Image via Complex Original
The guitar solo isn’t an endangered species; it’s one that’s evolving to survive in a rapidly changing climate. Guitar gods of the 20th century, like Slash and Eddie Van Halen (or their modern-day disciples) can still prop a foot up on a stage monitor and let loose a flurry of axe-wielding wizardry during the bridge of an arena rock anthem. But in the 2010s, the guitar, and the guitar solo, are often kept relevant by iconoclasts rather than icons, with creative new applications of the same old six strings in strange new contexts that are often as much about the composition and self-expression as displays of skill. The guitar solo isn’t confined to just rock, and rock guitar isn’t confined to just power trios with a drummer and bassist in the background. Here are the 10 Best Guitar Solos of the Past 5 Years, with some old masters in the mix along with some exciting younger talent.
The Joy Formidable “Whirring”
When the North Wales trio the Joy Formidable released their breakthrough single, “Whirring,” in 2011, no less of an authority than Dave Grohl tweeted, “I would personally like to thank the Joy Formidable for writing the song of the year,” and took the band on tour. The band’s big, grandiose sound owes much to shoegaze trailblazers of the early ’90s, but singer/guitarist Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan makes the sound all her own on the epic squall of effects pedals at the end of the full-length, six-minute version of “Whirring.”
The Gaslight Anthem “45”
Over the course of three increasingly popular indie albums, the New Jersey quartet the Gaslight Anthem perfected a nostalgic, hard-rocking sound that merged punk with classic rock idols, like their Jersey hero Bruce Springsteen. So when they finally signed with Mercury Records for 2012’s Handwritten, they burst out of the gate with a perfect three-minute anthem to score the band’s biggest radio hit. Lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia gives the song an unusual flavor with his solo, which sounds a bit like he’s playing an electric guitar like a mandolin.
Halestorm “Love Bites (So Do I)”
Pennsylvania quartet Halestorm’s songs often feature frontwoman Lizzy Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger singing and playing big, soaring melodies in unison. And “Love Bites (So Do I),” the lead single from the band’s second album, The Strange Case Of…, also lets Hottinger rip loose on a brief but flashy solo that helped the band win its first Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance.
Pearl Jam “Mind Your Manners”
In the alternative rock explosion of the early ’90s, Pearl Jam was one of the few bands that kept proudly waving the flag for guitar solos. And Mike McCready, the most inspired and technically accomplished soloist out of the band’s three guitarists, has continued to dazzle fans with solos like the pyrotechnic display on “Mind Your Manners” from the band’s 10th album, 2013’s Lightning Bold.
St. Vincent “Rattlesnake”
Annie Clark has always been a deeply distinctive guitarist. But over the course of her four albums as St. Vincent, guitar has become a less dominant texture in her increasingly synth-driven soundscapes. And that, if anything, has served to further emphasize the sharp-elbowed physicality of her guitar solos. On “Rattlesnake,” a standout from 2014’s self-titled album, guitar doesn’t even enter the mix for the first couple of minutes. And in her carefully staged performances, she gets a guitar strap draped across her neck by a roadie mid-song for the skronky, inventive solo that dominates the second half of “Rattlesnake.”
Foo Fighters “Rope”
Although Dave Grohl rose to fame as a drummer, the lengthy second act of his rock star career as the frontman of Foo Fighters has largely been a celebration of guitar rock in its many forms. With the band’s lineup now beefed up to three guitarists, including Pat Smear and Chris Shiflet, the band’s guitar sound shifts fluidly between the tropes of punk, metal, and good old-fashioned classic rock. “Rope,” the lead single from 2011’s Wasting Light, is one of the band’s later career highlights—built on several interlocking riffs, including reverb-heavy chords that recall King Missile’s “Detachable Penis.” But Shiflet’s rapid-fire solo, aided with Taylor Hawkins’ virtuoso drum fills, is the show-stopping moment of the song.
Alicia Keys f/ Maxwell “Fire We Make”
“Fire We Make,” an Alicia Keys duet with fellow R&B superstar Maxwell from her 2013 album, Girl on Fire, is all about the sensual give-and-take between the two singers over a gentle, quiet storm groove. And then a third voice unexpectedly steals the show, in the form of a screaming guitar lead from Gary Clark Jr., the acclaimed Texan guitarist who has, in recent years, become the heir apparent to the modern blues guitar tradition.
Tim McGraw f/ Taylor Swift and Keith Urban “Highway Don’t Care”
“Highway Don’t Care” topped the country charts in 2013 with the Voltron-like combination of three superstars all playing to their strengths. Tim McGraw lays the song’s foundation with yearning verses, and Taylor Swift plays the siren that answers his call-and-response chorus. And then Keith Urban, who along with Brad Paisley is one of the only major current stars in country who can shred on the guitar, comes along to finish the song off with a soaring solo.
Nels Cline Singers “Red Before Orange”
Nels Cline has been one of the most revered avant-garde guitarists on the West Coast for decades, known for both the trembling beauty of his solos and for his ability to scrape the strings with kitchen appliances. But he didn’t reach wider renown (and the cover of guitar magazines) until he joined Wilco in 2004. And he’s continued making experimental recordings and leading instrumental bands, including his main project, the Nels Cline Singers, in between Wilco tours. 2014’s Macroscope featured the Singers’ new bassist, Trevor Dunn, and an increased dabbling in electronics from drummer Scott Amendola, but as usual Cline’s unpredictable guitar stylings are the main attraction. “Red Before Orange” features Amendola’s heavily processed drums but an especially lyrical and unadorned solo from Cline that relies more on melody than pedal effects or toys.
Buddy Guy “Born to Play Guitar”
Buddy Guy is one of the last of the blues-guitar greats still walking the earth, still burning down stages with his outrageous solos. And his 2015 album, Born to Play Guitar, is as much a tribute to late compatriots like B.B. King and Muddy Waters as it is a celebration of his own lengthy career. But the title track of Born to Play Guitar is a fond summation of his long life playing the blues, with an uncharacteristically understated solo bringing the story full circle.
