Jimmy Page’s Favorite Led Zeppelin Riff? He Called This One Addictive
In a career filled with some of the most iconic riffs in rock history, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has finally revealed which one holds a special place in his heart—and he calls it “addictive.” The riff in question comes from one of the band’s most famous tracks, “Whole Lotta Love,” the opening cut of their 1969 album *Led Zeppelin II*. Despite writing legendary parts for songs like “Black Dog,” “Kashmir,” and “Heartbreaker,” Page has consistently pointed to “Whole Lotta Love” as a defining moment in his playing and creativity.
The Birth of the Riff
The now-legendary “Whole Lotta Love” riff was born during a jam session as the band worked on material for their second album. Page recalled crafting it during downtime in Pangbourne, England, while living on a houseboat. Inspired by the blues but shaped through a hard rock lens, the riff came together quickly, its simplicity and groove immediately standing out. Page said in an interview that once he played it, “everyone knew it was something special. It was dangerous, hypnotic addictive.
This foundational riff is built on a repeating bluesy figure in E, given weight by Page’s Gibson Les Paul and a wall of amps. The band rallied around it, and the riff served as the spine of the song that would eventually launch them into superstardom.
Why It Stands Out
So why does Page call it “addictive”? It’s not just the sound. For Page, the magic was in how the riff locked in with John Bonham’s drums and John Paul Jones’ bass line. The combination created a powerful, primal groove. Page was particularly proud of how the riff’s tension-and-release effect kept listeners hooked. “It didn’t need to be fancy,” he once said. “It just needed to have attitudeand it had it in spades.
Another reason the riff stands out is how it evolved in live performances. Page often extended it, bent notes more aggressively, and used the theremin to manipulate the soundscape around it. Each version felt like a reinvention, but the riff always grounded the chaos.
Influence and Recognition
“Whole Lotta Love” has received countless accolades over the decades. It was the first Led Zeppelin song to chart in the U.S., hitting No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2014, BBC Radio 2 listeners voted it the greatest guitar riff of all time. Its influence can be heard in countless hard rock and metal acts that followed.
Page has acknowledged that the riff helped shape what heavy rock guitar would become. Its chugging groove, syncopation, and bold minimalism became a blueprint for countless guitarists looking to blend blues sensibilities with raw rock energy.
A Guitar Hero’s Signature Moment
For all his technical brilliance, Page’s genius was often in how he made simple ideas sound monumental. The “Whole Lotta Love” riff is not overly complex—but its tone, rhythm, and delivery gave it immortal status. It’s a perfect example of Page’s philosophy that feel outweighs flash.
I can’t play it without getting pulled into it again,” Page once said. “It’s just one of those riffs that never gets old.
Over five decades after it was first recorded, that “addictive” riff still echoes through arenas, headphones, and guitar amps around the world—proof that sometimes, greatness lies in the groove.
