Eddie Van Halen's blistering solo instrumental "Eruption," from Van Halen's self-titled 1978 debut album, is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar solos in rock history, celebrated for popularising the two-handed finger-tapping technique alongside fluid legato phrasing. Despite the track's enduring reputation and influence on generations of guitarists, Van Halen himself remained privately dissatisfied with the recording, believing it fell short of what he could have achieved.

In an interview with Guitar World, Van Halen admitted he "didn't even play it right," pointing to a specific error near the top of the solo that continued to bother him whenever he heard the track played back. The 102-second piece was a bold creative choice, placed as only the second song on the album immediately after "Running with the Devil," and has since become essential listening for aspiring guitarists despite its creator's own perfectionist reservations.