My Sharona
The Knack, 1979. Solo by Berton Averre.
Power-pop fireworks; keep the album version.
Berton Averre's solo on 'My Sharona' is a burst of power-pop energy, fast, fluid and packed with ideas. He plays long, melodic runs that climb and twist, driven by the song's relentless, stuttering beat. The full album version gives the solo room to breathe, and it's there that Averre's technique really shines. It's one of the most exciting solos in a genre usually known for short, catchy breaks. Listen for how he weaves rapid-fire passages with melodic hooks, so that even the fastest runs sound tuneful, and how the band's tight rhythm keeps everything grounded as the guitar races ahead of the beat.
My Sharona by The Knack is ranked #126 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Berton Averre and the song was released in 1979. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #39 (Gibson.com (via Georgia Straight)).
In our lists
- One and Only — #17
- Genre Champions — #23
- The Road Trip 50 — #29
- The 25 Greatest Power Pop Guitar Solos — #1
Sources
- Gibson.com (via Georgia Straight): Gibson.com's Top 50 Guitar Solos of All Time — #39
- Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock — #48
- Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #72
Who played the guitar solo on My Sharona?
Berton Averre played the solo on The Knack's My Sharona (1979).
What guitar was used on the My Sharona solo?
A gibson les paul, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does My Sharona rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#126 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 3 of them.