The problem with any Top 10 Rock Guitarists list is that it’s very difficult to be subjective. For example, one person might prefer a certain guitarist over another because of a particular song or concert they attended.
The other way to create such a list is to rely on external factors such as album sales, live concert gross earnings, etc. However, this can produce equally biased results because a guitarist who plays in a ‘popular’ band might not necessarily be better than one who is far less known.
So, unfortunately, we are back to one person's opinion, and in this case, it’s mine. But as opposed to trying to list my all-time Top 10, I’ve decided to split things up into various categories and genres of Rock to include a greater variety of players than you will find on most greatest guitarist lists.
Let’s get started with the…
Most Influential Rock Guitarist of All Time - Jimi Hendrix
This was quite an easy choice, to be honest, Hendrix completely changed how every guitarist on earth from beginners to his peers played the instrument. No guitarist who ever saw him play, especially in the early days, left the concert without seriously questioning what they thought the instrument was capable of and their own ability to play it.
Jimi was a master of the instrument, in his hands, anything was possible. He didn’t really practice as such, but the guitar was such a part of his being that it is said that when he woke up, the first thing he did was to put his guitar on. He would then go and make breakfast, and as things were cooking, he would just noodle away. He rarely took his guitar off which is obvious from the completely natural way he plays. Arguably the most natural electric guitarist ever, with only Irish blues-rocker, Rory Gallagher, challenging him for that honored title.
Close runner-ups in this category are the equally legendary Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads for popularizing so many techniques that we all take for granted these days.
Best Progressive Rock Guitarist - David Gilmour
Prog Rock isn’t to everyone’s taste. Long winding songs, major instrumental sections, odd time signatures, and a lot of pomp aren’t what most listeners are looking for these days. But one band stands out from the progressive and acid rock crowd, the mighty Pink Floyd.
Even though they could never be termed commercial, they created the third best-selling album of all time, Dark Side of the Moon, with 45 million copies sold to date, and the seventh best-selling album of all time, The Wall, with 30 million copies sold to date. And one of the main factors in their success is the incredibly emotional playing (and singing) of David Gilmour.
Gilmour is no speed freak, choosing to say more with one note than most guitarists could manage with 100. His playing is incredibly tasteful, perfectly matching every nuance of every song he plays over. And the scariest fact is that nearly every solo on both of the albums mentioned, as well as most of the band’s and his solo work, are first takes, i.e. when he recorded them, the first thing he played is usually what ends up on the finished release. He just instinctively knows what will work and delivers what’s needed perfectly. A genius of the instrument.
Honorary mentions go to Steve Howe, Alex Lifeson, and one of the most underrated rock guitarists out there, Marillion’s Steve Rothery.
Best Heavy Metal Guitarist - James Hetfield
This was by far the hardest category to choose a winner because there are just so many amazing guitarists in Heavy Metal, Heavy Rock, and the millions of other metal genres. But I went for good old James Hetfield because he’s arguably the greatest rhythm guitarist in rock. Plus, he can also play a mean solo when called upon, for example, Nothing Else Matters, Master of Puppets, and the beautiful acoustic solo in Unforgiven.
But it’s his rhythm playing that really sets him apart from us mere mortals, it’s just so precise. I once saw a drum off between him and Lars Ulrich (Metallica’s drummer) at a sound check in Wembley Area in London in the mid-90s, and his rhythm, even on drums was equally impeccable. There really wasn’t much between him and Lars to be honest, breathtaking playing, even on drums.
Honorable mentions go to so many other great heavy metal guitarists, that it’s impossible to list them all, but I will mention Zack Wylde, Dimebag Darrel, and Jim Martin.
Best Pop Rock Guitarist - Lindsey Buckingham
I’m not a fan of the term pop rock, I think it’s a bit condescending, but in its true form ‘popular rock’, the term does make sense. And in terms of popularity, not many rock bands get close to Fleetwood Mac and their mega-selling album, Rumors.
The guitarist behind it was the hugely underrated Lindsey Buckingham. He combines phenomenal technique, highly emotional playing, and masterful songwriting skills to weave a soundscape that always sounds simple until you try and play the parts. Then you find layer upon layer of intricate playing that will stretch most guitarists' abilities.
Check out something like Landslide, sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Now listen to all the covers, even by famous guitarists. Not many of them get it right, and no one plays it like Lindsey.
Best Classic Rock Guitarist - Jimmy Page
Major confession time… I personally think that Jimmy Page is the greatest rock guitarist of all time. Therefore he just had to be on my list. Hendrix comes a close second, but Jimmy wins because not only was he an incredible musician, highly influential, and cool as purple pants, but unlike Hendrix, in my opinion, he was one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
He was a master of both electric and acoustic playing and also had the swagger, making him a guitar hero to many. But, to me, the best thing about him is his super relaxed live playing style (many may even call it sloppy). It sounded like he was going to lose it all at any second, but magically, out of the chaos, comes another out-of-this-world phrase that just floors you and he’s back in the groove with a vengeance.
Best Folk Rock Guitarist - Neil Young
From one master of both acoustic and electric guitars to another, Neil Young. From major league folk hero with the release of the delicious acoustic album, Harvest, to the Godfather of Grunge for his work with Crazy Horse, is there anything that Neil Young doesn’t excel at?
The simple answer is no, and he does it all in a way that only Neil Young can. Fantastic songs, phenomenally emotional playing, and a true spirit of abandon throughout.
Coolest Rock Guitarist of All Time - Prince
This one might be a shocker for quite a few of you reading this, but in my opinion, Prince was not only an absolute musical genius but the coolest man ever to wear a guitar.
Although not primarily known as a guitar player, Prince could outplay nearly any guitarist. Come to think of it, he could outplay nearly any musician on piano, bass, drums, keyboard, etc. plus he was one hell of a singer and a phenomenal songwriter. As I said, genius!
Don’t believe me? Then check out this video, Prince doesn’t even come on stage until nearly three and a half minutes into the song, but when he does… Wow! It is some of the most mind-blowing guitar playing you will ever see.
Plus, as can be seen from the video, he had an inert sense of cool and fashion, he knew what to wear, how to wear it, and regardless of how bizarre it was, he could still pull the look off - he was just effortlessly cool.
Best Blues Rock Guitarist - Rory Gallagher
I’ve mentioned two underrated guitarists already in this list, but I think by far the most underrated guitarist in musical history is Rory Gallagher. He’s massively respected by all who know him and have heard him play, but most guitarists haven't, which is such a shame, because as I said earlier, he probably plays guitar more naturally than anyone else ever has.
He was often compared to Hendrix, although their styles are completely different. Rory grew up on Irish folk music and then got into the blues, and even when playing blues rock, there were a lot of folk influences included. It is even rumored that when Hendrix was asked ‘What does it feel like to be the best guitarist on earth?’ he replied, ‘Don’t ask me, ask Rory Gallagher’. Although Rory was getting a lot of positive press at the time, and Hendrix might have been sarcastic in his answer, sadly, we will never know…
I’m not sure if you are aware of him, but if not, check out Rory Gallagher live on Rockpalast in 1977. Blues Rock at its very best.
Honorable mentions go to Stevie Ray Vaughn, Duane Allman, and Joe Bonamassa.
Best Alternative Rock Guitarist - Johnny Marr
Another tough category due to the number of exceptional alternative guitarists in great bands. But the winner just has to be Johnny Marr.
A lot of guitarists, myself included, sometimes hide behind overdrive/distortion. A bit of gain is fantastic at covering up the odd mistake or sloppy playing here and there. But imagine if you played nearly every song you ever wrote clean. Yes, that’s Johnny Marr, everything is super clean, bright, and crisp. It takes a lot of talent to pull off the simple-sounding but incredibly complex guitar lines he includes in songs by the Smiths, The The, and his solo projects. Try a few out, you’ll be amazed at how difficult it is to make them sound the way he does.
I was also considering Jonny Greenwood, J. Mascis, Billy Corgan, Bernard Butler, and Adam Jones for this category, but, all things considered, Johnny Marr just had to get the win.
Best Post Rock Guitarist - Stuart Braithwaite
What came before Rock? Rhythm and Blues. But what comes after Rock? Well… Post Rock, I assume?
For those unfamiliar with the genre, Post Rock bands use the usual rock instruments - guitars, bass, keys, and drums - with nontraditional melodies, rhythms, and chord progressions to create music that is outside the radio-rock formula with an emphasis on texture, emotion, and mood. It also tends to not feature vocalists, with most songs being long-swirling rollercoaster ride instrumentals with multiple peaks and dips that carry the listener on an intense sonic trip.
One of the best guitarists to come out of the genre is Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite. The band’s epic soundscape explorations are a thing of beauty that can turn horrific in a heartbeat, from uplifting tranquility to deafening white noise, it’s all there. And one of the key components of the band is Stuart and his Telecaster, he’s a true master of layering and building guitar parts as the songs progress.
Fancy a journey into Sonic Heaven? Then check out Stuart Braithwaite and Mogwai.
Wrapping it Up
I’m sure that some of you will disagree with a few of my choices, but as I mentioned at the beginning, any Top 10 list will be defined by whoever is creating it.
If nothing else, I hope I’ve introduced you to a few guitarists who deserve to be up there with the very best, but would never make it onto a regular 10 Best Guitarists in Rock list, which would just be Hendrix, Page, Beck, Van Halen, Clapton, etc.
So, check them out, you might like what you hear, and even if you don’t, you will at least respect their talent and be aware of some of the magical music they have created.
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