(Credits: Far Out / Andrew Smith)
Fri 9 January 2026 12:15, UK
There’s perhaps no one more qualified to share his opinion on the best guitar solos of all time than Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page.
He’s written some of the most famous riffs in rock music, from the solo in ‘Stairway to Heaven’ to the repeated riff that underscores ‘Immigrant Song’. Page’s innovative use of the instrument even included playing the guitar with a string bow. His contributions to guitar rock have garnered him widespread acknowledgement as one of the most important guitarists in music, gaining two Grammys and two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
When looking back on his career, Page previously told Rolling Stone that his favourite Led Zeppelin riff was ‘Kashmir’. Outside of Led Zeppelin’s discography and his own work, though, the legendary guitarist names his favourite guitar solo of all time as Elliott Randall’s riff in ‘Reelin’ In The Years’ by Steely Dan during a 1999 interview with Classic Rock.
He also later reaffirmed his love for the riff in a 2016 interview with Oliver Patrick Loughnan, in which he rated the guitar playing a 12/10. When Loughnan plays the track to Page, he recognises it immediately and states: “Oh I know this, yeah, that’s cool. I really like that. Steely Dan. Yeah I really like that. That’s gotta be a 12 hasn’t it?”
He continues to explain his love for the instrument, stating: “The thing is, I really love all guitar playing. Hearing guitarists when I was a kid, and just really appreciating even then. It’s six strings and it’s an electric guitar but everyone’s whole take on it and their character is totally different. And that’s what’s so cool about it.”
Jimmy Page with Jeff Beck, lifelong friend and inspiration. (Credits: Far Out / Alamy)
Page’s admiration also speaks to his lifelong appreciation for feel over flash. Despite being capable of jaw-dropping technical feats himself, he has often gravitated towards solos that serve the song rather than dominate it. Randall’s playing on ‘Reelin’ In The Years’ is concise, melodic, and perfectly pitched, cutting through the mix with personality rather than excess, something Page has always valued in great guitar work.
In that sense, it makes perfect sense that Page would single out a solo born from instinct rather than overthinking. Much like Led Zeppelin’s best moments, the magic lies in capturing a fleeting spark and committing to it without sanding down its edges. Randall’s one-take contribution embodies that philosophy, standing as proof that the most enduring guitar solos are often the ones that feel inevitable rather than engineered.
‘Reelin’ In The Years’ is jazz-rock band Steely Dan’s biggest hit, released in 1973; it served as the second single from Can’t Buy a Thrill, their debut album. A breakup song, the track was written by founders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, but they couldn’t quite nail their guitar solo. ‘Reelin In The Years’ was missing something.
So Walter Becker took a backseat, and the band instead called in Elliott Randall from Jay & The Americans to contribute a guitar riff to the track. Randall recalled the experience to Produce Like A Pro, sharing, “I thought they were really special, and they must have thought I was special too.”
Randall explained the process of finding the right ‘flavour’ solo for the track in just one take, using an old Stratocaster from 1965, an Ampeg SVT amp and a single AKG 414. He shared, “The whole solo just came to me, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to play it.”
While Page names it as his favourite of all time, Steely Dan seem to take a different opinion – in a 2009 Rolling Stone interview, Donald Fagan called it “dumb but effective”, while Walter Becker said: “It’s no fun.” Still, the track gained Steely Dan chart success and went on to become their most well-known single. Page’s praise only reaffirms its genius.
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