The 25 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever Recorded
From 'Comfortably Numb' to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' — the solos that defined rock guitar.
Ranking the greatest guitar solos is the most dangerous list we publish, and we publish it anyway. The 25 solos here are the ones that made players stop the tape and learn them note for note — the solos that became part of the language, the ones that taught a generation what a guitar could do, and the ones that have endured as the solos every guitarist since has been, knowingly or not, descending from. The brief was the solo, not the song — the part the guitarist played, not the song the band wrote around it — and the 25 on this list are the ones that did it best.
The method was brutal. We counted only studio-recorded solos — no live solos, no jam solos, no improvised solos — and we weighted influence on subsequent players, cultural impact at the time of release and in the decades since, and the question of whether the solo still sounds vital when you hear it today. We considered the solo as a composition — a structured piece of music with a beginning, a middle, and an end — and we weighted the solos that used the form to say something. The 25 solos on this list are the ones that did it best, and the ones that have endured as the solos every guitarist since has been learning.
The list runs from the 1960s — the decade that invented the rock guitar solo, with the Hendrix and Clapton records that taught the instrument to sing — through the 1970s — the decade that taught the solo to be a composition, with the Gilmour and Page records that defined the form — and into the 1980s and beyond, with the Van Halen and Malmsteen records that pushed the technique to its extreme. The 25 solos on this list are the ones that defined the form, and the ones that every guitarist since has been descending from.
25. The Beatles — 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a guest spot, and the one that defined the guest-solo format. Eric Clapton's solo on the George Harrison song is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a guest spot, and that a guest spot could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a collaboration, and that a collaboration could be a solo.
24. The Rolling Stones — 'Sympathy for the Devil' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a Keith Richards solo, and the one that defined the Richards solo format. Keith Richards' solo on the song is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a two-note affair, and that a two-note affair could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a riff, and that a riff could be a solo.
23. Lynyrd Skynyrd — 'Free Bird' (1973). The solo that taught the genre to be an epic, and the one that defined the epic solo format. The four-minute solo that closes the song is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be an epic, and that an epic could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a feature, and that a feature could be a solo.
22. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — 'All Along the Watchtower' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a Dylan cover, and the one that defined the Dylan-cover solo format. Hendrix's solo on the Bob Dylan song is the one that taught the genre that a solo could out-Dylan Dylan, and that a cover could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a reinterpretation, and that a reinterpretation could be a solo.
21. Van Halen — 'Eruption' (1978). The solo that taught the genre to be a technique, and the one that defined the two-hand-tapping format. Eddie Van Halen's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a technique, and that a technique could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a stunt, and that a stunt could be a solo.
20. Dire Straits — 'Sultans of Swing' (1978). The solo that taught the genre to be a fingerstyle, and the one that defined the fingerstyle solo format. Mark Knopfler's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a fingerstyle, and that a fingerstyle could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a tone, and that a tone could be a solo.
19. Queen — 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (1975). The solo that taught the genre to be an opera, and the one that defined the opera solo format. Brian May's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be an opera, and that an opera could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a section, and that a section could be a solo.
18. The Eagles — 'Hotel California' (1977). The solo that taught the genre to be a duet, and the one that defined the duet solo format. The Don Felder and Joe Walsh solos that close the song are the ones that taught the genre that a solo could be a duet, and that a duet could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a conversation, and that a conversation could be a solo.
17. Led Zeppelin — 'Whole Lotta Love' (1969). The solo that taught the genre to be a freakout, and the one that defined the freakout solo format. Jimmy Page's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a freakout, and that a freakout could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a noise, and that a noise could be a solo.
16. Black Sabbath — 'Paranoid' (1970). The solo that taught the genre to be a metal, and the one that defined the metal solo format. Tony Iommi's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a metal, and that a metal could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a riff, and that a riff could be a solo.
15. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a blues, and the one that defined the blues solo format. Hendrix's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a blues, and that a blues could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a vocal, and that a vocal could be a solo.
14. Steely Dan — 'Reelin' in the Years' (1972). The solo that taught the genre to be a session, and the one that defined the session solo format. Elliott Randall's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a session, and that a session could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a guest spot, and that a guest spot could be a solo.
13. Pink Floyd — 'Time' (1973). The solo that taught the genre to be a David Gilmour solo, and the one that defined the Gilmour solo format. David Gilmour's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Gilmour, and that a Gilmour could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a bend, and that a bend could be a solo.
12. Lynyrd Skynyrd — 'Sweet Home Alabama' (1974). The solo that taught the genre to be a Southern, and the one that defined the Southern solo format. Ed King's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Southern, and that a Southern could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a region, and that a region could be a solo.
11. Cream — 'Crossroads' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a blues-rock, and the one that defined the blues-rock solo format. Eric Clapton's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a blues-rock, and that a blues-rock could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a speed, and that a speed could be a solo.
10. Led Zeppelin — 'Stairway to Heaven' (1971). The solo that taught the genre to be a crescendo, and the one that defined the crescendo solo format. Jimmy Page's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a crescendo, and that a crescendo could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a structure, and that a structure could be a solo.
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — 'Purple Haze' (1967). The solo that taught the genre to be a Hendrix, and the one that defined the Hendrix solo format. Hendrix's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Hendrix, and that a Hendrix could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a feedback, and that a feedback could be a solo.
8. The Rolling Stones — 'Gimme Shelter' (1969). The solo that taught the genre to be a Keith Richards solo, and the one that defined the Richards solo format. Keith Richards' solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Richards, and that a Richards could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a mood, and that a mood could be a solo.
7. Pink Floyd — 'Money' (1973). The solo that taught the genre to be a David Gilmour solo, and the one that defined the Gilmour solo format. David Gilmour's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Gilmour, and that a Gilmour could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a groove, and that a groove could be a solo.
6. Led Zeppelin — 'Heartbreaker' (1969). The solo that taught the genre to be a Jimmy Page solo, and the one that defined the Page solo format. Jimmy Page's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Page, and that a Page could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a unaccompanied, and that an unaccompanied could be a solo.
5. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — 'Red House' (1967). The solo that taught the genre to be a blues, and the one that defined the blues solo format. Hendrix's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a blues, and that a blues could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a wound, and that a wound could be a solo.
4. Queen — 'Brighton Rock' (1974). The solo that taught the genre to be a Brian May solo, and the one that defined the May solo format. Brian May's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a May, and that a May could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a tone, and that a tone could be a solo.
3. Led Zeppelin — 'Since I've Been Loving You' (1970). The solo that taught the genre to be a Jimmy Page solo, and the one that defined the Page solo format. Jimmy Page's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Page, and that a Page could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a blues, and that a blues could be a solo.
2. Pink Floyd — 'Comfortably Numb' (1979). The two solos that taught the genre to be a David Gilmour solo, and the ones that defined the Gilmour solo format. David Gilmour's two solos are the ones that taught the genre that a solo could be a Gilmour, and that a Gilmour could be a solo. The solos are here because they taught the genre that a solo could be a weep, and that a weep could be a solo — and because the two solos on 'Comfortably Numb' are the two greatest guitar solos ever recorded.
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — 'All Along the Watchtower' (1968). The solo that taught the genre to be a Hendrix, and the one that defined the Hendrix solo format. Hendrix's solo is the one that taught the genre that a solo could be a Hendrix, and that a Hendrix could be a solo. The solo is here because it taught the genre that a solo could be a reinterpretation, and that a reinterpretation could be a solo — and because the solo on 'All Along the Watchtower' is the single greatest guitar solo ever recorded, the one that took a Bob Dylan song and made it a Hendrix song, and the one that every guitarist since has been, knowingly or not, descending from. Expect 'Comfortably Numb.' Expect 'Stairway.' Expect a handful of solos that will start arguments that last for years. That's the fun of it. Read it, then head to the Rock Lounge and tell us how wrong we are.