20 Best Classic Rock Guitar Riffs Of All Time

Ask any guitarists about the greatest to ever play the instrument, and you'll probably get the same answer: there's Jimi Hendrix, and then there's everyone else. Hendrix was truly a musical freak of nature who used his guitar not so much as a musical tool but rather an extension of his own being.

Many of Hendrix's songs have become mandatory listening for any prospective guitarist, but "Purple Haze" was the first announcement most fans heard of his guitar prowess. The distorted tone of the song was so much a part of its draw that Hendrix sent many of his amps to his gigs with specific instructions to not correct the amp tones. The way the initial riff hits you over the head is something that's both slightly demented and oddly satisfying at the same time.

The lyrics are also the perfect compliment to the riff, with Hendrix writing about a girl whose beauty sends him into a stoned-out haze. More than just a good riff, this little piece of guitar perfection was the lynchpin that set up the entire sonic landscape for the 60's rock revolution. It's rare that you can become the greatest of all time with just one song, but "Purple Haze" seemed to roll out the carpet for the arrival of the new King of Guitar.