On This Day in 2006, Jimmy Page’s Solo From Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Was Voted the Best of All Time

On this day (March 26) in 2006, readers of Total Guitar magazine voted Jimmy Page’s guitar solo in the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway to Heaven” the greatest solo of all time. Thousands of readers voted for Page over the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Queen’s Brian May, Eric Clapton, and Eddie Van Halen.

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Page’s solo in “Stairway to Heaven” is some of the most recognizable guitar work in rock history. The nearly minute-long lead comes in around the six-minute mark and ushers in the heavier portion of the classic track. It’s hard to say if it would be as iconic if it were attached to another song. However, it fits “Stairway” like a glove and elevates one of the most iconic classic rock tunes of all time to another level.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1971, Led Zeppelin Debuted “Stairway to Heaven” During the First Night of Their Back to the Clubs Tour]

Jimmy Page Puts Led Zeppelin Above Other Classic Guitar Greats

Jimmy Page’s solo in the Led Zeppelin classic didn’t just top other guitar work from the ’60s and ’70s. Instead, it topped some of the most lauded guitar slingers in rock and metal history. Check out the full top 10 list below.

1. “Stairway to Heaven”–Led Zeppelin
2. “Eruption”–Van Halen
3. “Paradise City”–Guns N’ Roses
4. “Hotel California”–Eagles
5. “Enter Sandman”–Metallica
6. “Crossroads”–Cream
7. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”–Jimi Hendrix
8. “Crazy Train”–Ozzy Osbourne
9. “All Right Now”–Free
10. “Bohemian Rhapsody”–Queen

“Stairway to Heaven” Is an Immortal Classic

Co-written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin recorded “Stairway to Heaven” for their 1971 untitled album, usually called Led Zeppelin IV. While the song is one of the most-requested songs in radio history and a current staple of classic rock radio more than 50 years after its release, the band never released it as a single.

1990 marked the song’s 20^th anniversary. At the time, radio stations in the United States had played the eight-minute song an estimated 2,874,000 times. If played back to back, that would equate to 44 years or 16,060 days. Today, “Stairway to Heaven” is the band’s most popular song across streaming services. It currently has more than one billion streams on Spotify alone.

Featured Image by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images