A great rock song doesn’t need to have an iconic guitar riff. Everyone from Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty to Oasis and Wilco has strummed through simple chord progressions on many timeless hits.

Classic rock music through the years has inspired countless young musicians to learn how to play the guitar. Whether that interest stuck or not depends on the person. However, plenty of now-famous ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Quentin Singer is music journalist who covers rock and heavy music. Guitar music is a ubiquitous feature of popular music, ...