# The Greatest Guitar Solo of Every Year

> The Greatest Guitar Solo of Every Year: #1 is Rondeña by Ramón Montoya, then Minor Swing and Seven Come Eleven. Every video starts at the solo.

Canonical URL: <https://greatestsolos.com/list/solo-of-every-year/>

One solo per year, from the 1930s to now: the highest-ranked recording from each year in our catalog. Years with no entry are skipped.

1. [Rondeña](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ramon-montoya-rondena/) — Ramón Montoya · solo by Ramón Montoya · 1936
2. [Minor Swing](https://greatestsolos.com/song/django-reinhardt-minor-swing/) — Django Reinhardt · solo by Django Reinhardt · 1937
3. [Seven Come Eleven](https://greatestsolos.com/song/benny-goodman-sextet-seven-come-eleven/) — Benny Goodman Sextet · solo by Charlie Christian · 1939
4. [Nuages](https://greatestsolos.com/song/quintette-du-hot-club-de-france-nuages/) — Quintette du Hot Club de France · solo by Django Reinhardt · 1940
5. [Solo Flight](https://greatestsolos.com/song/benny-goodman-and-his-orchestra-solo-flight/) — Benny Goodman and His Orchestra · solo by Charlie Christian · 1941
6. [Strange Things Happening Every Day](https://greatestsolos.com/song/sister-rosetta-tharpe-strange-things-happening-every-day/) — Sister Rosetta Tharpe · solo by Sister Rosetta Tharpe · 1944
7. [Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)](https://greatestsolos.com/song/t-bone-walker-call-it-stormy-monday-but-tuesday-is-just-as-bad/) — T-Bone Walker · solo by T-Bone Walker · 1947
8. [Dust My Broom](https://greatestsolos.com/song/elmore-james-dust-my-broom/) — Elmore James · solo by Elmore James · 1951
9. [Moonlight in Vermont](https://greatestsolos.com/song/johnny-smith-moonlight-in-vermont/) — Johnny Smith · solo by Johnny Smith · 1952
10. [The Things That I Used to Do](https://greatestsolos.com/song/guitar-slim-the-things-that-i-used-to-do/) — Guitar Slim · solo by Guitar Slim · 1953
11. [Rock Around the Clock](https://greatestsolos.com/song/bill-haley-and-his-comets-rock-around-the-clock/) — Bill Haley & His Comets · solo by Danny Cedrone · 1954
12. [Mystery Train](https://greatestsolos.com/song/elvis-presley-mystery-train/) — Elvis Presley · solo by Scotty Moore · 1955
13. [Hound Dog](https://greatestsolos.com/song/elvis-presley-hound-dog/) — Elvis Presley · solo by Scotty Moore · 1956
14. [School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)](https://greatestsolos.com/song/chuck-berry-school-day-ring-ring-goes-the-bell/) — Chuck Berry · solo by Chuck Berry · 1957
15. [Johnny B. Goode](https://greatestsolos.com/song/chuck-berry-johnny-b-goode/) — Chuck Berry · solo by Chuck Berry · 1958
16. [Torquay](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-fireballs-torquay/) — The Fireballs · solo by George Tomsco · 1959
17. [Apache](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-shadows-apache/) — The Shadows · solo by Hank Marvin · 1960
18. [Hello Mary Lou](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ricky-nelson-hello-mary-lou/) — Ricky Nelson · solo by James Burton · 1961
19. [Misirlou](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dick-dale-the-del-tones-misirlou/) — Dick Dale & the Del-Tones · solo by Dick Dale · 1962
20. [Bésame Mucho](https://greatestsolos.com/song/wes-montgomery-besame-mucho/) — Wes Montgomery · solo by Wes Montgomery · 1963
21. [You Really Got Me](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-kinks-you-really-got-me/) — The Kinks · solo by Dave Davies · 1964
22. [Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-who-anyway-anyhow-anywhere/) — The Who · solo by Pete Townshend · 1965
23. [Eight Miles High](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-byrds-eight-miles-high/) — The Byrds · solo by Roger McGuinn · 1966
24. [Little Wing](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-little-wing/) — Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1967
25. [All Along the Watchtower](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-all-along-the-watchtower/) — Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1968
26. [Heartbreaker](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-heartbreaker/) — Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1969
27. [Layla](https://greatestsolos.com/song/derek-and-the-dominos-layla/) — Derek and the Dominos · solo by Eric Clapton & Duane Allman · 1970
28. [Stairway to Heaven](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven/) — Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1971
29. [Highway Star](https://greatestsolos.com/song/deep-purple-highway-star/) — Deep Purple · solo by Ritchie Blackmore · 1972
30. [Free Bird](https://greatestsolos.com/song/lynyrd-skynyrd-free-bird/) — Lynyrd Skynyrd · solo by Allen Collins & Gary Rossington · 1973
31. [Brighton Rock](https://greatestsolos.com/song/queen-brighton-rock/) — Queen · solo by Brian May · 1974
32. [Bohemian Rhapsody](https://greatestsolos.com/song/queen-bohemian-rhapsody/) — Queen · solo by Brian May · 1975
33. [Hotel California](https://greatestsolos.com/song/eagles-hotel-california/) — Eagles · solo by Don Felder & Joe Walsh · 1976
34. [Marquee Moon](https://greatestsolos.com/song/television-marquee-moon/) — Television · solo by Tom Verlaine · 1977
35. [Eruption](https://greatestsolos.com/song/van-halen-eruption/) — Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1978
36. [Comfortably Numb](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-comfortably-numb/) — Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1979
37. [Crazy Train](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ozzy-osbourne-crazy-train/) — Ozzy Osbourne · solo by Randy Rhoads · 1980
38. [Limelight](https://greatestsolos.com/song/rush-limelight/) — Rush · solo by Alex Lifeson · 1981
39. [Beat It](https://greatestsolos.com/song/michael-jackson-beat-it/) — Michael Jackson · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1982
40. [Texas Flood](https://greatestsolos.com/song/stevie-ray-vaughan-texas-flood/) — Stevie Ray Vaughan · solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan · 1983
41. [Purple Rain](https://greatestsolos.com/song/prince-purple-rain/) — Prince · solo by Prince · 1984
42. [Brothers in Arms](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dire-straits-brothers-in-arms/) — Dire Straits · solo by Mark Knopfler · 1985
43. [Master of Puppets](https://greatestsolos.com/song/metallica-master-of-puppets/) — Metallica · solo by Kirk Hammett · 1986
44. [Sweet Child O' Mine](https://greatestsolos.com/song/guns-n-roses-sweet-child-o-mine/) — Guns N' Roses · solo by Slash · 1987
45. [One](https://greatestsolos.com/song/metallica-one/) — Metallica · solo by Kirk Hammett · 1988
46. [I Am The Resurrection](https://greatestsolos.com/song/stone-roses-i-am-the-resurrection/) — The Stone Roses · solo by John Squire · 1989
47. [For the Love of God](https://greatestsolos.com/song/steve-vai-for-the-love-of-god/) — Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1990
48. [November Rain](https://greatestsolos.com/song/guns-n-roses-november-rain/) — Guns N' Roses · solo by Slash · 1991
49. [Killing In The Name](https://greatestsolos.com/song/rage-against-the-machine-killing-in-the-name/) — Rage Against the Machine · solo by Tom Morello · 1992
50. [Soma](https://greatestsolos.com/song/smashing-pumpkins-soma/) — The Smashing Pumpkins · solo by Billy Corgan · 1993
51. [High Hopes](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-high-hopes/) — Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1994
52. [Tender Surrender](https://greatestsolos.com/song/steve-vai-tender-surrender/) — Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai · 1995
53. [Floods](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pantera-floods/) — Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1996
54. [Paranoid Android](https://greatestsolos.com/song/radiohead-paranoid-android/) — Radiohead · solo by Jonny Greenwood · 1997
55. [To Zion](https://greatestsolos.com/song/lauryn-hill-to-zion/) — Lauryn Hill · solo by Carlos Santana · 1998
56. [Scar Tissue](https://greatestsolos.com/song/red-hot-chili-peppers-scar-tissue/) — Red Hot Chili Peppers · solo by John Frusciante · 1999
57. [Kissing the Shadows](https://greatestsolos.com/song/children-of-bodom-kissing-the-shadows/) — Children of Bodom · solo by Alexi Laiho · 2000
58. [Last Nite](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-strokes-last-nite/) — The Strokes · solo by Albert Hammond Jr. & Nick Valensi · 2001
59. [Time for Heroes](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-libertines-time-for-heroes/) — The Libertines · solo by Carl Barât · 2002
60. [Ball and Biscuit](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-white-stripes-ball-and-biscuit/) — The White Stripes · solo by Jack White · 2003
61. [While My Guitar Gently Weeps](https://greatestsolos.com/song/prince-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/) — Prince · solo by Prince · 2004
62. [Let's Call It Love](https://greatestsolos.com/song/sleater-kinney-let-s-call-it-love/) — Sleater-Kinney · solo by Carrie Brownstein · 2005
63. [Knights of Cydonia](https://greatestsolos.com/song/muse-knights-of-cydonia/) — Muse · solo by Matt Bellamy · 2006
64. [Blackbird](https://greatestsolos.com/song/alter-bridge-blackbird/) — Alter Bridge · solo by Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy · 2007
65. [India/Mountain Time](https://greatestsolos.com/song/joe-bonamassa-india-mountain-time/) — Joe Bonamassa · solo by Joe Bonamassa · 2008
66. [The Count of Tuscany](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dream-theater-the-count-of-tuscany/) — Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 2009
67. [Hammerhead](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jeff-beck-hammerhead/) — Jeff Beck · solo by Jeff Beck · 2010
68. [Surgeon](https://greatestsolos.com/song/st-vincent-surgeon/) — St. Vincent · solo by Annie Clark · 2011
69. [Anastasia](https://greatestsolos.com/song/slash-anastasia/) — Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators · solo by Slash · 2012
70. [Drive Home](https://greatestsolos.com/song/steven-wilson-drive-home/) — Steven Wilson ft. Guthrie Govan · solo by Guthrie Govan · 2013
71. [Rattlesnake](https://greatestsolos.com/song/st-vincent-rattlesnake/) — St. Vincent · solo by Annie Clark · 2014
72. [Reapers](https://greatestsolos.com/song/muse-reapers/) — Muse · solo by Matt Bellamy · 2015
73. [Cold Little Heart](https://greatestsolos.com/song/michael-kiwanuka-cold-little-heart/) — Michael Kiwanuka · solo by Michael Kiwanuka · 2016
74. [Dust in a Baggie](https://greatestsolos.com/song/billy-strings-dust-in-a-baggie/) — Billy Strings · solo by Billy Strings · 2017
75. [Maria También](https://greatestsolos.com/song/khruangbin-maria-tambien/) — Khruangbin · solo by Mark Speer · 2018
76. [It's a Moot Point](https://greatestsolos.com/song/melanie-faye-it-s-a-moot-point/) — Melanie Faye · solo by Melanie Faye · 2019
77. [Texas Sun](https://greatestsolos.com/song/khruangbin-and-leon-bridges-texas-sun/) — Khruangbin & Leon Bridges · solo by Mark Speer · 2020
78. [Afrique Victime](https://greatestsolos.com/song/mdou-moctar-afrique-victime/) — Mdou Moctar · solo by Mdou Moctar · 2021
79. [Ego Death](https://greatestsolos.com/song/polyphia-ego-death/) — Polyphia ft. Steve Vai · solo by Steve Vai, Tim Henson & Scott LePage · 2022
80. [The Weight Of Dreams](https://greatestsolos.com/song/greta-van-fleet-the-weight-of-dreams/) — Greta Van Fleet · solo by Jake Kiszka · 2023
81. [Funeral for Justice](https://greatestsolos.com/song/mdou-moctar-funeral-for-justice/) — Mdou Moctar · solo by Mdou Moctar · 2024

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GreatestSolos ranks the greatest guitar solos by consensus across published lists. Agent guide: [llms.txt](https://greatestsolos.com/llms.txt) · [Sitemap](https://greatestsolos.com/sitemap.xml) · [Dataset (CSV)](https://greatestsolos.com/data/greatest-guitar-solos.csv) · [How we rank](https://greatestsolos.com/method/)