“Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” is a far better Zappa instrumental.

way to go. leave out orion by metallica.

oh and its “Just Like You Imagined” by nine inch nails.

Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass – A Taste of Honey

or

Boots Randolph – Yakety Sax (The Benny Hill Theme)

how about some jazz
John Coltrane-Naimi
Miles Davis-So What or Bitches Brew
Charles Mingus-Goddbye Pork Pie

but i think for the first time u got everything else down

I remember seeing Link Wray mentioned several times, most for the song “Rumble”. What happened here?

how about some jazz
John Coltrane-Naimi
Miles Davis-So What or Bitches Brew
Charles Mingus-Goddbye Pork Pie

but i think for the first time u got everything else down

how about some jazz
John Coltrane-Naimi
Miles Davis-So What or Bitches Brew
Charles Mingus-Goddbye Pork Pie

but i think for the first time u got everything else down

Eh. Yeah. You just CAN’T exclude “Rumble.”

“just like you imagined” kicks all ass.

Yeah, if there’s no “Rumble” by Link Wray, this list is worthless. It’s the only Rock Instrumental that I know of that was banned for sounding dangerous. This list is pathetic without it, and Rolling Stone should be ashamed, and apologize……

SahibTeriBandiMakiMadni – The Derek Trucks Band

“A Tear For Eddie”, by Ween

good work loved the list

Sleepwalk

Good call there. Although it barely qualifies as rock, lol.

Yes!, even though Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group is 34 years old, it still made Rolling Stone`s Top 10 instrumental list.It was a Billboard #1 hit single in May 1973.Ironically Edgar Winter did not win a grammy that year for best instrumental, it was awarded to a Holland band called Focus,for their “instrumental” called Hocus Pocus, which had yodelling on it.Even back then, the Grammy voters were just as clueless as they are now.

what the hell????? not a single metallica song on this last????

orion will always be special, mainly due to it’s use in the “paradise lost” documentary…

list*

bleh, Treefingers is my least favorite song on Kid A. Not rock at all. Way to go for NIN though. I love Just Like You Imagined.

I think if we’re gonna include Santana we ought to include ‘Samba Pa Ti’ instead of ‘Soul Sacrifice’

This has caused a bit of a debate at my place. We feel that many of the songs in the middle of the list should have been at the top. And NIN should have placed higher, because even though a lot of people may not know the title, they sure as hell know the song now.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!! the song, i mean, by steve vai. absolutely awesome!

One Of These Days has spoken word, fool

’cause we’ve ended as lovers, by jeff beck! this HAD to make the list!

I agree Link Ray should be on the list but “jack the ripper” an
awesome sound would be my pick.

Jesus, enough with the RUSH and Metallica reader inclusions ! Rolling Stone could list a “Top 5 Best Dressed Women in Rock” you silly bastards would vote for RUSH and Metallica. Nothing dumber than metal duuuuuuuuuuuuuudes. I even chuckle whenever I hear the name METALLICAAAAAAAAA ! Such a silly name. Think they chose it over Heavy Mentalz and Mein Rock. That documentary was worth a laugh though, what was it called “Some Kind of Monster” ? Damn. Was funnier than Spinal Tap, but scarier too knowing they weren’t actors who could take off their silly metal wigs, they are those ACTUAL people, lord. 3 hour arguments over what over-used laughable metal riff to put on a track, lol. Lordddddy. Throw away your damn RUSH and Metallica cd’s you silly bastards, put on some Howlin’ Wolf, some P-Funk, some fookin’ Gene Vincent…….

Another lame list, guys.

Seriously, do you even read what people write on your crappy web-blog?

You guys SUCK!

Everyone knows “Satch Boogie” is the best instrumental ever.

Fire On High by ELO-
Hands down the coolest and most rocking instrumental ever! I can’t believe that it’s not on the list.

for pink floyd I like ” A Saucerful of Secrets, for Genesis, “Behind the Lines” Brian May, Last Horizon

“Cliffs of Dover” by Eric Johnson is pretty tasty. I know, it’s kind of “guitar music” usually listened to by “guitar players” only, but this tune is really cool, actually.

Steve Vai’s “For the love of God” I think…and NIN: maybe the first song of the last album?
“The Kiss” of the Cure is a very powerfull “almost without words” song…

South Calofornia Purples – Chicago Transit Authority
Rumble – Brownsville Station
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed – Allman Brothers Band

i actually agree with this list..

add- cause we ended as lovers – jeff beck

and rumble – link wray

that is all

Steve Vai-The Seventh Song
Jeff Beck-Bootleg of 2006 West Coast Tour.
Steve Vai-Anthology. The Infinite Steve Vai.
Boston (Tom Scholz)-The Launch
Jeff Beck-Live at BB King’s Blues Club (2003).

Vegetarian guitarists rule !

Don’t forget about “wipe out” by Safaries.

Some more good ones:

Larry Mullen & Adam Clayton- Mission Impossible Theme
Link Wray- Run Chicken Run
John Coltrane- My Favorite Things
Beastie Boys- Sabrosa
Junior Kimbrough- Most Things Haven’t Worked Out
David Bowie- V2 Schneider
The Feelies- Crazy Rhythms
Madness- Nightboat To Cairo
Pell Mell- New Saigon

Almost Insturmental:

Rolling Stones- Pretty Beat Up

Funeral for a Friend by Elton John

Pretty Little Ditty – RHCP

Surfing w/ the Alien – Satch

Jessica – Allman Bros.

Interstellar Overdrive – Pink Floyd
Pipeline – The Chantals

Interstellar Overdrive – Pink Floyd
Pipeline – The Chantals

“3rd stone from the sun”, jimi hendrix and “pipeline” from SRV and dick dale…

i really like the addition of fuckin’ in the bushes, good look

where the helll is phish?

I am well aware that this band has no singer, which therefore probably wouldn’t include them in this list for that, but…

Explosions in the Sky are in the running of my favorite band ever.

Where is the Beastie Boys on this list?? Any of the instrumentals from Check Your Head. Take your pick.

Durango 95 – Ramones

One Step Beyond – Madness (no, I don’t count the guy yelling “One Step Beyond!” as vocals)

Wipe Out and Hawaii 5-0 by the Ventures are no-brainers.

I seem to recall some good instrumentals by New Order and Roxy Music, although I can’t recall their titles.

I think we should include Rockestra by Paul Mc Cartney

Cissy Strut-The Meters
‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers-Jeff Beck
Europa-Santana
Hot ‘Lanta/Les Brers in A Minor/Mountain Jam-Allman Bros.
Gold and Silver-Quicksilver
Rumble-Lin k Wray

and of course In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed-Allman Brothers Band
(could’ve been played by Miles circa Kind Of Blue)

Oasis – Swamp Song

larks tongue in aspic – crimson
a warm place – nin
anything by secret chiefs 3
sombre reptiles – eno

the gumbo variations by zappa is by far a superior instrumental… and how about IN THE MEMORY OF ELIZABETH REED… THAT SHOULD FUCKING BE ON THE LIST

Just Like You Imagined – NIN
Warm Place – NIN
Leaving Hope – NIN
Orion – Metallica

’Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers”, by Jeff Beck should have been a no-brainer.

That’s a pretty decent list. You put the wrong Santana song in there though. Samaba Pa Ti is much more emotional, and it speaks louder than soul sacrifice ever could.

That is a pretty good list but it is missing a few:
Orion by Metallica
The Ballad Of The Beaconsfield Miners off the new Foo Fighters record
Dee by Ozzy (really by Randy Rhoades)
Soulfly by Soulfly

Bron-Y-our by Led Zeppelin should have on their too

Son-0-Qua, by ALL.

good list (if not obvious, but it IS rolling stone so what do you expect).

missing:

The Flaming Lips “The Wizard Turns On…”

Orion by MetallicA….im dumbfounded by the lack of love MetallicA gets around here.

thats because metallica is a bunch of over rated cry babies

great gig in the sky

Slash has never done an instrumental on record. Curious…

This list is a total disrespect to great instrumentals that Red Hot Chili Peppers creat especially to those played in their live performances.No other band in the world has such amazing impromptu instrumentals like theirs.

The frail by NIN

Call of Ktulu

Goblin does nothing but instrumentals and most of their songs are worth listening to, if not excellent. The music they have done particularly for Dario Argento’s films (Suspiria, Deep Red, Tenebrae) and Romero’s original Dawn of the Dead are excellent.

I know it’s been said 1000 times already, but the true #1 rock instrumental is Link Wray’s Rumble. It was banned, despite having no lyrics….and introduced the concept of the power chord. It was so far ahead of it’s time…..It is THE rock and Roll instrumental. PS…add Johnny Guitar Watson’s Space Guitar

Overture- The Who “Tommy”

The Black Amnesias by Hope Of The States

Laurens, Slash has done an instrumental, but its on his 1st Snakepit album, its real good, a boogie style rocker, Jizz Da Pitt…he does a great one on Youtube wiht Duff & Matt, for a skateboard promotional thing too, though not on CD…
Jeff Beck has 2 great ones, Freeway Jam & Beck’s Bolero.
Hendrix -3rd Stone from Sun, Pali Gap
Eagles – Journey of the Saucorer, & I’m not even a big Eagles fan, but this is great!

Regatta de Blanc – The Police

Def Leppard – Switch 625
Genesis – After The Ordeal
Iron Maiden – Genghis Khan

I’m happy that “Just as You Imagined” by NIN made th list. It is amazing but relatively unknown.

If we’re talking “Rumble” we should also add “Apache” by The Shadows with Hank Marvin.

I know I’m dating myself, but how about “Classical Gas” by Mason Williams. Kinda poppy, but hugely popular in the late ’60’s.

Love the Zappa entries. Well deserved. Anything off “Hot Rats” is first rate.

Where is the love for Peter Green? How about “Albatross” or “The Supernatural”?

Santana has plenty of great instrumentals. I think “Song of the Wind” off “Caravanserai” is at the pinnacle.

Let’s also just nominate the entire “Blow By Blow” album. Unbelievable there’s no Beck on the list.

The greatest rock instumental, spine tingling fun, & ROlling Stone will kick themselves for not including, I forgot, but it hit me like a ton of bricks…always turn this to 11! Hocus Pocus by Focus!!
http://youtube.com/wa tch?v=bpV5InLw52U

Gary Glitter’s Rock & Roll Part II.

Phish – First Tube. Hard to argue with that rocker!

Yes ABC. that track shows the off the mechanical genius of this great band.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s version of “Fanfare For The Common Man.”

White Summer – Led Zeppelin

Regardless what some of you metal haters may say (mainly because you have no opinion of your own and lack any semblance of true aesthetic taste)
The fact that
Orion by Metallica
is not on here shows this list is complete garbage
One name
Cliff Burton
if you don’t know it you better look that up because you have no clue about the history of rock music

I’d also add:
Beck’s Bolero…Jeff Beck
Albatross…Fleetwood Mac
Soul Finger…The Bar-Kays

Sex Machine…Sly & The Family Stone
Lenny/Riviera Paradise/Scuttle Buttin’…Stevie Ray Vaughan
Villanova Junction…Jimi Hendrix

Freddie King’s “The Stumble”. It’s been covered by many rock guitarists including Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Gary Moore, Henry Vestine and Jimmy Thackeray.

link wray rumble

Ummm what about John Frusciante’s Untitled songs off of Niandra Lades those things are amazing (well..some of them)

also, Born to Runner Up’s “Staying In Rhyme”: Herby and Catwalk both show that they know how to handle an instrumental piece

QUADROPHENIA!

Pumpkins = Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Really good list. Very glad to see YYZ and SRV’s Little Wing made the cut.

Nice list. Here are a couple others:
“Raunchy” by Bill Justis. Great on its own terms, but also notable as the song George Harrison played for John Lennon that got him into the Beatles.
Also, R.E.M. “Walter’s Theme” Best song ever written as a theme for a BBQ restaurant. Was the B-side of “So. Central Rain.” You can find it on Dead Letter Office.
Also, “Let’s Get Away for Awhile” is a much better Pet Sounds instrumental than the title track.
Yes, “Clap” This charming bluegrass-flavored solo piece from The Yes Album is perhaps Steve Howe’s finest moment. Not all prog-rock was over the top.

“treefingers”?

are you serious?

radiohead are my favorite band, but what the hell?

Brian Eno’s “The Big Ship” from Another Green World. And “Overture” by the Who.

“Clap” by Yes from The Yes Album. A charming Steve Howe bluegrass solo piece – not everything they did was bombastic.
“Raunchy” by Bill Justis. The song that George Harrison played on his Beatles audition for John Lennon.
“Bron-yr-Aur” by Led Zeppelin. Beautiful Jimmy Page guitar piece.

“Walter’s Theme” by R.E.M. The 1984 B-side of “So.Central Rain,” now available on Dead Letter Office. Without question, the best BBQ restaurant theme of my generation.

One of my favorite all time instrumentals is One Step Beyond by Madness.

Bron-y-Aur isn’t an instrumental…. is it? No, I don’t think so.

A pretty solid list. Interesting that there are no “pop” acts on it, which is hard for me to believe because RS usually kowtows to the “band/singer of the moment.” Then again, I doubt if any of those bands/singers could come up decent instrumental.
A few additions.

Always Forever Now – Passengers (Original Soundtracks 1), nearly an instrumental

Pacific Theme – Broken Social Scene

Iris – Deconstruction (post-Jane’s Addiction Navarro & Avery)

In Memory of Elizabeth Reed- Allmans

And “Any Colour You Like” – Pink Floyd

I am surprised but gratified that the great Johnny Marr gets a nod from Rolling Stone for “Oscillate Wildly” – that song always made me think that Johnny should do an album of instrumentals-

What about Orion by Metallica? best instrumental i’ve EVER heard.

Buckethead – “Pepper’s Ghost” anyone?

or pretty much any Buckethead song for that matter.

Good God, how could you have left off one of the greatest – Rumble by Link Wray. It belongs near the top of the list!

Two Words:

Classical Gas, terrible ommision.

Anything the Allman Bros. did with Duane should be on that list!

ANYBODY EVER HEAR OF STEVE MORSE!

BillB mentioned Classical Gas. Steve Howe does a very nice version of that song. Very nice to see YYZ listed. It’s unusual to see anything by Rush listed anywhere.

Treefingers? Are you kidding me? It’s not even a song; it’s literally ambient noises intentionally made TO NOT be a song!

la villa strangiato , leave that thing alone by rush no explanation nessesary just go and listen to them

la villa strangiato

… And where is Metallicas Orion?

what? no pretty little ditty by the red hots?
shame shame

How about Apache, by Jorgen Ingmann? Red, by King Crimson? Emotions, by Love? Theme from Jack Johnson by Miles? Personally I think the idea of choosing 25 “best” is silly. Any number of tunes could be the 25 best on any given day! Some of the other suggestions here are excellent too.

hideaway by john myall and the bluesbreakers with eric clapton should be on the list

Nice list, but I really think “Orion” by Metallica should be on there. I liked the SRV inclusion… he’s my all-time favorite artist =D

However, you did spell his name wrong. It’s “Vaughan”, not “Vaughn”

I like all instrumentals by ALL and The Descendants. Also, how about Police Woman by The Skatalites and some of the instrumentals by Lee “Scratch” Perry???

You should heard Arctic Monkeys´ “Chun li´s spinnin´ bird kick” it´s totally instrumental…

Honky Tonk –Bill Doggett
Topsy –Cozy cole

Back at the beginnings

Anything by Dwayne Eddy and Sandy Nelson. I’m astonished they haven’t been mentioned yet.

Don’t forget Summer Song- Joe Satriani.

Aside from what you (prickish) metal-lovers say… this is top 25 ROCK instrumentals, NOT metal, so Metallica can LICK MY BALLS!!!!

I really think that Tool should be there somewhere, Triad is a particularly great example of one of their instrumentals. Really great, and a very distinctive sound.

if eruption is up there that means it has metal intrumentals as well…wher is joe , vai , bucket , malmsteen????:X

Rush has the best instrumental songs of any band. There are so man and every song by them is great there should be Leave That Thing Alone on this list. Rush has the best drummer ever and the best bass player ever.

difficult to cure by rainbow.

well these are all good but orion by metallica is by far the best instrumental ive heard, and led zeppelin has better instrumentals than moby dick, not that it’s not good, they just have better ones

Nobody mentioned the Detroit Rock City Motorman Ted Nugent with “Home Bound”
also Gary Hoey “Peacepipe’ and “Lowrider” totally rock. I’m so glad to see that other people agree Metallic sucks.

I like the short & sweet classic guitar instrumentals. I just discovered “Fluff” by Black Sabbath and “Dee” by Randy Rhoads. I need some more ,I need help. Can you name some instrumentals from the following artists:
Aerosmith
Bad Company
Cheap Trick
Eagles
Foreigner
Guns N Roses
Journey
Kinks
Nazareth
P earl Jam
Keith Richards
Rod Stewart
Tesla
Van Halen

I agree with Izzy cole…Metalica Sucks !

isn’t supposed to be “misirlou”?

OMG I just heard Tommy Bolin and Carmen Appice doing Stratus from 1974. What an awesome Jam!