Top 20 John Petrucci Guitar Solos (According to My Followers)

Hey everyone, Thiago Campos here! As a lifelong fan of John Petrucci and his incredible guitar work, I recently asked my followers on Facebook (and Threads) to share their top 3 favorite John Petrucci solos from Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment (LTE), or his solo albums. After tallying the votes, I’m thrilled to present the Top 20 John Petrucci Guitar Solos as chosen by you, my amazing followers!

John Petrucci is a guitar legend, known for his technical precision, emotional depth, and ability to weave complex melodies into progressive rock and metal masterpieces. Whether he’s shredding with Dream Theater, experimenting with LTE, or exploring new textures in his solo work, Petrucci’s solos are always a highlight. Let’s dive into the list and celebrate the solos that made the cut! Many of these John Petrucci guitar solos are available on my Solos do Mestre online course, with accurate transcriptions, video demonstrations and backing tracks. Check it out if that interests you! Also, I have to say, my personal favorite JP solo is actually #10 on this list, and I'm sure many of you reading this will agree..

The Top 20 John Petrucci Guitar Solos:

1. Under a Glass Moon (Dream Theater, Images and Words, 1992) 2. The Best of Times (Dream Theater, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2009) 3. Lines in the Sand (Dream Theater, Falling into Infinity, 1997) 4. Goodnight Kiss (Dream Theater, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, 2002) 5. Breaking All Illusions (Dream Theater, A Dramatic Turn of Events, 2011) 6. The Shattered Fortress (Dream Theater, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2009) 7. Octavarium (ending solo, aka Razor's Edge) (Dream Theater, Octavarium, 2005) 8. Fatal Tragedy (Dream Theater, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, 1999) 9. In the Presence of Enemies Pt. 1 (Dream Theater, Systematic Chaos, 2007) 10. The Spirit Carries On (Dream Theater, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, 1999) 11. As I Am (Dream Theater, Train of Thought, 2003) 12. Lost Not Forgotten (Dream Theater, A Dramatic Turn of Events, 2011) 13. The Glass Prison (Dream Theater, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, 2002) 14. A Fortune in Lies (Dream Theater, When Dream and Day Unite, 1989) 15. In the Name of God (Dream Theater, Train of Thought, 2003) 16. Trial of Tears (Dream Theater, Falling into Infinity, 1997) 17. Constant Motion (Dream Theater, Systematic Chaos, 2007) 18. Scarred (Dream Theater, Awake, 1994) 19. Acid Rain (Liquid Tension Experiment, LTE 2, 1999) 20. Bend the Clock (Dream Theater, Parasomnia, 2025)

Honorable Mentions

The poll also highlighted a wide range of other incredible Petrucci solos. Here are a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the Top 20 but are still worth checking out:

• Hollow Years (live) (Dream Theater, Live at Budokan, 2004)

• A Change of Seasons (Dream Theater, A Change of Seasons EP, 1995)

• Barstool Warrior (Dream Theater, Distance over Time, 2019)

• The Count of Tuscany (ending solo) (Dream Theater, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, 2009)

• Home (Dream Theater, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, 1999)

• Repentance (Dream Theater, Systematic Chaos, 2007)

• Stream of Consciousness (Dream Theater, Train of Thought, 2003)

Any important solo that was missed or you feel is unjustly positioned in the ranking? Feel free to comment below and tell me your favorites.