The 25 Greatest Prog Guitar Solos

Progressive rock gives guitarists long songs and room to stretch, and its best solos favour melody and tone over flash. Pink Floyd, Rush, Genesis, Yes and Dream Theater dominate; the order comes from how often each track appears in published guitar-solo rankings.

Informed by: Digital Dream Door – 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos (2018), guitarguitar – Top 50 Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), Guitar Player – The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (GuitarPlayer.com readers' poll) (2024), Planet Rock – The Top 40 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever (2019), Planet Rock – The 75 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2022), Ranker – The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time, SensCritique – Top 100 des meilleurs solos de guitare [Top 100 best guitar solos], WatchMojo – Top 10 Guitar Solos, Chaospin – The 30 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), Classic Rock – The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock (2018), Guitarhabits – 50 of The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2014), Guitar World – Readers' Top 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2013), TheTopTens – Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time, Eric Alper – The 25 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2025), GuitarMetrics – 25 Best Guitar Solos of All Time (Ranked) (2026), Guitar World – The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time (2021), Music in Minnesota – 38 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time (2023), Orchestra Central – 30 Best Guitar Solos of All Time (2023), Bombay Lives – 100 Greatest Guitar Solos (2008), Guitar Solo Legends – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) (2026), Guitar Tricks – 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time, Rolling Stone – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), SiriusXM – 50 Baddest Guitar Solos (2024), Guitar World (via Sweetwater) – The 100 Best Guitar Solos (2006), Guitarist – The 20 Greatest Guitar Solos Of All Time (2011), Thomann – 25 Iconic Guitar Solos (2024), Gitarzysta – 100 solówek wszech czasów [100 solos of all time] (2006), Terra – Os 50 melhores solos de guitarra da história [The 50 best guitar solos in history] (2022), NME – 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2017), uDiscover Music – The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: 108 Amazing Moments (2026), Musician Tuts – The 51 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time (2018), Guitar World – The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far (2023)

1. 1
   Comfortably Numb

   Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1979
2. 2
   Time

   Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1973
3. 3
   Shine On You Crazy Diamond

   Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1975
4. 4
   Aqualung

   Jethro Tull · solo by Martin Barre · 1971
5. 5
   Money

   Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1973
6. 6
   Under a Glass Moon

   Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1992
7. 7
   Carry On My Wayward Son

   Kansas · solo by Kerry Livgren & Rich Williams · 1976
8. 8
   Firth of Fifth

   Genesis · solo by Steve Hackett · 1973
9. 9
   Limelight

   Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
10. 10
    La Villa Strangiato

    Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1978
11. 11
    21st Century Schizoid Man

    King Crimson · solo by Robert Fripp · 1969
12. 12
    Starship Trooper

    Yes · solo by Steve Howe · 1971
13. 13
    Zoot Allures

    Frank Zappa · solo by Frank Zappa · 1976
14. 14
    Easter

    Marillion · solo by Steve Rothery · 1989
15. 15
    Watermelon in Easter Hay

    Frank Zappa · solo by Frank Zappa · 1979
16. 16
    High Hopes

    Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1994
17. 17
    YYZ

    Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
18. 18
    Drive Home

    Steven Wilson ft. Guthrie Govan · solo by Guthrie Govan · 2013
19. 19
    Roundabout

    Yes · solo by Steve Howe · 1971
20. 20
    Tom Sawyer

    Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
21. 21
    Parabola

    Tool · solo by Adam Jones · 2001
22. 22
    Dancing with the Moonlit Knight

    Genesis · solo by Steve Hackett · 1973
23. 23
    The Spirit Carries On

    Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1999
24. 24
    The Count of Tuscany

    Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 2009
25. 25
    Windowpane

    Opeth · solo by Mikael Åkerfeldt · 2003