Don't Look Back in Anger

Oasis, 1995, from (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. Solo by Noel Gallagher.

A solo that follows the vocal melody closely, which is why crowds still sing it note for note.

Don't Look Back in Anger has one of the most singable solos of the 1990s, and that is entirely by design. Noel Gallagher follows the vocal melody closely, so the guitar feels like a continuation of the chorus rather than a break from it. The tone is warm and lightly overdriven, the pace unhurried, and the phrasing shaped for audiences to join in. That is exactly what happened: crowds still sing it note for note, which tells you how well it was built. Listen for the moments where Gallagher adds a small bend or ornament to the vocal line; those touches keep it from sounding like a simple copy of the melody.

Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis is featured in our Britpop (#12) list. The solo is played by Noel Gallagher and the song was released in 1995.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Britpop Guitar Solos — #12
• The Best Oasis Guitar Solos — #4

Sources