The 5 Best Soft Rock Solos Of All Time

Just because a song rocks softly doesn't mean it can't contain a scorching solo. In fact, there are noteworthy solos in many soft rock staples, flashy passages that let the talented background players step into the spotlight and show how groovy they can get. And if a soft rock solo gives listeners a chance to haul out their air guitar or keyboard skills? Even better.

Certain soft rock songs hold unforgettable solos that made listeners sit up and take notice when they first hit the music scene. Our favorites run the instrumental gamut from the multiple solo sections in Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat" to Toto's synth-xylophone "Africa" freestyle to Journey's volcanic "Faithfully" electric guitar runs. And who could forget the funky solo in Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" or the wah-wah talking guitar innovation that crops up as the centerpiece of Peter Frampton's "Show Me the Way"? No matter what instrument the soloist used, the best solos in these vintage works put the "rock" in soft rock.

There's no getting through a listen of Toto's near-perfect '80s soft rock song "Africa" without trying to emulate the keyboard solo that ripples through the middle of the song. The whole dramatic arrangement feels like a musical path that leads you toward this sonic oasis. It's a flowing river of jumpy, fluted tones that becomes the centerpiece and wakes listeners up for one last rush of soft rock magic.

The double-time percolating of dreamy electronic tones adds extra energy to a pseudo-world music groove that already fires up your impulse to dance. It's a fun pick-me-up among the other lush, hypnotic textures keyboardist David Paich unleashes. His nimble runs feel jazz-inspired without losing the tribal aesthetic. Whether it was intended or not, the rapid-fire release of notes using a bell-like synth patch emulates rain, as in "the rains down in Africa." It's a double-meaning treat for deeper listeners, but it's just as enjoyable for easygoing fans who love a lively keyboard solo.

Listening to the lyrics, the mysterious figure at the center of Carly Simon's soft rock classic "You're So Vain" is more arrogant than dangerous. But Simon's tale of this louche lothario takes on an edgier quality when the guitar solo arrives. It adds a piercing, bluesy sear to the gentle acoustic guitar and piano arrangement, hinting at a darker layer under the chatter about scarves and Lear jets.

Credit for the fiery solo goes to guitarist Jimmy Ryan, a regular player and friend of Simon's. He chose a bottle-style slide technique to give the passage a sassy spirit that matched the overall soul of the song. In an interview with the Iowa Source, Ryan said of his guitar solo, "I'd call it an experiment that worked out." But that's just a fierce performer being humble; the solo is an uptick in the sharpness of a song that serves more attitude in its lyrics than in its instrumentation. It's just the kind of musical snark the tune needs, and it's become one of the most memorable and recognizable solos in the soft rock library.

There are multiple solos in Al Stewart's soft rock masterwork, "The Year of the Cat" — and an entire section devoted to them, in fact. It's a musical sequence that expands the motifs and builds exciting tension while letting the musicians strut their stuff a little. For fans of maximalist instrumental work, it's a wonderland of improvised melodies that touches on almost every section of the orchestra.

The solo collection starts with a simple cello riff that lays down a soothing woody intro, a perfect runway for the Spanish-style acoustic guitar arpeggios that follow. This solo accentuates the Afro-Mediterranean mystique running through the entire song and gives way to a searing electric guitar solo that adds edginess and reminds listeners that this is a soft rock song. Both guitar solos were handled by Tim Renwick.

And if two solos aren't enough to make this instrumental bridge complete, a full-blast saxophone solo brings up the rear, a final ramp-up delivered with brassy woodwind fire. You can catch another sax solo after the final chorus, too. It's exhausting to think about, but it's so exhilarating to listen to. And since the sax sounds come courtesy of Beatles brass player Phil Kenzie, it feels like a horn-based herald from studio musician royalty.

Many music fans got their first taste of a guitar talk box in "Show Me the Way," Peter Frampton's first Billboard Top 10 tune and a soft rock classic. The device let Frampton distort his guitar licks by breathing into a tube that lent a voice-like effect to the sounds coming through the amplifier. It's a one-of-a-kind sequence that lifts the bouncy spirit of an already-upbeat song, inviting listeners to do their best "wah-wah" impersonation when it circles around — much as they did when Aerosmith used the effect in their 1975 rocker, "Sweet Emotion." Frampton's use of the gadget created one of the most joyful soft rock solos of the era.

Frampton's zig-zagging solo matches the motif at the opening of the song, where Frampton puts the talk box into play instead of using a traditional guitar riff. It's not hard to imagine how both the solo and the surrounding motifs would sound without this snazzy effect. But giving it a spot of techno-wizardry with an analog tool turned this solo into one of the most memorable in any decade.

Years later, Richie Sambora, who was influenced by "Frampton Comes Alive," the album where the live version of "Show Me the Way" appeared, would resurrect the talk box as an effect on Bon Jovi's signature rocker "Livin' on a Prayer." He even used a Frampton version, from a product line created by Frampton himself.

Big ballads by Journey were a soft rock staple for the band's best run between the mid-'70s and early-'90s, and the long-distance road romance hit "Faithfully" from Journey's 1983 arcade video game era was one of the biggest. Singer Steve Perry may have plucked the heartstrings of fans as he described the loneliness of a rock musician's touring life, but it's the searing guitar solo that reminds listeners that this soft rock song comes from a full-on rock band, one that knows when to go hard with the feedback.

Guitar virtuoso Neil Schon gets his licks in after the song's more structured verses and choruses have concluded, which means this solo comes near the end of the song rather than in the middle where they usually occur. Think of it as the band saving the best for last, giving Schon a chance to cut loose as an outro that lasts just long enough to satisfy our soft-rocking ears. Perry goes into his higher register to keep up with Schon's solo, creating a musical interplay that sounds like a duet between singer and guitar. The extra emotion this stream of notes creates is a perfect release to express the longing that's been held back in the more somber sections earlier in the song.