Each one of these songs is legendary, and each guitar lick is instantly recognizable.
The songs on this list may not surprise you, but the riffs they contain will definitely move you. Read along and listen for yourself.
The Beatles: “Day Tripper”
This is a highlight of the Beatles’ middle period. The song appears on their Rubber Soul album, not to mention various greatest hits collections.
The riff starts the song with George Harrison and John Lennon playing the notes together in unison, and the melody has sunk into the bones of rock fans ever since.
The Beatles got more adventurous in their later years, and you can explore their more exotic sounds with an Arabic Guitar Licks Pack. But they never got more classic than this.
Cream: “Sunshine of Your Love”
Before Eric Clapton became a full-fledged guitar god, he earned his stripes in Cream. The British rock supergroup’s other members were drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce. Bruce contributed to creating the legendary lick in “Sunshine of Your Love,” but it was Clapton who brought it to life.
The Kinks: “You Really Got Me”
You do not even need the notes to recognize this 1964 Kinks’ classic. All you need to hear is the fuzz of distortion coming from Dave Davies’ guitar. The song’s famous “last forever” lyric might as well be about this lick.
Lynyrd Skynyrd: “Sweet Home Alabama”
Our only Americans on the list are die-hard Southerners. Lynyrd Skynyrd created an entire genre with this Southern rock prototype. They also created a recognizable riff that makes the ears of anyone in a half-mile radius perk up immediately.
Led Zeppelin: “Heartbreaker”
You can’t have a list of the best rock guitar licks without including the scandalous exploits of alleged magic-practitioner Jimmy Page. We decided to forego the most obvious choice of “Stairway to Heaven” in favor of the hard-hitting “Heartbreaker.”
The former is a little more noodly anyway, whereas “Heartbreaker” really defines the word riff. It is just a few repetitive notes that burrow into your skull.
You hear it once, and you cannot forget it.
How Many Licks Does It Take?
The best guitar licks are just like a Tootsie Pop. You can keep coming back to them again and again without exhausting them.
We hope this tour of rock history’s most famous guitar licks has inspired you to pick up your own axe. If so, we encourage you to check out our latest articles on musical gear and instruments.
