RUN-D.M.C.
Wheels - Foo Fighters
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
Words of Love - Buddy Holly
You Really Got Me - The Kinks
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

Below: 11 new guitar bands you need to be listening to right now

Comments
Most Popular on Gigwise
Latest news on Gigwise
Latest Competition

Artist A-Z #  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z