Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1978

The 20 greatest guitar solos released in 1978, ranked: solos our consensus of published lists rates highest come first, then our genre and artist rankings, with no more than three per artist. Led by Eruption by Van Halen, Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits and Beyond the Realms of Death by Judas Priest.

1. 1
   Eruption

   Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1978
2. 2
   Sultans of Swing

   Dire Straits · solo by Mark Knopfler · 1978
3. 3
   Beyond the Realms of Death

   Judas Priest · solo by Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing · 1978
4. 4
   La Villa Strangiato

   Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1978
5. 5
   Parisienne Walkways

   Gary Moore · solo by Gary Moore · 1978
6. 6
   Another Girl Another Planet

   The Only Ones · solo by John Perry · 1978
7. 7
   Ice Cream Man

   Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1978
8. 8
   Brother to Brother

   Gino Vannelli · solo by Carlos Rios · 1978
9. 9
   Shadow Play

   Rory Gallagher · solo by Rory Gallagher · 1978
10. 10
    Gates of Babylon

    Rainbow · solo by Ritchie Blackmore · 1978
11. 11
    Just What I Needed

    The Cars · solo by Elliot Easton · 1978
12. 12
    Hold the Line

    Toto · solo by Steve Lukather · 1978
13. 13
    Need Your Love

    Cheap Trick · solo by Rick Nielsen · 1978
14. 14
    Kill the King

    Rainbow · solo by Ritchie Blackmore · 1978
15. 15
    So Lonely

    The Police · solo by Andy Summers · 1978
16. 16
    Renegade

    Styx · solo by Tommy Shaw & James Young · 1978
17. 17
    Surrender

    Cheap Trick · solo by Rick Nielsen · 1978
18. 18
    Room 335

    Larry Carlton · solo by Larry Carlton · 1978
19. 19
    Fire on the Mountain

    Grateful Dead · solo by Jerry Garcia · 1978
20. 20
    Teenage Kicks

    The Undertones · solo by John O'Neill, Damian O'Neill · 1978