Guitar World (2013) vs the Consensus
Guitar World's list, “Readers' Top 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time,” puts Eruption by Van Halen at #1. The consensus #1 is Stairway to Heaven. Of the solos it ranks, 49 are in the GreatestSolos Consensus 100, and 6 of its top 10 are also in the consensus top 10.
Updated September 2026 · we show only where lists agree and differ; see the original list at Guitar World for the full ranking.
Where they agree
The highest consensus picks that Guitar World also ranked.
| Solo | Guitar World | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Stairway to Heaven — Led Zeppelin, 1971 | #3 | #1 |
| Comfortably Numb — Pink Floyd, 1979 | #2 | #2 |
| Hotel California — Eagles, 1976 | #6 | #3 |
| Eruption — Van Halen, 1978 | #1 | #4 |
| Free Bird — Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1973 | #7 | #5 |
| Sweet Child O' Mine — Guns N' Roses, 1987 | #41 | #6 |
| All Along the Watchtower — Jimi Hendrix, 1968 | #29 | #7 |
| Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen, 1975 | #9 | #8 |
| Sultans of Swing — Dire Straits, 1978 | #24 | #9 |
| Highway Star — Deep Purple, 1972 | #22 | #10 |
Their boldest picks
Solos Guitar World ranked high that most other lists rank low or leave out.
| Solo | Guitar World | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Cortez the Killer — Neil Young, 1975 | #27 | #76 |
| Stranglehold — Ted Nugent, 1975 | #31 | #70 |
| Satch Boogie — Joe Satriani, 1987 | #32 | #63 |
| Money — Pink Floyd, 1973 | #40 | #79 |
| Shock Me — Kiss, 1977 | #42 | #66 |
| Star Spangled Banner — Jimi Hendrix, 1969 | #43 | #115 |
| Cocaine — Eric Clapton, 1977 | #44 | #89 |
| Sharp Dressed Man — ZZ Top, 1983 | #46 | #75 |
Consensus favorites they left out
Top-30 consensus solos missing from Guitar World (released by 2013).
| Solo | Consensus | Lists |
|---|---|---|
| Beat It — Michael Jackson, 1982 | #15 | 30 of 80 |
| Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry, 1958 | #16 | 28 of 80 |
| Purple Rain — Prince, 1984 | #19 | 24 of 80 |
| Sympathy for the Devil — The Rolling Stones, 1968 | #25 | 22 of 80 |
| Paranoid Android — Radiohead, 1997 | #28 | 21 of 80 |
Quick answers
What is Guitar World's #1 guitar solo?
Eruption by Van Halen (solo by Eddie Van Halen) is #1 on Guitar World's list from 2013.
How does Guitar World's list compare with the consensus?
49 of the solos it ranks appear in the Consensus 100, which combines 80 published lists. 6 of its top 10 are also in the consensus top 10.
What is the greatest guitar solo of all time by consensus?
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin, on 64 of 80 lists.
Compare another list: Rolling Stone 2026 · Classic Rock 2018 · NME 2017 · Guitar World 2021 · Guitar Player 2024 · Guitarist 2011 · uDiscover Music 2026 · Planet Rock 2022 · SiriusXM 2024 · Gibson.com 2010 · Rick Beato 2019