The Top 20 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time

The 20 greatest guitar solos of all time, ranked by consensus across 80 published lists from Rolling Stone, Guitar World, Classic Rock and more. The top five: Stairway to Heaven (Jimmy Page), Comfortably Numb (David Gilmour), Hotel California (Don Felder & Joe Walsh), Eruption (Eddie Van Halen) and Free Bird (Allen Collins & Gary Rossington).

Updated September 2026 · ranked from 80 published lists

1. 1
   Stairway to Heaven

   Led Zeppelin · solo by Jimmy Page · 1971
2. 2
   Comfortably Numb

   Pink Floyd · solo by David Gilmour · 1979
3. 3
   Hotel California

   Eagles · solo by Don Felder & Joe Walsh · 1976
4. 4
   Eruption

   Van Halen · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1978
5. 5
   Free Bird

   Lynyrd Skynyrd · solo by Allen Collins & Gary Rossington · 1973
6. 6
   Sweet Child O' Mine

   Guns N' Roses · solo by Slash · 1987
7. 7
   All Along the Watchtower

   Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1968
8. 8
   Bohemian Rhapsody

   Queen · solo by Brian May · 1975
9. 9
   Sultans of Swing

   Dire Straits · solo by Mark Knopfler · 1978
10. 10
    Highway Star

    Deep Purple · solo by Ritchie Blackmore · 1972
11. 11
    November Rain

    Guns N' Roses · solo by Slash · 1991
12. 12
    While My Guitar Gently Weeps

    The Beatles · solo by Eric Clapton · 1968
13. 13
    Crazy Train

    Ozzy Osbourne · solo by Randy Rhoads · 1980
14. 14
    Crossroads

    Cream · solo by Eric Clapton · 1968
15. 15
    Beat It

    Michael Jackson · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1982
16. 16
    Johnny B. Goode

    Chuck Berry · solo by Chuck Berry · 1958
17. 17
    Layla

    Derek and the Dominos · solo by Eric Clapton & Duane Allman · 1970
18. 18
    Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

    Jimi Hendrix · solo by Jimi Hendrix · 1968
19. 19
    Purple Rain

    Prince · solo by Prince · 1984
20. 20
    One

    Metallica · solo by Kirk Hammett · 1988