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Yet another ‘greatest riff’ poll

BBC Radio is conducting an online poll of greatest guitar riffs. Smoke on the Water and Long Live Rock’n’Roll are in the running. The latter is quite a bit of a strange choice, but that’s a matter of taste.

Putting aside for the moment the meaningfulness of all such polls, online or offline, this one is only open for voters with kosher IP addresses UK residents. How open minded of the BBC!

Thanks to Marcus Streets for the info.



26 Comments to “Yet another ‘greatest riff’ poll”:

  1. 1
    Ajay Marimuthu says:

    Burn > Smoke on the Water

  2. 2
    Larry Toering says:

    Pictures Of Home

  3. 3
    Igor Amorim says:

    “This vote is not available outside of the United Kingdom.”

  4. 4
    Roberto says:

    Many faults on the list…one example: “don’t fear the reaper” has not a riff, that one is an arpeggio…

  5. 5
    Scott says:

    Smoke On The Water all the way.

  6. 6
    Weckles says:

    As usual, this will cause a RIFFt in fan and musical circles…..but seriously, who cares? Deep Purple rules in all categories!

  7. 7
    Mark Ladbury says:

    In terms of songs, Burn definitely up there with Smoke, riff ain’t too shabby either. But how many music shops hung up a sign ‘No Burn’? Smoke is an iconic riff, simple, straight forward, and, am guessing, the lead in for So many of us. For that reason, for me, Smoke edges it 🙂

  8. 8
    nupsi59 says:

    The riff of Smoke on the Water:

    Take your cd/lp of the “Concerto for Group and Orchestra”
    (first movement).

    After the intro from the orchestra the band comes in and plays the first three notes of “smoke” backwards.

    Have a nice Day!

  9. 9
    Wheldon Rumproast says:

    Highway Star/Burn/Kill the King/Spotlight Kid…obviously, all Ritchie…as if should be…

  10. 10
    funky says:

    Pity it’s U.K. only…(then again radio 2 are calling the shots !!!!)…………………worldwide vote would be more definitive………………Smoke for me followed by Burn

  11. 11
    Jack says:

    Definitely Smoke on The Water, Burn, Black Night, Space Trucking!!

  12. 12
    al says:

    and the non sense continues.

  13. 13
    oleg says:

    Smoke, burn, storm bringer -iconic riffs forever!

  14. 14
    Dave Smale says:

    It has to be Smoke……even people who don’t really follow rock have heard of it and know it because it’s so simple, yet so effective. It is the band’s calling card in the world of music. For me as well, there’s also Burn, Pictures of Home, You Fool No One, Strange Kind of Woman, Rat Bat Blue, and many more!

  15. 15
    Buttockss says:

    Anyones Daughter……………….!!

  16. 16
    Martin Robert says:

    On a much milder side, I think that “Sometimes I feel like screaming”is a great intro and a beautiful song.
    Martin from Québec, Canada

  17. 17
    white house war room says:

    there is NO question who SHOULD win this poll 🙂 … but IF you feel the urgent need to participate in the poll from outside the UK:

    if you are using google chrome, for instance, just add the extension “zen mate” and choose “UK”. afterwards you may disable it again an re-enable with one mouseclick when needed. i guess other browsers offer similar options.

    off to vote …

  18. 18
    peter chrisp says:

    Well a “poll” like this has been going on for ages, obviously it depends on what we like on a personal level, if we are only i guess talking about Deep Purple my faves from D.P. are definitely “Smoke” & “Mistreated”. If i had to select
    from other bands i would have to go for Jimi Hendrix “Voodoo Child” the 15 minute all time classic from Electric Ladyland, and Jethro Tull’s title track “Aqualung” just to name a couple.

  19. 19
    Tracy(Zero the Hero)Heyder says:

    “SOTW” hands down……

    Nuff Said

  20. 20
    nupsi59 says:

    I just discovered this crazy video on youtube!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FZTxiEoWvY

    Enjoy and have a nice Day!

  21. 21
    Elprupdeep says:

    Maybe I am a leo…out of hand…uncommon man…bodyline… Kill the king…
    Long live DP, ritchie, and all the family…

  22. 22
    Deeperpurps says:

    The choice of riffs for Rainbow is somewhat puzzling…seems to me that Man on the Silver Mountain is much more immediately recognizable than LLRNR.

  23. 23
    MacGregor says:

    It is a bit like any of the ‘greatest’ whatever list or polls that someone decides to do, for whatever reason! This list is appalling & so is that recent Documentary ‘The Joy of The Guitar Riff’ from BBC4! An example, when Blackmore is mentioned for the proverbial Smoke riff, some no names from a ‘covers’ or ‘tribute’ band are the people talking about it & even worse, attempting to play it! Please! Spare me the drivel! I could only skip through it a little at youtube, it’s pathetic absolutely pathetic! Padded out with time wasting irrelevant material. At least Iommi, May & Fripp are on it, but that is predictable! I might do my own list or poll, I know what the best & most relevant riffs are in rock music! Sheeesh! Cheers!

  24. 24
    Marcus says:

    So SOTW came fourth.
    Led Zep Whole Lotta Love tops the poll, though I bet most British people know the CCS version better.

    G’n’R and AC/DC complete the top three.

  25. 25
    MacGregor says:

    Yes, comical G’n’R being in it at all in my opinion, but these are what certain fans vote for, popularity doesn’t necessarily mean the best. Page is definitely one of the riff masters & the fact that Iommi isn’t in the top ten says it all really! Cheers.

  26. 26
    Dave says:

    Vote PURPLE:

    http://www.rateitall.com/i-65052-deep-purple.aspx

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