5. Rush – “YYZ”
If you ever need proof that Neil Peart is one of the greatest drummers of all-time. Look no further than Rush’s four-minute, 25-second magnum opus. The name “YYZ” comes from the airport code of the band’s home town of Toronto.
4. Minutemen – “Cohesion”
Most instrumental tracks are crammed somewhere toward the end of the album, but “Cohesion” is the clean-up track on Minutemen’s seminal 1984 release, Double Nickels on the Dime. It also belies their punk roots, featuring delicate Spanish-style acoustic guitar that transports listeners from the middle of L.A. to the windswept Spanish countryside.
3. The Grateful Dead – “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”
The Dead often performed this Reverend Gary Davis cover with lyrics, but the LP version is a chilling instrumental build-up that erupts into a virtuosic Jerry Garcia guitar solo.
2. Pink Floyd – “Interstellar Overdrive”
One of the standout tracks from Pink Floyd’s 1967 debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, “Interstellar Overdrive” clocks in at just under 10 minutes and marks one of the band’s first, and most aggressive, forays into experimental space rock.
1. Led Zeppelin – “Moby Dick”
Not only is “Moby Dick” an instantly-recognizable instrumental track, it features one of the most instantly-recognizable riffs in classic rock and one of drummer John Bonham’s most memorable solos.