When it comes to guitar lists, what’s left?
There have been lists of who’s the best, fastest, as well as the best solo, riff and on and on. But here’s a new twist – Guitar World has compiled the “Top 30 12-String Guitar Songs of All-Time.”
To qualify, they “looked at not only the legacy of the song but how prevalent 12-string guitar is in the song and how influential the song would be in inspiring others to pick up their 12-strings.”
Topping the list is the Eagles’ “Hotel California,” which, when performed by its co-writer, Don Felder, you knowis coming once he straps on the white Gibson double neck. Commenting on this list, he says, "It's such and honor to be voted the number-one 12-String Guitar Song of All-Time. To be in such company is such an amazing dream for any musician. Thank you Guitar World."
The Byrds, led by Roger McGuinn and his Rickenbacker 12-string, had the most songs on the list with three, followed by Led Zeppelin and The Beatles with two each.
Here are the "Top 30 12-String Guitar Songs of All-Time," according to Guitar World:
- Eagles – “Hotel California”
- The Byrds – “Eight Miles High”
- Led Zeppelin – “Over the Hills and Far Away”
- Pink Floyd – “Wish You Were Here”
- Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Rude Mood”
- The Beatles – “Ticket to Ride”
- The Byrds – “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)"
- Tom Petty – “Free Fallin’”
- Boston – “More Than a Feeling”
- Ozzy Osbourne – “Mama, I’m Coming Home”
- Rush – “Closer to the Heart”
- Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
- The Byrds – “Mr. Tambourine Man”
- The Rolling Stones – “As Tears Go By”
- Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
- Rod Stewart – “Maggie May”
- The Beatles – “A Hard Day’s Night”
- The Who – “Substitute”
- David Bowie - "Space Oddity"
- Supertramp - "Give a Little Bit"
- Jimi Hendrix - "Hear My Train a-Comin'"
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Breaking the Girl”
- Mahavishnu Orchestra - "You Know You Know”
- Queen – “39”
- The Hollies – “Look Through Any Window”
- Alice in Chains – “I Stay Away”
- Gordon Lightfoot – “Early Morning Rain”
- Bob Dylan – “Hurricane”
- America – “A Horse With No Name”
- John Butler Trio - "Ocean"
Source: Guitar World