Ranked: Best Guitarists of All-Time

You’re about to embark on the definitive list (at least as far as we’re concerned) of the greatest guitarists of all time. The 50 best guitarists ever is not an easy list to curate because of how many gnarly musicians there are, but we think this is a pretty solid list. Do you agree with the top 3?

Kirk Hammett

No other heavy rock band has had commercial and mainstream success quite like Metallica. Kirt Hammett is partially to thank for this. He heavily uses pentatonic scales to create a heavy, slow, and powerful sound. With repetitive and intense patterns, his music still keeps a blues rock style that creates a more familiar sound to a non-metal fan.

The Master of Puppets album especially showcases his pentatonic scale that is both demonic and somewhat bluesy.

Link Wray

Link Wray has such an ominous and distinct sound that his song “rumble” is the only instrumental song that has been banned from the radio. (They feared it would incite gang violence.) His sound is distorted and overdriven, allowing it to seep into a variety of rock genres. His force is so strong that the guitar sounds like it’s screaming and crying for help as he plays.

Of his songs, “Rumble” is by far the most ominous and thrilling. “Slinky” and “Some Kind of Nut” are also forceful and evocative.

Jerry Garcia

Blues playing is often conservative and remains the same. Jerry Garcia, however, goes against the grain. He somehow mixes blues with bluegrass and Spanish, making him similar to a Latin Chet Atkins. With a strong sense of purpose in his playing, Garcia allowed the music to orbit around him with strong themes that are easy to detect.

As the leader of the Grateful Dead, “Dark Star” and “Cassie Jones” showcase the distinct voice and themes that accommodate Jerry Garcia’s playing.

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters is one of the most crucial guitar heroes, dating back to the early 40s. He played with a physicality that had only been seen in drummers before. His slide plays are often lower and more guttural, so much to the point that it sounds like the strings are going to rip off. His riffs are so iconic that they are often called “Muddy Licks.” “Rolling Stone” and “Mannish Boy” went on to inspire Hendricks and Buddy Guy. You can’t mention the greatest guitarists without Muddy Waters.

Jonny Greenwood

No other band define 21st century rock quite like Radiohead. Johnny Greenwood, often compared to The Edge, uses effects to create a mutable style that changes with the band’s sound. With no obvious desire for solos, Greenwood manically plays to the point that he sometimes must wear a brace on his arm. The frenzy with which he plays separates him from other late 20th and early 21st century bands.

“Creep” is easily the best indicator of his chaotic playing, though “Paranoid Android” and “My Iron Lung” showcase his melodic frenzy.