Top 10 Guitarists of All Time

I've always been a fan of the electric guitar. Over the years it's undoubtedly become an integral part of the greatest genre of music, always being a powerful inclusion for any rock band. Playing one though requires a certain talent that combines technical expertise with creative genius, meaning only a select few have the skill to pull off one of the more unique instruments. Here is a list of my top ten favorite guitar players of all time.

Honorable Mentions:
Jeff Beck: A favorite of many insiders in the industry. His influence has certainly had an effect on the rock genre over the years.
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Considered one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time despite having just a seven year career before his untimely death.
Kirk Hammett: Yeah I'm a big fan of Metallica, so this man just had to get a mention. To be fair he's produced some of the greatest solos of all time throughout his lengthy career.
Slash: The only positive to be found in a totally shit band. Slash now works on solo material with a confirmed status of a rock god.

#10 Angus Young (AC/DC) (1955-)

A Scottish born guitarist who many people can instantly recognise as being a large part of 'AC/DC', one of the biggest rock bands of all time. I'm not exactly a huge fan of 'AC/DC', but I can't fault their combined energy and raw charisma that they each bring to every single one of their performances. Young is the epitome of this ethos, giving his all to every performance, never once hesitating to pull off that iconic duck walk in his schoolboy uniform. This energy has become an integral part of the 'AC/DC' live routine, playing perfectly into the hands of charismatic individuals like Young who can be allowed to strut his stuff on some huge stages. Many estimates claim that the band have sold over 200 million units worldwide, and you have to ask yourself whether that would be the case if it wasn't for the iconic riffs of Angus Young.

When looking at the best of 'AC/DC' it becomes instantly clear that their success revolves around loud and powerful riffs in such great songs as 'Back in Black'. Young compliments this loud and brash sound with some solid work on the guitar that isn't what I'd call sophisticated or beautiful, but gets the sales going nonetheless. Under Young's natural ability is a showman at heart, making up for his lack of natural talent compared to the greats by running through the crowd or having a lengthy breakdown like the mentalist he truly is. Young can get the crowd involved in every second of his lengthy guitar solos, creating a vibrant energy to suit his erratic playing style on tracks such as 'Thunderstruck'. It maybe not technical perfection, but it's always fucking great watching him work.


#9 Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) (1943-)

Keith Richards might have the modern day appearance of a meth addict, but back in the day he was one of the hottest and most talented guitarists to grace the earth. The reason he looks like a drug addict is because he was one, and a serious one at that, making it a mere miracle that he's still somehow alive. Richards is now an icon of a bygone era, still musically active despite years of toil; never trying to be flamboyant, but rather relying on raw skill to carry his guitar work. Many of the songs in 'The Rolling Stones' catalogue don't focus on big guitar solos making it hard for Richards to make his mark, but he's always there in the background as the integral cog that keeps 'The Rolling Stones' ticking.

Richards as a musician is often regarded as multi-talented, with his writing work possibly becoming more famous than some of his iconic riffs. Many of 'The Rolling Stones' hits have been penned by Richards, allowing many of the songs to operate around simple yet powerful riffs that Richards excels at executing. They might not be the most difficult riffs on this list, but in terms of pacing they're up there with the best of them. All you need to do is listen to great songs like 'Satisfaction', which interestingly came to Richards in his sleep, to get a taste of what classic rock and guitar is all about. Anything in 'Exile on Main Street' is Keith Richards gold. From there you can get a good idea of what Richard's riffs are all about, that unlike the man have not deteriorated over time.

#8 Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) (1948-)

Tony Iommi is the legend humanity has to thank for heavy metal. This man's unique skill and talent pioneered a now leading genre in music, but just focusing on this aspect of Iommi's life would be detracting from the fact that this man was a seriously talented guitar player who knew how to mash a few chords together. The most interesting part is that Iommi achieved this incredible talent after having a few fingers sliced off on the last day of his job at a steel mill, making it remarkable that he can create a sound as impressive as he does. The deformity in his hand means that his style effectively detunes the guitar, creating a rawer and deeper sound that allowed the man to inadvertently stumble upon a revolutionary genre.

However Iommi was far more than a revolutionary. In his heyday he could riff with the best of them, and indeed some of the most iconic riffs in rock history have been created by this man; their influence still felt in the rock community to this very day in almost every single metal song released. There may have been other bands that got the powerful metal riffs to do more of the work, but Iommi is the man that laid the foundations in style. Nowadays he works on solo material and writes the occasional Eurovision song, which isn't very rock and roll, but I think you can forgive the man who for decades has been a loyal servant to the raucous 'Black Sabbath', who may just be the heaviest band of all time.

#7 David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) (1946-)

Starring in a prog rock band often means the skills of a guitar player get overlooked. Many people will only remember Gilmour for his multiple other roles in the highly regarded 'Pink Floyd', but on the off chance that they needed a cracking guitar solo then Gilmour was just the talent they required. Gilmour will always be a legendary frontman, but his impressive skills on the guitar were often the creative spark that led to 'Pink Floyd' being so highly regarded as one of the all time greats. When you analyse the man's playing style you begin to notice how skilled he is with the guitar, never seeking attention with pointless antics, instead letting the subtle yet powerful performance speak for itself. Over the years Gilmour has treated fans with adrenaline pumping solos that develop 'Pink Floyd' into so much more than just another prog rock band. Gilmour's inclusion allows songs to be paced to perfection, becoming a beautiful art form that doesn't require the guitar to tear the house down. I'll admit it's an acquired taste, but one that in terms of rock and roll is almost that of artistic perfection. Gilmour's precision and originality on the guitar allow 'Pink Floyd' to access these new territories in music, creating their own unique sound, and as a result scoring highly on this list.

#6 Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers) (1946-1971)

Undoubtedly the greatest session musician of all time, and also one of the leading pioneers of southern rock. Duane himself only had a brief stint in the limelight after his life was tragically cut short after an ill timed motorcycle accident in 1971, but in that time the man showed the world that he could do the most unbelievable things with a few simple chords. Had the man lived then we might be discussing the greatest guitarist of all time, but as it happens we can only discuss one of the finest natural talents in rock and roll history. His brief stint may have been forgettable to the general population, but just listen to a few of the man's riffs and you can easily understand why many consider this man the embodiment of a guitar playing legend.

'Skydog', as he was known, has just about worked with anyone notable in the business during his life; providing music for the likes of Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge. However his most famous collaboration came with Eric Clapton, and together they composed the iconic 'Layla' that would go on to define Clapton's career as a world famous guitarist. It was often said that at one stage of his life Duane would just show up to the studio at random times and record whatever was needed at that particular time. This makes it impossible for us to appreciate the grand scale of all this man's lifetime work, but even the songs that he has written credit for are almost always world class. Give Allman just a few minutes alone, or with any other musician for that matter, and he could produce something amazing with his trusty guitar. Iconic riffs such as 'Jessica' will live on in history as tribute to a world class guitarist that never got the legendary status he deserved.


#5 Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds/Cream) (1945-)

A legend on the guitar who holds the unique distinction of being the only man in history to be inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' on three separate occasions; once with 'Cream', once with 'The Yardbirds', and a third time for his solo work. That fact alone indicates that this man might be something quite special on the guitar, and indeed the integral part of three great acts is considered one of the all time greats. Clapton is often referred to as 'Slowhand', which is one of those great ironic nicknames considering that this guy can riff like no other. Some would say the man is a god, and when you have eighteen Grammy awards and at one stage invited to join 'The Beatles' after George Harrison temporarily left, it's hard to think of him as anything short of special.

Clapton's music often varies in style, but he's at his brilliant best when playing the blues. Clapton may well be the greatest blues guitarist of all time, and iconic songs such as 'Sunshine of Your Love' or 'Crossroads' show just what a great guitar player the man is. It's hard to imagine but Clapton has suffered from drug addiction and the loss of his son over his extensive career, but these negative effects have only made the music more personal; the man has a genuine passion for music that's always great to see in any artist, but with Clapton this love for music is far more apparent. Clapton even passed out during his performance at the 'Concert for Bangladesh', showing just how dedicated this man is to his own music. Clapton's work is never about the commercial success, showing his own devotion to his personal work on a constant basis with that incredible talent to help him along.


#4 Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne) (1956-1982)

A criminally underrated talent that like many in the music business died far too young. Rhoads was the man that gave Ozzy Osbourne that iconic sound that reinvigorated his stalling career to levels that even surpassed that of his tenure with 'Black Sabbath'. As a big Ozzy Osbourne fan I can't thank Rhoads enough for his contributions towards heavy metal, but the truth is that this man's now iconic riffs have bought many rock fans many pleasurable evenings. Rhoads had the unique talent of being able to perfectly combine classic riffs and a heavier sound to produce some songs that didn't necessarily pioneer any genres, but just ended up sounding really fucking awesome. Rhoads may not have been the showman that many are on this list, but in terms of passion towards his music this man is far greater than anyone else.

Rhoads was also a unique personality, not conforming to the stereotypical rock and roll lifestyle, drinking very little and being an avid collector of toy trains. Instead of drinking himself to death Rhoads had a dedication to his guitar work and apparently preferred to train with classic guitar tutors rather than visit the pub for the evening or throw a television out of a hotel window. This dedication shows in the quality of Rhoads' work, not becoming the hellraising embodiment of charisma like Ozzy, but instead becoming a hugely respectable figure in the music industry. Rhoads unfortunately perished when he was a passenger in a plane that was trying to fly close to the tour bus, with Rhoads ending up being burnt beyond recognition in the fireball that followed that accident. A rock and roll way to die from one of the least rock and roll guitarists ever, but what a fucking impact this guy made over just that short period.


#3 Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) (1944-)

A key part of the four legends that I would consider the greatest band of all time. Page was undoubtedly the perfect talent that 'Led Zeppelin' needed to catapult them to stardom. Page is quite simply a phenomenal talent that has made his name both as a member of a revolutionary band and also as a revered session guitarist, giving his talent to songs such as 'Downtown', 'I Can't Explain', and even 'A Hard Day's Night'. As a two time 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' inductee there is no denying that Page has an immense talent, which is amazing considering that the majority of his ability is self taught. It's hard to believe that a man responsible for some of the most unique and inspiring guitar work of all time got their largely by himself, but that's just a testament to how talented this man truly is. Page's unique ability practically invented rock music as we know it today, and his influence has been directly responsible for the sale of over 300 million records.

I would consider Page my favorite guitarist simply because he can master every style of music there is too learn. I still hold that there is nobody else on the planet that could compose such bold and diverse riffs that we can see in songs that range from 'Communication Breakdown' to the much slower 'Dazed and Confused'. In the live versions of these songs Page would often go quite mental, playing the guitar with a violin bow and still managing to perfect some of the most technical solos in rock history. One moment Page could gently caress the guitar, and the next he could tear the fucking building down with some powerful work. Jimmy Page was not a conventional guitarist, instead he was a perfectionist that took rock music to entirely new and exiting places, turning the heads of music lovers everywhere in the process. Page's revolution was often loud and intense, but most of all it was an exhilarating look at the limits of guitar playing. Talk to anyone who knows anything about playing the guitar and you can discover that this man wasn't just another good guitar player, he was the guitar player that defined an era.


#2 Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) (1955-)

In terms of guitar players with legendary statuses Eddie Van Halen cannot hope to compete with the likes of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, but in terms of raw ability this man might just be the greatest of all time. Just listening to the work of this man is enough to send shivers down your spine, and what's even more amazing is that the guy can't even read music. The fact that this guy wings all of his mesmerising performances is scarcely believable. 'Eruption' above is guitar playing at its most fast and furious, and so to think that Van Halen got there by simply jamming is crazy. Even the legend that is Jimmy Page admitted that Eddie was the first significant new kid on the block; and praise doesn't get much higher than that. Paige himself may have been the primary influence to Van Halen's work, but Eddie took guitar playing to the next level. Never before have I seen such unbelievable solos that no normal human being could ever replicate. Van Halen was the man that showed the world his god given talent to frantically tap that guitar, becoming a guitar playing god in the process.


#1 Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) (1942-1970)

Just four years of LSD inspired rock was enough to give this performer an iconic status globally. What Hendrix was doing with guitars years before anyone else is just staggering. Nobody had any idea that the electric guitar could be used to produce complex and innovative sounds until Jimi came along, but when he did he managed to dictate a whole genre whilst making it sound fucking awesome at the same time. What people once thought were unpleasant and amateurish characteristics of music were now being turned into a revolutionary art form that combined individual pieces of perfection and transformed them into powerful noise that could so easily blow minds.

However Hendrix was far more than just another talented guitar player, as the man was also a pure performer at heart. Hendrix could turn himself into a vibrant and charismatic character on stage, never hesitating to pluck guitar strings with his teeth or even set the damn thing alight. His performances at Woodstock and Monterrey will go down in history as definitive moments in rock and roll history, and anyone who had seen the man perform live before his untimely death at 27 will reciprocate that this man was in a class of one. For the first time Hendrix actually let the guitar do the talking, in effect giving himself an extra voice to captivate the audience. It's a symbiotic relationship that I don't believe has ever been replicated to the same extent, and although many have tried to play the guitar like Jimi, nobody has ever quite looked so natural with a guitar in their arms.