Top 10 Most Air Guitar Rock Songs Of All Time

Nirvana

Featuring perhaps the most instantly recognizable guitar riff of all time, Kurt Cobains magnum opus is commonly regarded as one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. Although youd be forgiven for hearing the resemblance to Bostons More Than a Feeling, Smells Like Teen Spirit never lets up for a second, consisting of five straight minutes of defiant, wall-to-wall moshing. Despite its now-iconic status, Cobain himself initially referred to its timeless riff as clichéd, to which bassist Krist Novoselic agreed. Novoselic likely regretted speaking his mind, as Cobain then forced him and drummer Dave Grohl to play it repeatedly for 90 minutes. Luckily, unlike Krist, were not being punished; no, were choosing to strum Teen Spirit for hours on end.

Dire Straits

If you can muster the zen-like patience necessary to make it through this songs slow-burn minute-and-a-half long intro, then youll be treated to an all-timer of a rock riff. As synths bubble and an uncredited Sting repeatedly declares that he wants his MTV, you might think to yourself, When is this thing gonna take off? When it does, youll be sorry you ever doubted Straits frontman Mark Knopflers considerable prowess. Its possible that youll even find yourself replaying that first beat drop over and over again, but wed highly suggest sticking out the entire song for more killer guitar licks, courtesy of the underrated Knopfler. Not that we feel itll take much convincing

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Look, theres a reason that Jimi Hendrix is regarded as the guitar god to end all guitar gods. Just check out Purple Haze, a pitch-perfect showcase for his otherworldly skills on the instrument. In fact, when music producer Chas Chandler first heard Hendrix toying with the riff, he claimed to have been knocked out, and without the rest of the song having even been composed, declared that it was single material. Chandler clearly knew what the rest of us didnt yet, as Purple Haze became a smash hit, helping to establish the soft-spoken guitarist as a superstar and setting the stage for hard rock as a commercially viable sensation.

Metallica

You didnt think wed put together an air guitar list without including Metallica, did you? These giants of heavy metal are highly prolific, boasting an extensive back catalogue that contains some of the heaviest and most quintessential guitar riffs ever composed. So that made it especially hard to choose do we pick one of the hits, like Enter Sandman? Or a beloved cult favorite, like the disturbing One? In the end, we had to go with Master. That owes to the fact that it contains a little bit of everything that makes Metallica well, Metallica. Its got punishing riffs, a complex, multi-part arrangement, and face-melting solos. What more could you ask for?

AC/DC

It seems fair to say that this song is a far cry from the technical complexity of Master of Puppets. And just so its abundantly clear, were not complaining, considering that AC/DC have reliably delivered muscular, headbanging, air-guitar-worthy rock for over 50 years. The simplicity of the guitar work on Back in Black is a major part of its enduring magnetism, teaching generations of rockers that you dont need to be Joe Satriani to properly rock out. Take it from Metal Hammer magazines initial review of the song in 1983. They called Back in Black a song that appeals to everybody, from dads to dudes, to little old ladies beating noisy kids over the heads with their sticks.

Ozzy Osbourne

After supplying the world with some of its most iconic proto-metal riffs during his tenure as the lead singer of Black Sabbath, Osbourne embarked on a massively successful recording career. Thankfully, Ozzy failed to derail, and continued to churn out some of the greatest, most influential heavy metal the world had ever known. Case in point: Crazy Train was Ozzys first single off of his first solo album. Of course, he didnt do it all by himself: Ozzy benefited tremendously from the nimble fingers of guitarist Randy Rhoads, who died tragically in a 1982 plane crash aged just 25. So whenever youre shredding to Crazy Train, be sure to open with a moment of silence for the fallen musician.

Guns N Roses

They were arguably the biggest band of the 1980s, selling out shows across the globe and living appropriately hard. While they didnt get to that place overnight, the runaway success of Sweet Child o Mine certainly didnt hurt. Sweet Child took things to an entirely new level, becoming GNRs only song to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, despite providing the song with the guitar parts that would turn it into an anthem, the bands resident axeman Slash initially couldnt stand it. Said Slash: I hated that song with a huge passion for the longest time, and it turned out to be our hugest [sic] hit, so it goes to show what I know.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

This is one air guitar performance youll need to make sure you have the stamina for. Although multiple versions of Free Bird exist, the longest one, appearing on the 1989 hits compilation Skynyrd's Innyrds, runs just over 10 minutes in length. That said, Free Bird never feels overindulgent or long just for the sake of it. It tells a heartbreaking, fleshed-out story that is, a story that takes five glorious minutes to wrap up, via a seemingly endless supply of red-hot guitar theatrics. Those come courtesy of twin guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington. In short, Free Birds perfect blend of drama, emotion, and technicality make it a fantastic song to rock out to sans an actual guitar, of course.

Led Zeppelin

What else can we say for this one except Well, of course? Regarded by countless critics as the greatest rock song of all time, and an impeccable demonstration of Jimmy Pages guitar mastery, Stairway to Heaven has more than earned its flowers over the years. The song is a bona fide epic, and without it, we likely wouldnt have such odysseys of rock as Free Bird and Master of Puppets. Sure, Stairway to Heaven wasnt the first rock suite, but its enormous, outsize influence has inspired vast swathes of amateur guitar players. And thats what makes it a perfect air guitar rocker its got a little bit of everything, and executes it at the very highest levels.

Queen

Youre probably asking yourself, If Stairway to Heaven isnt number one, then what is?! Maybe its a somewhat unconventional choice for a list thats supposed to be about imaginary guitar shredding. But thats before you remember the way that Brian May makes his Red Special sing in Rhapsodys wailing first guitar solo. After the song shifts into opera mode for its second act, it gives way to the hard-rocking, headbanging section we all know and love. And for that alone, Bohemian Rhapsody earns our #1 spot. For air guitar supremacy, its not necessarily about how hard, how fast, or how relentlessly you play its about how you use your time in the make-believe spotlight.

Which song on our list transforms you into a rock star in your own mind? Are there any we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!