Top Guitar Riffs of All Time

Now here's a list that's not from Rolling Stone.  Gibson's Top 50 Guitar Riffs of All Time

It's a good list, a can't-dispute-it list.  Here's the Top 10:

 1. Satisfaction.  Easily the most recognizable riff in rock.
 2. Smoke On The Water.  The second most recognized riff.
 3. Whole Lotta Love.  See?  This is a pretty good list!
 4. Iron Man.  OK, well it is very recognizable - if just a tad lame.
 5. Back In Black.  You bet.
 6. Smells Like Teen Spirit.  Relentless and powerful.
 7. You Really Got Me.  Way ahead of its time.
 8. Day Tripper.  Trippy.  Bluesy.  Perfect rock 'n' roll.
 9. Walk This Way.  Not a huge Aerosmith fan, but it's kinda funky, eh?
10. Sunshine Of Your Love.  One of those I-don't-care-I-still-think-it's-cool songs.

I like this list!

Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums

Another of Rolling Stones lists: 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.  This one is more like it.

Here's the Top 25:

 1. Beatles, Sgt Pepper's.  Of course.
 2. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds.  Sheesh!  Maybe I spoke to soon.  What is all the fuss about?
 3. Beatles, Revolver.  That's more like it.
 4. Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited.  Nice.
 5. Beatles, Rubber Soul.  OK, 3 out of 5.  Maybe the universe is in harmony after all.
 6. Marvin Gaye, What's Going On.   Damn!  I keep speaking too soon.
 7. Stones, Exile On Main Street.  Well, one of them should have been Top 10.
 8. The Clash, London Calling.  Good call.
 9. Dylan, Blonde On Blonde.  No one else deserves a second Top 10.
10. Beatles, White.  40%.  Not bad.
11. Elvis, The Sun Session.  Hmmm.  Couldn't we swap with Marvin, please?
12. Miles David, Kind of Blue.  OK, sure.
13. The Velvet Underground, and Nico.  Whatever.
14. Beatles, Abbey Road.  Fine.  Look: I'm not greedy or anything.
15. Hendrix, Are You Experienced?  About right.
16. Dylan, Blood On The Tracks.  Yep.  Maybe swap with Blonde On Blonde?
17. Nirvanna, Nevermind.  No problem.
18. Springsteen, Born To Run.  Can't see how to place it any higher, but it should be.
19. Van Morrison, Astral Weeks.  Cool.
20. Michael Jackson, Thriller.  Fine, fine.
21. Chuck Berry, The Great 28.  Damn right.
22. John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band.  A pleasant surprise.
23. Stevie Wonder, Innervisions.  OK.
24. James Brown, Live At The Apollo.  Coulda been worse.
25. Feetwood Mac, Rumours.  Ya, it was kinda big wasn't it?

All in all, not much to argue with; just a couple of my usual mysteries that would have shocked had they been absent.

But ...
* The Stones Let It Bleed at #32 and Beggar's Banquet at #57 is not right.
* The Band's Music From Big Pink deserves to be higher than #33.
* AC/DC's Back In Black is way better than #73.
* John Lennon's Imagine is way too low at #76
* Ditto CSNY's Deja Vu at #148
* Double ditto Bonnie Raitt's Nick Of Time at #229

But ...
* At least Billy Joel's The Stranger came no higher than #67
* Abba's Greatest Hits didn't slap my face until #180

Curious Queen's A Night At The Opera only made #230.  Maybe the list makers are all tired of hearing Bohemain Rhapsody on the radio too?