Riffer Madness

Gibson’s Top 10 Riffs of the 80's serves as a great reminder that the 80’s weren’t as grim as all that after all.

Here’s the list:

  1.  AC/DC – Back In Black

  2.  Rolling Stones – Start Me Up

  3.  Ozzy Osborne – Crazy Train

  4.  Scorpions – Rock You Like A Hurricane

  5.  Def Leppard - Photograph

  6.  Judas Priest  - Breaking The Law

  7.  Michael Jackson – Beat It

  8.  The Clash – Should I Stay Or Should I Go

  9.  Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child o’ Mine

10.  Rush – Limelight

But …

The preamble talks about riffs really coming into prominence in the 60’s, thanks to the likes of Dave Davies, Pete Townshend and Keith Richards.  Sure, but why is John Lennon never mentioned?  Davies and Townshend had a handful each.  Only Lennon could rival Keef in both quantity and quality.

And why is Jimmy Page not mentioned?  Hello?

Some other tunes with killer riffs I might have nominated include:

She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult

Money For Nothing – Dire Straits

She’s Waiting - Clapton

Would I Lie To You? – The Eurythmics

Paper In Fire - Mellencamp

Every Breath You Take – The Police

Refugee  - Petty

Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2

Owner Of A Lonely Heart - Yes

Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top

Pretty good list, reinforcing the immortal songs are built on three chords, the truth, a backbeat, and a great riff.