Brian May might be the anti–Nigel Tufnel: He recently finished his doctorate in astrophysics, and plays this mesmerizing, multitrack, harmonized solo on the Red Special guitar he and his father built from an old mantelpiece (as one does). As Doug Gillard notes, this is probably one of the first songs to employ the multitrack method, and the resulting solo jumps in and out of the mix, alternately sounding like a swarm of bees, a choir of angels, and something in between. The only flaw: The solo's just 37 seconds, and the tune's just 3:03 long.

Guitarist: Brian May
Album: Sheer Heart Attack
Year: 1974
Length of solo: :37
Guitar used: Red Special
Where recorded: Air, Trident and Wessex Studios, London; Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, U.K.
Alternate YouTube version: Live, 1977