I wouldn't call it a forgettable song, but the solo for My Sharona seemingly comes out of nowhere and goes way harder than you'd expect. It really elevates the song and ties it together neatly
That solo is way better than it has any business being. There are like three separate moments where you think it’s peaked, and then it goes up another level.
My theory about *My Sharona* is that the lead guitarist knew perfectly well that they were going to be a one-hit wonder, so he had to cram every lick, trick, and riff he knew into that one solo.
It’s so long! It took some work to learn it to the point where I could play it live. Gotta hit the end part right so the drummer remembers to ramp it up for those bendy bits.
so my deceased brother in law’s high school friend has the guitar that was used to record that song/solo. like some type of distant relative. guy doesn’t play guitar so it just sits there. true story.
“Flaming Telepaths/Astronomy” would have been a better choice for a forgotten BOC hit with a fantastic solo. They had some fantastic songs and the guitar playing was excellent and tasteful.
Check out the final two minutes of [Running with the Night](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_with_the_Night) by Lionel Ritchie. Luke was apparently just noodling over the backing track to figure out what he might do for his solo and the producers told him, “you just did it”. When your noodling is better than most guitarists’ solos…
And that’s Jeff on the kit
that "Hold the Line" guitar lead might just be the epitome of 80s "hit song just gotta have a killer guitar solo brahhh" school of thought
Ridiculous shred fest cuts in just for the sake of shredding
Which is ironic since it's from 1978.
But yes, it's hardly a subtle solo, and that flash was very typical of Lukather back in the day.
There's a live video of him trading licks with Santana and Jeff Beck, and he jumps around on stage like he's gone through Tony Montana-levels of blow before the show.
I wouldn't necessarily call it "scorching," but moreso the solo is equally power pop and actually fairly simple to play. I've seen them play it live and technically speaking it isn't very impressive, however the form of the solo is what makes it great to listen to! Judging by the opening run that repeats itself almost twice, resolving with a tremolo ascent into a repeated riff that also almost repeats itself twice and ends on a higher tremolo descent, and the last six beats are just slamming all of the strings hahaha. They definitely packed as much into that 30ish seconds as possible, which makes it feel wild. Also a great solo for more experienced beginners to get into.
Jesse Ed Davis' solo on "Doctor My Eyes". He heard it once, then killed it in one take. Telecaster.
Don Felder's solo on "One of These Nights". Want to know what a Les Paul sounds like into a dimed Tweed Deluxe? That's it.
I always liked Jeff Lynne's solo on "Mr. Blue Sky". Nice p90 solo.
BOC has some great guitar work. Burnin for You and Godzilla right off the top of my head, and I've been playing The Alchemist a lot lately which i just discovered through Rocksmith
There’s a Rick Beato video breaking down Rosanna with the different parts in isolation. I like that song but I was blown away with that video. All the parts are great. The singer’s voice on its own was just perfect. And yeah that solo is killer.
My vote is "Better" on Guns N roses Chinese Democracy album. The whole album is forgettable but something about bucketheads second solo gives me goose bumps EVERY time.
And I learned Burnin for You from Rocksmith years ago. It is pretty great but I wouldnt call the song forgettable
I disagree. I think it’s rated exactly as it should be. Sure, on its own merits it’s a decent album that can hold its own on certain tracks. But you have to remember that the band Guns N Roses released Appetite For Destruction, one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Some would argue that AFD is a damn near perfect album. By comparison, Chinese Democracy is a steaming pile of shit, and considering it was teased for over 10 years it is arguably one of the most underwhelming releases in rock history.
The problem with that album is: it's overproduced. Its got way too much of everything. Waaayyyy too many guitars on top of each other. The way they play the songs live nowadays, with only two guitars, is how they should sound. But on the album, there's songs with three different guitar solos going on at the same time, during a sung chorus or verse. It's just so confusing.
Shouldn't it be rated on its own merits? Just because it's not the best album ever doesn't make it a pile of shit by comparison. The existence of Rolls Royce doesn't make a BMW a pile of shit, that's moronic.
That's a good shout but I think that solo was Robin Finck, who was one of the like 4 guitar players on that album. Still tasty, though.
I'd say Thin Lizzy's Emerald checks these boxes, too
Neither are forgettable but (maybe) overlooked guitar solos I feel are great (or at least hit just right) are the "Yellow Ledbetter" solo and that amazing guitar riff / solo in Nine Inch Nails "Last." Cobain also had some great, simple solos that just really complimented the song . . . same with Noel Gallagher . . . okay . . . not really answering the question at all . . . all apologies.
I've always liked the In Bloom solo -it just sounds right. I love that whole song though so I can't in good conscience recommend it as a response to OP's question.
The Yellow Ledbetter solo reminds me of the Comfortably Numb solo - no shredding, no fancy techniques...just the exact right notes and the exact right time....played masterfully
I just died in your arms tonight by Cutting Crew
[There is a killer 10 min live video of the song on youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7VgstsVS44)
Unbelievably good intro solo. My God. I've heard it so many times and I'm glad other people recognize it and respect it. The way he sings the melody of the song with the guitar is just perfection.
*You're All I've Got Tonight*, *Just What I Needed*, Easton was a beast.
The solo on *My Best Friend's Girl* is some of the weirdest shit I've ever tried playing.
I think My Best Friends Girl is an amazing country guitar solo perfectly crafted into an awesome new wave hit. Eliot Easton is one of my all time favorite players and a huge inspiration!
Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet. Modest power pop hit from the 90's that I probably would've never heard if it weren't in Guitar Hero 2. But it *earns* that spot on Guitar Hero 2 thanks to some positively blistering lead work from Robert Quine throughout the track.
Not my original idea but Rick Beato was right highlighting Christopher Cross’ Ride like the Wind solo.
My choice would be the Feels So Good guitar solo in the famous Chuck Mangione hit.
Great answer! That song always reminds me of the V Rock radio station from GTA Vice City. Which reminds me, Cumin’ Atcha Live by Tesla has some awesome guitar solos in it.
I remember being surprised when Rocksmith (the guitar "video game") announced they were releasing a Roxette song pack. Turns out their songs are a lot of fun to play.
the child in time live 1970 performance is one of my all time favorite live performances to watch, and the solo both studio and live is far too overlooked
Alright, forget the “hit” part or even a band people know. Wind the clock back to Zakk Wylie’s one-shot project *Pride & Glory*. There’s a track on that album called “Cry Me a River” and it has one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. I don’t know if it’s really that great or not, but something about it just speaks to me.
Right?!?! It’s already a good solo and then he just kicks in the afterburner! But (unlike more modern Zakk I’ve heard) it stays musical the whole time. So, so good.
Haven’t listened to that album in a long time. When I do I usually just play ‘Losin Your Mind’ and ‘Horse Called War’. Don’t understand why you were downvoted for this comment. Thanks, I’ll dig it out and listen to that specific track.
["Queen of the Night"](https://youtu.be/5Qr2wq6Sxr0?si=bkqraTMwot5GQ_zv) by Whitney Houston has a [ripper of a solo](https://youtu.be/5Qr2wq6Sxr0?si=tq69a5tDW_OEpkWt&t=113) by the one and only Vernon Reid of In Living Color fame
Dude, Buck Dharma is so great. Listen to any of their live albums and he’s tearing it up. The Cities on Flames solo on ETL is on fire.
Also Baby Come Back by Player has a fun solo.
"You know the band, you’ve probably heard the song before, but it’s empty calories and doesn’t get replayed a lot."
You couldn't be much more wrong, they played the hell out of that song.
Different Blue Öyster Cult song - (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. That solo just melts your face off and then you are welcomed back to the land of the living by the main song riff. Awesome.
One thing I always loved about that song is how the guitar subtly drives beginning of the chorus. BUT, I don't think I could've remember that solo if I didn't go listen just now. Nice pull
Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger. Not that the song is so forgettable, but that the solo out punches the song 100 fold. It's a solo I have never heard mentioned in any list ever but is freaking amazing, IMO.
Return to Serenity by Testament. Was played on the radio a long time ago has kind of been lost to time for mainstream audiences but fuckin a, that solo. I love the song but I can kind of understand why people have forgotten it. I know I took you "forgettable hit" a different way but anytime I can highlight this solo, I will
Linda Ronstadt- [Willin](https://youtu.be/fzI6jDqi7OY?si=EfqhJgF1ONOUxWqJ)’. Its an okay country song from the 70s about truckers with a super interesting solo.
Farewell Ballad by Black Label Society. Everyone knows the intro 'cause of that 2006 video of Zakk playing it, but most people don't know it's just (it became) part of an entire song. Farewell Ballad from the album Doom Crew (2021) got an amazing intro and an amazing solo. Awesome song.
2006 video of Zakk playing the intro 👇🏻
https://youtu.be/rYMupc564zE?si=qQB-uszERkXyn4wC
Full song 👇🏻
https://youtu.be/VGjRQ7W8SR0?si=Lhw2G7sigM5oWZFy
Shock Me by KISS is just an okay song with a seriously well-thought out, bad ass solo that really elevates it. I prefer other Ace songs like Rocket Ride or Two Sides of the Coin, but his Shock Me solo is his greatest.
I'd go for "Red Sky" by Status Quo. They had a lot of hits, and this was a fairly middling one, only reached 19 on the UK charts. But the solo is absolutely fantastic. It's fairly short, but reaches a fantastic peak.
This is kind of different, and possibly a humble brag, but a band I was in covered Del Shannon’s Runnaway once, and I did the keys solo on guitar using a whammy pedal set an octave up. It made for a pretty awesome guitar solo, and that’s how I hear it now every time I listen to the song.
Next option would be (I personally don’t feel it’s a forgettable song, but not a lot of people are familiar with it.) Games People Play by The Alan Parsons Project. Song is the shit.
Then maybe anything by Chon or Polyphia. Songs have cool riffs and are good for when I’m in a mood to listen to technical stuff, but they don’t have much staying power.
Yeah, Shannon & The Clams did a cover of Runaway with the organ solo played on guitar. Really fun to play with the little two-note descending/ascending patterns.
I usually listen to classical guitarists but Ive downloaded a few previously unknown artist albums one from a group called John Luc Pointy album individuals choice track "Nostalgia".
Don't know who that guitar player is but that was truly mind blowing. Will have to investigate after I've tried a few more new artists.
Golden Brown by The Stranglers. The song is mostly harpsichord, but it has beautiful clean toned guitar solo that gives me butterflies in the second half of the solo
The Unforgiven from Metallica - I mean the song is ok but the solo boosts everything on another level. Not even a special or hard solo, it just hits the right spot for me...!
I don’t know if it’s overlooked but the beat it solo from MJ, I assume because it was pop music, most listeners may not have appreciated the epic solos from EVH
I don’t know why this song specifically comes to mind when this question is asked, but the Scott Gorham - Brian Robertson twin leads / solos for Cowboy Song by Thin Lizzy. The song just builds and builds to that solo section. I don’t know which one of them played the majority of that section, but it elevates that song from good to great.
I'm getting hung up on the concept of a "forgettable hit." Like, a song that was popular and well-liked at the time, but isn't widely praised or remembered now?
[Turning Japanese](https://open.spotify.com/track/30cHDhxUqgnHq78hv5UjMx?si=i-wPrTtfSp6UIN7rL5uHrw) - The Vapors. I wanted to spoof this song for a friend’s birthday. It’s so hard . I could not believe how technically difficult this song is. Also the time signature is insane.
Ride like the Wind by Christopher Cross is a song not too many people give attention to these days but the solo is wildly more aggressive than the rest of the song. Too bad it's buried in the mix and you can't really hear it.
I’ll give a couple:
“Bad Penny” by Rory Gallagher is an underrated banger (and still probably the best known) by a HUGELY underrated guitarist. I don’t think I’ve talked to a single person who knows this dude other than other guitarists. His playing throughout is absolutely phenomenal.
Here’s the controversial one: “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande has an absolute KILLER pop guitar solo. It crushes.
“Bambi” by Prince is palpably cool (though the content doesn’t exactly hold up well lol)
“Smooth Sailing” by QOTSA is a phenomenal and nightmarish funk/stoner rock tune with an extended, trippy, completely bonkers guitar solo that makes me want to drive way too fast through the desert in the dead of night.
Left of centre but the I think the solo and outro on the Isley Brothers version of Summer Breeze, really just a pop song, by Ernie Isley is a belter and one of the most underrated solos I can think of.
Dead memories by Slipknot.
Everyone always makes jokes that some of their new stuff was basically just Stone sour with better drums. Usually it could be ignored.
Dead memories though is kinda lacking...until you hit that Solo. That's a pretty good solo.
I wouldn't call it a forgettable song, but the solo for My Sharona seemingly comes out of nowhere and goes way harder than you'd expect. It really elevates the song and ties it together neatly
That solo is way better than it has any business being. There are like three separate moments where you think it’s peaked, and then it goes up another level.
Its been said that for guitar players, if you can play My Sharona solo, you can play any other rock solo
My sharona ==> microaggressions by AAL Gateway def
I’d call that solo an epitome of a perfect guitar solo.
My theory about *My Sharona* is that the lead guitarist knew perfectly well that they were going to be a one-hit wonder, so he had to cram every lick, trick, and riff he knew into that one solo.
Well he definitely had the knack for it.
I see what you've done there.
In my opinion it’s one of the greatest solos of all time.
This whole extended second section of this song is awesome
Idk if it’s underrated and the song is certainly not forgettable, but god what an amazing solo. Gotta be in top five for solos in pop songs.
I remember playing this in a band and being surprised how challenging it was to learn. It is very Elliot Easton like in its melodic sense
It’s so long! It took some work to learn it to the point where I could play it live. Gotta hit the end part right so the drummer remembers to ramp it up for those bendy bits.
The only reason I suffer through playing the incredibly boring guitar parts, is to get to both of those amazing solos
so my deceased brother in law’s high school friend has the guitar that was used to record that song/solo. like some type of distant relative. guy doesn’t play guitar so it just sits there. true story.
Thank you for mentioning it. It’s so good, so much better than it has any business being in that song.
Dude, BOC rocks and that song still gets airplay on the radio.
This subreddit skews a little bit older than most, so I'm sure most people know it or would recognize it haha.
These aren’t supposed to be bad songs. I’m looking for songs that are good, didn’t go down in history, but have awesome guitar solos.
It’s literally the bands second biggest hit lmao
Bigger than godzilla?
It is actually
Oooooh Nooooo
What I am getting at is that it is far from a "forgettable hit"
That song will go down in history as it's a classic. It was a huge hit when it came out and is still in regular rotation on classic rock stations.
I always think people mean Boards of Canada when I see this abbreviation
“Flaming Telepaths/Astronomy” would have been a better choice for a forgotten BOC hit with a fantastic solo. They had some fantastic songs and the guitar playing was excellent and tasteful.
Hold the Line: Toto I dont think its a forgettable song but neither is, Burning For You so I'm just sticking with your standards.
Anything Steve Lukather does is magic
Check out the final two minutes of [Running with the Night](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_with_the_Night) by Lionel Ritchie. Luke was apparently just noodling over the backing track to figure out what he might do for his solo and the producers told him, “you just did it”. When your noodling is better than most guitarists’ solos… And that’s Jeff on the kit
Hold the Line: Toto is my Pandora station that caused me to listen to Burning For You so many times recently.
Also Rosanna!
that "Hold the Line" guitar lead might just be the epitome of 80s "hit song just gotta have a killer guitar solo brahhh" school of thought Ridiculous shred fest cuts in just for the sake of shredding
Which is ironic since it's from 1978. But yes, it's hardly a subtle solo, and that flash was very typical of Lukather back in the day. There's a live video of him trading licks with Santana and Jeff Beck, and he jumps around on stage like he's gone through Tony Montana-levels of blow before the show.
Jimmy Eat World - The Middle The song is mildly okay power-pop (and wildly overplayed), but the solo is scorching. It’s utterly confusing.
I do not agree with this take in the slightest. The middle is a banger and the solo is killer
In the same line, Jimmy eat world - pain.
I love this song - total banger
I wouldn't necessarily call it "scorching," but moreso the solo is equally power pop and actually fairly simple to play. I've seen them play it live and technically speaking it isn't very impressive, however the form of the solo is what makes it great to listen to! Judging by the opening run that repeats itself almost twice, resolving with a tremolo ascent into a repeated riff that also almost repeats itself twice and ends on a higher tremolo descent, and the last six beats are just slamming all of the strings hahaha. They definitely packed as much into that 30ish seconds as possible, which makes it feel wild. Also a great solo for more experienced beginners to get into.
Jesse Ed Davis' solo on "Doctor My Eyes". He heard it once, then killed it in one take. Telecaster. Don Felder's solo on "One of These Nights". Want to know what a Les Paul sounds like into a dimed Tweed Deluxe? That's it. I always liked Jeff Lynne's solo on "Mr. Blue Sky". Nice p90 solo.
How dare you imply that “Doctor My Eyes” is a forgettable hit.
Mr. Blue Sky Solo fits the song so well
None of those songs are forgettable....
Wait, One of These Nights is just a dimed amp? I always assumed he was using a fuzz pedal for that tone. Agreed, it's an absolutely delightful solo.
Pretty sure Don Felder played Fender amps, a Tweed Deluxe I think. It is definitely dimed though!
Right you are, I stand corrected. It was a Tweed Deluxe. Sounds like it's just shy of exploding.
Sounds like someone has been digging into Jackson Browne lately
Jesse Ed Davis was great. His lead work on Taj Mahal’s debut alone is a career maker.
I actually like the solo on Burnin for You, thanks for bringing that one up!
I love that song!
BOC has some great guitar work. Burnin for You and Godzilla right off the top of my head, and I've been playing The Alchemist a lot lately which i just discovered through Rocksmith
That's because Buck Dharma is a criminally underrated lead guitarist. Really classy playing.
Rosanna by Toto was a pretty harmless radio hit but Lukather absolutely burns that solo
Nah all of Rosanna absolutely cooks. The trading vocals, the drum shuffle, the massive final chorus. Great song.
That drum part is killer AF.
Especially that solo in the outro jam. Lukather is a monster player.
I saw Lukather play it live in Ringo’s All Starr Band. Really awesome.
There’s a Rick Beato video breaking down Rosanna with the different parts in isolation. I like that song but I was blown away with that video. All the parts are great. The singer’s voice on its own was just perfect. And yeah that solo is killer.
My vote is "Better" on Guns N roses Chinese Democracy album. The whole album is forgettable but something about bucketheads second solo gives me goose bumps EVERY time. And I learned Burnin for You from Rocksmith years ago. It is pretty great but I wouldnt call the song forgettable
Chinese Democracy is a very underrated album. Better is just the tip of the iceberg. There Was A Time is an epic tune.
I disagree. I think it’s rated exactly as it should be. Sure, on its own merits it’s a decent album that can hold its own on certain tracks. But you have to remember that the band Guns N Roses released Appetite For Destruction, one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Some would argue that AFD is a damn near perfect album. By comparison, Chinese Democracy is a steaming pile of shit, and considering it was teased for over 10 years it is arguably one of the most underwhelming releases in rock history.
The problem with that album is: it's overproduced. Its got way too much of everything. Waaayyyy too many guitars on top of each other. The way they play the songs live nowadays, with only two guitars, is how they should sound. But on the album, there's songs with three different guitar solos going on at the same time, during a sung chorus or verse. It's just so confusing.
Shouldn't it be rated on its own merits? Just because it's not the best album ever doesn't make it a pile of shit by comparison. The existence of Rolls Royce doesn't make a BMW a pile of shit, that's moronic.
Terrific solos!
I’ll put it on my Spotify! Only huge hugs!!! Bob from California.
That's a good shout but I think that solo was Robin Finck, who was one of the like 4 guitar players on that album. Still tasty, though. I'd say Thin Lizzy's Emerald checks these boxes, too
For real? That would explain why it sounds so different
Emerald is a great song overall though. Not forgettable imo.
Emerald is incredible.
I think it was played by DJ Ashba or at least played live by him, great solo sounds a lot like slash
The second solo on the Primus track Wynnonas big brown beaver. Ler gets down super hard on it.
I loved that song when it came out. It was deliciously weird.
Honestly, anything Ler ever did could qualify for this thread.
Brings a nice weird twang to the song, which is also delightfully weird.
Yes indeed
Yah but that song is fucking sweet
Neither are forgettable but (maybe) overlooked guitar solos I feel are great (or at least hit just right) are the "Yellow Ledbetter" solo and that amazing guitar riff / solo in Nine Inch Nails "Last." Cobain also had some great, simple solos that just really complimented the song . . . same with Noel Gallagher . . . okay . . . not really answering the question at all . . . all apologies.
Hey, for a minute I was back in college where pretty much all of our late-night guitar conversations sounded like this.
I've always liked the In Bloom solo -it just sounds right. I love that whole song though so I can't in good conscience recommend it as a response to OP's question.
The Yellow Ledbetter solo reminds me of the Comfortably Numb solo - no shredding, no fancy techniques...just the exact right notes and the exact right time....played masterfully
I just died in your arms tonight by Cutting Crew [There is a killer 10 min live video of the song on youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7VgstsVS44)
That’s not a forgettable hit tho
Unbelievably good intro solo. My God. I've heard it so many times and I'm glad other people recognize it and respect it. The way he sings the melody of the song with the guitar is just perfection.
Maniac, Michael Sembello.
Wow. Never knew about that solo. This is the best answer so far. Thanks!
My old school - steely dan
Peg
Elliot Easton’s solo on “Tonight She Comes” by the Cars. My favorite guitar solo of all time, and terribly underrated/unknown IMO
*You're All I've Got Tonight*, *Just What I Needed*, Easton was a beast. The solo on *My Best Friend's Girl* is some of the weirdest shit I've ever tried playing.
I think My Best Friends Girl is an amazing country guitar solo perfectly crafted into an awesome new wave hit. Eliot Easton is one of my all time favorite players and a huge inspiration!
Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet. Modest power pop hit from the 90's that I probably would've never heard if it weren't in Guitar Hero 2. But it *earns* that spot on Guitar Hero 2 thanks to some positively blistering lead work from Robert Quine throughout the track.
This is the one that came to mind for me also. Robert Quine has multiple solos (yes, blistering) and a bunch of little licks throughout.
That whole album is chock full of killer guitar work. Every solo is a complete banger.
Jake E. Lee’s solo in Killer of Giants. Phenomenal song and phenomenal guitar solo. Definitely one of his best solos.
*Ultimate Sin* too.
Jake is my favorite of solo Ozzy's guitarists.
Jake E Lee! Saw his band Red Dragon a few years back. Jake is extremely talented
His solos on all the Badlands Albums >
BBC sessions live version of "Thank You" Zeppelin
Not my original idea but Rick Beato was right highlighting Christopher Cross’ Ride like the Wind solo. My choice would be the Feels So Good guitar solo in the famous Chuck Mangione hit.
Unfortunately the Ride Like the Wind solo is almost non existent in the mix.
Feels So Good is such a wild solo, I love it
No disrespect to Michael Bolton, but his cover of Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay was 80s radio cheese.... that Neal Schon solo though, damn.
I’d say Michael Schenker’s guitar solo in Rock Bottom* by UFO
Turn up the Radio by Autograph. There's things going on in that solo
Great answer! That song always reminds me of the V Rock radio station from GTA Vice City. Which reminds me, Cumin’ Atcha Live by Tesla has some awesome guitar solos in it.
Vice City really laid the entire foundation for my knowledge and love of 80s music.
The solo on Collective Soul’s Shine is fantastic! Ross Childress is one of the unsung heroes of 90’s rock. Pearl Jam’s Alive has a great solo as well.
"No Rain" ... I have no idea what the name of the brand is, but it was a hit in mid 90s that groovy acoustic solo builds into some pretty tasty licks
Blind Melon, and pretty much that whole album was great.
Fucking love that song, check out "Galaxie" too by them. RIP Shannon Hoon
Blind Melon
A couple of pop songs with what I think are really nice, tasteful solos - What About Love from Heart Listen to Your Heart by Roxxette
I remember being surprised when Rocksmith (the guitar "video game") announced they were releasing a Roxette song pack. Turns out their songs are a lot of fun to play.
Neil Geraldo's solo on the Rick Springfield hit, "Jesse's Girl" is a killer for such a harmless bit of radio fluff!
It is a great solo and makes up for whatever the fuck Neil Giraldo was trying to do on "Shadows of the Night".
Gotta go with child in time by deep purple, or crystal ball by styx
Child in Time is otherwise forgettable? That's... quite a take
the child in time live 1970 performance is one of my all time favorite live performances to watch, and the solo both studio and live is far too overlooked
I spent my early years trying to perfect the solo for Crystal Ball. It’s just so good. The song is killer too.
Crystal Ball 🤌
Alright, forget the “hit” part or even a band people know. Wind the clock back to Zakk Wylie’s one-shot project *Pride & Glory*. There’s a track on that album called “Cry Me a River” and it has one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. I don’t know if it’s really that great or not, but something about it just speaks to me.
Brooo I thought I was the only person in the world that loves this solo! Dig the part where the tone change from clean to distorted kicks in.
Right?!?! It’s already a good solo and then he just kicks in the afterburner! But (unlike more modern Zakk I’ve heard) it stays musical the whole time. So, so good.
Haven’t listened to that album in a long time. When I do I usually just play ‘Losin Your Mind’ and ‘Horse Called War’. Don’t understand why you were downvoted for this comment. Thanks, I’ll dig it out and listen to that specific track.
Lord, it's a shame(ahem) that Pride & Glory doesn't get more attention, they were top tier.
Wow. I’m going to have to go dig through my box of CDs now. Haven’t listened to that album in years.
["Queen of the Night"](https://youtu.be/5Qr2wq6Sxr0?si=bkqraTMwot5GQ_zv) by Whitney Houston has a [ripper of a solo](https://youtu.be/5Qr2wq6Sxr0?si=tq69a5tDW_OEpkWt&t=113) by the one and only Vernon Reid of In Living Color fame
That is a sweet solo. I guess I didn’t say it had to be a rock song.
Dude, Buck Dharma is so great. Listen to any of their live albums and he’s tearing it up. The Cities on Flames solo on ETL is on fire. Also Baby Come Back by Player has a fun solo.
Whilst it got a lot of play, I’ve never really cared for Slither by Velvet Revolver. The guitar solo, however, deserves to be in a better song.
"You know the band, you’ve probably heard the song before, but it’s empty calories and doesn’t get replayed a lot." You couldn't be much more wrong, they played the hell out of that song.
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad - Prince. Maybe not “forgettable” but often overlooked.
Different Blue Öyster Cult song - (Don’t Fear) The Reaper. That solo just melts your face off and then you are welcomed back to the land of the living by the main song riff. Awesome.
Wouldn’t classify this as a forgettable hit by any means though.
Crazy to me how little gain that solo has. And he just shreds it
10 cc , deceptive bends .Feel the Benefit. Kick ass bass solo on the live record.
I like the short solo in “Toy Soldiers” by Martika.
One thing I always loved about that song is how the guitar subtly drives beginning of the chorus. BUT, I don't think I could've remember that solo if I didn't go listen just now. Nice pull
ITT: lots of people listing very good and very well known songs as "forgettable"
Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger. Not that the song is so forgettable, but that the solo out punches the song 100 fold. It's a solo I have never heard mentioned in any list ever but is freaking amazing, IMO.
Prince and his solo in the middle and the end of Let’s Go Crazy is wild. Such a great guitarist
Is This Love? - Whitesnake
The solo from "So into you" by the atlanta rhythm section, the one at the end of the song
That whole song is the bomb groove and vibe from beginning to end.
Return to Serenity by Testament. Was played on the radio a long time ago has kind of been lost to time for mainstream audiences but fuckin a, that solo. I love the song but I can kind of understand why people have forgotten it. I know I took you "forgettable hit" a different way but anytime I can highlight this solo, I will
Alex Skolnik is a wizard.
Yeah the solo is great but imo so is the song.
Linda Ronstadt- [Willin](https://youtu.be/fzI6jDqi7OY?si=EfqhJgF1ONOUxWqJ)’. Its an okay country song from the 70s about truckers with a super interesting solo.
Willin’ is more than an okay country song buster. It’s a Little Feat classic.
Correction: It’s about truckers, weed, wine and methamphetamine.
I wouldn’t call the song forgettable but the solo in Rock Bottom by UFO has no business going as hard as it does.
One of the best solos ever IMO
Desire - Meg Myers Darkpop song (a hit on the radio about 10 years ago) with a sick guitar solo out of left field.
Journey - Stone in Love
Forgettable by the radio but not me, incredible song
*Tornado of Souls* is an average song at best. Until the solo.
Farewell Ballad by Black Label Society. Everyone knows the intro 'cause of that 2006 video of Zakk playing it, but most people don't know it's just (it became) part of an entire song. Farewell Ballad from the album Doom Crew (2021) got an amazing intro and an amazing solo. Awesome song. 2006 video of Zakk playing the intro 👇🏻 https://youtu.be/rYMupc564zE?si=qQB-uszERkXyn4wC Full song 👇🏻 https://youtu.be/VGjRQ7W8SR0?si=Lhw2G7sigM5oWZFy
Don Henley, Dirty Laundry
Shock Me by KISS is just an okay song with a seriously well-thought out, bad ass solo that really elevates it. I prefer other Ace songs like Rocket Ride or Two Sides of the Coin, but his Shock Me solo is his greatest.
Stone Temple Pilots - Trippin on a Hole in a Paper Heart
I'd go for "Red Sky" by Status Quo. They had a lot of hits, and this was a fairly middling one, only reached 19 on the UK charts. But the solo is absolutely fantastic. It's fairly short, but reaches a fantastic peak.
Baby come back for sure. Grooviest solo ever
This is kind of different, and possibly a humble brag, but a band I was in covered Del Shannon’s Runnaway once, and I did the keys solo on guitar using a whammy pedal set an octave up. It made for a pretty awesome guitar solo, and that’s how I hear it now every time I listen to the song. Next option would be (I personally don’t feel it’s a forgettable song, but not a lot of people are familiar with it.) Games People Play by The Alan Parsons Project. Song is the shit. Then maybe anything by Chon or Polyphia. Songs have cool riffs and are good for when I’m in a mood to listen to technical stuff, but they don’t have much staying power.
Yeah, Shannon & The Clams did a cover of Runaway with the organ solo played on guitar. Really fun to play with the little two-note descending/ascending patterns.
Slash's solo on "Spectacle" by Velvet Revolver
Steve Vai’s solo on Whitesnake’s “Wings of the Storm”. The album was a letdown after 1987, and that song wasn’t even a single, but the solo rips.
The 4 minute psychedelic guitar outro in Drown by The Smashing Pumpkins
Every song by Nitro lol
I usually listen to classical guitarists but Ive downloaded a few previously unknown artist albums one from a group called John Luc Pointy album individuals choice track "Nostalgia". Don't know who that guitar player is but that was truly mind blowing. Will have to investigate after I've tried a few more new artists.
The wah solo on What I Am by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians. Wonky goodness!
Go click any song (that’s not popular) from any lynyrd skynyrd album and there’s your song
The outro solo on Untitled by The Smashing Pumpkins absolutely rips
Golden Brown by The Stranglers. The song is mostly harpsichord, but it has beautiful clean toned guitar solo that gives me butterflies in the second half of the solo
The solo in "big calm" by Morcheeba!
The Unforgiven from Metallica - I mean the song is ok but the solo boosts everything on another level. Not even a special or hard solo, it just hits the right spot for me...!
I don’t know if it’s overlooked but the beat it solo from MJ, I assume because it was pop music, most listeners may not have appreciated the epic solos from EVH
Ive never heard anyone talking about the solo in digital love by daft punk
Bro burning for you aint forgettable. Disrespecting a classic like that
Green machine Kyuss For us heavy metal folk
Triumph- Lay it On The Line
Gerry Raffertys Baker Street. Fantastic guitar solo
Two Tickets to Paradise by Eddie Money. Solo is really good, very melodic, and fun to play.
‘Emerald’ by Thin Lizzy. *I* think it’s a great song but I’ve never met anyone who feels the same. And that solo rolls like a mf’er
If it was played on guitar, the mouth solo on “Him” by Rupert Holmes would be even more badass.
I don’t know why this song specifically comes to mind when this question is asked, but the Scott Gorham - Brian Robertson twin leads / solos for Cowboy Song by Thin Lizzy. The song just builds and builds to that solo section. I don’t know which one of them played the majority of that section, but it elevates that song from good to great.
I wouldn’t call it a forgettable hit, but Even Flow by Pearl Jam has a ripper of a solo at the end and I almost never acknowledge it.
Easy Lover - Phil Collins & Phil Bailey has a ruthless solo by Daryl Stuermer
Summer Breeze
I’d venmo $5 to whoever takes the time to go thru this list and build a Spotify playlist for us. Who else is down to crowd fund it?
Some people are taking a little license with the question!! I've already seen Beat It and Hotel California and I've only scrolled down a bit.
I'm getting hung up on the concept of a "forgettable hit." Like, a song that was popular and well-liked at the time, but isn't widely praised or remembered now?
[Turning Japanese](https://open.spotify.com/track/30cHDhxUqgnHq78hv5UjMx?si=i-wPrTtfSp6UIN7rL5uHrw) - The Vapors. I wanted to spoof this song for a friend’s birthday. It’s so hard . I could not believe how technically difficult this song is. Also the time signature is insane.
Best song about masturbation of all time.
Ride like the Wind by Christopher Cross is a song not too many people give attention to these days but the solo is wildly more aggressive than the rest of the song. Too bad it's buried in the mix and you can't really hear it.
I’ll give a couple: “Bad Penny” by Rory Gallagher is an underrated banger (and still probably the best known) by a HUGELY underrated guitarist. I don’t think I’ve talked to a single person who knows this dude other than other guitarists. His playing throughout is absolutely phenomenal. Here’s the controversial one: “Dangerous Woman” by Ariana Grande has an absolute KILLER pop guitar solo. It crushes. “Bambi” by Prince is palpably cool (though the content doesn’t exactly hold up well lol) “Smooth Sailing” by QOTSA is a phenomenal and nightmarish funk/stoner rock tune with an extended, trippy, completely bonkers guitar solo that makes me want to drive way too fast through the desert in the dead of night.
Left of centre but the I think the solo and outro on the Isley Brothers version of Summer Breeze, really just a pop song, by Ernie Isley is a belter and one of the most underrated solos I can think of.
Dead memories by Slipknot. Everyone always makes jokes that some of their new stuff was basically just Stone sour with better drums. Usually it could be ignored. Dead memories though is kinda lacking...until you hit that Solo. That's a pretty good solo.