10 Greatest Hard Rock Guitar Solos Of All Time
Making the six-string talk.
The guitarist always has a certain amount of power in a hard rock band. While the singer might be going through long barrages of notes and entertaining the audience, the riffs coming from the guitar is what helps drive the entire tune. Riffs are just one facet though; it's more interesting when you actually have to shred.
Contrary to what many believe, there's a certain amount of finesse that goes into making a great solo. Rather than just mindlessly noodling for a couple of bars, the best guitarists in the rock genre have made solos that stand as mini-musical statements in the tracks.
There might be a few moments where the guitarist can be a bit flashy, but that's not really the point of the solo. The main job for any guitarist when soloing is how to make the song better rather than how to make the song an opportunity to display your technique.
These are just a few examples of guitarists who never lost their focus in making classic solos that hit a nerve with the listener. Solos like these are so omnipresent that they almost feel like songwriting without lyrics. Here are the guys who took the dirty distortion of hard rock and turned it into some of the most brilliant musical pieces the pop world had ever heard.
10. Hells Bells - AC/DC
The guys in AC/DC really had a daunting task in front of them when going in to record Back in Black. Not only would this be their make-or-break album, but it would also be their first record without the magnetic vocal presence of Bon Scott. When most bands throw in the towel, the Young Brothers overcame adversity from the moment the record started.
The entirety of "Hells Bells" illustrates the band's defiant refusal to be brought down, as they tear through a few of the greatest riffs they have ever created.
Malcolm Young's work has just the right amount of crunch, but his brother Angus's lead playing is what really takes the song over the top. Young has been known as one of the greatest lead players in the business, but the beauty of this solo is in its simplicity.
These bends would probably be second nature to any seasoned guitar player, but they serve the song in just the right way. It's flashy in some spots, but also incredibly straightforward and keeping in spirit with the song's groove. Most guitarists see a solo as an opportunity to showboat, but Angus Young proved you didn't need to shred to make an impact.