# Guitar Solos That Give You Chills

> Guitar Solos That Give You Chills: #1 is While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Prince, then Star Spangled Banner and Machine Gun. Every video starts at the solo.

Canonical URL: <https://greatestsolos.com/list/guitar-solos-that-give-you-chills/>

You know the moment: the hair on your arms stands up before you can think about why. These are the goosebump solos. Hendrix turns the national anthem into feedback at Woodstock, Prince steals the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison, Mike McCready takes Alive into the sky, and Gilmour's slow entrance on Shine On You Crazy Diamond is here too. Hit play, and each video starts at the solo.

1. [While My Guitar Gently Weeps](https://greatestsolos.com/song/prince-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/) — Prince · solo by Prince · 2004
2. [Star Spangled Banner](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-star-spangled-banner/) — Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1969
3. [Machine Gun](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-machine-gun/) — Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1970
4. [Hotel California](https://greatestsolos.com/song/eagles-hotel-california/) — Eagles · solo by Don Felder & Joe Walsh · 1976
5. [Layla](https://greatestsolos.com/song/derek-and-the-dominos-layla/) — Derek and the Dominos · solo by Eric Clapton & Duane Allman · 1970
6. [Alive](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pearl-jam-alive/) — Pearl Jam · solo by Mike McCready · 1991
7. [Sultans of Swing](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dire-straits-sultans-of-swing/) — Dire Straits · solo by Mark Knopfler · 1978
8. [Marquee Moon](https://greatestsolos.com/song/television-marquee-moon/) — Television · solo by Tom Verlaine · 1977
9. [Cliffs of Dover](https://greatestsolos.com/song/eric-johnson-cliffs-of-dover/) — Eric Johnson · solo by Eric Johnson · 1990
10. [For the Love of God](https://greatestsolos.com/song/steve-vai-for-the-love-of-god/) — Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1990
11. [Shine On You Crazy Diamond](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-shine-on-you-crazy-diamond/) — Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1975
12. [Like A Hurricane](https://greatestsolos.com/song/neil-young-like-a-hurricane/) — Neil Young · solo by Neil Young · 1977
13. [Southern Man](https://greatestsolos.com/song/neil-young-southern-man/) — Neil Young · solo by Neil Young · 1970
14. [Mr. Crowley](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ozzy-osbourne-mr-crowley/) — Ozzy Osbourne · solo by Randy Rhoads · 1980
15. [Time](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-time/) — Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1973
16. [Child in Time](https://greatestsolos.com/song/deep-purple-child-in-time/) — Deep Purple · solo by Ritchie Blackmore · 1970
17. [Achilles Last Stand](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-achilles-last-stand/) — Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1976
18. [Hallowed Be Thy Name](https://greatestsolos.com/song/iron-maiden-hallowed-be-thy-name/) — Iron Maiden · solo by Dave Murray, Adrian Smith · 1982

## Quick answers

### Why do some guitar solos give you chills?

The chills response, sometimes called frisson, is often linked to surprise and a build in tension: a sudden jump in volume or register, a held note, or a change of harmony. Many of the solos here work that way, rising to a peak rather than staying at one level.

### Which guitar solo gives the most chills?

There's no single answer. Hendrix's Star-Spangled Banner, Prince's solo at the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison, and Hotel California's twin-guitar outro are named constantly. Put two against each other on our matchups page and vote.

### What was Prince's famous While My Guitar Gently Weeps performance?

At the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction of George Harrison, Prince joined Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison and others for the song, then took over the ending with an extended solo.

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