They did a segue from “Running To Stand Still” to “Where the Streets Have No Name” during their ZooTV tour that I wouldn’t hesitate to call my favorite moment in music.
I agree with NightRabbit about the choral movement of Beethoven’s 9th, but there’s a couple other good ones:
The guitar “warming up” in “We Will Rock You”
The “gear shift” sounds before “Fuel” (S&M version)
The cowbell in"Don’t Fear the Reaper" (anyone seen that SNL?)
Begining of “Day Tripper”
Bass solo intro to “N.I.B.”
Probably a whole smackload more, but since it’s supposed to be one, I think I’ll stop there
The opening chord progression of The Pixies’ “Space (I Believe In).” I love the way it throws in those extra beats and then falls into the song. I also love the moment where the guitar riffs stop and that driving bass line takes over.
Then there’s the opening of Curtis Mayfield’s
“Superfly,” where the solo drums fall into that heavy bass line.
In the third movement of Prokofiev’s third piano concerto, where the soloist begins the final crescendo towards the movement’s climax. That moment always gives me the chills, and the climax just takes it to a whole other level.
In Sviatoslav Richter’s recording of Prokofiev’s 8th piano sonata, the climax of the final movement is transcendental and leaves me breathless.
I’ll list my second since there’s really no good reason for it to be second.
“A Day in the Life” by the Beatles, the madness of that ever increasing … sound approaching its crescendo is pretty amazing. Freaked my little 10 year old mind out.
There are many, but I’ll mention the way the beat kicks in after the sparse synth intro to Underworld’s Born Slippy [Nuxx]. And then the lyrics, and - really - that whole song. Especially live.
Oooh, but especially the “Lager, lager, lager, lager, shouting” bit.
In the Stereophonics, “local boy in the photograph” but not being musical can’t describe where.
In “The Last Supper” from Jesus Christ Superstar, the disciples sing “What’s that in the bread/it’s gone to my head/till this morning is this evening life is fine” and then there’s a few notes from the horns and a cymbal crash. I love that cymbal crash.
The opening electric organ notes in the title song from “Phantom of the Opera” are perfect.
The last seven notes Waddy Watchel plays on guitar to end Warren Zevon’s When Johnny Strikes up the Band are pretty cool.
One song that always moves me is Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror. That song actually has a couple of great moments…the beginning where it’s just the single voice “I’m gonna make a change/for once in my life”, then the key change later in the song when the full chorus kicks in–gives me goose bumps every time. Quincy Jones and Michael were quite a team back then.
Not often has there been a pop song with such a powerful, meaningful message…that’s quite a moment in itself.
Oh, and these Warren Zevon moments are also great: “Send lawyers, guns and money/dad get me out of this” or “…and his hair was perfect”
Randy Rhoads’ guitar solo in Crazy Train
The build up to the first climax of Pink Floyd’s Echoes. Damn I love Gilmour’s guitar in that!
The beginning of Metallica’s Enter Sandman.
The entire Hey Ladies song by the Beastie Boys.
Roger Daltrey’s scream in Won’t Get Fooled Again.
…many more.
Randy Rhoads’ guitar playing in Diary of a Madman, especially the intro. I understand it’s influenced by a Spanish composer (I don’t know remember his name or the piece) but it makes me stop and listen every time. The song is the perfect blend of classical and rock styles.
I’ll restrict myself to my 3 favorite Iron Maiden parts - that’s as good as I can do.
a) The first (slow) solo in Powerslave, particularly the last measure before the drums kick back in in full.
b) After the interlude in Rime of the Ancient Mariner and just the bass and drums are playing - they settle into the rhythm and then the guitars kick in and start the buildup to the solo section. When the guitars kick in - WOW!!
c) The guitar dive at the end of last guitar solo in Caught Somewhere in Time.
I consider these 3 moments (in 3 consecutive studio Iron Maiden songs no less) to be the absolute plateau of rock music.
And the syncopation that lasts for about two bars, involving interplay between Townsend’s guitar I guess and the song’s main rhythm, in the second break, about two-thirds or three-quarters of the way into the song–they’re just flying!
Er… uhm, I’ve always been reduced to a babbling wreck of a man each time I hear the Braveheart samples used in DJ Sakin’s “Nomansland”
Osiris, i think the chord afterward would be my favorite ONE CHORD in all of music, it says more than most full length albums do.
I love that too, but the production of it always seems a bit off 
I especially liked, however, the version of Echoes on Live at Pompeii, but more for the drums than the guitar.
But Echoes is…well I was gonna say my favorite non-wall floyd tune, musically speaking, but then I realized I also like the music in Obscured by Clouds and WYWH better.
Regarding the OP, I was THINKING of adding as a second to the outro to “Birthday”, “All the guitar soloes on The Wall”. All of them are completely outside the class of all other musical soloes, in the same way that Bjork in Birthday is a class above all other singers.
Thousands of them … hmmm … the one that got me through adolescence is the last couple of minutes of the song Epitaph by Fates Warning, where there’s some incredible wordless singing by the one and only John Arch. There’s such a magical feeling to that section, that you’re almost tempted to forward through the first eleven minutes of the song to get there, but in a way, it’s improved so much by having such a long leadup.
In the Smashing Pumpkin’s XYU the music, gradually fades down into relative silence. Then, a scream: “AND IN THE EYES OF THE JACKAL I SAY KABOOM!” At which point the music picks up. It scared the heck outta me, and I still love it so.
Gilmour’s solo in Comfortably Numb always left me in a guitar playing mood… I regard it as one of my favorite solos ever.
I love it when the drums start in in Californication, too
The big 4-0! Woo! I’m coming, you just watch for me!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled post.
In the Revolting Cocks rendition of “Do ya Think I’m Sexy” that little laugh when he says KY jelly. Ok so it’s not a great musical moment but it makes me grin every time I hear it.
I also love the guitar solo at the beginning of “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam. Sweet and simple.