[Western Music] A Compilation of the Coolest, Most Rocking Guitar Riffs [2025]

Crazy TrainOzzy Osbourne

OZZY OSBOURNE – “Crazy Train” (Official Video)

Crazy Train is a 1980 track by Ozzy Osbourne, the vocalist of Black Sabbath who’s also been churning out top-tier metal tunes in his solo projects.

It’s a song defined by its memorable refrain, and the chorus melody that follows it is so catchy you’ll find yourself humming along without thinking.

Makes you want to crank up a Flying V with heavy distortion and play it just like in the music video! It also has a somewhat refreshing vibe, and it’s a fantastic piece that cleverly puts parts of the melody and refrain in unison.

Money For NothingDire Straits

Dire Straits – Money For Nothing (Official Music Video)

The guitar riff in “Money for Nothing” is a signature track by Dire Straits, released in 1985.

The striking riff created by Mark Knopfler continues to be loved by many guitarists to this day.

With chords and harmonics intertwining exquisitely, the riff is simple yet profound and technically demanding.

Knopfler’s fingerstyle playing opens up new possibilities and inspiration for those who favor traditional picking techniques.

Every time you hear this song, both beginners and veterans alike feel compelled to pick up a guitar—such is the timeless power of this iconic riff.

Enter SandmanMetallica

Metallica: Enter Sandman (Official Music Video)

Metallica is a four-piece metal band that has achieved global success, including total album sales exceeding 100 million.

Their 1991 single “Enter Sandman” became one of Metallica’s signature songs, marking their first entry into the UK Singles Chart top 10.

The riff layers an aggressive guitar sound over the arpeggiated phrase in the opening, creating a weightiness that is quintessentially metal.

It’s a timeless track that shocked metal fans at the time and continues to be loved across generations.

The TrooperIron Maiden

Iron Maiden – The Trooper (Official Video)

Guitar riffs are used across all genres, and the riffs in metal are packed with fantastic phrases too.

Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” is a classic that delivers an irresistible sense of driving rhythm from the very intro.

The intro riff alone is something you’ll want to replay over and over.

This phrase, played with two guitars in harmony, is the kind of coveted line any guitarist would want to master as a harmonized part—an aspirational riff, you could say.

Don’t Look Back In AngerOasis

Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger

A song by Oasis, the British band that openly professed their admiration for the legendary rock group The Beatles and, while feeling their influence, swept the world with a modern sound.

It became the band’s second single to reach No.

1 on the UK Singles Chart, and many people in Japan have likely heard it as it’s frequently used in video games, commercials, and films.

The guitar’s clean tone, close to a crunch, creates the atmosphere of classic rock while highlighting the quality of the melody.

With its exquisite obbligato that tickles the hearts of rock fans, it’s a number you can truly immerse yourself in for the sound of rock guitar.

Scuttle Buttin’Stevie Ray Vaughan

Scuttle Buttin’

In the 1980s, when a global technical boom was sweeping the rock guitar scene, Stevie Ray Vaughan reminded listeners just how cool blues guitar could be.

“Scuttle Buttin’,” from his second album with Double Trouble, Couldn’t Stand the Weather, is an instrumental track often hailed as a paragon of blues guitar.

The rapid-fire phrases using slides that appear between the blues chord progressions form a riff that’s both thrilling and deeply bluesy.

Though short, it’s an emotional number that leaves you in awe of his playing.

Message In A BottleThe Police

The Police – Message In A Bottle (Official Music Video)

It’s a classic by The Police, the band Sting was in.

The arpeggiated guitar riff makes up most of the song and forms its backbone.

The riff carries a sense of melancholy while also conveying drive and mystery, and combined with Sting’s vocal timbre, I think it results in a wonderful track.