Countless solos have been composed by great musicians in the genre, but there’s been serious competition when it comes to ranking the top 10 songs that have the greatest guitar solos ever recorded. This is because you can’t count all the great solos throughout the history of rock and roll.
These greatest guitar solos in contention are studio records. Here, you have the top 10 greatest guitar solos ever recorded
Sympathy For The Devil, 1975
The song itself is an amazing piece in different aspects: an amazing dance song and one of the best songs ever recorded. This amazing song is a feature of Keith Richards’ guitar solo. Mick Jagger was perfectly handling his part by singing from the devil’s perspective in every verse, he led the build-up for Keith Richards entrance.
The howling solo overtakes against the samba and percussion rhythm. Towards the end of this solo, he didn’t shred constantly. Instead, the solo power was emphasized by the spaces in-between every crunchy leak. This keeps you glued and focused on the next run.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps,1968
Aside from session musicians, The Beatles rarely included other artists on their records. The rare occasion came when George Harrison needed Eric Clapton, his friend, to hit the strings on the record “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” Eric Clapton didn’t agree to that offer because no one ever features on Beatles’ records. After some deliberations, he agreed and performed one of the legendary solos in the rock world.
The solo became a sensation because of the meaning behind it. The song serves as a commentary on the abundance of hate and human’s inability to love each other. The record was summarized perfectly in the line “the love there that’s sleeping.”
Clapton found the right song for the solo and he perfectly captured emotions. With every string vibration, his heart was poured out through the instrument. The song is one of the greatest guitar solos today, despite the feature of a non-Beatle.
Voodoo Child (Slight Return), 1972
The first few notes of this record would appeal to a non-guitar player that something is special in Jimi Hendrix’s guitar play. With the definition of a disorienting pattern of wah sounds produced by the wah-wah pedal. The wah-wah pedal was used by Frank Zappa before he introduced it to Jimi and Eric Clapton.
The effect was later popularized by Jimi. This record features Jimi’s custom feedback screech. This sound is produced whenever Jimi brings his guitar close to the amp. This guitar solo is one masterclass characterized by Jimi Hendrix’s various effects that have made him prominent in rock guitar history.
November Rain, 1991
The record could have ended as a usual rock-era power ballad, but the effects of Slash’s guitar solos have made it one of the greatest guitar songs. It sentimentally starts out with Slash two solos that produce mournful melodies and affects the listener. Two minutes before the song ends, Slash’s final solos came out as a triumphant juxtaposition, as against the sorrowful pour out of his guitar in the middle of the song.
The record ending is one epic reminder that better times are coming despite heartbreaks.
Crossroads, 1966
The guitar spin in this record is a classic from his catalog over the years. This spin is one of his trademark iconic solos and is one favorite for almost every fan. Eric solos are stronger and every fan wanted him to perform them live.
At the early stages of the record’s birth in 1966, Eric Clapton’s dominant riff complements the lay downbeat by Ginger Baker. Clapton’s dominance was felt throughout the song. He dances on the high strings, thereby delivering triplets and bends.
An impressive thing about this solo is that Clapton played offbeat. The solo isn’t on the right beat. He played on one and three instead of two and four.
Freebies, 1973
Freebird is an anthemic song from Lynyrd Skynyrd and is the band’s first release in 1973 this record is a top-20 hit. On a live stage, Gary Rossington and Allen Collins usually traded solos, here Collins’ guitar solo was birthed in the studio recording and the song became a bit after then. The song would later become significant after the lead singer of the band, Ronnie Van Zant, and others had a plane crash four years later.
All Along the Watch over, 1968
This record is Jimi Hendrix’s only song on the top 40 hits in the US. It is a song off his third and the last album called Electric Ladyland. Hendrix, a careful musician, went hard on his bandmates at a point and caused Noel Redding, a bassist, to walk out.
Hendrix would later record all of his solos separately, having different setups for each of them. It was reported that Jimi Hendrix played the slide guitar with a cigarette lighter.
Crossroads, 1968
This is one of Eric ClaptonRecords like “Crossroads” made fans and favorites scrawl the phrase ‘Clapton is God’ on walls when he and Cream were together. This record is from the double album in 1968 and the album is titled “Wheels of Fire.” It is a live recording that was done in San Francisco.
This record turned out as one of the best solos of Clapton, but he commented that the version on that particular record is not a great way of playing guitar. On this record, he also played on one and three instead of two and four.
The End, 1969
This one is from the Beatles and is one of the most complete songs with solos in a Beatle record. It was produced when their career was about ending. Probably, that’s why it is titled ‘The End.’ There are nine guitar solos on this record, with each lasting around two bars. McCartney, Lennon, and Harrison were all given three apiece, making it a reflection of their talent and personality.
McCartney and Harrison supplied eloquent expression with their solos, but something is striking from John Lennon’s final go. With brute energy, he forced it over the line, as he does always. The final solo depicts the final moments of recording from the Beatles.
Taxman, 1966
This song is also from the Beatles’ 1966 record revolver. It is Harrison’s first contribution to the band’s canon and it is a major one. He and McCartney exchanged positions on this record with the latter using his guitar and the former using his own. One of the band members later revealed that Harrison wrote the song in anger while McCartney played the guitar.
