NOTE: I'm pleased to share this guest feature by Crumbunist, who's BLOG, Strange Weird Thoughts can be read if you CLICK HERE. With all the lists and whatnot I've written on the site, I've wanted to do something similar to this, but after reading his, he kicked enough ass that I wouldn't even bother trying.  Sure, we'd all have some different choices for the top spots, that's what makes these things to fun. But you have to admit that this is one kickass collection of great guitar riffs.  So sit back and get ready to lose several hours enjoying some of the coolest music ever recorded.

Here's my list of the 500 greatest guitar riffs of all time. To enter this list, they have to excel in one of these categories:

-Sounding cool
-Technical prowess
-Fun to play
-Unique
-Influential
-Memorable
-Fits the mood

Riffs might be heard to hear, they might be deep in the background, but they're there. And main solos (in the middle of the song) do not count.

I just want to note that a lot of hard work went into this list. It's not some POS Rolling Stone or Pitchfork music list where the "classics" are listed with a few "obscure" picks thrown in, I just went with what I thought was best. I did not put this list together at random, nor did I rank by what others thought of the riffs.

When available, the artist's name will link to a YouTube video with the song playing (forgiveness for the ones that link to faggy anime videos, please. I mostly wanted to get the music videos or something with the original song playing, and tried to avoid live performances when possible), and the second will link to a guitar tab. With that listed, let the list begin.

500. Faith No More - Ashes to Ashes
499. Metal Church - Line of Death
498. Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl
497. The Who - The Punk and the Godfather
496. Audioslave - Cochise
495. Slayer - Expendable Youth
494. Meat Puppets - Aurora Borealis
493. Black Sabbath - After All (the Dead)
492. Megadeth - Train of Consequences
491. The Doors - People Are Strange
490. Rage Against the Machine - Township Rebellion
489. Dio - Holy Diver
488. Soundgarden - 4th of July
487. Pantera - I'm Broken
486. Van Halen - Running with the Devil
485. Rage Against the Machine - Ashes in the Fall
484. Iron Maiden - Holy Smoke
483. Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown
482. The Cure - Friday I'm in Love
481. Slayer - Angel of Death
480. Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown
479. Black Sabbath - Cornucopia
478. Mercyful Fate - A Dangerous Meeting
477. Rage Against the Machine - Freedom
476. AC/DC - Money Talks
475. Guns N' Roses - Paradise City
474. Metallica - Disposable Heroes
473. Soundgarden - Rusty Cage
472. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
471. Chuck Berry - No Particular Place to Go
470. Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
469. Rage Against the Machine - Bombtrack
468. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
467. Queen - Ogre Battle
466. Pantera - This Love
465. Guns N' Roses - Don't Damn Me
464. Radiohead - The Bends
463. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
462. Suicidal Tendencies - Send Me Your Money
461. The Beatles - I Feel Fine
460. A Perfect Circle - Pet
459. Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
458. Metallica - King Nothing
457. The White Stripes - Blue Orchid
456. Pantera - Floods
455. Metallica - Sad But True
454. Guns N' Roses - My Michelle
453. Black Label Society - Fire it Up
452. Thin Lizzy - Whiskey in the Jar
451. The Offspring - Dirty Magic
450. Audioslave - Gasoline
449. The Beatles - Blackbird
448. Rush - The Trees
447. Sammy Hagar - Heavy Metal
446. Judas Priest - Painkiller
445. Fugazi - Strangelight
444. Soundgarden - Limo Wreck
443. Deep Purple - Maybe I'm a Leo
442. Pearl Jam - Do the Evolution
441. Blue Oyster Cult - E.T.I.
440. Pink Floyd - In the Flesh
439. Lynyrd Skynyrd - I Know a Little
438. John Fogerty - Center Field
437. Cream - Sitting on Top of the World
436. Deep Purple - Speed King
435. Eric Clapton - Cocaine
434. Led Zeppelin - The Lemon Song
433. Chris Cornell - Seasons
432. Pantera - Avoid the Light
431. Coheed and Cambria - Welcome Home
430. Alice in Chains - Rooster
429. Metallica - Through the Never
428. Black Flag - No Values
427. Joe Satriani - Ice 9
426. Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
425. Coheed and Cambria - A Favor House Atlantic
424. Iron Maiden - Back in the Village
423. Deep Purple - Black Night
422. Guns N' Roses - Rocket Queen
421. Scorpions - Still Loving You
420. Rage Against the Machine - Year of Tha Boomerang
419. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride and Joy
418. KISS - Detroit Rock City
417. Sammy Hagar - There’s Only One Way to Rock
416. Black Label Society - Bleed for Me
415. Yes - Siberian Khatru
414. April Wine - Weeping Widow
413. Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive
412. Soundgarden - Let Me Drown
411. Metallica - The Frayed Ends of Sanity
410. Rush - Working Man
409. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter
408. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down a Dream
407. Pantera - Five Minutes Alone
406. Muse - Stockholm Syndrome
405. Van Halen - Unchained
404. Rush - Bastille Day
403. David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World
402. Metallica - Creeping Death
401. Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath
400. Refused - Refused Are Fucking Dead
399. The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing
398. Led Zeppelin - The Wanton Song
397. Beck - Loser
396. The Smiths - This Charming Man
395. Van Halen - Man on a Mission
394. Muse - Hysteria
393. Ozzy Osbourne - Suicide Solution
392. Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes - Not the Same
391. Slayer - The Anti-Christ
390. Diamond Head - Am I Evil?
389. Black Sabbath - Gypsy
388. Deep Purple - Fire in the Basement
387. Metallica - Holier Than Thou
386. Symphony X - Inferno
385. Cream - White Room
384. Aerosmith - Dream On
383. DragonForce - Valley of the Damned
382. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia
381. Rainbow - Spotlight Kid
380. 311 - Creatures (for a While)
379. Diamond Head - It's Electric
378. The Offspring - Bad Habit
377. Cake - No Phone
376. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
375. The Black Keys - Thickfreakness
374. ZZ Top - Legs
373. Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
372. NOFX - The Separation of Church and Skate
371. Judas Priest - Electric Eye
370. Rage Against the Machine - Wake Up
369. Reverend Horton Heat - Psychobilly Freakout
368. Opeth - Circle of Tyrants (original: Celtic Frost)
367. Rage Against the Machine - Sleep Now in the Fire
366. Soundgarden - The Day I Tried to Live
365. Black Sabbath - Sweet Leaf
364. Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave
363. Velvet Revolver - Set Me Free
362. U2 - Mysterious Ways
361. Rollins Band - Liar
360. Stormtroopers of Death - Sargent D. & the S.O.D.
359. Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
358. Metallica - Battery
357. Yes - Roundabout
356. Black Sabbath - N.I.B.
355. Black Label Society - Concrete Jungle
354. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Three Steps
353. Nazareth - Hair of the Dog
352. Opeth - To Bid You Farewell
351. Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera
350. The Who - I'm Free
349. Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes - Dopamine
348. Accept - Fight it Back
347. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go
346. Pantera - By Demons Be Driven
345. Megadeth - The Killing Road
344. Billy Talent - Try Honesty
343. Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen
342. Velvet Revolver - Slither
341. Boston - Party
340. Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom
339. Soundgarden - Superunknown
338. Stone Temple Pilots - Big Bang Baby
337. Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good
336. Yardbirds - The Train Kept A-Rollin'
335. Allan Holdsworth - Metal Fatigue
334. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around the Bend
333. Alice Cooper - School's Out
332. Eric Clapton - Lay Down Sally
331. Radiohead - You
330. Soundgarden - Burden in My Hand
329. U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
328. Jerry Cantrell - Anger Rising
327. Rainbow - Stargazer
326. Anthrax - Madhouse
325. Poison - Unskinny Bop
324. Rush - The Spirit of Radio
323. Alice in Chains - Down in a Hole
322. Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes - Face Your Fear
321. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
320. Rage Against the Machine - Guerilla Radio
319. Ozzy Osbourne - Bark at the Moon
318. Mountain - Mississippi Queen
317. Collective Soul - Heavy
316. Tool - Ticks and Leeches
315. Nirvana - Negative Creep
314. Megadeth - Rust in Peace...Polaris
313. The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
312. Metal Church - Merciless Onslaught
311. Black Sabbath - Lord of This World
310. Radiohead - My Iron Lung
309. Joe Satriani - The Extremist
308. Black Sabbath - War Pigs
307. Television - Marquee Moon
306. U2 - Vertigo
305. Pantera - Mouth for War
304. Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings
303. UFO - Rock Bottom
302. Led Zeppelin - Ten Years Gone
301. Alice in Chains - Heaven Beside You
300. Testament - Souls of Black
299. INXS - Need You Tonight
298. Radiohead - Just
297. Slayer - Mandatory Suicide
296. Winger - Seventeen
295. Television - Foxhole
294. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Scuttle Buttin'
293. Danzig - Twist of Cain
292. Anthrax - Caught in a Mosh
291. Porcupine Tree - Shallow
290. Queen - Tie Your Mother Down
289. The Who - Substitute
288. Metallica - The Four Horsemen
287. Foo Fighters - All My Life
286. Deep Purple - Burn
285. Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden
284. Audioslave - Show Me How to Live
283. Metallica - ...And Justice for All
282. Danzig - Mother
281. Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
280. Pearl Jam - Animal
279. Journey - Any Way You Want It
278. Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill
277. Yardbirds - Over Under Sideways Down
276. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Hey Tonight
275. The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night
274. Static-X - Push It
273. Iron Maiden - Aces High
272. The Living End - Carry Me Home
271. The Police - Roxanne
270. Rush - A Farewell to Kings
269. Dio - Straight Through the Heart
268. Journey - Wheel in the Sky
267. Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood
266. Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash
265. Rush - La Villa Strangiato
264. Anthrax - Anti-Social (original: Trust)
263. Metallica - The Unforgiven
262. Motörhead - Iron Fist
261. Butthole Surfers - Who Was in My Room Last Night?
260. The Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love
259. Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever
258. Megadeth - Sweating Bullets
257. Black Sabbath - Supernaut
256. Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
255. Alice in Chains - Angry Chair
254. Franz Ferdinand - The Dark of the Matinée
253. Queen - Hammer to Fall
252. Tsunami Bomb - Say it if You Mean It
251. Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes to Midnight
250. Soundgarden - Jesus Christ Pose
249. The Beatles - In My Life
248. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
247. Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild
246. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
245. Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
244. Rainbow - Man on the Silver Mountain
243. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Free Falling
242. Led Zeppelin - Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp
241. The Beatles - Yesterday
240. Van Halen - Judgment Day
239. Pink Floyd - Have a Cigar
238. Rush - Anthem
237. Heart - Crazy on You
236. Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll
235. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood
234. Radiohead - No Surprises
233. Sweet - Ballroom Blitz
232. Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench
231. Led Zeppelin - Dancing Days
230. Metallica - The Call of Ktulu
229. Suicidal Tendencies - Trip at the Brain
228. Rush - Limelight
227. The Clash - Clash City Rockers
226. Boston - Rock N' Roll Band
225. King Crimson - One More Red Nightmare
224. Judas Priest - You Got Another Thing Comin'
223. ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
222. Blue Öyster Cult - Godzilla
221. The Eagles - Witchy Woman
220. Pennywise - Fuck Authority
219. Black Sabbath - After Forever
218. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
217. Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart
216. Megadeth - Lucretia
215. Neil Young - Heart of Gold
214. The Doors - Peace Frog
213. System of a Down - B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs)
212. Dream Theater - Erotomania
211. Chuck Berry - Brown Eyed Handsome Man
210. Slayer - South of Heaven
209. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
208. White Zombie - More Human Than Human
207. The White Stripes - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
206. Rolling Stones - One Hit to the Body
205. Television - Prove It
204. Kansas - Dust in the Wind
203. Incubus - A Certain Shade of Green
202. Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
201. The Doors - Love Me Two Times
200. Rage Against the Machine - Know Your Enemy
199. Heart - Barracuda
198. Ozzy Osbourne - Bloodbath in Paradise
197. Tool - Ænema
196. Rush - YYZ
195. Dream Theater - The Glass Prison
194. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man
193. Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls
192. Alice in Chains - Grind
191. Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
190. Cake - The Distance
189. Metallica - Metal Militia
188. Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years
187. The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
186. System of a Down - Chop Suey!
185. Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
184. Peter Frampton - Do You Feel Like We Do
183. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
182. Boston - Peace of Mind
181. The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
180. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
179. Sammy Hagar - This Planet's on Fire (Burn in Hell)
178. AC/DC - Hell's Bells
177. Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie
176. The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
175. Van Halen - Beautiful Girls
174. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy
173. The Who - Who Are You?
172. Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be
171. Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box
170. Soundgarden - Pretty Noose
169. Alice in Chains - Man in the Box
168. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
167. R.E.M. - The One I Love
166. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
165. Pink Floyd - Young Lust
164. Foreigner - Hot Blooded
163. Black Sabbath - Electric Funeral
162. Megadeth - Holy Wars...the Punishment Due
161. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
160. Dead Kennedys - California Über Alles
159. Ram Jam - Black Betty
158. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
157. The Offspring - Gotta Get Away
156. Iron Maiden - The Prisoner
155. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
154. Metallica - Jump in the Fire
153. Foghat - Slow Ride
152. Deep Purple - Highway Star
151. Tool - Schism
150. The Eagles - Already Gone
149. Cream - Crossroads (original: Robert Johnson)
148. Mötley Crüe - Kickstart My Heart
147. Metallica - No Remorse
146. Accept - Balls to the Wall
145. Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
144. The Cure - Just Like Heaven
143. Grand Funk Railroad - We're An American Band
142. Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealing
141. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
140. AC/DC - Rock N' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
139. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
138. Ted Nugent - Great White Buffalo
137. Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
136. Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar
135. Pearl Jam - Alive
134. Boston - More Than a Feeling
133. Edgar Winter Group - Free Ride
132. Jimi Hendrix - Fire
131. Pink Floyd - Us and Them
130. AC/DC - Thunderstruck
129. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son
128. Focus - Hocus Pocus
127. Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
126. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
125. Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World
124. Boston - Foreplay/Long Time
123. Alice in Chains - Them Bones
122. Megadeth - Tornado of Souls
121. The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
120. Metallica - Harvester of Sorrow
119. Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows
118. Rush - Xanadu
117. Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
116. Megadeth - Peace Sells
115. Boston - Don't Look Back
114. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
113. The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter (original: Simon and Garfunkel)
112. The Beatles - Day Tripper
111. Rush - Freewill
110. Pantera - Cowboys from Hell
109. Motörhead - Ace of Spades
108. John Cougar Mellencamp - Jack and Diane
107. Soundgarden - Spoonman
106. Led Zeppelin - Trampled Under Foot
105. Jimi Hendrix - Foxy Lady
104. Soundgarden - Outshined
103. The Doors - Break on Through
102. Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
101. The Eagles - Life in the Fast Lane
100. Scorpions - Rock You Like a Hurricane
99. Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way?
98. Pearl Jam - Even Flow

96. Megadeth - Hangar 18
95. The Temptations - My Girl
94. The Animals - House of the Rising Sun (original: Clarence Ashley)

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