Top 10 Guitar Solos Of All Time
Top 10 Guitar Solos Of All Time
Welcome to WatchMojoUK, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable lightning-lead guitar performances for British Bands!
#10: Dave Murray and Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden “Powerslave”
Why don’t we open with something HEAVY? Iron Maiden's guitar duo delivers a masterpiece of melodic metal with this epic solo from their 1984 album. Murray and Smith weave together intricate harmonies that showcase their telepathic musical connection, creating layers of melody that build upon each other like a sort of musical conversation. The solo also perfectly captures the ancient Egyptian atmosphere of the song while maintaining the driving energy that Iron Maiden is famous for. While there are many Iron Maiden tracks that boast impressive guitar solos, for us, Powerslave takes the crown.
#9: Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil”
The music of The Rolling Stones has never been one that hung its hat creatively upon lead guitar flash. Instead, this short-but-sweet solo by Keith Richards for the Stones’ song “Sympathy for the Devil” utilizes a call-and-response technique to bounce in between the “woo-woo” backing vocals. The lead guitar here takes stutter-steps in between those voices, skittering across the section with a memorable melody that’s simultaneously loose and spontaneous. There’s a sensibility behind Keef’s performance that almost feels like it's going to become unhinged, but the solo ultimately becomes one of “Sympathy for the Devil’s” most noteworthy aspects.
#8: KK Downing and Glenn Tipton from Judas Priest “Freewheel Burning”
The opening track from Judas Priest's "Defenders of the Faith" album features a guitar solo that's pure molten metal. This duo unleash a blistering assault of perfectly synchronized riffs and lightning-fast runs that capture the raw essence of heavy metal at its most aggressive. The solo showcases the legendary twin-guitar sound that Judas Priest pioneered, with both guitarists trading licks and building upon each other's ideas in a display of musical chemistry that few bands have ever matched. The precision and power displayed here influenced an entire generation of metal guitarists and helped establish the template for modern heavy metal guitar playing.
#7: Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” It’s perhaps the most well-known Black Sabbath song of all time, but that doesn’t nullify the impact “Paranoid” had back when it was released in 1970. Tony Iommi has always been something of an underrated lead guitar player, thanks to so much critical attention being placed upon the man’s monolithic riffage. However, both “Paranoid” and “Die Young” from 1980 showcase a player adept at combining subtle melodic phrasings with immense power. Of course, it helps that the main riff to “Paranoid” is so immediately catchy and iconic, but Iommi still manages to lay some delicious icing on this musical cake via a solo that’s brief but impactful in all the right places.
#6: Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” By 1997, many rock fans saw Radiohead as a byword for depression, and while that may be the case for some of their tracks, “Paranoid Android” poked fun at the idea with a reference to a character from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Recorded at Jane Seymour's ancient English mansion and influenced on a spiritual level by the Beatles' “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” Queen, and the Pixies, this mini-epic sees Jonny Greenwood torture a poor, unsuspecting Telecaster into giving two solos worth of fuzzy, distorted beauty.
#5: Eric Clapton from Cream’s “Crossroads” As one of the greatest guitarists of all time, it’s no surprise Clapton’s got a number of signature solos to his name. While he and Duane Allman made history with “Layla”’s signature sound, it’s with Cream’s “Crossroads” solo that he really nails it. In fact, this hard-rock arrangement of Robert Johnson’s original blues tune is so good we think Slowhand may have signed a deal with the Devil too.
#4: Randy Rhoads for Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mr. Crowley” We turn this time to an American, Randy Rhoads, who exploded into the heavy metal universe after giving Ozzy Osbourne’s music a new lease on life. And while “Crazy Train” off Blizzard of Ozz features one of the genre’s most iconic riffs, it’s actually that album’s second single that captures Rhoads’ guitar skills best. “Mr. Crowley” contains not one, not two, but three standout guitar moments; but the masterpiece’s climax is the outro solo.
#3: Brian May from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” With Freddie Mercury’s theatrical vocals and lively stage presence and May’s virtuoso guitar abilities, Queen scored big overseas thanks to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Featuring elements of hard rock, balladry, and opera, its unconventional style initially baffled critics. But today, it’s one of the Brits’ most popular songs. It’s in this melodic, chorus-less tune that May played one of the most incredible axe solos ever – and the song wouldn’t be the same without it.
#2: David Gilmour from Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” Though “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is sometimes cited, it’s with The Wall’s third single that Pink Floyd ensured fans weren’t “comfortably numb” to their music. They may’ve been known for introspective lyrics and effects-heavy, extravagant shows, but their sound wouldn’t be the same without Gilmour. His evocative, blues-inspired guitar on “Comfortably Numb”’s two solos, especially the final one, helped solidify the band’s popularity and success.