# Rolling Stone (2026) vs the Consensus > Rolling Stone's greatest guitar solos list compared with 80 other rankings. Its #1: Purple Rain. Agreements, bold picks and omissions. Canonical URL: Rolling Stone's list, “The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time,” puts Purple Rain by Prince at #1. The consensus #1 is Stairway to Heaven. Of the solos it ranks, 40 are in the GreatestSolos Consensus 100, and 4 of its top 10 are also in the consensus top 10. Updated October 2026 · we show only where lists agree and differ; see [the original list at Rolling Stone](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-guitar-solos-1235519961/) for the full ranking. ## Where they agree The highest consensus picks that Rolling Stone also ranked. | Solo | Rolling Stone | Consensus | |---|---|---| | [Stairway to Heaven](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven/) — Led Zeppelin, 1971 | #7 | #1 | | [Comfortably Numb](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-comfortably-numb/) — Pink Floyd, 1979 | #4 | #2 | | [Hotel California](https://greatestsolos.com/song/eagles-hotel-california/) — Eagles, 1976 | #3 | #3 | | [Eruption](https://greatestsolos.com/song/van-halen-eruption/) — Van Halen, 1978 | #5 | #4 | | [Free Bird](https://greatestsolos.com/song/lynyrd-skynyrd-free-bird/) — Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1973 | #19 | #5 | | [Sweet Child O' Mine](https://greatestsolos.com/song/guns-n-roses-sweet-child-o-mine/) — Guns N' Roses, 1987 | #25 | #6 | | [All Along the Watchtower](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-all-along-the-watchtower/) — Jimi Hendrix, 1968 | #11 | #7 | | [Bohemian Rhapsody](https://greatestsolos.com/song/queen-bohemian-rhapsody/) — Queen, 1975 | #14 | #8 | | [Sultans of Swing](https://greatestsolos.com/song/dire-straits-sultans-of-swing/) — Dire Straits, 1978 | #33 | #9 | | [Highway Star](https://greatestsolos.com/song/deep-purple-highway-star/) — Deep Purple, 1972 | #58 | #10 | ## Their boldest picks Solos Rolling Stone ranked high that most other lists rank low or leave out. | Solo | Rolling Stone | Consensus | |---|---|---| | [Statesboro Blues](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-allman-brothers-band-statesboro-blues/) — The Allman Brothers Band, 1971 | #13 | #245 | | [While My Guitar Gently Weeps](https://greatestsolos.com/song/prince-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps/) — Prince, 2004 | #15 | #106 | | [Morning Dew (Cornell, 5/8/77)](https://greatestsolos.com/song/grateful-dead-morning-dew-cornell-5-8-77/) — Grateful Dead, 1977 | #16 | #251 | | [Freeway Jam](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jeff-beck-freeway-jam/) — Jeff Beck, 1975 | #20 | #258 | | [Powderfinger](https://greatestsolos.com/song/neil-young-and-crazy-horse-powderfinger/) — Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 1979 | #22 | #164 | | [Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen](https://greatestsolos.com/song/santana-black-magic-woman-gypsy-queen/) — Santana, 1970 | #28 | #274 | | [Can't You Hear Me Knocking](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-rolling-stones-can-t-you-hear-me-knocking/) — The Rolling Stones, 1971 | #29 | #140 | | [That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-isley-brothers-that-lady-pts-1-2/) — The Isley Brothers, 1973 | #30 | #130 | | [Strange Things Happening Every Day](https://greatestsolos.com/song/sister-rosetta-tharpe-strange-things-happening-every-day/) — Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1944 | #34 | #282 | | [Ball and Biscuit](https://greatestsolos.com/song/the-white-stripes-ball-and-biscuit/) — The White Stripes, 2003 | #35 | #81 | ## Consensus favorites they left out Top-30 consensus solos missing from Rolling Stone (released by 2026). | Solo | Consensus | Lists | |---|---|---| | [November Rain](https://greatestsolos.com/song/guns-n-roses-november-rain/) — Guns N' Roses, 1991 | #11 | 42 of 80 | | [Voodoo Child (Slight Return)](https://greatestsolos.com/song/jimi-hendrix-voodoo-child-slight-return/) — Jimi Hendrix, 1968 | #18 | 27 of 80 | | [Mr. Crowley](https://greatestsolos.com/song/ozzy-osbourne-mr-crowley/) — Ozzy Osbourne, 1980 | #22 | 24 of 80 | | [Fade to Black](https://greatestsolos.com/song/metallica-fade-to-black/) — Metallica, 1984 | #23 | 23 of 80 | | [Since I've Been Loving You](https://greatestsolos.com/song/led-zeppelin-since-i-ve-been-loving-you/) — Led Zeppelin, 1970 | #27 | 19 of 80 | | [Time](https://greatestsolos.com/song/pink-floyd-time/) — Pink Floyd, 1973 | #29 | 18 of 80 | ## Quick answers ### What is Rolling Stone's #1 guitar solo? Purple Rain by Prince (solo by Prince) is #1 on Rolling Stone's list from 2026. ### How does Rolling Stone's list compare with the consensus? 40 of the solos it ranks appear in the Consensus 100, which combines 80 published lists. 4 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: [Classic Rock 2018](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/classic-rock-2018/) · [NME 2017](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/nme-2017/) · [Guitar World 2021](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/guitar-world-2021/) · [Guitar World 2013](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/guitar-world-2013/) · [Guitar Player 2024](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/guitar-player-2024/) · [Guitarist 2011](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/guitarist-2011/) · [uDiscover Music 2026](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/udiscover-2026/) · [Planet Rock 2022](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/planet-rock-2022/) · [SiriusXM 2024](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/siriusxm-2024/) · [Gibson.com 2010](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/gibson-2010/) · [Rick Beato 2019](https://greatestsolos.com/vs/rick-beato-2019/) --- GreatestSolos ranks the greatest guitar solos by consensus across published lists. 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