10 Best Rock Guitar Riffs Of The 1980s
7. Tom Sawyer - Rush (1981)
Who doesn't love a bit of nerd rock in the form of Canadian rockers Rush? These guys were ever the outliers of the rock scene throughout the '70s and '80s, more focused on technical precision and progressive musical exploration, than writing hits.
If you want some true displays of technical ability then listen to any of their records from this era. Neil Peart might be one of the most accomplished drummers in rock, and Geddy Lee is the weirdest but was enjoyable frontman ever to rock a bass guitar. But, it's Alex Lifeson who really deserves your attention, he's sorely underrated when it comes to guitar players of this era.
This guy just knew how to manipulate the guitar in ways no one else was doing at the time. La Villa Strangiato might be one of his most impressive displays of guitar mastery during the '70s, but Tom Sawyer was his 1980s magnum opus. It was all about accurately moving from one musical sphere to another with expert timing and impressive flashy riff work.