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Strap on your air guitar and get ready to shred because we’re diving into the electrifying world of the best guitarists ever to grace the stage! From the blistering solos that melt faces to the soulful licks that tug at your heartstrings, these guitar heroes have left an indelible mark on music history. Whether you’re a die-hard rock fan or just love to jam out, this list of legendary pickers and strummers will have you dreaming of your own six-string stardom. StudyFinds consulted 10 expert websites to come up with our list of the best guitarists of all time to ever grace the music industry. Tell us who your favorite guitar player is – and why – in the comments below.
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Table of contents
1. Jimi Hendrix
With a flamboyant style and a sound that blended British rock and roll, American blues, jazz, and funk, Jimi Hendrix created something psychedelic and all his own, making his live performances something special to behold. A master soloist, he might always be the best guitarist of all-time. “Jimi Hendrix was the supernova of creativity that the electric guitar had been waiting for. It’s tempting to say that Hendrix was ahead of his time, and yes, it’s true, he was. There’s a stronger case explaining why he was born just at the right time,” states Guitar World.
Hendrix did what was never done before. “In just four years of mainstream success before his untimely passing, Jimi Hendrix changed the guitar world entirely,” notes LedgerNote. “He was one of the first to bring effects and the whammy bar to the guitar world, like fuzz distortion and wah-wah. … His rock and roll influences were early artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley. He created a lot of “firsts” such as the usage of certain effects, the rejection of the barre chord and fretting with his thumb instead.”
So, where did Hendrix start out? “In his early days, Jimmy James, as he was then known, played in rhythm sections, backing artists like Little Richard, B.B. King and Ike and Tina Turner. It isn’t until 1966, when he moved to London and formed the Experience, that Jimi Hendrix was able to cut loose and start getting the attention he deserved for his magnificent guitar work, writes GuitarPlayer. “Hendrix’s complete artistic vision included elements of blues, funk, rock, psychedelia and utter chaos. His frequent use of effects like the wah and Octavia pedal, pioneering studio effects like ‘backward’ guitar and flanging, and use of controlled feedback and the tremolo bar added another dimension to his music.“
2. Jimmy Page
Often named as one of rock music’s most passionate and revolutionary guitar performers, his own wide-reaching and eclectic tastes heavily influenced his songwriting and playing style. Finding stardom with Led Zeppelin, he experimented with echo effects and revolutionary techniques in the recording studio. “Of course, there’s no way to have this conversation without mentioning Jimmy Page,” writes Louder. “Jimmy wasn’t just a genius in the way he played, he was a genius in how he recorded too. Sometimes he would play a little crazy, a little out-of-the-box, but he was just incredible.”
What made him so unique? “An undeniably dark, yet folkloric sound, Page’s guitar captivates multiple generations of fans,” states History 101. “As the lead guitarist for Led Zeppelin, Page wrote music, and in the recording studio, he was known to be a true workhorse, always fine-tuning his guitar to produce the right sound. He’s best known for his work in songs such as ‘Dazed and Confused,’ ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Kashmir.’”
And Rolling Stone writes, “Listening to what Jimmy Page does on guitar can transport you. As a lead player, he always plays the right thing for the right spot – he’s got such remarkable taste. The solo on ‘Heartbreaker’ has such incredible immediacy; he’s teetering on the edge of his technique, and it’s still a showstopper. But you can’t look at just his guitar playing on its own. You have to look at what he did with it in the studio and how he used it in the songs he wrote and produced.”
3. Eric Clapton
This English musician has been changing the way we think about electric blues and rock guitar, and how to seamlessly blend them, since the 1960s. “Bluesy British bloke Eric Clapton has been a household name since his recording debut with the Yardbirds in 1963,” writes GuitarPlayer.
He has influenced a countless number of musicians along the way. “Eric Clapton is one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time,” gushes Music Grotto. “He has been a guitarist in several iconic rock bands, including The Yardbirds, Cream, and Derek and the Dominoes, and has had a prolific solo career as a guitarist and songwriter.“
“Clapton is God: that was the belief during his Cream and Derek And The Dominos days, when Eric Clapton was one of the most expressive players around,” states udiscovermusic.
4. David Gilmour
Pink Floyd’s lead guitarist was a pioneer in the use of echo and other effects to develop signature – and often psychedelic – sounds. “He’s known for his simple but huge riffs and ambient chords, full of blues phrasing, note bends, and plenty of sustain,” states LedgerNote.
Gilmour’s guitar solos are legendary for their moodiness and lyricism. “He was a fiery, blues-based soloist in a band that hardly ever played the blues – his sprawling, elegant, relentlessly melodic solos were as bracing a wake-up call as those alarm clocks on The Dark Side of the Moon,” writes Rolling Stone. “But Gilmour was also adept at droning avant-garde improv … and could be an unexpectedly funky rhythm guitarist.”
And Louder states, “A lot of what Gilmour does is about feel and emotion and atmosphere. It’s about that ability that he has to put something into a song that lifts it and sort of augments the meaning, that adds to it in a way that you can hear it many, many times and still get that emotion. It’s not just about soloing, either, it’s about what and how you play throughout the song. And David Gilmour is one of the masters of that.”
5. Jeff Beck
This British-born guitarist is best known for his time as Eric Clapton’s replacement in The Yardbirds and his genius solo work. “Beck is best known for his songs ‘A Day in the Life,’ ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’ and ‘Heart Full of Soul,’ and is a true solo artist,” writes History 101. “Beck has been innovative his whole career, combining sounds from all over the world, from Indian to jazz.”
Beck is a musician of wide-spanning skill and tastes, bridging genres and generations of music fans alike. Music Grotto writes, “While many from this era found greater commercial success, Beck turned his focus to innovative instrumentals on the guitar. He has bridged countless genres, from hard rock to jazz to electronica, and incorporated world music into his sounds. His virtuosity has earned him countless praise and acclaim over the years.”
And Guitar World writes, “Yet another genius player to emerge from the Yardbirds to carve out a singular career, Jeff Beck was the guitar player’s guitar hero. He was the player who eschewed the pick, used his Strat’s whammy bar as truly an extension of himself, and spent his career chasing down every dynamic he could find from the instrument.”
Sources used to create this list
- Rolling Stone
- udiscovermusic
- LedgerNote
- Guitar World
- Musical Instru
- GuitarPlayer
- Music Grotto
- Louder
- History 101
- Musicholics
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Eddie Van Halen has to be in the top 5. All these guys are great but when you’re talking about shredders you have to include Eddie.
#1 Jimmi Hendrix – Ahead of guitar riff curve (20yrs.)
#2 Steve Vai- created Ibanez double neck / 2012 Les Paul Award recipient.
#3 Eddie Van Halen – Pioneered 80’s Rock “riffs”& classical trained marquee musician
#4 Eric Clapton bridged the genres of “Blues” &” Rock”
mainstream success
#5 Prince Tri fusion guitar genres Rock, Funk, R&B
Have you people heard “double trouble” the album.to me stevie ray vaughn is the best.i haven’t heard anyone play like him.to me he’s without a doubt #1.
Randy Rhoads
Eddie Van Halen
Jimi Hendrix
Muddy Waters
Lindsey Buckingham
1) When Hendrix was asked how it felt to be considered the best guitarist ever he stated “I wouldn’t know. You would have to ask Johnny Winter that question”.
2) Many of the old Black Blues guitarists have stated they believe Peter Green to be the best White Blues guitarist, ahead of Eric Clapton.
Having neither Winter or Green in the top 5 indicates research into the subject of “best ever” guitarist by this website was rather limited.
Brian may from queen
Personally I feel that Clapton and Beck are wantonly overrated? Why were Tony Iommi and Eddie Van Halen not included? Tony totally reinvented the guitar sound and Eddie laid out the blueprint for everyone else to follow.
It’s sad that just about everyone credits Clapton for the guitar playing on ‘Layla’ when the guitar solo and most of the best breaks were played by Duane Allman. Allman reduced Clapton to the status of second string rhythm guitar.
Gilmour
Knopfler
Clapton
Hendrix
Page
What else ?…
Mes 5 virtuoses préférés
Roy Clark and Glenn Campbell not in the top 5 is ridiculous …
Allen Collins / Gary Rossington & Ed King as a trio were the best. None better. They set the standard. Long live Lynyrd Skynyrd!!
I agree 100%bradley and Steve Gaines as well
This might be the only time ever that I have been in complete agreement with one of these lists.
My top 5 are 1 Jimmi Hendrix 2 Eric Clapton 3 Prince 4 Jimmi Paige 5 Stevie Ray Vaughn . Yes the pick at #3 is Prince because his guitar hero was Jimmi Hendrix and could play his material He is highly under rated with GOAT on guitar lists I don’t see Eddie Van Halen on this top 5 as I’ve got him at #7
All three yardbird guitarists !
I guess no one ever heard of Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic. How is he left off the list. Not only could could he play with the best but he also had a wonderful singing voice. I am not saying he was the greatest guitar ????player but dammit there was none better. Take that to the stage !
Zappa yes, also Johnny Winter, saw him in “72”.
George makes a good point, that said, there’s a number of great blue’s artists that can shred, and in a very tasty fashion too. Clapton is certainly among the blue’s artists, where as Page lean’s more to the metal sound, though still very clean and stylish, and though he did do some bluesy stuff, it wasn’t what he was generally known for. There fast and clean, and then there’s tasty, to which blues seems to have a very tasty sound IMHO.
My first show was Led Zeppelin “1971”
Next was Jeff Beck also 1971
Then it became a haze of one show after another. Pink Floyd 1972, Robyn Trower 1972, Peter Framton “73”
Alvin Lee 10 Yrs After
Saw about 100 or so great shows and better than 200 top artists.
Best in the world is angeus young,,,AC/DC
Wth????? Everyone knows there has never been a guitarist alive that is or has been as good as EDDIE VAN HALEN!!!!!!!!! YOU PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME THAT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD YOUR LIST IS WEIRD LIKE FOR NERDS .
Eddie for sure he can play rings around them Zack and Randy Roads blues Stevie Ray
Exactly what I was going to type,
But I knew there would have to be someone smart enough to had already typed it so thank you sir
Beck – Good selection. Best git-tar plucker of the alltimes be Frank Zappa.
Ernie Isley is the best guitar player in music today and y’all no he is I don’t know why y’all don’t tell it because I think he is way better than your top five.
Um Prince, Eddie Hazel, Ernie Isley, Santa, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Slash, Stevie Ray Vaughn?????
I love Ernie Isley. His combined sound with elements of R&B, Funk, Rock and no telling what else gives him one of the most distinct and recognizable sounds in modern guitar. That said, he is not better than Beck or Page or Clapton or Hendrix. But he can be mentioned in the same breath.
You know I listen to these people for years rate these people and they always disrespect Ernest Isley please to his solo in summer breeze enough said
They seem to be missing 2 people who have made the guitar and every other instrument that they touch sound better than the instrument ever thought possible. Glen Campbell, Eddie Van Halen.
Garcia.
Santana.
Jorma.
Richard Thompson.
Roy Buchanan
Rory Gallagher
Scofield
Frissel…
I could go on…
I agree as far as
Hendrix , 2 , RORY GALLAGHER , 3 , Johnny Winter , 4 Jeff Beck , 5 Carlos Santana . That’s my top 5 .
Gallagher should be #1.
My first concert was spring of l968, Jimi Hendrix in Spokane. Can’t top that. My greatest regret was not seeing SRV when I could, in Spokane. No one’s mentioned Keith Richards whose Rhythms set the tone for the greatest rock band ever. Maybe not the “best” but long ago I realized that regarding someone or something as the “best” is a local decision and the “best” I can do is call someone one of my favorites. Gilmour is very good but Pink Floyd after Waters is a boring mess. Just because someone can play doesn’t mean they can play tasty.
I’ve got Stevie Ray Vaughn at #5 on all time list George .
Keith Richards just doesn’t stand out musically the way Page, Clapton, Hendrix, et al do.