Well, just for fun I've decided to make a list of my top 15 favorite guitar solos to see what everyone thinks. Obviously this is my opinion and nobody is going to agree with me 100% and I'm not about to say my picks are better than yours this is more just to get some feedback and maybe expose people to some awesome music and solos even if it isn't your personal favorite.
Some songs are very long and for those I will provide youtube links to both parts if necessary. I encourage you to listen to the songs if you aren't familiar with the song I've listed...maybe you'll find something you like. For the most part the links i provide will be my personal favorite performance of the song and they will usually but not always be live versions.
15) Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdlS7tab5rQ - Obviously the second solo is awesome but I've always been partial to that first solo but really take your pick because they are both AWESOME.
14) Poets of the Fall (performing as The Old Gods of Asgard) - Children of the Elder God http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwV0jMmvtt0 - Again, this is a "whole song" kind of guitar solo because the whole thing practically has a solo going the entire time but the end and middle solos are just incredible. (Alan wake is also and incredible game by the way)
13) Guns n Roses - Civil War http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9VhD4SccSE - Slash is such a great guitarist and it was hard to come up with a "best" solo by him with so many great ones to choose from but I think this is the best GnR song and I also think it has the best solo work in it as well. All the solos are really terrific (stay for the duration cuz it has 3) though the first one is my favorite.
12) Metallica - Blackened http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WUm7JWh2Ag - It's a shame I am forced to put the studio version of this song on here because poor Kirk Hammett could never really make this version of the solo work in a live setting. In fact today he plays a completely different solo than this live (I've seen it) and while it is still and AWESOME solo it doesn't really compare to the studio one.
11) Metallica - Ride the Lightning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Be33jbk-4 - You really thought I could only put one Metallica song on my list? This performance was from 2009 in Philadelphia which happens to be my favorite performance of the song but any way you slice it, this solo is outstanding. (why does Kirk Hammett play such ugly guitars?)
10) Phish - Run Like an Antelope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JBmkdBp2o0 and part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys06suVBHkg - This really deserves a listen. Yes I know it's a shame that it's split but it's the only copy of this date I could find with good audio on youtube. I may be partial because I was at this show but I've heard a lot of "Run Like an Antelope" and this one still is my favorite. The solo (which is basically the whole song) just builds and builds so great until its conclusion. Really great stuff.
9) Megadeth - Holy Wars...Punishment Due http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GUL1CtarE0 - There are tons of solos in this song but I'm obviously talking about the one that starts at about 5:26 into the video. I mean really...so awesome. This is also *spoiler alert* the last "metal" solo on my list (since I realize until now it has been a pretty metal heavy list). Which means yes, I think the "Holy Wars" solo is the best metal solo ever.
8) Grateful Dead - Stella Blue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kuaTL7G4B4 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwj_nf-E8-M - Unfortunately this is the only song that I couldn't find the exact performance I wanted on youtube so I have offered a few approximations. The one I was looking for is a live performance from 1990 off of the "Dozin at the Knick" album if anyone cares to look that one up somewhere but I can't find it on youtube. The end solo is one of the most delicate and beautiful solos ever. Played only as Jerry can.
7) Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWLw7nozO_U - Wow. This performance, song, and solo are all so great. Stevie Ray sure knows how to play them. The whole thing is basically one big long solo so...just amazing.
6) Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK92W2RzbjE - Ignore the kinda dumb video accompanying this song. This is off of the Band of Gypsies album and is a live version. Just a phenomenal solo.
5) Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZYG5qwHHI - I mean, this happens to be the version from the live CD/DVD "Pulse" but every "Comfortably Numb" is a masterpiece. David Gilmour is just a master at his craft. So clean, precise, and emotive.
4) Pink Floyd - Pigs (Three Different Ones) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCM-dDQSM8g - This song and the solos therein have just so much bite and expression. Honestly I can't pick which solo I like best in this song so we're just gonna go with "all of them" or you can choose yours if you can. Again, David Gilmour is just such a great solo composer and performer there was no way he could only be on once...
3) Frank Zappa - Muffin Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFIMWRXWY90 - When Frank stopped messing around and picked up that guitar this is the kind of stuff that came out. Way ahead of his time in terms of his playing and style. That final solo with Frank on guitar is just off the charts.
2) CCR - Heard it Through the Grape Vine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA - One of the most epic solos ever captured in the studio. That end solo just starts and then never lets up. This solo is incredible but it also features one of my favorite bass lines, drum tracks, and singing ever as well. Just a great song.
1) Neil Young - Down by the River http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqGdhUnotFw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRetLFyBdMQ - Now when you load up the video and wonder what business that homeless grandpa on stage has being my number one pick for the best guitar solo ever just give it a chance and I don't think you'll be disappointed. This particular version from Hard Rock Calling in 2009 is just SO great. I can't even really describe it. It's not so much complicated or impressive as it is just POWERFUL. I mean that man absolutely wails on that guitar and gets things to come out of it that just can't be matched.
Well there it is, I hope someone enjoyed some (or all) of these songs. Let me know what you think of my list and feel free to post your own lists as well as I'd love to see what I'm missing!
Some songs are very long and for those I will provide youtube links to both parts if necessary. I encourage you to listen to the songs if you aren't familiar with the song I've listed...maybe you'll find something you like. For the most part the links i provide will be my personal favorite performance of the song and they will usually but not always be live versions.
15) Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdlS7tab5rQ - Obviously the second solo is awesome but I've always been partial to that first solo but really take your pick because they are both AWESOME.
14) Poets of the Fall (performing as The Old Gods of Asgard) - Children of the Elder God http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwV0jMmvtt0 - Again, this is a "whole song" kind of guitar solo because the whole thing practically has a solo going the entire time but the end and middle solos are just incredible. (Alan wake is also and incredible game by the way)
13) Guns n Roses - Civil War http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9VhD4SccSE - Slash is such a great guitarist and it was hard to come up with a "best" solo by him with so many great ones to choose from but I think this is the best GnR song and I also think it has the best solo work in it as well. All the solos are really terrific (stay for the duration cuz it has 3) though the first one is my favorite.
12) Metallica - Blackened http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WUm7JWh2Ag - It's a shame I am forced to put the studio version of this song on here because poor Kirk Hammett could never really make this version of the solo work in a live setting. In fact today he plays a completely different solo than this live (I've seen it) and while it is still and AWESOME solo it doesn't really compare to the studio one.
11) Metallica - Ride the Lightning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Be33jbk-4 - You really thought I could only put one Metallica song on my list? This performance was from 2009 in Philadelphia which happens to be my favorite performance of the song but any way you slice it, this solo is outstanding. (why does Kirk Hammett play such ugly guitars?)
10) Phish - Run Like an Antelope http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JBmkdBp2o0 and part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys06suVBHkg - This really deserves a listen. Yes I know it's a shame that it's split but it's the only copy of this date I could find with good audio on youtube. I may be partial because I was at this show but I've heard a lot of "Run Like an Antelope" and this one still is my favorite. The solo (which is basically the whole song) just builds and builds so great until its conclusion. Really great stuff.
9) Megadeth - Holy Wars...Punishment Due http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GUL1CtarE0 - There are tons of solos in this song but I'm obviously talking about the one that starts at about 5:26 into the video. I mean really...so awesome. This is also *spoiler alert* the last "metal" solo on my list (since I realize until now it has been a pretty metal heavy list). Which means yes, I think the "Holy Wars" solo is the best metal solo ever.
8) Grateful Dead - Stella Blue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kuaTL7G4B4 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwj_nf-E8-M - Unfortunately this is the only song that I couldn't find the exact performance I wanted on youtube so I have offered a few approximations. The one I was looking for is a live performance from 1990 off of the "Dozin at the Knick" album if anyone cares to look that one up somewhere but I can't find it on youtube. The end solo is one of the most delicate and beautiful solos ever. Played only as Jerry can.
7) Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWLw7nozO_U - Wow. This performance, song, and solo are all so great. Stevie Ray sure knows how to play them. The whole thing is basically one big long solo so...just amazing.
6) Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK92W2RzbjE - Ignore the kinda dumb video accompanying this song. This is off of the Band of Gypsies album and is a live version. Just a phenomenal solo.
5) Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZYG5qwHHI - I mean, this happens to be the version from the live CD/DVD "Pulse" but every "Comfortably Numb" is a masterpiece. David Gilmour is just a master at his craft. So clean, precise, and emotive.
4) Pink Floyd - Pigs (Three Different Ones) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCM-dDQSM8g - This song and the solos therein have just so much bite and expression. Honestly I can't pick which solo I like best in this song so we're just gonna go with "all of them" or you can choose yours if you can. Again, David Gilmour is just such a great solo composer and performer there was no way he could only be on once...
3) Frank Zappa - Muffin Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFIMWRXWY90 - When Frank stopped messing around and picked up that guitar this is the kind of stuff that came out. Way ahead of his time in terms of his playing and style. That final solo with Frank on guitar is just off the charts.
2) CCR - Heard it Through the Grape Vine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93S_l0qZrXA - One of the most epic solos ever captured in the studio. That end solo just starts and then never lets up. This solo is incredible but it also features one of my favorite bass lines, drum tracks, and singing ever as well. Just a great song.
1) Neil Young - Down by the River http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqGdhUnotFw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRetLFyBdMQ - Now when you load up the video and wonder what business that homeless grandpa on stage has being my number one pick for the best guitar solo ever just give it a chance and I don't think you'll be disappointed. This particular version from Hard Rock Calling in 2009 is just SO great. I can't even really describe it. It's not so much complicated or impressive as it is just POWERFUL. I mean that man absolutely wails on that guitar and gets things to come out of it that just can't be matched.
Well there it is, I hope someone enjoyed some (or all) of these songs. Let me know what you think of my list and feel free to post your own lists as well as I'd love to see what I'm missing!