Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs Of All Time

stereogum/Rollingstone ^ | May 30, 2008 | staff

[pissant]

It's post-Memorial Day, which means it's also supposed to be the start of summer. Maybe the season shift doesn't directly effect the percentage of air guitars, but the nicer weather feels like a good enough reason to believe so, to have faith in good riffs and well-oiled six strings. Rolling Stone fulfills the need -- or at least provides the blueprint for a guitar-centric mixtape -- with a list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs Of All Time." As they write:

This is what makes a great rock & roll guitar sound: an irresistible riff; a solo or jam that takes you higher every time you hear it; the final power chord that pins you to the wall and makes you hit "play" again and again. Every song here has those thrills. But these are rock's greatest guitar moments because of what's inside the notes: hunger, fury, despair and joy, often all at once. You hear the blues, gospel and rockabilly that came before, transormed by the need to say something new and loud, right away. Rock & roll has been the sound of independence for half a century. The guitar is still its essential, liberating voice. These are the 100 reasons why.

Be prepared to be taken higher. Etc.

100 Tool - "Vicarious"

99 My Morning Jacket - "Run Thru"

98 Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Under the Bridge"

97 Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows"

96 Hüsker Dü - "New Day Rising"

95 Moby Grape - "Omaha"

94 Dire Sraits - "Money for Nothing"

93 My Bloody Valentine - "Only Shallow"

92 Mick Jagger - "Memo from Turner"

91 The Mars Volta - "Drunkship of Lanterns"

90 The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"

89 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - "I Love Rock N Roll"

88 Quicksilver Messenger Service - "Mona"

87 King Crimson - "Red"

86 Jeff Beck - "I Ain't Superstitious"

85 Phish - "You Enjoy Myself"

84 John Mayer - "Gravity"

83 Sublime - "What I Got"

82 The Ventures - "Walk -- Don't Run"

81 Michael Jackson - "Beat It"

80 Steely Dan - "Kid Charlemagne"

79 Sonic Youth - "Silver Rocket"

78 Buddy Guy - "Stone Crazy"

77 Pearl Jam - "Even Flow"

76 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "American Girl"

75 Frank Zappa - "Willie the Pimp"

74 ZZ Top - "La Grange"

73 Blue Cheer - "Summertime Blues"

72 Weezer - "Say It Ain't So"

71 The Strokes - "Take It Or Leave It"

70 Smashing Pumpkins - "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"

69 Pink Floyd - "Money"

68 B.B. King - "The Thrill is Gone"

67 Bruce Springsteen - "Adam Raised A Cain"

66 Stevie Ray Vaughan - "Texas Flood"

65 The Police - "Message in a Bottle"

64 Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Freebird"

63 Guns n' Roses - "Sweet Child O' Mine"

62 Albert King - "Born Under a Bad Sign"

61 Sam And Dave - "Soul Man"

60 Funkadelic - "Maggot Brain"

59 Jeff Beck - "Freeway Jam"

58 Link Wray - "Rumble"

57 Grateful Dead - "Dark Star"

56 The Byrds - "Eight Miles High"

55 Cream - "White Room"

54 Stevie Ray Vaughan - "Little Wing"

53 Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Born on the Bayou"

52 Radiohead - "My Iron Lung"

51 Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train"

50 Pixies - "Debaser"

49 Jimi Hendrix - "Machine Gun"

48 The Clash - "London Calling"

47 Van Halen - "Panama"

46 Dick Dale and the Del-Tones - "Miserlou"

45 The Beatles - "I Saw Her Standing There"

44 Sleater-Kinney - "Dig Me Out"

43 The Sex Pistols - "Holidays in the Sun"

42 John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers - "Hideaway"

41 Television - "Marquee Moon"

40 The Who - "I Can See for Miles"

39 Santana - "Black Magic Woman"

38 The Faces - "Stay With Me"

37 Elvis Presley - "That's All Right"

36 Pink Floyd - "Interstellar Overdrive"

35 The Stooges - "1969"

34 Aerosmith - "Walk This Way"

33 Metallica - "Master of Puppets"

32 Dire Straits - "Sultans of Swing"

31 Queen - "Keep Yourself Alive"

30 Bill Haley and His Comets - "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock"

29 AC/DC - "Back in Black"

28 U2 - "Where the Streets Have No Name"

27 The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - "Look Over Yonders Wall"

26 B.B. King - "How Blue Can You Get"

25 The Rolling Stones - "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"

24 Rage Against the Machine- "Killing in the Name"

23 The Yardbirds - "Over Under Sideways Down"

22 The Beatles - "A Hard Day's Night"

21 The White Stripes - "Seven Nation Army"

20 The Impressions - "People Get Ready"

19 Prince and the Revolution - "Purple Rain"

18 Ramones - "Blitzkrieg Bop"

17 Black Sabbath - "Black Sabbath"

16 Neil Young with Crazy Horse - "Cowgirl in the Sand"

15 The Who - "My Generation"

14 Bruce Springsteen - "Born to Run"

13 Derek and the Dominos - "Layla"

12 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"

11 Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lotta Love"

10 Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

09 The Allman Brothers Band - "Statesboro Blues"

08 Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"

07 The Beatles - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

06 Van Halen - "Eruption"

05 Rolling Stones - "Brown Sugar"

04 The Kinks - "You Really Got Me"

03 Cream - "Crossroads"

02 Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze"

01 Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode

It's worth checking out the write-ups at RS, too. Gives some context to the decisions, and you'll be able to read hopped-up prose like this:

Before he was known as a songwriter, Springsteen was the fastest guitar player in Asbury Park. And in this bluesy hard-rock blast, he lets those chops loose again, pushing the E Street Band to garage-land with the angriest lead guitar on record.

The angriest lead guitar on record! Erik Rutan just called up to disagree. (Not really.) Also, I would've added "Teenage Riot" somewhere. And the lack of Dinosaur Jr. seems weird. Should likely also be some Pavement. So as not to be pigeonholed as a purely indie-rock dissenter: "Smoke On The Water." Still, fun list.

[pissant]

Rolling Stones' version. Far weaker than Pissant's version, but hey, hard to expect much from a mag that thinks La Grange should be #84 and wet's their pants over Obama.

[Grizzled Bear]

Metal Ping List

[max americana]

Rolling Stone has been an in-your-face anti-Bush/GOP mag for the past 12 years.

Just another sad, sad list just to sell more liberal propaganda.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I still prefer this rating (though about solos):

http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm

I’m surprised John Kerry’s guitar playing didn’t make the Rolling Stone list.

[Loud Mime]

What about Neil Young’s one-note guitar solo on Cinnamon Girl?

Johnny B. Good and Fun,Fun,Fun (Beach Boys) were of the same guitar character....

[skr]

I’m partial to Classical Gas, but I see Rolling Stone isn’t.

[Cyropaedia]

Nothing from one of the most underrated guitarists in pop/rock history, Terry Kath of Chicago. No Richard Thompson. No Baba O'Riley ; arguably the most powerful and/or majestic chord progression in Rock.

Joan Jett but no Sonics....??

[Lancey Howard]

Haha, this list shows how out of touch the Rolling Stone children are.
Pathetic.

[robomatik]

joan jett has been to iraq more than once to entertain the troops.

[notdownwidems]

‘Freebird’ at no. 64??? Yeah, right!

[Othniel]

And nothing by Lindsay Buckingham? C'mon, now....

[Lancey Howard]

Did you notice that the Rolling Stone kids apparently never heard ‘I’m Going Home’ from Woodstock?

[pissant]

And the old farts still hanging around RS have been brain dead for a couple decades.

[iacovatx]

Let’s add a few of recordings to our “FR greatest guitar songs” list. I only suggest songs that teach you something about guitar and offer some complexity while being entertaining.

For blending acoustic and electric guitar together, varying tempo, and providing a fun and memorable song:
1. Jethro Tull—Aqualung. The guitar solo on a late 50’s Gibson is outstanding. Two part song structure.
2. Fleetwood Mac—Oh Well. An interesting take on the blues with a two-part song structure.

Elizabeth Cotton—Freight Train. A foundation song for finger-picking folk guitar.

Leo Kottke—Morning is the Long Way Home. Hard rock sound down on a 12-string acoustic guitar. Lots of energy and very original. Original.

Crosby, Stills, & Nash—Ohio and Suite Judy BLue Eyes. Electric and acoustic in that order. Unusual electric guitar piece and interesting folk-style guitar song.

Richie Havens—Motherless Child (on the Woodstock album). See how an acoustic guitar player fills in some time by improvising (the story goes) on an acoustic guitar in alternate tuning.

Alvin Lee—I’m Going Home (also on the Woodstock album). This is one of blues-rock’s best example of high energy guitar playing. The sound of the guitar and amp combination also resulted in one of the best sounding recording of a live guitar performance ever.

[Tamar1973]

What?! No X-Japan?!?!?

I.V. by X Japan from Saw 4

Forever Love by X Japan

Crucify My Love, X Japan

Tears by X Japan

[Uriah_lost]

No kidding! I guess they don’t go for unique styles much...

[Always Independent]

Now I know why I don’t read rolling Stone.

Ten Years after “I’m Going Home” not even mentioned.

[snarks_when_bored]

95 Moby Grape - "Omaha"

"Omaha" is a great tune, but the best guitar solo on Moby Grape's first album is to be found in "Fall on You". In fact, that solo is one of the finest in rock music. Jerry Miller (Steve Miller's brother) is the responsible party...one excellent guitar player.

[E-Mat]

It's not too hard to beat a 'Rolling Stone' list.
My friend and I really like the digitaldreamdoor lists; maybe you will too.
I made myself some really nice iTunes playlists from these:

100 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos (246 actually + 50 live)
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitarsolo.html
(At least Freebird is #4, and Chicago is there.)

100 Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs (200)
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitarriff.html

The rest of the lists are here:
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/music0.html

[snarks_when_bored]

Okay, only two explicit Eric Clapton pieces:

55 Cream - "White Room"

03 Cream - "Crossroads"

But there are two other Clapton pieces on the list:

42 John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers - "Hideaway"

07 The Beatles - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

And where are "I Feel Free" and "Badge"?!

[Captain Beyond]

bump for later read

[Crapgame]

Yawn....when they rate the 100 best Steel Guitar songs of all time, I’ll pay attention. Johnny B. Goode is awful hard to argue against for this particular poll though.

[Blind Eye Jones]

What is it with Tull and Ten Years After? Who can actually play the solo for Goin Home? Actually, I can — in fact, it was one of those “accomplishments” that makes you feel like a guitar player, that and the solo for Stairway To Heaven. But the solo for Goin Home is brutal up to speed and Alvin says “by helicopter” in such a laid back, laxsidaisy voice. For me, the solo that is a little similar to Goin Home, that I haven’t mastered, is from Zeppelin’s Heart Breaker. It’s one of the most erratic, insane, asinine solos ever where Page throws everything into the pot... and it works. I have yet to master that one — maybe this summer when I’m not teaching. Yes, and Martin Barre is also a very underrated guitarist too.

[PzLdr]

[1] ‘Needles and Pins’, ‘When You walk in the Room’ [Searchers], ‘All Right Now’ [Free], ‘You Really got Me’ [Kinks], ‘Look Through Any Window’, ‘Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress) [Hollies].

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Ping for later snooty criticism.

[Blind Eye Jones]

Or the perennial "Layal"? Have you heard the Cream reunion at the Royal Albert? All the bands are doing it these days before an original member dies, e.g., Pink Floyd, Police, Cream, Zeppelin, etc. The dimming of the lights in more ways that one, but the Cream concert DVD was good to see though they just seem to play a little slower than they did 40 years ago. Clapton is the consummate "clean" guitar player and, apparently, an ego manic to boot. He said his music is as good as Mozart's. One thing I found out about Clapton is that he was very threatened by Eddie Van Halen who, ironically, was his biggest fan — Eddie grew up leaning all the Cream solos. Clapton dissed him but Eddie found out that he got along great with Jimmy Page and even dedicated an album (Balance) to Zeppelin. God, I feel like I'm just a wind bag of trivia today... time to get some sleep.

[LukeL]

No Ted Nugent? and Freebird has to be in the top 10.

[Ramius]

No Rush? No Alex Lifeson? Gotta be room someplace in the top 100 for him there.

[Ramius]

Good grief, they do Clapton in “White room” and “Crossroads” but not “Layla”???

These people have no idea what they’re talking about.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Any Rollingstone’s list of top anything is to be thrown in the toilet and double flushed where it belongs.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

10 Nirvana - “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Bwhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr Inviso]

No Rush, no Nugent, no Boston.

Methinks they need to put down their collective crackpipes

[metesky]

13 Derek and the Dominos - “Layla”

[SupplySider]

I’d put “Badge” on that list.

[perez24]

What an amazing web site.

[SkyPilot]

101 Air Supply - “I’m All Outta Luv”

[chopperman]

Bo Diddley - Roadrunner

CSNY - Southern Man (4 Way Street)

[Tolkien]

Robin Trower

Frank Marino

Alex Lifeson

and on and on and on......... They have to know their list is not even close to adequate.

[PCBMan]

C’mon, RS has always hated Rush! Just guessing here that maybe it has to do with Neil's Rand-influenced period.

[nick of the bad seed]

“No Richard Thompson”

Given RS’s (justified) love affair with Richard Thompson I was surprised to not see anything of his listed esp. given that the “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight” and “Shoot out The Lights” albums had some amazing showcases of guitar playing.

[camle]

“classical gas”?

[pissant]

Yep. Beer and Mexican food.

[BibChr]

Nothing from one of the most underrated guitarists in pop/rock history, Terry Kath of Chicago

Amen to that. I always look, it's always crap. No 25 or 6 to 4, whether on the rhythm or the solo? No Beginnings? No Dialogue?

Crap list.

[stainlessbanner]

Good thread over here....The 25 Most Rockin' Guitar Riffs [FR]

Thanks for posting the RS list pissant

[Blind Eye Jones]

Layla is great song and everybody wanted to do that riff when I was growing up. Very distinctive and intense. And the song itself is quite distinctive too in that there is an abrupt key change from the chorus to the verse which has a great heightening effect on the song. Clapton never wrote one quite like that again... but he wasn't just him who penned it.

[skaterboy]

64? NOOOOOOOO FREAKING WAY

[joebuck]

43 The Sex Pistols - "Holidays in the Sun"

Bwhahahahahaha There wasn't a person in that band who even knew how to play a guitar. I've heard my kid play better guitar solos on his Wii "Rock Star" game.

[Osage Orange]

Interesting post........

Thanks-

[Osage Orange]

Damn good song.............

[Ignatz]

Ry Cooder?

Alan Holdsworth?

More offerings from David Gilmour (especially, Another Brick in the Wall)?