Hm, whiskey in the jar is an old traditional irish song which has been recorded by many different artists, similar to f.ex Scarborough Fair or The Wild Rover.

The Dubliners are credited for first popularizing it with a recorded version. :)

Haha yea, Thin Lizzy has a good version of it, I like the Metallica version best because I love their vocals.

When I heard it by The Dubliners I was really surprised how much music can be molded and changed.

'nuff said

Are you a bad enough dude to take on Gojira?

It's biblical, man. Headphones recommended.

Phantom of the Opera-Iron Maiden , wah-wah riff.
Blackened-Metallica
Ace of Spades-Motorhead (Bass Riff)
Cry of the Banshee- Brocas Helm
Sweet Child O' Mine-Guns and Roses
Jump-Van Halen (Keyboard) idk if it is considered a riff

The dive- bombing part in the Pulse version of Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.

If we are talking metal riffs only then there really is only one band that set the template and still sound astonishing:

1 min 20:

From the start:

Judas Priest. Sad Wings Of Destiny is probably the ultimate Heavy Metal album:

Well of course, you can stick your Metalcore up your ass, you don't even come close:

Someone mentioned Smoke on the Water. There are lots of other great riffs from Deep Purple's Machine Head as well .. Another I like is the riff from "Maybe I'm a Leo".



Kickass song and nice example of what I think of as a riff.

edit :

To JH, those songs and riffs are all familiar except that Judas Priest song. I don't have that album, but that track sounds great :) Definetly gonna get that one.

Into The Void - Black Sabbath is a pretty great riff

Edit:

Sorry, didnt read the thread. Now see this was already mentioned
I change my answer to Aqualung - Jethro Tull