Best Guitar Riff Creators

Led Zeppelin is probably my favorite band after Pink Floyd, but Iommi is a better riff-writer than Page.
Page stole MANY riffs. Page didn’t write a riff that is as iconic as Iron Man. Take a song like “Into The Void” which has like 5 iconic Sabbath riffs in it. And all songs on the albums are like that. Page doesn’t have this ability. Page is a main riff, while Iommi is a main riff, then a groovy verse riff, then a series of 3 iconic groovy riffs, 2 outro riffs, and you get the idea.
He should be higher. The riffs he created in the 70s were some of the heaviest riffs at the time. People didn't know what to think. They had never heard such heaviness before. A critic said "Like Cream, but worse. " If it wasn't for Iommi a lot of great metal guitarists would have never even picked up a guitar.
He had great idea about riffs at that time. Simple slow and becomes heavier. When I was a kid (even before hearing black sabbath's songs) I got the idea, I used to think strumming with full power (pressure) would make the heaviest guitar sound.
This man and the rest of Sabbath invented a musical genre and he invented riffs which others now try to emulate.

The stuff he came up with over the years with the Yardbirds, that they didn't use, wow.
Jimmy Page is by far the best riff creator of all time, not to mention the greatest guitarist ever. Every single song has an awesome spot in rock history...
For me Page is the best riff machine Page and Iommi both of them are match. But still Jimmy is the best because the sound of his riffs are amazing plus his stage presence. He moved his body according to his guitar riffs.
Jimmy is the best riff machines. Iommi and Page are just totally match but, despites Page stage presence he moved his body according to his guitar sounds.
Jimmy page is the man and deserves the top. But where is Robbert Fripp. Starless and 21st Century Schizoid riffs are amazing

None better. Period. Honky Tonk Women is why the guitar was invented.
Satisfaction, Jumping Jack Flash, Start Me Up, Gimme Shelter, Bitch, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Happy, All Down The Line.


Because he's a Voodoo Child. enough said.

Yes, this man should top the list, he has created all Metallica riffs and Solos and Kirk plays them, there are no words to describe this genius!
Of course he is not the best guitarist on the list. But I think he is one of the best metal riff creators of all time.
Thanks Mr. Hetfield!
three words. Master of Puppets.

This guy and much better than jimmy page and should come first, higway to hell, back in black, you Shook me all nigth long, that give 10 to 0 in the riff of Led Zeppelin Guns n Roses and so on. AC/DC is the best of the best.
All AC/DC songs have amazing riffs! Angus Young & Malcolm Young are geniuses! The Young brothers are masters at riffs!
Just to say, back in black was made by Malcolm so they both deserve it
Together with Malcolm Young #1!
Let There Be Rock!

Everyone knows his riffs from Appetite, and the riffs from his solo albums are extremely overlooked.
I don't even have to explain. His music tells it all.

Cemetery Gates (both the clean and distorted riffs are highly underrated), Walk, Cowboys From Hell. These are not ordinary riffs.
Amazing just amazing
dimebag darrell's riffs are the best. they're agressive, pure metal

"Many of the Megadeth riffs weren't created by him."
what? He's the primary songwriter for both Megadeth's music and lyrics. He wrote the entire "Rust In Peace" album other than lyrics on Tornado of Souls (which he cowrote with David Ellefson), music on Lucretia (which he also wrote with Ellefson), and Dawn Patrol, which is less than 2 minutes and the music was written by Ellefson. That means, Mustaine has single handedly written the riffs for Holy Wars, Hangar 18, Take No Prisoners, Five Magics, Poison Was The Cure, Tornado of Souls (again, Ellefson only helped with LYRICS), and Rust In Peace. And that's only one of the best Megadeth albums. He also wrote all the music and lyrics for the "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? " album, excluding one "cover" song.
He writes pretty much all of the riffs and rhythm parts (at least where he's credited as the sole songwriter, which is a large portion of their catalog) and his own solos.
Many of the Megadeth riffs weren't created by him. Mustaine has many good riffs but he's no Chuck Schuldiner
Holy Wars, Tornado and Simphony, enough said.

Its not only Smoke On the Water. There are some great riffs like Highway Star, Black Night, Perfect Strangers, Burn, Pictures of Home, Strange Kind of Woman etc.
What is Blackmore doing down at 11 on a RIFF creator list ?
Only 14th? Surely he should be in the top 5 with his legacy.
Ritchie should be in first 5!
Smoke on The Water!

The craziest riffs of 90s metal: killing in the name, sleep now in the fire, guerrilla radio, bulls on parade, know your enemy and the list goes on and on...


No, Clapton wrote it. Allman played on the record, but it was a divine coincidence that he was even available.
Lay down sally, cocaine, sunshine of your love, tears in heaven, layla and many more
Didn't Duane Allman write the riff to Layla?

A riff machine... Live at leeds, isle of wight, tanglewood men he's the man


I don't's get why everyone forgets about brian may... Shame. On. You
How come he is not in top ten?
I pity the foolishness of voters
Dead on time.

Ok, what is Brian May doing a spot above Chuck (does Brian May even do riffs ?). Mikael Akerfeldt is too low at 51 too.
This list shouldn't exist if chuck isn't in the top 10

How is he at 19... that's insane. It's a little hard for me to argue against Iommi but Buckethead has got to win. Over three HUNDRED albums released, he is the MAN when it comes to riffs. Hold me Forever, Glacier, Final Wars, Crack the Sky, Wall to Wall Cobwebs, Telescape, Soothsayer, Binge and Grab. I could go on and on and ON, and ON about how many he's got. The mans the best
Yes, he is a great guitarist. But because of most of his songs can be called shredding/solos those aren't really riffs. Riffs are main theme of a song, some chords repeated over and over. But when riffs are in a solo it becomes simply licks.

From the smiths. Definitely the best riff creator. So complex, so powerful ^^ so inventive. Just listen to what difference does it make, william it was really nothing, nowhere fast ^^ many, many others.

Seven Nation Army, Fell in Love with a Girl, Blue Orchid, Icky Thump, Sixteen Saltines... I could go on and on.

Aerials,byob,toxicity,chop suey,spiders that list goes on and on and on

