5 Best Guitar Solos of 1979 – And 1 That’s Not Good

1979 was another golden year for guitar solos, with rock, metal, and blues delivering some of the most iconic performances in music history. This year’s best solos set a high bar. Here’s a look at five that defined the era’s brilliance—plus one that didn’t hit the mark. And as always, leave your thoughts and top 5 in the comments (you’ll find comments after the article below!).

Did you know? The number 1 solo is surrounded by a mystery. The producer has claimed that it was improvised in 1 take, but the player claims he followed his normal procedure “I banged out five or six solos. From there I just followed my usual procedure, which is to listen back to each solo and make a chart, noting which bits are good.” What do you think?

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First, here are some great albums from the year 1979 with amazing guitar playing in them:

Artist	Album Name	Genre
AC/DC	Highway to Hell	Hard Rock/Metal
Led Zeppelin	In Through the Out Door	Rock
Pink Floyd	The Wall	Progressive Rock
Judas Priest	Unleashed in the East (Live)	Heavy Metal
Thin Lizzy	Black Rose: A Rock Legend	Hard Rock
Rainbow	Down to Earth	Hard Rock/Metal
The Clash	London Calling	Punk Rock
Neil Young & Crazy Horse	Rust Never Sleeps	Rock/Blues Rock
The Eagles	The Long Run	Rock
Fleetwood Mac	Tusk	Rock
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers	Damn the Torpedoes	Rock
The Police	Reggatta de Blanc	Rock/New Wave
Supertramp	Breakfast in America	Progressive Rock
Motörhead	Overkill	Heavy Metal
Scorpions	Lovedrive	Hard Rock/Metal
Cheap Trick	Cheap Trick at Budokan (Live)	Rock
The Damned	Machine Gun Etiquette	Punk Rock
Aerosmith	Night in the Ruts	Hard Rock
ZZ Top	Degüello	Blues Rock
George Thorogood and the Destroyers	Better Than the Rest	Blues Rock

Now, to the top solos!

1. Pink Floyd – “Comfortably Numb” (David Gilmour)

Comfortably Numb

From “The Wall”. Gilmour’s second solo is pure emotion, blending melodic phrasing with soaring bends—often cited as one of the greatest solos ever. There was a temptation to go against the grain and not put this solo to the #1 spot. But I just couldn’t, this solo is just that good.

2. Thin Lizzy – “Waiting for an Alibi” (Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson)

Waiting For An Alibi

From Black Rose: A Rock Legend. The twin-guitar solo is a harmonious, high-energy showcase of Lizzy’s signature sound. It’s an extremely underrated solo that has influenced many guitarists.

Browse the best solos of other years:

3. Motörhead – “Overkill” (“Fast” Eddie Clarke)

Motörhead – Overkill (Official Audio)

I was first introduced to “Overkill” by Guitar Hero World Tour. It hit me like a freight train. I would call the solos of this song “chaotic, high-octane assaults”. Clarke’s gritty, unpolished bends and rapid-fire notes embody the track’s proto-thrash spirit. My favorite solo is the one starting around 2:30.

4. AC/DC – “Night Prowler” (Angus Young)

AC/DC - Night Prowler (Audio)

A slow-burning, blues-drenched gem. It’s less about speed and more about feel, perfectly matching the track’s menacing and gritty vibe. One of Angus Young’s best solos.

5. Neil Young – “Powderfinger” (Neil Young)

Powderfinger (2016 Remaster)

From Rust Never Sleeps. Young’s solo is haunting and raw, dripping with emotion over a minimalist backdrop. Underrated.

Honorable Mention

This year, I give the honorable mention for All Night Long solo by Rainbow & Ritchie Blackmore.

1 Not-So-Good Guitar Solo: Rainbow – “Since You Been Gone” (Ritchie Blackmore)

Since You Been Gone

This 1st solo just says absolutely nothing. I would have just left it out from the song (it’s a great song). The outro solo says something, but it doesn’t really fit the song.

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