Guitar solos may have been a rare breed in recent years, but they’re still one of the most exciting parts of many songs, notably rock pieces. Keen on giving out that electric vibe, we at Rock-Expert decided to share our seven favorite rock solos, in no particular order.
Rock Expert’s 7 Favorite Rock Guitar Solos
As we mentioned, this list is based on our personal favorites, and since Rock-Expert always believes that guitarists are not Olympian, putting certain rankings is just not in our heart and mind. Since we also have plenty of lists, releasing 10 would be appropriate, though it’s challenging; everything should have some limits.
Billy Sheehan Remembers Pat Torpey with The Hollies’ Song
So here goes, our first out of 10 favorite rock solos goes to:
- Richie Sambora on Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name”: Sambora has plenty of excellent solos, but we at Rock-Expert think that the solo he did has a nice combination of cool melodies, good technical playing, and just an overall attractive piece to blast on.
Check out the solo for Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’:
2. Kee Marcelo on Europe’s “Superstitious”: Kee’s solo playing in that song is one of the most melodic, iconic, and technically proficient. It’s simply an excellent combination of guitar technique and enchanting melodies that is being played in the best possible proportion.
Check out the solo part of Europe’s “Superstitious”:
3. Paul Gilbert on Mr. Big’s “Anything for You”: Paul has tons of brilliant solo collections, whether it’s during his time at Mr. Big or solo projects. However, we at Rock-Expert always feel that his playing on “Anything for You” is just mesmerizing. Once again, the package of brilliant techniques, with sing-along melodies, just makes it a captivating solo.
Check out the solo part of Mr. Big’s “Anything for You”:
4. Nuno Bettencourt on Extreme’s “Get the Funk Out”: Nuno is also quite well known among his peers as one of the best at pulling out spectacular solos. His playing on “Get the Funk Out” is truly one for the ages, in which he showcases intricate playing, brilliant technique, and excellent harmony as well. A solo that received strong affection and applause from the legendary Brian May himself.
Check out the solo part of Extreme’s “Get the Funk Out”:
5. Vito Brata on White Lion’s “Wait”: Vito is often considered one of the most underrated guitar virtuosos, due to his relatively short professional career span. Being such a massive player during his time with While Lion, the New York-based guitarist simply left the music industry after 1992. Nevertheless, the maestro still has tons of great song collections, including great solos, and his playing on “Wait” is one of them.
Check out the solo part of White Lion’s “Wait”:
6. Richie Kotzen on Mr. Big’s “Superfantastic”: Kotzen is always widely regarded for his brilliant techniques, notably legato and arpeggio. He is also always able to blend those fascinating skills into his solo playing without losing touch of feel and melodies. Some of his great solos can also be heard during his time with Mr. Big, including on the song “Superfantastic,” which brings out that blues-rock combo sound that is so distinctive in his playing.
Check out the solo part of Mr. Big’s “Superfantastic”:
7. Eddie Van Halen on Van Halen’s “Right Now”: There’s nothing more to say about the late Eddie’s guitar mastery, as he’s one of the most influential players of all time. Among tons of his brilliant pieces, Rock-Expert always felt something extra when tuning in to Van Halen’s “Right Now”. Eddie’s solo playing in that track is just majestic, not overcooked, and just perfection.
Check out the solo part of Van Halen’s “Right Now”:
Honorable mentions: We don’t have enough space to put all of our favorite rock guitar solos, but aside from the seven mentioned, there are also at least three more, such as Skid Row’s “I Remember You”, John Norum on Europe’s “Final Countdown”, and John Petrucci on Dream Theater’s “Another Day”. There are still plenty of others, but we need to call it a day for now. One day, Rock-Expert will provide a more exciting solo catalogue for all of you guitar heads out there.
So, let us know, do you have any other favorite rock guitar solos?
