5 Best Guitar Solos of 1984 – And 1 That’s Not Good

1984 was the thoughest year so far. Metallica, Yngwie Malmsteen, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, Stevie Ray Vaughan… (list goes on and on) all releasing amazing albums. But the work is done, and the best 5 are selected, plus one that was just nonsense. And as always, leave your thoughts and top 5 in the comments (you’ll find comments after the article below!).

Did you know? Number 3 was a landmark in introducing neoclassical shred style to a wide audience.

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First, here are some great albums from the year 1984 with amazing guitar playing in them:

Artist	Album Name	Genre
Van Halen	1984	Hard Rock
Metallica	Ride the Lightning	Thrash Metal
Iron Maiden	Powerslave	Heavy Metal
Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force	Rising Force	Neoclassical Metal
Dio	The Last in Line	Heavy Metal
Scorpions	Love at First Sting	Hard Rock/Metal
Twisted Sister	Stay Hungry	Heavy Metal
Bryan Adams	Reckless	Rock
Dokken	Tooth and Nail	Glam Metal
Ratt	Out of the Cellar	Glam Metal
Judas Priest	Defenders of the Faith	Heavy Metal
Whitesnake	Slide It In	Hard Rock/Metal
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble	Couldn’t Stand the Weather	Blues Rock
Rush	Grace Under Pressure	Progressive Rock
Night Ranger	Midnight Madness	Hard Rock
Gary Moore	Victims of the Future	Blues Rock/Metal
Deep Purple	Perfect Strangers	Hard Rock

Now, to the top 5 solos!

1. Scorpions – “Rock You Like a Hurricane” (Matthias Jabs)

Scorpins - Rock You Like A Hurricane

The guitar solo in Scorpions – “Rock You Like a Hurricane” is a melodic masterpiece that electrifies this iconic rock anthem. Jabs delivers a soaring, hook-laden lead with crisp bends and fluid phrasing, striking a perfect balance between raw energy and perfect melody.

2. Gary Moore – “Shapes Of Things To Come” (Gary Moore)

Shapes Of Things To Come

The guitar solo in “Shapes of Things to Come” is the perfect match of Moore’s metal-ish side paired with blues-rock. Bends that give you goosebumps and fast alternate picking. What else do you need?

Browse the best solos of other years:

3. Yngwie Malmsteen – “Black Star” (Yngwie Malmsteen)

Yngwie Malmsteen - Black Star

A dazzling display of neoclassical virtuosity. Lightning-fast arpeggios, intricate scalar runs, and baroque-inspired phrasing. It’s not just a technical marvel and testament to shredding, it’s a melodic neoclassical masterpiece.

4. Ratt – “Round and Round” (Robbin Crosby & Warren DeMartini)

Round and Round (2007 Remaster)

A dual-guitar assault that’s extremely underrated. Robbin Crosby lays down a punchy, rhythmic foundation while Warren DeMartini weaves in sharp, melodic runs and tasty bends. Together, they create a catchy, high-energy lead that perfectly complements the song’s infectious hook.

5. Iron Maiden – “Aces High” (Dave Murray & Adrian Smith)

Iron Maiden - Aces High (1998 Remastered Version) #01

Dave Murray and Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden did amazing work with Aces High. The bridge riff before the solo is a total killer and the solo is a classic Iron Maiden masterpiece by the dynamic duo.

Honorable Mention

An honorable mention goes to K. K. Downing of Judas Priest for his amazing work on the Some Heads Are Gonna Roll solo. In most years, it would have been on the top of the 5 best. This year was just so full of amazing solos that I couldn’t fit it in.

1 Not-So-Good Guitar Solo: Metallica – “Fight Fire With fire” (Kirk Hammet)

Fight Fire With Fire (Remastered)

Kirk goes for speed instead of melody & nailing the vibe of the song. The result is out of place soloing that just doesn’t sound good. Ride The Lightning is not the top Metallica albums in terms of soloing.

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