Iconic Solos
Note-by-note breakdowns of the solos that changed everything.
Iconic Solos breaks down the greatest guitar solos ever recorded — the techniques behind them, the gear that made them, and what makes them timeless. From Comfortably Numb to Eruption, we go note by note on the solos every guitarist needs to know.
The Story Behind the "Hotel California" Guitar Solo: How Don Felder and Joe Walsh Created Rock's Greatest Guitar Duel
Nearly five decades on, the final minutes of the Eagles' "Hotel California" still stop guitarists in their tracks. Inside the composition, tone, and interplay of Don Felder and Joe Walsh's legendary dual-guitar finale.
10 Underrated Guitar Solos Every Player Should Learn
Ten overlooked guitar solos — from Larry Carlton to Derek Trucks — that will make you a better player through phrasing, feel, and note choice.
Iconic Solos: Marty Friedman's "Tornado of Souls" — The Crown Jewel of Thrash Guitar
More than 35 years later, Marty Friedman's solo on Megadeth's Tornado of Souls is still the gold standard for melodic shred — exotic phrasing, vocal-like bends, and an ending run that breaks brains.
Iconic Solos: Why the "Free Bird" Solo Feels Like Flying
Allen Collins' four-minute Free Bird solo isn't about speed — it's about momentum, repetition, and reckless tone. Here's why it still gives guitarists chills.
The Sultans of Swing Solo: Mark Knopfler's Masterclass in Taste, Touch, and Timing
Forty-five years on, Mark Knopfler's 'Sultans of Swing' solo is still the gold standard for how phrasing, dynamics, and storytelling can outshine speed and distortion — a masterclass in feel built on nothing but fingers, a clean Strat, and impeccable taste.
The Solo That Changed Guitar Forever: Inside Eddie Van Halen's Eruption
At just 102 seconds, Eddie Van Halen's Eruption rewired what a rock guitarist could do — a perfect collision of speed, feel, the legendary Brown Sound, and fearless innovation that still defines electric guitar nearly five decades later.
The Mr. Crowley Solo: Randy Rhoads' Six Minutes of Guitar Immortality
Randy Rhoads' solo on Ozzy Osbourne's 'Mr. Crowley' from Blizzard of Ozz remains one of the most iconic guitar solos ever recorded — a perfect fusion of classical phrasing, neoclassical fire, and unforgettable melody that still defines classic rock guitar more than 40 years later.
Stairway to Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Solo Ever Recorded
More than 50 years on, Jimmy Page's solo on Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' is still the gold standard — a masterclass in phrasing, tone, and emotional payoff that helped define the greatest guitar solos of all time.
The Highway Star Solo: 50 Years Later and Still Untouchable
More than five decades after Machine Head dropped in 1972, Ritchie Blackmore's solo on Deep Purple's 'Highway Star' still sets the bar for melodic, classically-influenced rock guitar.
Iconic Solos: Why Slash's Sweet Child O' Mine Solo Still Hits Decades Later
Discover why Slash's Sweet Child O' Mine guitar solo remains one of the greatest rock solos ever recorded. A deep dive into tone, phrasing, technique, and legacy.
The Guitar Plugged Top 25 Guitar Solos of All Time
From Gilmour's Comfortably Numb to Eddie Van Halen's Eruption — the 25 guitar solos that changed music, changed players, and still make us stop whatever we're doing.
Jimmy Page's 'Since I've Been Loving You' Solo: The Greatest Blues Performance Ever Captured on Tape?
More than fifty years after Led Zeppelin III, Jimmy Page's slow-blues masterpiece still teaches guitarists what technical perfection never could — that phrasing, dynamics, and human imperfection are the real currency of great guitar playing.
Gary Moore's "Still Got the Blues": The Solo That Proved One Note Can Say More Than a Thousand
More than three decades later, guitarists are still chasing the bends, vibrato and seemingly endless sustain behind one of blues rock's defining performances.