Steve Vai Songs Ranked

Steven Siro Vai (/vaɪ/; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, singer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa and played in Zappa’s band from 1980 to 1983. He embarked on a solo career in 1983 and has released eight solo albums to date. He has recorded and toured with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, as well as recording with artists such as Public Image Ltd, Mary J. Blige, Spinal Tap, and Ozzy Osbourne. Additionally, Vai has toured with live-only acts G3, Zappa Plays Zappa, and the Experience Hendrix tour, as well as headlining international tours. Vai has been described as a “highly individualistic player” and part of a generation of “heavy rock and metal virtuosi who came to the fore in the 1980s”. He released his first solo album Flex-Able in 1984, while his most successful release, Passion and Warfare (1990), was described as “the richest and best hard rock guitar-virtuoso album of the ’80s”. He was voted the “10th Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine and has sold over 15 million records. Here are all of Steve Vai’s songs ranked.

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20. Sisters (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“A good vibe in such a short track. Amazing sound based around chords and the change midway through the song really defines this track.”

19. Speeding (Vault Version) (Mystery Tracks, 2003)

“This is as far as soloing on one theme his all time greatest and most emotional song. You just feel his love for his beloved. Great passionate song.”

18. Blue Powder (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“This is a great ballad. Its about peace and happiness stuff. This song captures that great feeling. Love this song so much.”

17. I Know You’re Here (G3: Live in Denver, 2004)

“This deserves to be in the top 5 at least! My favourite and by far one of the most soulful Steve vai songs ever! Highly underrated.”

See more: Steve Vai Albums Ranked

16. Boston Rain Melody (The Seventh Song, 2000)

” It is the single most passionate and melodic piece of music ever to be written and after a couple of listens you can’t disagree.”

15. Liberty (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“Very expressive and meant in every way. Brilliantly created and continually referenced melody. I love how many variations on the same idea he creates.”

14. Melissa’s Garden (The Seventh Song, 2000)

“This is definitely number one. It has all of Steve Vai’s best tricks and signature moves, and has just an amazing solo, with awesome way and a great sound and feel. This is definitely the best of steve vai.”

13. Natural Born Boy (Flex-Able Leftovers, 1984)

“The song touches you on so many levels. It describes so much in so less space. And every time you hear it it keeps getting better.”

12. Die to Live (The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology, 2003)

“Amazing song. The ideas in the song are beautifully expressed. Playing it might not be technically as difficult as some of his other stuff from the list but composition wise this might be his best, be it the 7/8 time signature used in the most part of the song or the chord changes, the song sounds like it’s been composed by a western classical maestro.”

11. Erotic Nightmares (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“This is a forever song, and one of my favorites. I’ve been listening this song for years and years and each time, it’s a different king of emotion, amazing. Perfect, I guess is the appropriate word to describe this epic song.”

10. The Audience Is Listening (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“I love this song so much it’s his best riff in my opinion and is done flawlessly. Via is a Guitar god. This is by far my favorite Vai song,”

9. Juice (Naked Tracks, 2009)

“This is the first Steve Vai song I have ever heard and I can just say that there’s nothing better than this. Each and every solo was amazing, could listen to it all day.”

8. Lotus Feet (Real Illusions: Reflections, 2005)

“It’s not all shredding and fancy tricks just a beautifully crafted song, played to perfection. Masterpiece.”

7. Now We Run (PCU, 1994)

“Amazing, really ‘ gets you pumping. Especially the live version. Absolutely amazing. İntro is just annoyingly wonderful.”

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6. The Crying Machine (Fire Garden, 1996)

“This song is so funky, it is one of my favorite songs. Not as epic as Lotus Feet, Liberty, or For the Love of God – but right next to them.”

5. Building the Church (Real Illusions: Reflections, 2005)

“Awesome song must be give respect if you listen to the live version so many skills techniques and whammy stuff and even the tapping section a very challenging song from 2.55 to 3.25 is awesome awesome whammy stuff nobody can use the whammy like in this song and like steve vai he is the king of whammy bar”

4. Bad Horsie (Alien Love Secrets, 1995)

“A badass riff, awesome bass, great skills and guitar techniques, tapping, skillful drums and makes you feel like you wanna go to a shooting yard then go hold a rifle and just start shooting some bottles cause you’re a badass when you hear this sum of perfect bad sounds in this masterpiece.”

3. Whispering a Prayer (Alive in an Ultra World, 2001)

“This song is criminally underrated. It is beautiful in so many ways and really showcases how much emotion can be conveyed through a song. You rock Steve!”

2. Tender Surrender (The Seventh Song, 2000)

“This song is my personal favorite. The intro sounds almost feminine-like and sensual. Then as the song progresses the raw shredding and high climax… then back to the soft feminine side… Finishing with an awesome Thunder-like effect.”

1. For the Love of God (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

“It’s undeniable that this is Vai’s best song. I’ve been to a few live concerts, and I always get pumped up, hyped, happy, etc in all them, but when I saw For the Love of God live it was so powerful, way more powerful than anything I’ve ever listened before, this song is simply amazing. The music video playing in the background gave it such a power as well, there’s nothing to unlike about this song.”