Rolling Stone publishes 100 greatest guitar solos list

9 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · May 4

The ranking spans blues, punk, metal, funk and indie rock, featuring artists from Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Geese and MJ Lenderman.
Rolling Stone said selections were based not on sales or airplay but on six-string brilliance, with solos judged by how decisively they elevate songs rather than merely repeat melodies.
The magazine excluded jazz, included some instrumentals, and framed the list as a salute to a tradition it called enduring, while acknowledging fans would compile very different rankings.

Given rock's roots, how well does the list reflect the foundational contributions of Black guitarists?

Is the internet era of solo virtuosos making the classic rock guitar solo obsolete?

Can data science reveal a hidden formula for what makes a guitar solo universally beloved?