@2WL - it's a great song on a great album with an incredible guitar solo right in the middle. But all yours are great too. And it wasn't my only listed one. I just was one my phone and listing as I thought of them. So they got broken across many threads.

As far as guitar licks go, I really love the driving guitar behind all of Addicted to Love and the entirety of Dire Strait's Brothers in Arms (Knopfler is a God).

Play With Me by Extreme (from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, the song used in the mall sequence).
Or how about anything by The Edge or Slash or Randy Rhoads (may he rest in peace).

@spyman _I *love* Sweet Home Alabama, but then I love Skynyrd. Also Freebird should rank in there somewhere high on the list.

Impossible Germany has an excellent solo. Good call Hamilton. Looks like you know music better than you do gunboat ;)

Well, 40 years guitar-playing vs 4 years diplomacy; I can see the difference! :)

Wait a minute that sounds like rock and/or roll.

Is it OK to include Prince - Purple Rain on this list or will 2WL silence me for that? :-)

Careful Draug, you're getting awfully close.

Oh, come on. The end of Purple Rain is simply an incredible guitar solo.

How about the riff throughout all of Dire Straits' Sultans of Swing?

Sweet jane. Velvet underground.
Lou reed

Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Satisfaction. The Stones.

A SOLO is not a RIFF.

Jesus.....

you are right,so feel free to offer either

Steve Vai - I'm the hell outta here

Thanks for saying that, mapleleaf.
Draugnar, Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist but seldom uses riffs, except of course for "money for nothing", which is a special case. He's mostly a fill and solo guitarist. Sultans of Swing is almost all fills. A riff is a short, repeated guitar phrase that almost always starts the song, and around which the rest of the song is formatted. Hence, a riff doesn't play a supporting role. Typical cases would Cream "Sunshine of your love", or Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water". Lots of the songs listed here don't have riffs, but they may indeed have great solos, leads and fills.

Dire straits: Money for nothing.

Sultan's of Swing has the riff repeatedly interspersed with the fill-ins. Da' da-da' daaaaaaaaa da' da' daaaaaaaa

I see your point, if you're talking about the 3-2--1111--3--3-2222. It's close to a riff, but it misses some of the basic characteristics. Generally, it doesn't "drive" the song.

...and even though "Sultans" is an excellent song, If it was considered a riff, which it isn't, then it would hardly be memorable enough to be included on an all time greats riff list. The song is remarkable for other reasons.

If we're talking Knopfler, I prefer Telegraph Road. If we're talking Gilmour, I prefer Shine On You Crazy Diamond. If we're talking Jerry, give me the entire second half of Terrapin Station album. 3 of my all time favorite guitarists.

yes! Shine on you Crazy Diamond. Now THAT is an awesome riff, which starts part "i don't know what". It's particularly great because of the opening dissonance, then with harmonic and rhythmic support, settles into it's character and drives an incredible jam.

As far as the riff starting a song, that would preclude Money for Nothing as the riff in that doesn't appear until the very end on the intro in part and doesn't truly kick in until after the completion of the intro's crescendo.

Kansas' Carry On Wayward Son (showing my age)
Doobie Brother's China Grove

Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes.

"Owner of a Lonely Heart" as featured on MST3K:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5OzF-ZT6QI

If you ever get a chance to hear it, the extended version of 90125 has an a cappella version of Leave It that rocks (I know, not a guitar riff cause, well, a cappella means no instruments).

OK, so while perusing the web, I came across this. Not so much a guitar riff, but a musical motif that definitely drives the song, and the song is actually pretty cool (this coming from an old dude).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJWJfRAGnHc

Surprised no one has said Hotel California by the Eagles yet. Not sure about the riffs, but definitely one of the greatest guitar solos of Rock and Roll.

How about Highway to the Danger Zone (by I can't remember who)?

I hate the fucking Eagles man.