Megan Gibson from '' Time '' was disappointed with the single , feeling that it was not " particularly good " , and called the music as trite , uninspiring and bland . Matthew Cole from '' Slant Magazine '' was polarized with the song , stating that while it lowered his expectations for the album , he expressed that the saxophone solo was " admittedly a high point , and one of the more original ideas that Gaga has had of late . " Sal Cinquemani , from the same publication , felt that the song " is n't retro so much as retrograde , starting off with some crafty Art of Noise synth tones before morphing into what sounds like the theme song to an early - '90s sitcom , or an inspirational sports flick , as sung by Bonnie Tyler . " Greg Kot of '' Chicago Tribune '' also gave a mixed review about the song , calling it a " Springsteen-on-steroids bombast " and adding that it features " Clarence Clemons doing almost a parody of a Clarence Clemons sax solo . " " The Edge of Glory " was nominated in the category for Song of the Year at the 38th People 's Choice Awards . At the end of 2011 , '' Slant Magazine '' listed " The Edge of Glory " as the eighth best song of the year , with Ed Gonzalez from the website commenting that the song is " a study in radical contrast that , once you sift aside its deliberately dated effects and the legacy of the late Clarence Clemons , is deep down an incredibly delicate ballad . Yes , everyone expects Gaga to make her confessions on the dance floor , but who knew she could make her shouts whisper ? " It was placed at the same rank by '' Billboard '' , and at position seven by '' Rolling Stone '' . In September 2013 , the saxophone solo ranked number two on VH1 's list of the 15 Greatest Guest Solos in Rock History
38th People 's Choice Awards
38th People's Choice Awards
The Edge of Glory