# Wasted Years guitar solo

> Adrian Smith's guitar solo on Wasted Years by Iron Maiden (1986) starts at 2:46. From the album Somewhere in Time. Ranked #587 of all time across 80 lists.

Canonical URL: <https://greatestsolos.com/song/iron-maiden-wasted-years/>

Iron Maiden, 1986, from *Somewhere in Time*. Solo by *Adrian Smith*.

Smith wrote the song and its lyrical solo, which builds tension with melodic phrasing rather than speed. Pairs with the unforgettable intro lead.

Wasted Years by Iron Maiden is ranked #587 in our consensus of 80 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Adrian Smith and the song was released in 1986. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #67 (DigitalDreamDoor).

## In our lists

- [The Best Iron Maiden Guitar Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/iron-maiden-guitar-solos/) — #10
- [Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1986](https://greatestsolos.com/list/best-guitar-solos-1986/) — #15

## Sources

- [DigitalDreamDoor: 200 Greatest Metal Guitar Solos](https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_metal-guitar-solos.html) — #67
- [Guitar Solo Legends: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026)](https://guitarsololegends.com/) — #87

### Who played the guitar solo on Wasted Years?

Adrian Smith played the solo on Iron Maiden's Wasted Years (1986).

### Where does Wasted Years rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#587 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 80 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.

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