A classic case of blues guitar, ‘Bad to the Bone’ features an addictive opening riff played by George Thorogood. In terms of composition, the riff bears some similarity to that in certain songs by Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. Since its release the track has continued to grow in renown owing to its use in many films and commercials…usually during scenes which feature unsavoury characters!
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
During the 1980s the way we listened to music received a huge makeover, not only with the introduction of MTV but the new compact disc technology allowed a generation of music lovers to consume music more conveniently. Dire Straits’ hit ‘Money for Nothing’ with its CGI-heavy video, accompanied by frontman Mark Knopfler’s fingerpicked blues riff were one band to take advantage of this new direction.
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
One of U2’s most overtly political songs about the appalling moments of the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry in 1972. Taken from the aptly named third studio album War, ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ began with a martial descending riff that prefaced tribal drums and a raw bass-line.
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
One of the all time great, rousing guitar riffs, the song begins to the sound of a guitar pedaling gently, whilst drums build then the full force of the notes can truly be felt. Widely associated with the Rocky film franchise, in particular Rocky III the track is simple yet effective, possibly the reason why the song is still so popular today. On its release, ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ sold in vast quantities, shifting two million copies in the USA alone, it has since become a sporting anthem.
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
The Ultimate Rock Riffs 