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.

[mstrbass2000]

What is it that you like about him? I've never been that big into his playing, not sure why.

That said I can recognize that he is highly skilled and highly respected.

its his ability to get tones nobody else does and his technical prowess is off the charts ...ive seen beck multiple times, you have to see him live to appreciate how skilled he is on stage ...very similar to watching erc johnson on album he great but live the dude knock it out the park in virtuosity

[RunOverByHubbard]

Reading "top guitarists of all time" discussions on the Web the last 25 years (or even more), I think the most controversial person has been Eric Clapton. While I loved his work with the Bluesbreakers (the Beano album) and Cream, I have been "meh" a lot of the time since with his recorded work. I saw him in Sacramento in the early 2000's and again, meh. But, there is one exception for me and that is his album from around 1992 - "From the Cradle." He lets is rip on that album start to finish as his love for the blues inspired him to be like his old days of the 1960's. He is an elder statesman of guitar now and I respect his career for sure, but I put him around #25 due to his overall importance.

Michael Bloomfield is a big omission from your list. He was likely the best guitarist in the USA circa 1965-68. But, I acknowledge that he never progressed past those years, as his licks got repetitive and drugs (mostly heroin) wore him out. But, his tone, his feeling, were great and live -- he could bring tears to your eyes in those few years. I rank him about #30.

[raider_kin]

So the other day I posted criticism of Jimmy Page; apparently Wilmark thinks the world of him. I beg to differ. He was a solid player, and, um "wrote" some interesting songs. Wait, why the scare quotes? Becuase he ripped off other writers. A lot.

Before we get to that remember, after Bonham died, and Zep split, and Plant was no longer a front man for Page, and he didn't have John Paul Jones (the musical genius of Zep) to carry him, what did he do? A 'super group' formed by Paul Rodgers (a great talent) called 'The Firm." Who?
Below are links to proof of his theft of musical ideas, riffs, and melodies. And lets not forget the song 'Taurus', by Spirit. Link below. If you don't understand that 'Stairway to Heaven' is a direct ripoff of 'Taurus' you are deceiving yourself. And if you want to drop court decisions on me, forget it. O.J. was found not guilty as well, right?

And Wilmark thinks Jeff Beck is just a lesser Jimmy Page?
Pass that blunt over here bro, I want some of what you are smoking.



And there are MANY more

Taurus



And yes I know, it is just the intro riff. But isn't that what makes 'Stairway' unique?

[mstrbass2000]

the thing about led zep is its iconic not because of a riff, its iconic because of the total package all four of em john paul jones,robert plant,gonzo and page each putting their own unique signature on a song...there is a reason why nobody knows who spirit is or even if they existed or not

i agree john paul jones was a master of song writing/bass playing and robert plant was the master of singing and being a great frontman, jimmy page will always be a great...a while back i read about page and clapton being in a feud for yrs cause their jam sessions in private got leaked somehow ...and jimmy page was better then clapton on those tapes...only recently did we get some confirmation as clapton has recently called jimmy page an all time great and his favorite guitar player

[SuperRaider]

In my opinion; Clapton best work was with Blindfaith; ‘do what you like’ and listen to that guitar solo;unless it was Stevie Winwood playing the guitar

Jimmy Page is a great one; but there quite few guys that were just as good….think SRV was much better

[mstrbass2000]

In my opinion; Clapton best work was with Blindfaith; ‘do what you like’ and listen to that guitar solo;unless it was Stevie Winwood playing the guitar

Jimmy Page is a great one; but there quite few guys that were just as good….think SRV was much better

srv and randy rhoads died way too early both had such huge futures in em ...i still remember the shock of both of their lives ending with my friends

[Amish Cabal]

Nine pages in and y'all still haven't agreed on the top 100? SHOCKING!

Completely an eye (or ear) of the beholder thing.

For me, Randy Rhodes, Slash and Kirk Hammet would be higher... Dave Mustaine MUCH higher.
And Ace Frehley would be nowhere near a top 100 list. Just my .02.

[SuperRaider]

Nine pages in and y'all still haven't agreed on the top 100? SHOCKING!

Completely an eye (or ear) of the beholder thing.

For me, Randy Rhodes, Slash and Kirk Hammet would be higher... Dave Mustaine MUCH higher.
And Ace Frehley would be nowhere near a top 100 list. Just my .02.

The problem with Randi Rhodes is that there not much material on him; He did Ozzy first album and maybe his second album; not really sure about the second album and he did some stuff with Quiet Riot…but if you really go out of your way; you are really not going to find much playing material by him…I never got a chance to see him; I had tickets to the show but he died just before the show and Ozzy still continue the tour and guy I saw was Brad Gillis in his place….if he lived maybe one of the time great or maybe just one trick pony….

[Attyla]

The problem with Randi Rhodes is that there not much material on him; He did Ozzy first album and maybe his second album; not really sure about the second album and he did some stuff with Quiet Riot…but if you really go out of your way; you are really not going to find much playing material by him…I never got a chance to see him; I had tickets to the show but he died just before the show and Ozzy still continue the tour and guy I saw was Brad Gillis in his place….if he lived maybe one of the time great or maybe just one trick pony….

There are a total of 4 studio albums worth of material plus some additional studio work on two other tribute albums. There is a live album and a live EP as well. Not a ton of work but Rhoads did get recorded enough to know the talent and innovation. I am not much of an Ozzy fan and the early QR stuff is not as good as when Sarzo joined the band. While Sarzo is on the cover, he did not record on their second album nor their first one.

[SuperRaider]

There are a total of 4 studio albums worth of material plus some additional studio work on two other tribute albums. There is a live album and a live EP as well. Not a ton of work but Rhoads did get recorded enough to know the talent and innovation. I am not much of an Ozzy fan and the early QR stuff is not as good as when Sarzo joined the band. While Sarzo is on the cover, he did not record on their second album nor their first one.

I know Quiet Riot were big for a few years; were just on verge of breaking out big; might have been massive if Randi stayed with them and maybe he be alive…

[Attyla]

I know Quiet Riot were big for a few years; were just on verge of breaking out big; might have been massive if Randi stayed with them and maybe he be alive…

They got big after Rhoads left and frankly Cavazo is another underrated guitarist. He really is quite talented in his own right.

[mstrbass2000]

I know Quiet Riot were big for a few years; were just on verge of breaking out big; might have been massive if Randi stayed with them and maybe he be alive…

randy leaving was the best thing for quiet riot, carlos cavazzo joined quiet riot and changed their sound on mental health and they exploded , saw em at magic mountain "great show"

when randy was with quiet riot (saw em multiple times) they were not ready for prime time, randi sounded like an amateur, the medias portrayal of randy vs eddie van halen was total bs ...its was eddie and no one else at the time

[mstrbass2000]

They got big after Rhoads left and frankly Cavazo is another underrated guitarist. He really is quite talented in his own right.

at the time carlos cavazo was near the top of the heap in los angeles, along with george lynch,greg goldy and jake e lee...all of em broke out soon afterward

[mstrbass2000]

The problem with Randi Rhodes is that there not much material on him; He did Ozzy first album and maybe his second album; not really sure about the second album and he did some stuff with Quiet Riot…but if you really go out of your way; you are really not going to find much playing material by him…I never got a chance to see him; I had tickets to the show but he died just before the show and Ozzy still continue the tour and guy I saw was Brad Gillis in his place….if he lived maybe one of the time great or maybe just one trick pony….

randy recorded both blizzard and diary of a madman, jake e lee was brought in for bark at the moon and ultimate sin the guitar sound was completely different from when randy was with the band, brad gillis briefly played with ozzy as a hired gun but left to create night ranger whom were huge commercially, when jake e lee got fired they ended up hiring a phenom in zakk wylde whom changed ozzys sound again

[Dr Death]

A little Zakk...........