The 30 Guitar Riffs Everyone Should Know 

You know you're watching too many guitar tutorial videos when you can instantly recognize every person Paul talked to.

So surprised no one said "money for nothing". Great video as always Paul

Samurai Guitarist "The point of playing music is to make people happy!" 🎉 Thanks, Paul, for making us happy! 😊

The tone for each song is simply amazing. It is such a pleasure to listen you play those riffs although some of them might be 'overplayed'. Well, you can never get bored of such great playing!

The fact that everyone smiles at the chance of being a part of your videos speaks louder than any amount of subscribers or likes. That's what every musician should strive for, being someone who makes everyone around them happier and better. Kudos Paul, u da real mvp

*Disclaimer: difficulty ratings are based on the skill of Paul Davids.

This was not what I expected, and it is all the better for it! I thought it'd be 'just another' top 30, but it was GREAT that you did it like this. Some self-explanatory ones but some lovely 'odd' choices as well. Well done, Paul.

For me, the intro to Crazy Train-Ozzy(Randy Rhodes). Timeless riff and great for building dexterity with the pinky finger.

When Pete said "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" I rolled my eyes and thought of course he'd say that. But his explanation as to why was very touching and well thought out! I'm learning it now.

Hats off to everyone playing live at NAMM, I would never dare to play in front of SO MANY guitarists ! 😅

Absolutely Love the personal opinions and how how the video was made!! Thank you Mr Davids, thanks to those good people sharing their taste!

Fabulous!! Loved seeing some friends on this!! Thanks Paul!! Play on!!!!

1.Danish Pete: Slow Dancing... by John Mayer 2.Rabea: Beat It by Steve Lukather (Michael Jackson) 3.Samurai Guitarist: Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles 4.Rhett Shull: Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd 5.Tomo Fujita: BB King phrasing 6.Sean Daniel: Schism by Tool 7.Corey Congilio and Mimi Sounds: Pride and Joy by SRV 8.Nathaniel Murphy: Layla by Eric Clapton (Derek and the Dominoes) 9.Pete Thorn: Nothing Else Matters by Metallica 10.Rob Chapman: Just Got Paid by ZZ Top 11.Rudy Ayoub: Erotomania by Dream Theater 12.Rotem Sivan: Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix 13.Brittany Bowman: Hihgway to Hell by AC/DC 14.Trey Xavier: Blackdog by Led Zeppelin 15.Mick Taylor: Shine On by Pink Floyd 16.Mike Bradley: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana 17.Cousin B: Johnny B. Good by Chuck Berry 18.Jake Lizzio: Drive My Car by The Beatles 19.Guitaro5000: For the Love of Money by The O'Jays 20.George Collins: Lost in Paris by Tom Misch 21.San Holo: Mr Brightside by The Killers 22.Perfecto de Castro: Sunshine of Your Love by Eric Clapton (Cream) 23.Guitarraviva and Mike Cole: Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple 24.Leigh Fuge: Sweet Child... by Guns 'n' Roses 25.Casper Esmann: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin 26.Eddie van der Meer: anything by Tommy Emmanuel 27.Collin Hill: Classical Gas by Tommy Emmanuel 28.Brett Papa: anything by Van Halen

Great ZZ Top choice with "Just Got Paid".

AMAZING Video paul. Love how you edit all your videos along with all the great guitar content

few days left, and finally ill get my guitar!!! i waited it for so many years!!! more than 25!! and now the dream comes true!!! I'm so impatient to put my fingers on, and finally play these gorgeous artwork. Thanks a lot for ligth me on again Paul. Ciao!

The riff of Drive my car... completely unexpected. What a pleasant surprise!

If anyone wants a list, here's what I got. I think there is one missing. 1. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer (5/10) Emotion, control, and touch. 2. Beat It - Michael Jackson - (3/10) 3. Here Comes the Sun - Beatles (uses capo) (7/10) 4. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynrd (6/10) 5. BB King - kind of anything - phrasing using only 2 notes (3/10) 6. Schism - Tool (4/10) 7, 8. Pride & Joy - SRV (2 votes) (7/10) 9. Layla - Derek and the Dominos (6/10) 10. Nothing Else Matters (“nope”) 11. Just Got Paid - ZZ Top (3/10) 12. Erotomaina - Dream Theatre (3/10) 13. Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix (5/10) 14. Highway to Hell - AC/DC (2/10) 15. Black Dog (correctly!) - Led Zeppelin (7/10) 16. Shine on You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd (1/10) 17. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (4/10) 18. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry (6/10) 19. Baby You Can Drive My Car - Beatles (3/10) 20. For the Love of Money - O’Jays (3/10) 21. Lost in Paris - Tom Misch (9/10) 22. Mr Brightside - Killers (7/10) 23. Sunshine of Your Love - Cream (2/10) 24, 25. Smoke on the Water (0.5/10) 2 votes 26. Sweet Child O’ Mine - GNR (5/10) 27. Stairway to Heaven - (4/10) 28. Classical Gas - Tommy Emmanuel - (hard - impossible - opinions vary)) 29. Jump (chords of opening piano part)- Van Halen (varries) - Jump just the chords to start.

Love the mix of answers! Great video Paul!

I love the fact that there are many years of experience and many genders of music and the different perspectives that's so beautiful, great video Paul.

It's a blast seeing the different perspectives of what professionals believe are the best riffs that can enhance a guitarist's journey and ability. SO many different answers that give variety and opportunities. Thanks for this one man

More than a feeling by Boston was my favorite album. The harmonies and that special Tom Schultz's unique sound effect is classic!

That was incredible, Paul. Thank you so much for making my morning! Keep on doing what you're doing!!!

Soo many iconic riffs in this video! I've just started learning guitar and I've been working on most of these.

So happy to see Jake Lizzio!!! Dudes channel taught me sooooo much. Sad he isn't posting as much now

Love hearing all the different answers from so many great musicians. Great video Paul 👌

Happy to be on this video!!!!!

Iron Maiden - The Trooper

Loved this! What a wonderful way to start my week seeing and hearing what brings so much joy to all those players. Thank you Paul.

Paul, thanks so much for having me in the video! Always great to catch up and hang out! Some great riff suggestions from everyone included... I'm going to learn some too!

The best mixed video I have yet seen on RU-vid. Period.

This video is actually perfect. I’m just getting back into guitar after not touching it since high school and I’ve had no idea what to learn, cause I’ve retained enough to be bored playing the basic beginner stuff, but I also need to rebuild my dexterity. This gives me a wide range of stuff to choose from based on what I like, and more importantly, it highlights the skills I’m learning or relearning from each one. Thank you ❤

Thank you so much for uploading! I love seeing the riffs you have to play for us.

Run to you, Bryan Adams One of THE most iconic guitar riffs. Unmistakable when almost anyone in the world hears it.

definitely pride and joy! the rhythm is contagious and you move involuntarily while playing

Goes to show…there are endless great guitar licks! Keep on rocking!

If I may say it without being able to play ANY of those riffs, I think "Slow dancing in a burning room" answers the question for me, and for the same reasons Danish Pete spoke about. Feeling, control, ability to convey emotions. What could one ask more? And it implies technique, knowledge, and pretty much whatever else. 🙂 That said... "Difficulty: impossible" and "Difficulty: Yes" broke me.😅 Loved the video. The questions were totally the "right" questions to ask, and the answers somehow showed what is important for each one of those who answered. Very VERY interesting. 🙂 Thank you a lot. 🙂 See you next time! 🙂

This is a brilliant video. I was not that big on Hendrix until I started learning some of his songs and now I love listening to his stuff. It's not just about learning the riffs, but there's a good chance people may start listening to other artists more and more which is a great thing.

Such a great premise of the video! And how perfect are the guitar sounds, they’re spot on!

I've stalled out a little bit lately having spent a couple years learning acoustic guitar mostly by hearing a song that I liked the sound of and following along with the chords/tabs on the Ultimate Guitar app. I don't listen to a lot of rock music, but I do enjoy it and recognize several of these riffs. This video and the answers given are great because A) they sound cool, B) most aren't too difficult, and C) there is some specific learning opportunity and skill demanded in each riff. I've wanted to start learning more lead and rhythm guitar and this feels like the perfect gateway! Thanks!

WHOLE - LOTTA - LOVE

paul never fails to entertain us and that is why we love him

love this. Great to hear so many great musicians give their rationale for must have riffs and your (as always) excellent reproductions

What an amazing idea. What a great community! I also think that all the stuff Henning is doing (bringing YTer together) really is contributing to the overall vibe of "togetherness".

Always love it when Tool gets some love

I love all the different opinions. nice to see the variety of genres and difficulties shown. awesome idea paul, keep it up✌

Great video. Smiled from ear to ear the entire time

Love your work @PaulDavids. I have been watching you for several years. I’m studying with somebody else right now but you’re definitely on the list I’m 68 years old and I am moving out of intermediate Guitar prison . Love your videos and I hope to study more with you as my instructor down the road.❤🎸

Shame on me… I only know 28 of these 30 riffs that everyone really should know… Thank you Paul for inspiring me to be better ❤

You are my favourite guitarist. Lots of love from India David sir

Nice track and refreshing delivery of guitar content 👌

Fantastic vid... enjoyed it so much. Thankyou Paul

Nice ! most of the selected riffs are the simpler ones, don't need too much to be good. other good riffs: Kansas - carry on wayward son April Wine - roller Alice Cooper - no more mr. nice guy Ozzy Osbourne - crazy train David Bowie - rebel rebel ...I could go on and on, music is great ! 👍

Nobody asked me but "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by the Stooges.

Love your videos! They’re all different and well done. Keep it up!

I ❤️ this and thank you for sharing and the lessons 🙌🏼🎸 keep them coming.

Did anyone notice that Rudy was in his most natural self? So cool to watch him play the funny guy and to hear him off character was something else! Nevertheless, beautiful compilation of riffs. ❤

As a beginner i loved wish you were here by Floyd and Unforgiven by Metallica. Catchy riffs

I love this because it's so many different people's answers across several different genres. Most I knew, a few I did not. Time to learn something new!

Here’s one I haven’t seen mentioned yet: Wasted Years by Iron Maiden. Learned it many many years ago and still use the tremolo picked riff to warm up sometimes

the verse section of walk this way is really good to get your fingers going

You should compile these riffs into a book of tabs or a guitar course that goes through each riff from easiest to hardest. I think it would be cool to have each person teach each riff too. I would buy that in a heart beat and I bet it would make for a great learning tool. Loved this video.

Chapman wihout the dreads definitely caughty me off-guard; I've been out of the loop in this genre for few years, though. Phenominal video man. Loved every second of it.

"Here comes the sun" - it's not a riff... it's the actually song you're playing! Really well executed, I might add; so hard to pick out the melody AND strum at the same time.. Very expertly done!

Thank you, now I got 30 riffs to learn.

Great video. I was glad to see that Jake Lizzio is still around, one of the absolute best teachers on RU-vid and with no videos for over a year I was a little concerned.

Brilliant, man. Thank you

Rob chapman. Your the man mentioning just got paid, this song just opened and still opening doors for artists to learn how to play and enjoy guitar. That drop d is so sweet and fun to play

Brittany Bowman nailed it. My 10 year old just started learning to play. The first thing he learned was highway to hell 🤘

Rumble by Link Wray is a killer riff imo. Was suprised that didn't occur on that list

Loved the nod to the Philly sound with the O’Jays - when true R&B still lived.

I was expecting your 30 guitar riffs. Pleasantly surprised. Very cool video

Was curious what @MarySpender would have said. Thanks for this Video Paul. Lots of good ideas to put on my practice list. (And I have to buy an Harmonious Monk now to practice Shine on your Crazy Diamond. Thanks Mick! @ThatPedalShow)

Notice how most of them are on the easier side. Shows how the most iconic guitar riffs are often the simplest. You don't always need the flashiest technical flair

This is reallly good job thanks

Seeing all those faces made me smile each appearance! This soul food!

Loved this so much, thank you! Should have been titled "I, Paul Davids, Can Play Anything" :)

Rory Gallaghers opening riff in "Moonchild" live version gives me goosebumps❤😊

Thank you Paul

Waiting for your video explaining each one and how to learn it with your good teaching technique as always

Pete Thorn id brilliant. He highlights how key it is to get kids playing immediately.

Paul seems to be such a nice guy

Super cool video great idea Paul

Brought a smile to my face. Everyone's united by music!

Paul is warm, genuine and open, so it’s easy to see why he’s liked by so many. BTW - Surprised to see no Morello/RATM riffs in there!

Suprised no one said Money for Nothing by Dire Straits...

Great choices. So cool to see everyone in one video.

The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin. It stands out amongst every open string tuning pieces.

My personal pick is “Whole Lotta Love” Everyone’s heard it Everyone loves it And anyone can play it.

So good to hear guitar played with that smile and that (seems to be so easy) technique !!!

Wow what a great selection of songs...

Impossible for me to accept that a top 30 of essential riffs can be complete without the other 3 bands (besides The Beatles) from "the big 4 British Invasion bands": The Kinks; The Who and especially The Rolling Stones.

Anything Black Sabbath.

Loved this video

OMG, this is so unexpectedly good! Love it, made my day!!!)))

I like how practical Rhett was. "You'll probably make more money playing that riff [...]"

loved this, man!

Really enjoyed this videao. Thank you Paul !!!

Great editing and camerawork!

What a great video 🙌may I also say you should add one more riff and that would be your Open D riff from your “tuning of the gods” video if I’m not mistaken. What you created in that video is amazing. It challenges you in all manners of playing and it just makes you want to learn it. Thanks again for a great video and all you do.