100 Greatest 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.

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!

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