The 25 Greatest Glam Guitar Solos

Glam covers two waves here: the 1970s British glam of Bowie, Queen and Roxy Music, and the 1980s glam metal scene that treated the solo as a showpiece. Fewer glam songs appear on general solo lists, so the lower half leans on canonical tracks where the lead guitar is central.

Informed by: Bombay Lives (Substack) – 100 Greatest Guitar Solos, Classic Rock (Louder) – The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock, Digital Dream Door – 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos, Magazyn Gitarzysta – 100 solówek wszech czasów [100 solos of all time], guitarguitar – Top 50 Guitar Solos of All Time, Guitar Solo Legends – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026), Guitar Tricks – 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time, Guitar World – The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time, Guitar World – The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far, Music in Minnesota – 38 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time, Rolling Stone – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time, Thomann – 25 Iconic Guitar Solos, uDiscover Music – The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: 108 Amazing Moments

1. 1
   Moonage Daydream

   David Bowie · solo by Mick Ronson · 1972
2. 2
   Killer Queen

   Queen · solo by Brian May · 1974
3. 3
   Baby's on Fire

   Brian Eno · solo by Robert Fripp · 1974
4. 4
   The Width of a Circle

   David Bowie · solo by Mick Ronson · 1970
5. 5
   I Believe In A Thing Called Love

   The Darkness · solo by Dan Hawkins & Justin Hawkins · 2003
6. 6
   Now I'm Here

   Queen · solo by Brian May · 1974
7. 7
   Kickstart My Heart

   Mötley Crüe · solo by Mick Mars · 1989
8. 8
   Still of the Night

   Whitesnake · solo by John Sykes · 1987
9. 9
   Shyboy

   David Lee Roth · solo by Steve Vai · 1986
10. 10
    Crying to the Sky

    Be-Bop Deluxe · solo by Bill Nelson · 1976
11. 11
    Wait

    White Lion · solo by Vito Bratta · 1987
12. 12
    Tooth and Nail

    Dokken · solo by George Lynch · 1984
13. 13
    Turn Up the Radio

    Autograph · solo by Steve Lynch · 1984
14. 14
    The Final Countdown

    Europe · solo by John Norum · 1986
15. 15
    Personality Crisis

    New York Dolls · solo by Johnny Thunders · 1973
16. 16
    Seventeen

    Winger · solo by Reb Beach · 1988
17. 17
    Round and Round

    Ratt · solo by Warren DeMartini · 1984
18. 18
    Valley of the Kings

    Blue Murder · solo by John Sykes · 1989
19. 19
    Dark Light

    Kiss · solo by Ace Frehley · 1981
20. 20
    Goin' Crazy!

    David Lee Roth · solo by Steve Vai · 1986
21. 21
    Get It On

    T. Rex · solo by Marc Bolan · 1971
22. 22
    Talk Dirty to Me

    Poison · solo by C.C. DeVille · 1986
23. 23
    Editions of You

    Roxy Music · solo by Phil Manzanera · 1973
24. 24
    Photograph

    Def Leppard · solo by Phil Collen & Steve Clark · 1983
25. 25
    All the Way from Memphis

    Mott the Hoople · solo by Mick Ralphs · 1973