Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Free Bird' Solo Declared Greatest of All Time by Music Radar
The 1970s produced some of the most iconic guitar-driven music in history thanks to rock gods like Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck. Now, a powerful performance from one of their peers has been ranked the greatest guitar solo of all time. Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," featuring Allen Collins' unforgettable playing, has earned its legacy as a Southern rock masterpiece.
One of the Most Epic Rock Songs Ever Features the 'Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time'
In May 2026, Music Radar published an article about Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" that called it a "southern rock epic" and "one of the most iconic rock songs of all time." While the track has been consistently celebrated like that over the years, a February 2025 Gear 4 Music article singled out one aspect of it. It ranked Allen Collins' performance at roughly the five-minute mark as the "Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time."
The outlet celebrated the solo for drastically lifting the song's tempo from the "melancholic side of the track to the full-steam-ahead guitar destruction that you witness in the second half." While continuing to detail what makes the "Free Bird" solo so special, the outlet celebrated its immense power. However, Gear 4 Music focused on how effectively it transitioned the track from "one mood into another" as the main aspect that makes it the greatest guitar solo ever recorded.
A Multi-Decade Hit That Still Rocks
Originally released in November 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" was successful at the time as it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the iconic track is a rare example of a song that seemed to become more of a hit in the years and decades that followed.
The perfect evidence of "Free Bird" being a hit that still rocks now is the fact that it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales chart in March 2026. Additionally, a YouTube upload of a modern "Free Bird" music video that was uploaded in May 2025 has garnered more than 27 million views in just over a year.
It makes perfect sense that a track that takes listeners on such an epic sonic journey would enjoy immense staying power. Arguably the perfect road song, listening to the guitar solo late at night while driving down a highway with open windows is something any rock fan needs to experience.
Next: 1983 Hit Named ‘Greatest Bass Guitar Solo of All Time' by Bassists
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 6:00 AM.