“The four-chord pattern riff is unoriginal but the dynamic contrasts add to the potency of one of the best guitar riffs of the ’90s”: Nirvana track named the best guitar riff of all time by surprising new study – which leaves out some huge hits

Kurt Cobain, Chuck Berry, Slash, and Ritchie Blackmore.

Yet another eyebrow-raising best guitar riffs of all time list has been published, and – as is usually the case with such round-ups – it has drafted up some rather interesting results.

The 40-strong list comes from uDiscoverMusic, which is part of Universal Music Group’s stable. With that in mind, it's noting that, in the list, the top five riffs all come from Universal artists or bands signed to one of its numerous subsidiaries.