The melodic screaming of a wailing electric guitar elegantly soothes the wax in our ears. Thanks to guitar players all over the world, when it comes to instrumental rock, the flag is waving high. Method and technique showcased by guitarists on instrumental albums are beyond imagination. This article explores the best instrumental rock guitar albums.

The melodic screaming of a wailing electric guitar elegantly soothes the wax in our ears. Thanks to guitar players all over the world, when it comes to instrumental rock, the flag is waving high. Method and technique showcased by guitarists on instrumental albums are beyond imagination. This article explores the best instrumental rock guitar albums.

Although instrumental albums have been in the limelight since the 50s, the 80s and 90s were important decades for guitar instrumental albums. A large number of rock guitarists released solo albums in the late 80s and 90s. When a guitarist breaks into a solo, the world around becomes non-existent.

If you are passionate about guitar, you know that unexplainable feeling. Guitar solos breathe a new lease of life in song. That’s the reason why most popular forms of music have instrumental guitar parts interspersed in a song. Every guitarist has a story to tell with his solo in an instrumental. Aside from a strong technique, a guitarist needs to have a unique sense of phrasing. A soul stirring guitar solo is that which exudes passion and conveys a language the heart knows.

Thought the 70s had its fair share of guitarists releasing instrumental albums, a large number of guitarists from rock bands, and session guitarists came out with instrumental albums on independent record labels in the 80s and 90s. Solo careers of a number of virtuoso guitar players (neo-classical in particular) took off in the early 80s and 90s. Instrumental guitar ballads became popular in the late 80 and 90s, and since have become an essential part in albums. Post 2000 it has been an encouraging sign with a number of guitarists from the progressive metal genre and several heavy metal sub-genres releasing solo albums. Instrumental albums bring upon the listener a sense of calm. Composing an instrumental piece is no easy task. The guitar solos we hear in instrumental guitar albums leave auidences floored.

 Instrumental guitar parts should be written keeping the structure in mind, however, for each… his own. There is no fixed format when it comes to composing a guitar tune. Technicality and feel are of prime importance for a guitar player. Every guitar player uses a technique or style that helps establish his signature sound. In a rock instrumental, the guitar becomes the voice. Writing guitar parts for an instrumental requires an imaginative sense and creative juices to flow in unison.  Included in this list are complete instrumental albums and largely instrumental albums and solo albums by guitar players. Please note this list is in no way an attempt to rank guitar players, it is just a showcase of some of the best albums in realms of instrumental rock.

100 Greatest Guitar Albums- Instrumental Rock

1. Greg Howe-Greg Howe
2. Joe Satraini- The Extremist
3. Steve Vai- Passion and Warfare
4. Frank Zappa- Hot Rats
5. Paul Gilbert- Burning Organ
6. Jeff Beck- Blow by Blow
7. Eric Johnson- Ah Via Musicom
8. Michael Lee Firkins- Michael Lee Firkins
9. Marty Friedman- Dragons Kiss
10. David T. Chastain- Within The Heat
11. Richie Kotzen- Richie Kotzen
12. Bret Garsed- Big Sky
13. Andy Timmons- Resolution
14. Vinnie Moore- Mind’s Eye
15. Jason Becker- Perpetual Burn
16. Neil Zaza- Sing
17. Shawn Lane- Powers of ten
18. John Petrucci- Suspended Animation
19. Tony MacAlpine- Edge of insanity
20. Jeff Loomis- Zero Order Phase
21. Michael Romeo- The Dark Chapter
22. Joey Tafolla- Infra-Blue
23. Frank Gambale- Coming Back to Your Senses
24. Allan Holdsworth- Metal Fatigue
25. Joe Stump- Guitar Dominance
26. Tiago Della Vega- Hybrid
27. Blues Saraceno- Never Look Back
28. Shaun Baxter-Jazz Metal
29. Vinnie Moore- Meltdown
30. Buckethead- Population Override
31. Andy James-Andy James
32. Rusty Cooley- Rusty Cooley
33. Marco Sfogli-There’s Hope
34. Eric Johnson- Bloom
35. Tony MacAlpine- Chromaticity
36. Alex Masi- Attack of the Neon Shark
37. Daniele Gottardo- Frenzy of Ecstasy
38. Kiko Loureiro- No Gravity
39. Steve Morse-Stressfest
40. Dave Martone- When The Aliens Come
41. Jeff Kollman- Shedding Skin
42. Tony Smotherman- Universal Melody
43. Marcel Coenen- Guitartalk
44. Alex Masi- Vertical Invader
45. David T Chastian- Instrumental Variations
46. Guitars That Rule The World- Vol 1 (Various)
47. Hedras Ramos- Atoms and Space
48. Michael Angelo Batio- No Boundaries
49. Richie Kotzen/ Greg Howe- Tilt
50. Jeff Beck- Wired
51. Greg Howe- Extraction
52. Adrain Weiss- Big Time
53. Steve Morse- Structural Damage
54. Joe Satraini- Surfing With The Alien
55. Mattias IA Eklundh- Freak Guitar
56. Prashant Aswani- Visions
57. Buckethead- The Elephant Man’s Alarm Clock
58. Guthrie Govan- Erotic Cakes
59. Al Di Meola- Casino
60. Joe Stump- Virtuostic Vendetta
61. Wayne Krantz- 2 Drink Minimum
62. Joe Satraini- Flying In a Blue Dream
63. Greg Howe- Hyperacuity
64. Yngwie Malmsteen- Rising Force
65. Patrick Rondat- Just For Fun
66. Lars Eric Mattsson- Aurora Borealis
67. Kiko Loureiro- Fullblast
68. Todd Grubbs- Toddities Volume 1
69. Dean Cascione- Neoclassical Fire
70. Michael Lee Firkins- Chapter Eleven
71. Gary Hoey- Gary Hoey
72. DC Slater- Decisions
73. Rob Balducci- Balance
74. Garsed/ Helmerich- Quid Pro Quo
75. Patrick Carlsson- Phraseolgy
76. Neal Nagaoka- The Crossing
77. Borislav Mitic- Borislav Mitic
78. Steve Vai- Alien Love Secrets
79. Michael Angelo Batio- Planet Gemini
80. Chris Francis- Chris Francis
81. Ioannis Anastassakis- Suspension of Disbelief
82. Matt Rach- Redemption
83. Dave Sharman- 1990
84. Dweezil Zappa-  Go With What You Know
85. Paul Gilbert- Get Out Of My Yard
86. John 5- Vertigo
87. George Bellas- Dawn Of Time
88. Marc Bonilla- EE Ticket
89. Jennifer Batten- Above Below and Beyond
90. Richie Kotzen- Electric Joy
91. Jeremy Barnes- On
92. Timmo Tolkki- Classical Variations and Themes
93. Neil Zaza- Two Hands One Heart
94. Theodore Ziras- Hyperpyrexia
95. Ethan Brosh- Out of Oblivion
96. Steffen Schackinger- ElectriGuitartistry
97. Jan Cyrka- Beyond The Common Ground
98. Hittar Cuesta- Language of The Spirits
99. Dave Uhrich- Fret-no-tized
100. Chris Brooks- The Axis of All Things

Indeed, it was painstakingly difficult to compile a list of 100 instrumental guitar albums, considering the number of guitar gods that there are. This list does not have an end, contribute, and keep it growing. Feel free to mention your favorite guitar albums and guitar players that have not made it to this showcase, let the world know. Cheers!

realityspeaks

Thank you for visiting my profile. I am a Freelance Content Writer. I like to learn something new every day. When I’m not at the computer, I’m either reading or on vacation. I dwell in peace, I hope you do too. My Favorite Quote “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”- Dalai Lama

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