“Day Tripper”: The Beatles
“Layla”: Derek & the Dominos
“Sunshine of Your Love”: Cream
“Oh, Well”: Fleetwood Mac
“Funk #49”: The James Gang
“Gimme Three Steps”: Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Aqualung”: Jethro Tull
“Heartbreaker”: Led Zeppelin
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”: The Rolling Stones
“The Train Kept A-Rollin'”: The Yardbirds
“Mannish Boy”: Muddy Waters
“Sunday, Bloody Sunday”: U2
“Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”: Van Halen
From a discussion at Achenblog which takes exception to a list from the London music schools.
If I understand the concept of riff properly — “a brief, repetitive musical figure designed to be the ‘hook’–or most memorable instrumental component–of a song” — then I might have to add Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
A short story, told in song titles that have great guitar riffs
Pleasant Valley Sunday – Monkees
Tequila – The Champs
I Feel Fine – Beatles
Hey Hey, My My – Neil Young