Hendrix guitar riff still casts a spell

Jimi Hendrix’s 'Voodoo Child' was today named the greatest guitar riff of all time, more than 40 years after he first recorded the classic cosmic jam.

Late guitar guru Hendrix, who topped the singles chart with the track in 1970, triumphed in a poll of musicians.

The track – full title 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' – edged past Guns N’Roses song 'Sweet Child O’Mine' which finished second in the poll by musicians’ website MusicRadar.com.

When the site’s sister magazine Total Guitar last conducted the survey five years ago, the list was headed by the G N’R song.

The list shows that the older riffs are the best. Just two from the past decade make it into the top 20 – Muse’s 'Plug In Baby' at 11 and The White Stripes’ 'Seven Nation Army' at 15.

Michael Jackson’s 'Beat It', with its Eddie Van Halen guitar part, props up the top 20.

'Voodoo Child' – with its distinctive ’wah-wah’ opening – was first released on Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland album and led on from an earlier track, 'Voodoo Chile', which was a 15-minute blues jam.

Confusingly, by the time it was released as a single in 1970 it too had been named 'Voodoo Chile'.

MusicRadar.com’s editor-in-chief Mike Goldsmith said: “Nearly 40 years after his untimely death, Jimi Hendrix is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar.

“Of the current generation of six-string stars, only Jack White of The White Stripes and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy feature in the higher echelons of our list. No surprise given both Bellamy and White share – or have inherited - Hendrix’s unique blend of experimental instincts and white-knuckle showmanship.

“Above all though, our poll seems to indicate one thing – in 2009, classic rock still rules.”

More than 5,000 MusicRadar users took part in the poll.

The top 20:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)'

2. Guns N’ Roses – 'Sweet Child O’ Mine'

3. Led Zeppelin – 'Whole Lotta Love'

4. Deep Purple – 'Smoke On The Water'

5. Derek and the Dominos – 'Layla'

6. AC/DC – 'Back In Black'

7. Metallica – 'Enter Sandman'

8. The Beatles – 'Day Tripper'

9. Nirvana – 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

10. The Rolling Stones – '(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction'

11. Black Sabbath – 'Paranoid'

12. Muse – 'Plug In Baby'

13. Eddie Van Halen – 'Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love'

14. The Kinks – 'You Really Got Me'

15. The White Stripes – 'Seven Nation Army'

16. AC/DC – 'Highway to Hell'

17. Led Zeppelin – 'Heartbreaker'

18. Black Sabbath – 'Iron Man'

19. Led Zeppelin – 'Black Dog'

20. Michael Jackson – 'Beat It'