Well, there's thousands of rock songs and even other genres that have guitar solos. You've heard some, I know some have heard many.

What is your all time favourite solo or solos since for the hardcore rockers out there it's cruel to force them to choose only 1, "Song name and band name" should be mentioned.

Excluding Stairway to Heaven, don't mention it, it's too awesome for this thread.

Me, I'd have to pick The Guitar solo from "Child In Time" By Deep Purple. Ritchie Blackmore really portrays something epic in it.

So. Your turn.

i don't much like stairway to heaven

it's an alright song but it's not even the best on led zeppelin iv, let alone The Most Amazing song Ever Ever

I prefer When The Levee breaks from that album, but I got to admit, the solo on stairway is very good and well known. Just gives a potential for more variety on the list of songs to come here instead of 50 odd people saying "stairway".

I think that I'd have to pick something by David Gilmour, but choosing just one...
I'm going to go with Shine on You Crazy Diamond, part 1 from Wish You Were Here

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses. It may not be the most amazing solo of all time, but it really rips right through you.

Iron Maiden's Powerslave has a brilliant guitar solo.
Judas Priest's Beyond The Realms Of Death is also notable.

Rage Against the Machine - Freedom

It's a slow solo, and probly not their best, but I like the simplisticness of it.

Metallica - Unforgiven II also has a good solo.

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing (the version they did with Eric Clapton at Wembley in 1988).

I'd have to go with Manticora's When Forever Ends, since it's one of the few ones that has stuck with me and still makes me go "hell yeah" just thinking about it. I'm just not much of a guitar - let alone guitar solo - guy, I guess.

Whipping Post (At Filmore East incarnation) - Allman Brothers Band

also: Willie the Pimp - Frank Zappa

The solo in 'Serenity Painted Death' by Opeth is always one that makes me think 'Wow' when I ever I hear it.

Either that or the one in this song. (http://hem.bredband.net/frisun/Sorskogen_-_Mordet_i_Grottan.mp3)

The guitar solos in Avenged Sevenfold's Betrayed are by far my favorite.

neutral milk hotel's "king of carrot flowers pt 1"

Although it's not a single solo, i love Mark Knopfler's playing in Brothers in Arms. Same goes for Hendrix's version of All Along the Watchtower.
And although i think Stairway is great as a song i actually prefer the solos in Heartbreaker and Whole Lot of Love.

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow - Stargazer

Blackmore once again entrances with his work in this song.

Although it's not a single solo, i love Mark Knopfler's playing in Brothers in Arms.

I like your taste. And the same goes for Tunnel of Love, imo.

Ye i think Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitarists ever.The last solo in Sultans of Swing is great(as is the whole song) but i'll have to check out the version in Wembley a la Clapton.

Steve Vai - For The Love of God

Kirk Hammet's solo in Fade To Black, absolutely jaw dropping.

Hmmm:

Solos in:
Blackened by Metallica
The Wicked End by Avenged Sevenfold
Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden

Judas Priest - Painkiller
Cannibal Corpse - Confessions (Possessed Cover)
Pantera - Cemetary Gates

Van Halen's "Eruption," anyone?

DIO- Lock Up The Wolves

Anything Steve Vai is going to have an awesome solo.

John petrucci and Yngwie Malmsteen are to other guitarists who can really solo.

John petrucci and Yngwie Malmsteen are just annoying.

but this question is easy. the best solo ever is the one that comes around 43 minutes out in Green Carnation's "Light of Day, Day of Darkness"

Sepultura - Manifest

You can really hear the mourning for all of the victims of Carandiru coming through Andreas' fingertips, and it makes you mourn the victims of the massacre yourself.

The Moldy Peaches - Nothing Came Out

and

The White Stripes - Black Math

8)

Black Mages - Maybe I'm a Lion

EDIT: Stairway to Heaven solo is also awsome

I love the solo in Fade to Black, basically everything from "Death greets me warm, now I will just say goodbye" is love.
Not sure if it counts as a solo, but the opening riff (lol, it's not a solo, okay) of Thunderstruck (AC/DC) is good too

neutral milk hotel's "king of carrot flowers pt 1"

Sarcasm much?

Probably... a three-way toss-up.

Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes
It's not the greatest solo ever, but good lord, the phrasing makes it awesome. It just rocks right along with the rest of the song.

The Allman Bros. Band - Blue Sky
Mmmph. So good. Alternatively, pick anything Duane's played on, and I can probably run with that too.

Robben Ford - Tee Time For Eric
Best. And bloody hard to play, but fun. I love this song and I love this solo. It's about the only instance of "playing a zillion notes at once" that actually sounds good to me. XD

Sarcasm much?

however did you tell?

Not fair.

Led Zep - Achiles Last Stand
Black Sabbath - Snow Blind, (almost anything of Masters of Reality)
Shadows Fall - Stepping Outside the Circle
Metallica - Blackend
Arch Enemy - Blood On Your Hands
Dio - Rainbow in the Dark (Love shreddin on that)
Deep Purple - Highway Star
Iron Maiden - Where Eagles Dare

Those are some of my favorite solos i can think of off the top of my head.

The best solo ever has to be the guitar solo in the performance of No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley and the Wailers on the Legend CD. I don't know which concert it's from, but it is definitely the best guitar solo in the entire world, possibly the universe. Shortly behind is everything by Hendrix, then George Harrison, and then the rest.

Wow. Opinions are certainly interesting.

oh, on a serious note, maggot brain's pretty decent

It's no There's a Riot Goin' On.

Two of my three are already mentioned... Shine on You Crazy Diamond (pt1) and Sweet Child O' Mine (which I didn't realize was so great until I played it on GH2)

Yet the third I didn't see... Return To Serenity from TestAmenT... Every part of that song is incredible!

Dragonforce - Operation Ground and Pound

No one has mentioned Tornado of Souls by Megadeth; so I will. Also, Randy Rhoads' leads on Revelation (Mother Earth) and Mr. Crowley are pretty fucking stellar, however, it's impossible for me to choose a favoUrite.

How about some more "awesome" classics? (E-guitar is recommended)

Santana - Samba Pa Ti
The Eagles - Hotel California

And this is one of my favs while playing unplugged guitar:

3 Doors Down - Landing in London (Finger picking is recommended)

the beatles - taxman

the beatles - yer blues

As far as classics go...

Metallica - Blackened
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
The Outlaws - Green Grass & High Tides

And now...

Dream Theater - In the Name of God
Megadeth - Hanger 18
Dream Theater - Scarred

I like Jimmy Page's solos, but not the live versions everyone raves about - he was too high to make sense of anything and was incredibly sloppy. LOL I BLASPHEMED. None are my favorite though.

Anyway, some favorites:

Racer X - Scarified

Racer X - Technical Difficulties

Pink Floyd - Time

Joe Satriani - Made of Tears

Steve Vai - Bad Horsie

Bumblefoot - Guitars Suck

Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Little Wing

Paul Gilbert - Curse of Castle Dragon

Paul Gilbert - Get Out of My Yard

Pantera - Floods

Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons (Petrucci's really melodic one)

Ozzy Osbourne (Randy Rhoads) - Mr. Crowley

Ozzy Osbourne (Zakk Wylde) - Devil's Daughter

Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Alice in Chains - Them Bones

Kreator - The Ancient Plague (end solo, only good part of the song)

Necrophagist - Symbiotic in Theory

Van Halen - Spanish Fly

Cannae - Rats Snakes and Thieves

At the Gates - Cold

Slayer - War Ensemble (King)

Metallica has a shit load of great ones, and since they inspired me more so than anything early on I'll do my favorites by album:

Kill Em All - The Four Horsemen (1st), Jump in the Fire (2nd)
Ride The Lightning - Ride The Lightning, Creeping Death
Master of Puppets - Disposable Heroes, Orion (4th - bass)
...And Justice For All - Eye of the Beholder, Frayed Ends of Sanity, Dyers Eve
Metallica - The God That Failed, Nothing Else Matters (Hetfield)
Load - Bleeding Me, The Outlaw Torn
Re-Load - Devil's Dance, Carpe Diem Baby (Hetfield)

Megadeth:

Wake Up Dead - Mustaine's end solo
Hangar 18 - Friedman's solos
Tornado of Souls
Ashes In Your Mouth - Friedman's solos

I like Rage Against the Machine and Meshuggah's unique takes on guitar solos but none of them in particular stand out as the quintessential example

Urgh I know there's more but I'm tired of thinking about it right now :O

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Little Wing

Man, also don't forget Vaughn's version of Voodoo Chile! <3

Judas Priest - Painkiller
Cannibal Corpse - Confessions (Possessed Cover)
Pantera - Cemetary Gates

definately cemetary gates.
most the pantera ones are awesome

the end of the songs War amd Ea, Lord of the deep by Burzum have awesome solos too.

dang, scarified. now that's a guitar solo and a half.

I think anything that Criss Oliva did was godly. R.I.P. 1963-1993.

The Beatles-And Your Bird Can Sing! It's so good! I get a warm feeling whenever I listen to it. It's such a nice song.

Urgh I know there's more but I'm tired of thinking about it right now :O

You're kidding, right? That's what I call awesome out work. :D

But now, how about some rare none-english samples?

Rockhaus - Gefuehle (Emotions)

This song was made in the middle of the 80s, from an eastern german band
named Rockhaus. Probably on a good way to the top before the wall
was falling. I think nobody knows them, so give it a try.

http://rapidshare.com/files/71818598/Rockhaus1.rar

Why has no-one mentioned John Frusciante yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjqoPl6NjP0 this outro is incredible and you're a bag of dicks if you disagree

EDIT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4sIQn9ojXE while we're at it, theres this outro too... fantastic improv in both

A joke, right?

Why would I be? Frusciante is one of the best guitarists out there

He's a good guitar player, but the best solo? Eh . . .

Rainbow - Man On The Silver Mountain

definitely on my list of favourites.
best? nah.

Hmm I would say top three:

1: Dave Mustaine in A Tout Le Monde, the original of course.

2: I don't know who it is but, Dio, Don't Talk to Strangers

3: Cronos in Dancing in the Fire.

Al Pitrelli and Criss Oliva. Sure they were from the same band, but at different times.

Hmm I would say top three:

1: Dave Mustaine in A Tout Le Monde, the original of course.

2: I don't know who it is but, Dio, Don't Talk to Strangers

3: Cronos in Dancing in the Fire.


Vivian Campbell was DIO's guitarist for the first 3 albums. He plays In Def Leppard now.

Slash and Eddie Van Halen on any song.

The old combination of Mustaine and Friedman were party to many great songs/leads.

Ya know why I don't like Dave Mustaine anymore? Because he said Al Pitrelli was a dick. No sir, YOU are the dick.

Dave Mustaine was always an asshole. I like his lead style though and also feel he writes good rhythms. Mustaine/Friedman made for a good lead combo. He isn't nearly the lead guitar player that Friedman is, but they were a good contrast.

Ok, I will give them that. But yeah, he has always been an asshole, and I can't fathom why. There is no reason to be such a dumb ass, so why try?

Probably because he's been treated with asshole-ery in the past it's transcended him into one himself either that or drinking with Lar$ Ulrich for so many years has warped his fragile mind, whoopee I dunno!

Haha, poor Dave. But, he's STILL an asshole.

He's a good guitar player, but the best solo? Eh . . .

No wait, I didn't saythey were the best solos ever, he's done loads off the cuff which are to that quality, I'm just saying they're incredible. I'd imagine the best solo of his on album which is a contender would be the solo in I Could've Lied. But I love John's use of wah/overdrive combo on a lot of his solos.

No wait, I didn't saythey were the best solos ever, he's done loads off the cuff which are to that quality, I'm just saying they're incredible. I'd imagine the best solo of his on album which is a contender would be the solo in I Could've Lied. But I love John's use of wah/overdrive combo on a lot of his solos.
. . . different strokes, I guess.

Which is certainly possible when it comes to music : |

Dethlok has some pretty good ones and l LOVE SLASH

Ok, I will give them that. But yeah, he has always been an asshole, and I can't fathom why. There is no reason to be such a dumb ass, so why try?

Never mind! I think every "Guitarero" must be a tiny
weeny bit ASSHOLE to get his great solo.

Think back to the roots of Hard Rock! Ritchie Blackmore and
Jon Lord, the genial heads of Deep Purple, are wonderful examples
for the great power of head-to-head-ego-fighting
backstage and onstage too.

At the end of the day counts nothing but the result / easy

Never mind! I think every "Guitarero" must be a tiny
weeny bit ASSHOLE to get his great solo.

Think back to the roots of Hard Rock! Ritchie Blackmore and
Jon Lord, the genial heads of Deep Purple, are wonderful examples
for the great power of head-to-head-ego-fighting
backstage and onstage too.

At the end of the day counts nothing but the result / easy


Blackmore was the true asshole, and he knew that.
He threatened each DP member on stage countless times, he kicked a cameraman out cold, broke his camera, set the stage alight, blew up 2 amps and just walked off.

And yet I'm still a Blackmore fan because of Blackmore's Night, the Candace Night-Richie Blackmore renaissance thing he and she are doing now. Plus, she's fucking HOT as fuck! Oh, and they're married.

And yet I'm still a Blackmore fan because of Blackmore's Night, the Candace Night-Richie Blackmore renaissance thing he and she are doing now. Plus, she's fucking HOT as fuck! Oh, and they're married.

I Know, :'(
Still she is hot and sometimes she CAN sing, just keep her off the DP and Rainbow stuff, it's not like she can measure up to Gillan and Dio, but hey it's a treat, now if they did stargazer or something THAT would be something.

I preferred Blackmore in his Rainbow days, awesome band.

When I first saw her I was like, holy shit.

Well practically this entire song is a solo, but I really like the solo in "27 Needles" by John 5

You guys have good taste in music.

"Slave to the Dark" by Iced Earth
"The Ripper" by Judas Priest (kind of a mini solo)
"Unholy Warcry" by Rhapsody
"Highway Star" by Deep Purple

EDIT: @KALMAH: I'm actually learning "Defeat" by Kalmah right now. Got most of the riffs down but currently do not have the ambition to learn the solo.

Sweet Child O' Mine's solo may not be the best by any means, but it's fucking magical and one of the most memorable, in my opinion.

Sweet Child O' Mine was great.
hm...hard to choose.

I would say Micheal Angelo Batio's - "No Boundaries"
Joe Satriani's - Surfing with the Alien" and "Crushing Day"
Alexi Laiho - "Passage to the Reaper"
Brian May - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Slash - "November Rain"
Yngwie Malsteem - "Black Star"
Randy Rhoads - "Mr.Crowley"
The Byrds - "Eight Miles High"

Black Sabbath - The Warning

Van Halen's "Eruption," anyone?

SANTANA - The man Rocks

okay this is very short but it gets me every time its gota be
Fleetwood mac The Chain.

Eruption is cool, but it pretty much sums up Eddies Skill, he didnt really do a whole lot after Van Halen 1.

and whoever said Yngwie & Petrucci are annoying, fuck you.

I thought of some more solo's

1. Revelation Mother Earth - Randy Rhoads
2. Miracle Man - Zakk Wylde
3. As I am - Dream Theater (Petrucci)
4. Tibet - Marty Friedman
5. What the Hell have I? - Jerry Cantrell
6. The Riddler of Steel - Marc Rizzo
& anything by Kiko Louriero

Revelation Mother Earth - Randy Rhoads
Correct, sir.

The mother of all guitar solos !

Album: Hear 'n Aid
Song: Stars
Guitarists: Vivian Campbell (Dio), Brad Gills (Night Ranger), Chris Holmes (WASP), Yngwie Malmsteen, Mick Mars (Motley Crue), Dave Murray (Iron Maiden), Ted Nugent, Rudy Sarzo (Dio), Neal Schon (Journey), Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

Inspired by Tomaso Albinoni's Adagio.

Album: Rising Force
Song: Icarus Dream Suite
Guitarist: Yngwie Malmsteen

Transylvania Boogie - Zappa

Heathen - Hypnotized (that solo section rapes everything in the world collectively, then impregnates everyone's mothers)

Testament - Alone In The Dark

Agent Steel - Unstoppable Force

Death - Lack Of Comprehension

Those few come to mind, at the moment. I have too many favorites to be picking them out right now.

George Benson: Clockwise
Wes Montgomery: Full House, No Blues
Pat Metheny: Have You Heard (hollow body electric guitar), Are You Going With Me? (guitar synth), To the End of the World (guitar synth) Solar, Question & Answer (guitar synth) Above The Treetops (nylon string acoustic guitar), Back Arm and Black Charge (fretless guitar), A Story Within a Story (hollow body electric guitar) The Red One (solid body electric/guitar synth) Into the Dream (42 string Pikasso guitar)