Obviously, there are more than 15 great guitar solos in rock music history. 

So the only way I can do this with any semblance of fairness is to base my picks not only listening to the technical qualities of the guitar solo, but factor in the historical importance of the performer who played the guitar solo. As in, did they influence more people to want to play guitar?

1.  “Rock around the clock” : Bill Haley and His Comets, Rock Around The Clock (1954)

"Rock around the Clock" was one of the first pure shred guitar solos. There is a fascinating backstory about this song and the tragically short life of the brilliant guitarist, Danny Cederone, who put down a very technically precise and exciting guitar solo that complements this “birth of Rock and Roll” song. The tragedy is that Danny died just ten days after recording the solo, a guitar solo masterpiece that he was paid a whopping $21.