The greatest blues, rock, and metal songs of all time have one thing in common: a powerful guitar riff that elevates the song to iconic status.
Guitar World magazine understood this when it published the composition La Grange ZZ Top's "The Greatest Guitar Riffs of All Time" is ranked 9th on the list of greatest guitar riffs of all time.
«"To create a suitably low-down, dirty riff, Billy Gibbons took the well-worn, John Lee Hooker-esque I-bIII-IV riff in the key of A (ACD) and added his signature tone," Guitar World wrote.
Gibbons revealed details of the iconic riff.
«"It's a 1955 Fender Strat with a maple neck and a fixed bridge, plugged into a Fender Tremolux 2x10 amp—a small, light-colored amp that just happened to be in the studio at the time," he said. "The riff is in the key of A major, but remember to use your pinky on the G string [the C note, 5th fret] and raise it slightly to adjust the pitch.".
The film "La Grange" has caused controversy.
Song La Grange , considered one of the greatest blues-rock compositions of all time, caused a local scandal and led to a lawsuit against the band.
ZZ Top has been criticized for its song being too similar to the song Boogie Chillun pioneering John Lee Hooker, released in 1948.
According to American Songwriter, music publisher Bernard Besman, who first recorded Hooker and is credited with co-writing some of his songs, sued the members of ZZ Top in 1992. Three years later, a federal judge dismissed Besman's lawsuit.
Not only did the song lead to a lawsuit against ZZ Top, but it also (allegedly) helped shut down a notorious local brothel in Texas.
The song received widespread radio play and reached number 41 on the charts in June 1974. Billboard chart Hot 100.
See also: 1980 rock classic named one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time.
This article was originally published in Men's Journal on May 31, 2026, in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal to your list of preferred sources by clicking here.