Rebel Yell guitar solo

Billy Idol, 1983, from Rebel Yell. Solo by Steve Stevens.

Steve Stevens brought a flamboyant, technical style to Billy Idol's punk-pop sound, and 'Rebel Yell' is a prime example. His solo is packed with hyperactive runs, whammy effects and strange, synthetic-sounding textures that blur the line between guitar and electronics. It's showy but perfectly suited to the song's larger-than-life energy, and it made Stevens one of the most distinctive players of the 1980s. The riff underneath is just as important, driving the song with nervous, stabbing momentum. Listen for the section where the guitar seems to mimic sound effects, bursting in bright, futuristic flashes before snapping back into a more conventional rock phrase.

Rebel Yell by Billy Idol is ranked #172 in our consensus of 80 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Steve Stevens and the song was released in 1983. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #22 (guitarguitar).

In our lists

The Road Trip 50 — #37
The 25 Greatest New Wave Guitar Solos — #9
The 25 Greatest Pop Guitar Solos — #19
The Best Steve Stevens Guitar Solos — #1
The Best Billy Idol Guitar Solos — #1
Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1983 — #5

Sources

Who played the guitar solo on Rebel Yell?

Steve Stevens played the solo on Billy Idol's Rebel Yell (1983).

What guitar was used on the Rebel Yell solo?

A hamer, according to widely reported accounts.

Where does Rebel Yell rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#172 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 80 published lists; it appears on 3 of them.