The 25 Greatest Shred Guitar Solos

Shred is guitar playing built on speed, tapping, sweeping and whammy-bar control, set off by Eddie Van Halen and codified by the 1980s virtuosos. This list ranks tracks by their presence in published guitar-solo polls, from Eruption to recent instrumental releases.

Informed by: Guitar World – Readers' Top 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2013), Bombay Lives – 100 Greatest Guitar Solos (2008), Eric Alper – The 25 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2025), Gitarzysta – 100 solówek wszech czasów [100 solos of all time] (2006), Guitarist – The 20 Greatest Guitar Solos Of All Time (2011), Guitar Player – The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (GuitarPlayer.com readers' poll) (2024), Guitar Solo Legends – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) (2026), Guitar World – The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time (2021), Guitar World (via Sweetwater) – The 100 Best Guitar Solos (2006), Chaospin – The 30 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), TheTopTens – Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time, GuitarMetrics – 25 Best Guitar Solos of All Time (Ranked) (2026), Orchestra Central – 30 Best Guitar Solos of All Time (2023), guitarguitar – Top 50 Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), Guitar Tricks – 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time, Ranker – The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time, Rolling Stone – The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2026), Classic Rock – The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock (2018), Digital Dream Door – 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos (2018), Planet Rock – The 75 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2022), Planet Rock – The Top 40 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever (2019), SensCritique – Top 100 des meilleurs solos de guitare [Top 100 best guitar solos], Kobalog – ギター好きが選んだ、歴史に残したい最強のギターソロランキング、トップ２０！！【完コピ必須】 [The strongest guitar solos worth preserving in history, chosen by guitar lovers: Top 20] (2019), Guitarhabits – 50 of The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2014), NME – 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time (2017), Musician Tuts – The 51 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time (2018), Terra – Os 50 melhores solos de guitarra da história [The 50 best guitar solos in history] (2022), Thomann – 25 Iconic Guitar Solos (2024), SiriusXM – 50 Baddest Guitar Solos (2024), Guitar World – The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far (2023)

1. 1
   Eruption

   Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1978
2. 2
   For the Love of God

   Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1990
3. 3
   Cliffs of Dover

   Eric Johnson · solo by Eric Johnson · 1990
4. 4
   Surfing with the Alien

   Joe Satriani · solo by Joe Satriani · 1987
5. 5
   Satch Boogie

   Joe Satriani · solo by Joe Satriani · 1987
6. 6
   Black Star

   Yngwie Malmsteen · solo by Yngwie Malmsteen · 1984
7. 7
   Hot for Teacher

   Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1984
8. 8
   Tender Surrender

   Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1995
9. 9
   Far Beyond The Sun

   Yngwie Malmsteen · solo by Yngwie Malmsteen · 1984
10. 10
    Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee

    Extreme · solo by Nuno Bettencourt · 1990
11. 11
    Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy

    Mr. Big · solo by Paul Gilbert · 1991
12. 12
    Play With Me

    Extreme · solo by Nuno Bettencourt · 1989
13. 13
    The Attitude Song

    Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1984
14. 14
    Through the Fire and Flames

    DragonForce · solo by Herman Li, Sam Totman · 2006
15. 15
    Always with Me, Always with You

    Joe Satriani · solo by Joe Satriani · 1987
16. 16
    Scarified

    Racer X · solo by Paul Gilbert, Bruce Bouillet · 1987
17. 17
    Little Pretty

    Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 2016
18. 18
    Rise

    Extreme · solo by Nuno Bettencourt · 2023
19. 19
    Waves

    Guthrie Govan · solo by Guthrie Govan · 2006
20. 20
    Damage Control

    John Petrucci · solo by John Petrucci · 2005
21. 21
    Flying in a Blue Dream

    Joe Satriani · solo by Joe Satriani · 1989
22. 22
    Speed Metal Symphony

    Cacophony · solo by Marty Friedman, Jason Becker · 1987
23. 23
    Atomic Mind

    Nick Johnston · solo by Nick Johnston · 2013
24. 24
    Get Out of My Yard

    Paul Gilbert · solo by Paul Gilbert · 2006
25. 25
    Kissing the Shadows

    Children of Bodom · solo by Alexi Laiho · 2000