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  • It takes a whole band to rock, but these solos will make you roll.

  • Welcome to Watchmojo.com; and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Guitar Solos.

  • For this list, we've limited it to one guitar solo per artist and excluded instrumentals.

  • Number ten: Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple:

  • Highway Star.

  • With "Smoke on the Water", the Deep Purple guitarist paved the way for classical music in blues rock

  • and brought to life one of the best heavy metal riffs in history.

  • But when it comes to solos it's hard to overlook Highway Star.

  • Machine Head's fastest track also contains an organ solo by John Ward

  • but it's Blackmore's classically inspired guitar piece that's the killing machine.

  • It's got everything.

  • Number nine: Eric Clapton from Cream: Crossroads.

  • As one of the greatest guitarists of all time

  • it's no surprise Clapton's got a number of signature solos to his name.

  • While he and Duane Allman made history with Layla's signature sound

  • It's with Cream's "Crossroads" solo that really nails it.

  • In fact, this hard rock arrangement of Robert Johnson's original blues tune is so good

  • we think "Slow Hand" may have signed a deal with the devil too.

  • Number eight: Don Felder and Joe Walsh from the Eagles: Hotel California.

  • After "One of These Nights" set these country and folk influenced rockers

  • on pace to live life on the fast lane,

  • the Eagles produced another number one with Hotel California.

  • That record spawned the smooth and soulful title track

  • that classic rock radio stations won't let us forget.

  • Aside from its surrealist lyrics, Hotel California showcases some of the most memorable electric guitar chemistry ever

  • between Felder and Walsh.

  • Number seven: Allen Collins and Gary Rossington from Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Free bird".

  • With their remarkable solos and defiant Rock N' Roll swagger,

  • Lynyrd Skynyrd became fixtures of the southern rock scene.

  • It's because of this cut of pronounced Lynyrd Skynyrd

  • that the band first became household names across America.

  • Due in no small part to its structure

  • half ballad, half up-tempo guitar solo

  • Freebird also became their second top 40 hit

  • keeping crowds pumped for decades.

  • Number seven: Randy Rhoads from Ozzy Osbourne: Mr. Crowley.

  • Rhoads exploded into the Heavy Metal universe

  • after giving Ozzy Osbourne's music a new lease on life.

  • And while Crazy Train of "Blizzard of Oz"

  • features one of the genre's most iconic riffs

  • its actually that album's second single that captures Rhoads guitar skills best.

  • Mr. Crowley contains not 1, not 2; but 3 standout guitar moments

  • but the masterpiece's climax is the outro solo.

  • Number Five: Brian May from Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody.

  • With Freddie Mercury's theatrical vocals and lively stage presence

  • and May's virtuoso guitar abilities

  • Queen scored big overseas thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody.

  • Featuring elements of hard rock, balladry and opera

  • its unconventional style initially baffled critics

  • but today it's one of the Brit's most popular songs;

  • it's in this melodic, chorusless tune

  • that May played one of the most incredible act solos ever

  • and the song wouldn't be the same without it.

  • Number Four: Jimi Hendrix from the Jimi Hendrix Experience:

  • All Along the Watchtower.

  • Though Little Wing or Voodoo Child could have easily made this list

  • it's the Seattle rockers cover of All Along the Watchtower that lands here.

  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience gave Bob Dylan's folk rock original

  • a psychedelic rock spin

  • which included a killer guitar solo that helped Hendrix earn his only Top 20 American hit.

  • Even Dylan was inspired; his later performances of the track

  • were influenced by Jimmy's version.

  • Number three: Slash from Guns N Roses: Sweet Child O' Mine.

  • While Slash stood out on a wide array of GNR songs

  • from Night Train to November Rain, just to name a few,

  • it's Sweet Child O' Mine that really set the stage for the bands later work.

  • Though its brilliant riff was conceived as a joke,

  • the track's chart-topping success and incredible solo were anything but.

  • Its parent album, "Appetite for Destruction",

  • also became the best-selling debut on american history.

  • Number Two: Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven.

  • It's quite fashionable to knock and hate Led Zeppelin's radio staple Stairway to Heaven

  • but no list of the top guitar solos would be complete without it.

  • With Plant's bluesy vocals and Bonham's thunderous based drum

  • you've got an unmatched sound, blending blues, hard rock and folk.

  • However, it's Page's complex guitar work

  • that's truly left an immeasurable and all-acompassing influence on later artists.

  • Number One:

  • David Gilmour from Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb.

  • Though Shine on You Crazy Diamond is sometimes cited

  • it's with The Wall's third single that Pink Floyd ensured fans with Comfortably Numb to their music.

  • They may have been known for introspective lyrics, studio experimentation

  • and effects-heavy extravagant shows,

  • but their sound wouldn't be the same without Gilmour.

  • Its evocative blues inspired guitar on Comfortably Numb's two solos

  • specially the final one

  • helped solidify the band's popularity and success.

  • Do you agree with our list? What's your favorite guitar solo?

  • If you didn't see your pick, be sure to check out our Top 10 Guitar Rock Instrumentals list

  • and subscribe to Watchmojo.com for more entertaining Top 10s.

It takes a whole band to rock, but these solos will make you roll.

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