Ranked: Best Guitarists of All-Time

Ritchie Blackmore

Just about every aspiring musician and guitarist knows the infamous riff of Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water.” Ritchie Blackmore’s role in heavy-metal guitar is solidified for that song alone. He mixes intricate and classic styles with raw blues rock to create riffs that are heavy and unforgettable. These riffs become foundations for pyrotechnics. Many metal bands today still view Blackmore a hero for this reason.

Obviously, “Smoke on the Water” is Blackmore’s most known piece, but “Stargazer” is another that shows Blackmore’s legacy on the genre.