20 Best Classic Rock Guitar Riffs Of All Time

At the tail end of the 70's, rock was being turned inside out by the world of punk rock. Even though hard rock bands of old were still holding their own, the new style emerging from the underground was centered around tunes that were fast, loud, and to the point.

Bands from the Clash to the Damned to the Sex Pistols had unforgettable tunes at the time, but "Blitzkrieg Bop" is the one track that seems to be in a league all its own. Armed with just four power chords, Johnny Ramone took the typical rock song formula and circumvented it into something that was new and exciting for a new generation. At its core, the tune is just a simple pop song, but the relentless downpicking from Ramone gives the track an added urgency that grabs the listener and demands their attention.

It's very rare that a riff can become classic through just strumming power chords, but the Ramones made the cliche pop song approach to rock and roll sound new and exciting for the next generation of fans. "Blitzkrieg Bop" might seem extremely simple to play, but the fury that the band has in their performance is nearly impossible to master.