It’s an extremely tough list to make, and we’re sure there’s gonna be plenty of debate, but we’ve put together our picks for the 15 greatest guitar solos from rock and metal musicians throughout the past five decades.

We’d be remiss to exclude Eddie Van Halen’s iconic “Eruption” from this list, which essentially elevated shred guitar to heights never before seen. It’s truly a solo in every sense, with almost no instrumental support except for a few moments of drum fills. There’s never been a guitar break so celebrated by fans, and EVH’s tapping has been instantly recognizable for multiple generations.

Let’s give Marty Friedman some love for his time in Megadeth. As one of the cleanest and most powerful shredders in metal history, Friedman gave arguably his finest performance on “Tornado of Souls.” For a full minute of the classic Rust in Peace track, Friedman lets loose with freakishly smooth legato and rip-roaring feel.

Randy Rhoads was truly a gift from the metal gods. Reinvigorating the career of Ozzy Osbourne, Rhoads possessed a neoclassical style that was far heavier than Ritchie Blackmore and exuded more feeling than Yngwie Malmsteen. That may be a controversial statement, but listening to his solo on “Mr. Crowley” is like catching a glimpse of heavy metal heaven. Watch for yourselves and be the judge.

Check out our picks for the 15 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time in the Loud List above.

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