Are These the Top 10 Heavy Metal Guitar Riffs of All Time?
If you had to pick the top 10 heavy metal guitar riffs of all time, where would you begin? Obviously, you'd need to include some Metallica, a touch of Judas Priest and a sprig of Black Sabbath (of course). But what's Number 10? Number 7? Number 4? You get the idea.
About three years ago, the gang at WatchMojo.com—an online organization that makes top-10 lists out of pretty much anything (including spaceships and explosions)—took a stab at assembling their own "top 10 heavy metal guitar riffs" list.
They—and we don't even know if "they" play guitar—started off by placing Dio's "Holy Diver" at Number 10, followed by Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" at Number 9. We'll let you take it from there. Please, however, tell us what you think of their 10 picks—either in the comments below or on Facebook.
Please note that the WatchMojo gang tried to keep it to one song per band, and they excluded instrumental tunes, which is probably a good idea. Better luck next time, "Narita" by Riot!
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force changed the game with its jaw-dropping display of mechanical mastery, classical themes, and reckless, extended soloing – celebrate 40 years of his essential debut with this neo-class shred masterclass
“I’m playing a nice old Gibson ES-335 through Lowell George’s Dumble amplifier…” Joe Bonamassa brings out the holy grail gear to explain how to get into a slow blues jam – and, crucially, how you can get out of it