14   "Born to Run"
Bruce Springsteen (1975)

All the sweeping romance of Springsteen's early work is summed up in his twanging main guitar riff (inspired by Duane Eddy). And that's just the most prominent of the song's layers of Fender work, from the wah-wah in the bridge to the rumbling solo.


"Born to Run" from Born to Run (Columbia)


Bruce Springsteen performing "Born to Run" live in 1978

15   "My Generation"
The Who (1965)

Before smashing guitars was a cliché, it was a shock, and the Who's signature song was one shock after another, from Pete Townshend's pile-driving two-chord riff to his sudden disappearance while bassist John Entwistle solos to the glitchy feedback that ends the original recording.


"My Generation" from My Generation (Geffen)


The Who performing "My Generation" live

16   "Cowgirl in the Sand"
Neil Young with Crazy Horse (1969)

Young's extended solos on this 10-minute track are an arrhythmic, buzzing mess, and that's why they sound fantastic. Extra points to rhythm guitarist Danny Whitten, who creates a spectrum of textures and rhythms.


"Cowgirl in the Sand" from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Reprise)


Neil Young performing "Cowgirl in the Sand" live in 1971

17   "Black Sabbath"
Black Sabbath (1970)

Tony Iommi invented heavy-metal guitar out of necessity: He'd lost two fingertips on his fretting hand, and he used thimbles and dropped tunings to make playing easier. His crawling, dissonant riff (also called "the devil's chord") became the basis of thousands of metal songs.


"Black Sabbath" from Black Sabbath (Warner Bros.)


Black Sabbath performing "Black Sabbath" live in 1970

See all of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All TIme