10 Of The Best Rock Guitarists of All Time


Countless musicians have transformed music and influenced the development of their respective eras. For rock music, much of that influence has come from the guitarist. There are so many that have graced the stage with their distinctive styles. So, who are the best rock guitarists of all time? Everyone will have their own opinion as to who the greatest rock guitarists of all time are and there are many that deserve to be on the following list. All of these well-known electric guitar players contributed to the rock musical style and sound development. With their distinctive styles and cutting-edge techniques, these musicians have impacted various other performers, from blues to country. Rock music depends heavily on electric guitars, and these musicians have ensured that the instrument will always be a mainstay in the genre. So here are our picks for the best rock guitarists of all time, in no particular order.

Jimi Hendrix

If this is the list of the best, Jimi Hendrix has to be on it, and it is highly uncommon not to rank him. By blending technical mastery with great charisma and intensity, Hendrix revolutionized how this instrument was played. The way we think about guitar players today was changed by his use of effects, noise-making, and general attitude to the instrument. Hendrix influenced millions of people and produced some of the most motivational music ever, despite passing so tragically at the young age of 27. He still lives on with his evergreen music. 

Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton, one of the most well-known British guitarists of all time, excelled in various musical genres, including blues and rock.

He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame first as a member of Cream and The Yardbirds and then as a solo artist in 2000.

Several other guitarists have acknowledged Clapton’s guitar playing as having influenced them and have given it great praise. His rich tenor voice and blues-inspired manner have made him famous.

Keith Richards – 10 Of The Best Rock Guitarists of All Time

No collection of rock guitarists will be fair without Keith, the epitome of a real rock and roller. Richards, who popularized the rhythm guitar, has been creating classic riffs for longer. Richards’ warm, basic tone is recognizable to a Rolling Stones fan as Mick Jagger’s swaying hips, drawing inspiration from the blues, country, funk, and disco. Richards and the Rolling Stones were admitted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen was the lead guitarist for the band Van Halen, which he and his brother Alex created in 1974. Where Jimi Hendrix left off, Eddie Van Halen continued. With astounding ability and musicianship, Van Halen was an extraordinarily talented guitarist. He also had the fantastic ability to pen tunes that would later become rock anthems. Van Halen reinvented tapping and produced a distinctive sound coveted by musicians everywhere, not just guitarists. The most notable thing he did was perform the renowned “Beat It” solo at Michael Jackson’s request.

Jimmy Page 

Known as the lead guitarist for the rock group Led Zeppelin, James Patrick Page is an English musician. Page is a talented guitarist who uses various alternate guitar tunings, technical and melodic solos, aggressive, distorted guitar tones, and folk and eastern-inspired acoustic work in his music. To give the music a droning sound texture, he is also known for periodically playing his guitar with a cello bow.

Neil Young – 10 Of The Best Rock Guitarists of All Time

The lead guitarist credit that Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young deserves isn’t usually given to him. He gained the moniker “Godfather of Grunge” for his frequently distorted electric guitar playing, particularly with Crazy Horse. The revered “Godfather Of Grunge,” a swampy, roots-based storm of noise, was first heard in the 1970s (Like A Hurricane). A combination of dejected acoustic country music and massively distorted rock compositions with solos guaranteed to blow the listener away, Young’s astounding run of influential 70s albums frequently showed off all sides of his distinctive playing style.

Tony Iommi

We are all aware of Black Sabbath’s reputation as a hard rock band. Yet, it still needs to be said that heavy metal would not exist without guitarist Tony Iommi’s gloomy riffs. Iommi suffered an accident that resulted in the loss of the tips of his right middle and ring fingers, significantly affecting his playing technique. Iommi deserves a tonne of admiration for the way he overcame hardship and, in doing so, gave birth to an entirely new musical genre. Black Sabbath became a force of nature thanks to the guitarist’s ominous single-note soloing and hellish hammer-ons, which he had to design fully from scratch.

Jeff Beck

Geoffrey Arnold Beck is an English rock guitarist. He gained attention with the Yardbirds and headlined the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice.

Beck received high ratings from critics and has won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times. He is one of the most distinctive guitarists and is even regarded by experts as the best rock guitarist of all time. His unique usage of the volume knob and the mix of his plectrum and fingerstyle playing is nothing short of amazing. His live performances are incredibly dynamic and profoundly affect the fans in a way that is complicated to explain.

Brian May – 10 Of The Best Rock Guitarists of All Time

As the main guitarist for Queen, May’s blend of hard-rocking power chords and classically trained fretwork provided the energy for Freddie Mercury’s deliciously absurd rock operas (Bohemian Rhapsody), as well as solos that shot out like missiles toward the soccer stands (We Will Rock You). No matter the genre, his particular sound jumps out the most, constantly barraging the listener with a sparkling array of majestic riffs. May has repeatedly demonstrated his status as a rock legend while performing live by singing God Save The Queen, the UK’s national hymn, in homage to Jimi Hendrix.

Slash 

Saul Hudson, well known by his stage as Slash, is a British-American guitarist.  As lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, he enjoyed global success during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Slash is regarded as one of world’s best guitarists and has won praise from critics. After a three-year break, Slash performed his final show with Guns N’ Roses in 1993 and made his departure official. 

Following Velvet Revolver, Slash started working on solo projects.

He was admitted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 for his contributions to the Guns N’ Roses band.