The 100 Greatest Guitar Anthems revealed

Following thousands of votes from Absolute Radio listeners over recent weeks, the 100 Greatest Guitar Anthems of all time have now been revealed!

Kicking off at 10am on Good Friday (7th April), Sarah Champion and Dan Noble started counting down the 100 Greatest Guitar Anthems, with Bush and Richie revealing the Number 1 shortly before 7pm.

The Greatest Guitar Anthem of all time as voted by YOU is Guns N’ Roses’ seminal 1987 hard rock anthem ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’.

Powered by Slash’s searing and instantly recognisable riffs, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ is firmly entrenched in rock and roll folklore, and, along with their debut album ‘Appetite For Destruction’, it helped propel Guns N’ Roses into the global superstars they are today.

Commenting on the Number 1, Absolute Radio’s Sarah Champion said: “From the iconic opening bars, you know this is a song which is going to take you on a journey.

“With Axl Rose’s unmistakable vocals added in, 'Sweet Child O’ Mine' is an anthem which is a timeless rock classic and a worthy winner of the Greatest Guitar Anthem poll.”

Just a few hundred votes behind ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ is Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’, a track that centres on transcendental guitar solos from the musical genius that is David Gilmour.

In third spot is AC/DC’s 1990 tour-de-force ‘Thunderstruck’, which perfectly showcases the raw, direct and instantly infectious guitar prowess of Angus and Malcolm Young.

In terms of musical eras, the 1970s is the most represented decade with 25 songs on the countdown, however it’s closely followed by the 1980s and 1990s with 24 and 23 songs respectively.

14 songs from the 2000s feature on the list, there’s nine from the 1960s, and two tracks for both the 1950s and 2010s. The 2020s is represented by one song.

The 100 Greatest Guitar Anthems, as voted by Absolute Radio listeners:

100 - The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary (1985)

99 - Paul Weller - The Changingman (1995)

98 - Kasabian – Fire (2009)

97 - Wet Leg - Wet Dream (2021)

96 - Iggy Pop - The Passenger (1977)

95 - Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (1957)

94 - Stranglers - No More Heroes (1997)

93 - Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun (1994)

92 - Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (2004)

91 - The Cure - In Between Days (1985)

90 - Linkin Park - What I've Done (2007)

89 - Suede - Animal Nitrate (1993)

88 - Bachman Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet (1974)

87 - Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) (1978)

86 - Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian (1986)

85 - Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone (1976)

84 - Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone (1965)

83 - Stevie Wonder – Superstition (1972)

82 - Steppenwolf - Born to Be Wild (1968)

81 - Green Day - Basket Case (1994)

80 - Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey (2015)

79 – Blink-182 - All the Small Things (1999)

78 – The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go (1982)

77 - Skunk Anansie – Weak (1995)

76 - Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)

75 - Faith No More – Epic (1990)

74 - T Rex - Get It On (1971)

73 - Free - All Right Now (1970)

72 - R.E.M. - Losing My Religion (1991)

71 - Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (1981)

70 - David Bowie - Jean Genie (1972)

69 - Biffy Clyro – Bubbles (2010)

68 - Elastica – Connection (1994)

67 - Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire (2008)

66 - The Jam - Going Underground (1980)

65 - Beastie Boys – (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right To Party (1986)

64 - Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993)

63 - Manic Street Preachers - A Design for Life (1996)

62 - Stereophonics – Dakota (2005)

61 - Radiohead – Creep (1992)

60 - Avril Lavigne - Sk8ter Boi (2002)

59 - Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love (2003)

58 - Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar on Me (1987)

57 - Survivor - Eye of The Tiger (1982)

56 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop (2003)

55 - Blur - Song 2 (1997)

54 - Undertones - Teenage Kicks (1978)

53 - Pink Floyd - Another Brick in The Wall (1979)

52 - Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant (1977)

51 - The Smiths - This Charming Man (1983)

50 - Queens of The Stone Age - No One Knows (2002)

49 - Garbage - Stupid Girl (1995)

48 - Oasis – Wonderwall (1995)

47 - Killers - Mr Brightside (2004)

46 - Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode (1958)

45 - Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way (1977)

44 - The Who - My Generation (1965)

43 - The Stone Roses - Fools Gold (1989)

42 - Cream - Sunshine of Your Love (1967)

41 - Pearl Jam – Alive (1991)

40 - The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1964)

39 - Meat Loaf & Cher - Dead Ringer for Love (1981)

38 - Oasis – Supersonic (1994)

37 - Foo Fighters - The Pretender (2007)

36 - Boston - More Than a Feeling (1976)

35 - Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter (1969)

34 - Iron Maiden - Run to The Hills (1982)

33 - White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (2003)

32 - U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name (1987)

31 - Motorhead - Ace of Spades (1980)

30 - Muse - Plug in Baby (2001)

29 - Status Quo - Rockin' All Over the World (1977)

28 - Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper (1976)

27 - Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975)

26 - Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on The Dancefloor (2005)

25 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (1974)

24 - Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (1995)

23 - Foo Fighters – Everlong (1997)

22 - Bryan Adams - Summer of 69 (1984)

21 - Guns N’ Roses - Paradise City (1987)

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