Far Out Magazine has published a ranking of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards' ten best riffs, celebrating his decades-long influence on rock and roll rhythm guitar playing. The piece argues that Richards built his reputation not through technical flashiness, like contemporaries Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix, but through economy, mood and instinctive feel, drawing on blues and R&B influences such as Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Chuck Berry to create some of rock's most enduring guitar hooks.

The article draws on quotes from Richards' autobiography "Life", in which he calls himself "the riff master" and credits Mick Jagger solely with writing the riff to "Brown Sugar". Richards singles out "Jumpin' Jack Flash", which he describes as essentially "Satisfaction" played in reverse, as the one riff he would keep if forced to choose only one. Musician Justin Hawkins is also quoted praising Richards for redefining the relationship between rhythm and lead guitar in rock music.