There’s something sacred about a guitar solo—the moment when melody breaks free and becomes pure emotion. Whether it cries, shreds, or soars, the solo can turn a great song into legend. These 20 solos didn’t just fill time between choruses—they made their songs unforgettable.
“All Along the Watchtower” – Jimi Hendrix
Jimi didn’t just cover this Bob Dylan classic—he transformed it. His solo is a whirlwind of wah, bends, and beautiful chaos that reshaped what a guitar could say.
“Back in Black” – AC/DC (Angus Young)
This solo is swagger in sonic form. Angus Young lets each note strut with purpose, showing you don’t need a million notes—just the right ones.
“Beat It” – Michael Jackson (Eddie Van Halen)
A perfect storm of pop and metal. Eddie Van Halen steps in for a solo so iconic it almost stole the whole song—and left every guitarist taking notes.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen (Brian May)
Brian May makes his guitar sing like a choir. The solo is melodic, majestic, and perfectly placed—carving its way through the operatic masterpiece.
“Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd (David Gilmour)
Two solos here, both legendary—but that final one? Pure emotion. Gilmour bends time and tone into something that feels like it’s coming from deep inside your chest.
“Crossroads” – Cream (Eric Clapton)
Live, loud, and laced with fire. Clapton’s solo is blues on rocket fuel, a furious flurry of notes that still feels spontaneous decades later.
“Eruption” – Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen)
This isn’t just a solo—it’s a statement. In just under two minutes, Eddie reinvented guitar heroics. Tapping, dive bombs, and raw speed—all in one breathless blast.
“Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” – Santana
Carlos Santana turns the guitar into a voice. Smooth, sensual, and soaring, this instrumental solo sings like a love letter to the cosmos.
“Free Bird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (Allen Collins & Gary Rossington)
It starts sweet and ends in a frenzy. The final solo isn’t just long—it’s legendary, building and building until it feels like the song might lift off.
“Heartbreaker” – Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page)
Raw, raunchy, and totally unaccompanied. Page’s solo arrives like a lightning bolt—sharp, swaggering, and untamed.
“Highway Star” – Deep Purple (Ritchie Blackmore)
Equal parts classical precision and rock fury. Blackmore’s solo flies across scales like a Ferrari on fire, setting a high bar for speed and style.
“Hotel California” – Eagles (Don Felder & Joe Walsh)
A duet of perfect tone and phrasing. Felder and Walsh trade lines like old friends finishing each other’s sentences, with a solo that defines an era.
“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry
The solo that launched a thousand guitar dreams. Chuck’s quickfire licks laid the foundation for rock guitar as we know it—joyful, bold, and timeless.
“Layla” – Derek and the Dominos (Eric Clapton & Duane Allman)
The slide work. The emotion. The tension. Clapton and Allman’s combined soloing on this track makes heartbreak sound beautiful.
“Little Wing” – Jimi Hendrix
A gentle, flowing masterpiece. Jimi paints a dreamscape with chord embellishments and lyrical lead lines. A solo that breathes.
“November Rain” – Guns N’ Roses (Slash)
Slash steps into the spotlight with solos that cry, burn, and soar. Each phrase is carved from pure feeling—and that final crescendo? Chills.
“One” – Metallica (Kirk Hammett)
A slow build that explodes into a storm of speed and precision. Hammett’s solo rips through the chaos with surgical accuracy and relentless energy.
“Reelin’ in the Years” – Steely Dan (Elliott Randall)
A studio take so perfect, Jimmy Page called it his favorite solo. Randall’s playing is crisp, clever, and catchy—a masterclass in tone and phrasing.
“Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page)
It climbs, it shimmers, and it leaves you breathless. Page’s solo is the emotional payoff to one of rock’s most mythical tracks.
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses (Slash)
Slash threads melody and muscle into a solo that elevates the whole song. It sings, it screams, and it still gives you goosebumps on the 100th listen.
These solos are more than just guitar parts—they’re time machines, soul punches, and pure musical poetry. And they prove one thing: sometimes, the solo is the song.
