Top 100 Rock Guitarists of All Time

[Willmark]

This isn’t another “Rolling Stone told me what to think” list.

I built this from the ground up with one goal: to separate actual guitar ability and musical impact from myth, nostalgia, and hype. Those three matter very much for certain guitar players.

A few things I care about that most lists don’t:

Completeness matters more than any one trait
If you can only do one thing—shred, riff, or vibe—you’re not cracking the top tier. The guys at the top can do *everything*: lead, rhythm, acoustic, electric, structure, and tone.

Context matters "Aka the Joe Satriani rule"
It’s one thing to sound great when the guitar *is* the song. It’s another to fit into a band, build a track, and elevate everything around you.

Real-world execution matters "Aka the Rory Gallagher rule"
Strip away the studio tricks. One guitar, one amp, live setting—who do you trust? That’s a huge separator.

Memorability matters "Aka the Ace Frehley rule"
If people can hum your solo, you did something right. If they can’t remember it five minutes later, that tells us something too.

Identity matters "Aka the CC DeVille rule"
Some players aren’t the most technical, but the second you hear them, you know who it is. That counts.

Foundation matters—but it’s not everything. "Aka the Duanne Eddy/Les Paul rule"
Early pioneers are on the list because they made it possible. But they don’t get ranked over players who took the instrument further.

Improvisation matters—but it’s a lane, not the whole highway. "Aka the Jerry Garcia rule"

So when you see rankings you disagree with—Hendrix not #1, Santana not top 10, Rory where he is—that’s why. This isn’t about who’s most famous or who gets the most magazine covers.

It’s about: Who can do the most, across the most situations, at the highest level.

Argue it all you want, that’s half the fun. But my list is consistent with itself all the way through, and that’s what I was aiming for.

Top 100 Guitarists
1 Jimmy Page
2 Eddie Van Halen
3 Eric Clapton
4 Jeff Beck
5 Eric Johnson
6 Ry Cooder
7 Steve Vai
8 Jimi Hendrix
9 Brian May
10 Duane Allman
11 Mark Knopfler
12 Randy Rhoads
13 Buckethead
14 Yngwie Malmsteen
15 David Gilmour
16 Stevie Ray Vaughan
17 Tony Iommi
18 Ritchie Blackmore
19 Tom Scholz
20 Lindsey Buckingham
21 Slash
22 Gary Moore
23 Prince
24 Pete Townshend
25 Rory Gallagher*
26 Vito Bratta
27 Warren DeMartini
28 Neal Schon
29 Gary Richrath
30 Ace Frehley
31 Mike McCready
32 Jerry Cantrell
33 Allan Holdsworth
34 Nuno Bettencourt
35 Joe Satriani
36 Angus Young
37 K. K. Downing & Glenn Tipton
38 Phil Collen
39 Ted Nugent
40 Kenny Wayne Shepherd
41 Dimebag Darrell
42 Kirk Hammett
43 Tom Morello
44 Joe Walsh
45 Derek Trucks
46 Shawn Lane
47 Adrian Smith & Dave Murray
48 Matt Bellamy
49 Vinnie Vincent
50 Billy Gibbons
51 Alex Lifeson
52 Zakk Wylde
53 Mick Mars
54 Mick Jones
55 Mick Taylor
56 Rick Nielsen
57 George Harrison
58 Frank Hannon
59 Jeff Healey
60 Duane Eddy
61 Eddie Cochran
62 C.C. DeVille
63 Robby Krieger
64 Steve Howe
65 Keith Richards
66 Carlos Santana
67 Jake E. Lee
68 Dickey Betts
69 Nancy Wilson
70 Joe Perry
71 Tommy Shaw & James Young
72 Mick Ronson
73 Peter Green
74 The Edge
75 Dick Wagner
76 Les Paul
77 Bo Diddley
78 Jack White
79 Brian Robertson & Scott Gorham
80 Mike Campbell
81 PJ Harvey
82 Chuck Berry
83 Martin Barre
84 Allen Collins
85 Buddy Guy
86 Johnny Marr
87 Jonny Greenwood & Ed O’Brien
88 John Fogerty
89 Nile Rodgers
90 Dave Navarro
91 Kim Thayil
92 Dave Davies
93 Dave Mustaine
94 George Lynch
95 Trey Anastasio
96 Andy Summers
97 Robert Fripp
98 Jerry Garcia
99 Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman
100 Kurt Cobain

* if we go by pure ability? Rory Gallagher could arguably be at #10. And doing it live? Him again.

[Willmark]

Oh, and I'm well aware of just who people are going to object to. Hint: This list isn't like almost any other list out there.

Again its: Who can do the most, across the most situations, at the highest level.

[Attyla]

Eddie may be the most overrated great guitarist of all time

[Dr Death]

Clapton #3...lol. Mick Mars???...Vinnie Vincent...LOL!

Why is Frank Marino not on the list?

There is no such thing as a definitive top 100 list. This is a popularity list.

Rory Gallagher should be in the top 5 on any list.

Where is Peter Green???... Robin Trower???... Robben Ford???... Guthire Goven???... Billy Strings???... Michael Schenker???

[Willmark]

Clapton #3...lol. Mick Mars???...Vinnie Vincent...LOL!

Why is Frank Marino not on the list?

There is no such thing as a definitive top 100 list. This is a popularity list.

Rory Gallagher should be in the top 5 on any list.

Where is Peter Green???... Robin Trower???... Robben Ford???... Guthire Goven???... Billy Strings???... Michael Schenker???

Cool clear you’re adding things I didn’t say. I said definitive? Where did I say that?

Clapton at 3? I’m not even that huge of a Clapton fan and by way of example not much of a fan of Jeff Beck at all but can recognize their ability.

Popularity list. I’m trying to be charitable but did you read what I wrote as to why I constructed the list or did you jump to who wasn’t included and thus a “popularity list” in your eyes?


And Vinnie Vincent? The argument can be made that he had one of the highest ceilings of any rock guitarist on the list. Also the same time the lowest discipline.

[Willmark]

Eddie may be the most overrated great guitarist of all time

In terms of what? His ability, innovation and command of the instrument are hard to beat.

[Dr Death]

Cool clear you’re adding things I didn’t say. I said definitive? Where did I say that?

Clapton at 3? I’m not even that huge of a Clapton fan and by way of example not much of a fan of Jeff Beck at all but can recognize their ability.

And Vinnie Vincent? The argument can be made that he had one of the highest ceilings of any rock guitarist on the list. Also the same time the lowest discipline.

You didn't say difinitive... I did. Where did this list come from? There are so many really great guitar players that no one has ever heard of. I have a certain .... disdain? of Clapton.... and Eddie VanHalen for the same reason/s. I know they can play and are/was very good. I just never "got" them as being some kind of guitar gods. Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush) is better than both of them... IMO.

Any list of supposedly top guitar players is dead in the water when trying to list them in order of "best". It can't be done. You can definitely recognize the talent but, you can't say one is better than the other with a numerical value... IMO.

[Dr Death]

In terms of what? His ability, innovation and command of the instrument are hard to beat.

That can be said for many guitar players. That's why I said this list is a popularity list.

[Willmark]

You didn't say difinitive... I did.

Which is called a strawman. Please avoid that. Which also ties to your other reply.

[Willmark]

That can be said for many guitar players. That's why I said this list is a popularity list.

Please steelman my position as to what I said in terms of constructing the list.

[Xramfan]

Whenever I think of Cobain, his guitar ability doesn’t enter my mind

[Willmark]

Whenever I think of Cobain, his guitar ability doesn’t enter my mind

I get it.

But if he’s not included you get gaggle of people who are “where is he!!”

[Attyla]

In terms of what? His ability, innovation and command of the instrument are hard to beat.

His guitar playing/song writing does not stand the test of time. Dave Gilmore on the other hand does and he does not have half the talent Eddie had. I can list a lot of guys who were less talented but wrote guitar licks repeatedly that cross over the chasm.

It is somewhat a matter of taste but I stand by my opinion. Now, there is one way in which Eddie is in a class all his own and that is his ability to make guitars. He was a craftsman in that regard

[Willmark]

I suspect which generational cohort one belongs to will effect some of this.

As far as Eddie? Eruption alone has transferred across generations. Same with his solos on things like Jump or Dreams being memorable.

Because if we switch to memorability as the metric than Ace Frehely (by way of example) might vault to the top of the list despite not being the best overall.

[raider_kin]

Checked for Steve Hackett on the list, and he's not there. What an effing joke.
You blokes do know he invented string tapping, right?
Done with this crap list.
Have fun kids.