3 Underrated Guitar Moments From Artists Who Aren’t Known For Solos

Great guitar work is usually considered a convention of rock music. The guitar is typically the main instrument used in rock, and as such, it plays a pivotal role. But other genres can also feature great guitar work. We might just have to look a little harder to find these moments. The three songs below all have incredible guitar lines, despite coming from artists who aren’t typically known for using solos in their work.

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[RELATED: 4 Classic Rock Songs From the 1970s That Made You Want To Play Guitar]

“Goodbye To Love” — The Carpenters

The Carpenters weren’t really known for flashy guitar work. Sure, many of their songs feature the instrument, but they wouldn’t end up on a list of guitar gods by any means. However, one of their biggest hits, “Goodbye To Love,” has a sneakily awesome guitar moment.

Towards the end of this ballad-turned-anthem, a fuzzed-out guitar solo comes in, completely changing the pace of the song. While Karen Carpenter might start out softly singing about heartache at the top of “Goodbye To Love”, the end sees her drop out in favor of a splashy, near-heavy guitar spotlight.

“Yoü And I” — Lady Gaga

If Lady Gaga is known for one thing, it’s the diversity of her talent. But even then, her music isn’t readily associated with flashy guitar solos. Nevertheless, she has made use of that rock convention on several occasions, including “Yoü And I.”

The bridge of this track sees Gaga riffing over a wiry guitar solo. It’s befitting a rock giant, but pulled off beautifully by this pop icon. Gaga once again proved her virtuosity with this hit, genre-bending with very little heavy lifting.

“Beat It” — Michael Jackson

Of course, Eddie Van Halen was renowned for his guitar work, but Michael Jackson’s music didn’t always feature talent of his measure on the instrument. Jackson moved into the pop realm with “Beat It,” borrowing the talents of the iconic guitarist to add an edge to his pop.

Of course, this song isn’t underrated as a whole package, but it isn’t always discussed when talking about legendary guitar work, if only because Jackson’s King Of Pop status has blinded rock fans. This song deserves to be right up there alongside rock offerings with similar guitar prowess. It’s just as searing as anything from that genre, despite being a pop track.

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