5 Best Guitar Solos of 1980 – And 1 That’s Not Good

The year 1980 was full of action: Miracle on Ice, John Lennon’s assassination, Rubik’s Cube was hot, Mount St. Helens Erupted, and Pac-Man was released.

In 1980, guitarists across metal, rock, and blues unleashed some of the most iconic solos of all time. I rounded up five of the year’s best—plus one that didn’t quite 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 legend says that the #1 solo of this year was born out of frustration. “Rhoads had spent hours crafting a solo, but Ozzy Osbourne dismissed it as “crap.” This led to an argument, after which an angry Rhoads stormed into the studio and improvised a fiery, emotional solo in one take. When he finished, Ozzy loved it, declaring it perfect.” I think Ozzy was right. The image you saw above is meant to capture the mood and theme of this song.

<Check the best guitar solos of 1979

Check the best guitar solos of 1981>

First, here’s some great albums from the year 1980 with amazing guitar playing in them:

Artist	Album Name	Genre
AC/DC	Back in Black	Metal
Black Sabbath	Heaven and Hell	Metal
Ozzy Osbourne	Blizzard of Ozz	Metal
Judas Priest	British Steel	Metal
Motörhead	Ace of Spades	Metal
Iron Maiden	Iron Maiden	Metal
Def Leppard	On Through the Night	Metal
Rush	Permanent Waves	Rock
Van Halen	Women and Children First	Rock
Queen	The Game	Rock
The Police	Zenyatta Mondatta	Rock
The Pretenders	Pretenders	Rock
REO Speedwagon	Hi Infidelity	Rock
Pat Benatar	Crimes of Passion	Rock
The Rolling Stones	Emotional Rescue	Rock
Johnny Winter	Raisin’ Cain	Blues
George Thorogood and the Destroyers	More George Thorogood and the Destroyers	Blues
The Fabulous Thunderbirds	What’s the Word	Blues
Albert Collins	Frostbite	Blues

Now, to the top 5 solos!

1. Ozzy Osbourne – “Mr. Crowley” (Randy Rhoads)

Mr. Crowley

From Blizzard of Ozz, Rhoads’ solo is a technical marvel, with dramatic phrasing and classical influences that elevate the track’s gothic vibe. One of the best solos (I’m talking about the final solo) of all time. The Crazy Train solo was left out from this list because I wanted to include only 1 solo per guitarist.

2. Iron Maiden – “Phantom of the Opera” (Dave Murray/Dennis Stratton)

Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera [HD]

A galloping, melodic dual-guitar masterpiece with harmonies that make this song epic. This song is full of great solos, but my favorites are the ones starting around 5:09.

Browse the best solos of other years:

3. Rush – “Freewill” (Alex Lifeson)

Rush - Freewill (Audio)

A sharp, angular solo with precise bends and a prog-rock edge. It’s fast, and it’s melodic. What else do you need?

4. Van Halen – “And the Cradle Will Rock…” (Eddie Van Halen)

And the Cradle Will Rock... (2015 Remaster)

A gritty, effects-halen solo with Eddie’s wild tapping and heavy, synth-backed swagger. It’s an underrated EVH solo.

5. AC/DC. – “Back in Black” (Angus Young)

AC/DC - Back In Black

Even though AC/DC has never been my thing, Angus Young’s solo in ‘Back in Black’ is something special. It’s a gritty, electrifying burst of bluesy swagger that drives this 1980 anthem to legendary status.

Honorable mention

I limit honorable mentions to 1. This time, I give it to Steve Clark for his great solo in “Wasted” by Def Leppard.

1 Not-So-Good Guitar Solo: Journey – “Any Way You Want It” (Neal Schon)

Any Way You Want It

Neal Schon is an amazing guitarist. But this solo, while functional, lacks the flair or memorable hooks of his later work, feeling more like a filler fill than a standout moment.

<Check the best guitar solos of 1979

Check the best guitar solos of 1981>