"My guitar is not a thing," Joan Jett famously stated. "It is an extension of myself. It is who I am." This sentiment resonates deeply with countless musicians and fans worldwide, underscoring the guitar’s unique position as a universal, primal, and deeply expressive instrument. While anyone can strum a few chords quickly, mastering the guitar and unlocking its full potential is a lifelong journey. This enduring appeal is precisely what makes the question of who are the world’s greatest guitar players so endlessly fascinating.
Rolling Stone, in its continuous exploration of music’s most influential figures, initially published its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists in 2011. This compilation, curated by a panel of seasoned musicians, primarily classic rock veterans, offered a foundational perspective. Now, in an expanded endeavor, Rolling Stone‘s editors and writers have broadened this list to 250, aiming to encompass a more comprehensive view of guitar artistry.
Guitarists often attain iconic status akin to the lead singers of their bands. While legendary figures like Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Eddie Van Halen are cornerstones of guitar mythology, they represent only a fraction of the instrument’s vast narrative. This expanded list endeavors to showcase the sheer scope of the guitar’s evolution, spanning from folk music pioneer Elizabeth Cotten, born in 1893, to indie-rock prodigy Lindsey Jordan, born in 1999. The selection traverses genres, including rock, jazz, reggae, country, folk, blues, punk, metal, disco, funk, bossa nova, bachata, Congolese rumba, and flamenco, among others. It celebrates both unparalleled virtuosos such as Pat Metheny, Yvette Young, and Steve Vai, and raw, primal players like Johnny Ramone and Poison Ivy of the Cramps. The list also acknowledges mainstream giants like Prince, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young, alongside unsung heroes like Memphis soul luminary Teenie Hodges and smooth-rock master Larry Carlton.
Recognizing the collaborative nature of music, the list also includes guitar duos who achieved greatness together, such as Kim and Kelley Deal of the Breeders and Adrian Smith and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden. The primary criteria for inclusion was being a six-string player, acknowledging the vast universe of six-string guitar artistry.
The selection process prioritized certain qualities, valuing intensity over polish, emotion over technical perfection, originality over refinement, and championing innovators and risk-takers over mere technicians. Crucially, emphasis was placed on artists who channeled their talents into crafting exceptional songs and albums that redefined musical landscapes, rather than solely focusing on technical prowess.
Reflecting this sentiment, modern blues innovator Gary Clark Jr. aptly stated, “I don’t know if I want to get too far off the path — I don’t want to get lost in the forest — but I like to wander out a bit and adventure.” This spirit of exploration and pushing boundaries is evident in many of the guitarists celebrated in this expanded list, representing a diverse tapestry of talent that collectively contributes to the ongoing story of the world’s greatest guitar player.
Andy Summers
Andy Summers performing live with The Police, playing a Fender Telecaster guitar at Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK, 1982
Image Credit: Graham Wiltshire/Redferns/Getty Images
The Police redefined the power trio dynamic, largely thanks to Andy Summers’ innovative guitar work. Moving swiftly beyond punk’s confines, Summers masterfully integrated jazz chords and reggae rhythms into a dynamic rock framework. His playing was characterized by its economy and precision, constructing concise, twitchy riffs or expansive, dub-influenced sonic textures, providing ample space for Sting’s vocals and Stewart Copeland’s drumming. Alex Lifeson of Rush noted, “His tone and style were just absolutely perfect — he left space around everything. And he can handle anything from beautiful acoustic playing to jazz to hybrid kinds of stuff.” Summers’ ability to blend technical skill with a keen sense of sonic space and genre fluidity cements his place among influential guitarists.
Key Tracks: “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take”
Brittany Howard
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
From her beginnings with the roots-infused garage band Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard’s guitar playing has been an organically rich and adaptable complement to her commanding vocals and soulful songwriting. Her rhythmic sensibility is remarkably elastic, evident in the way her sharp, jagged guitar lines interact with Heath Fogg’s lead guitar in Alabama Shakes’ 2015 track “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Howard’s musical explorations extend beyond, embracing straightforward rock and roll with her side project Thunderbitch. Her 2019 solo album, Jaime, stands as a powerful testament to her versatile musicianship, ranging from the funky, James Brown-inspired rhythms of “History Repeats” to the dense, molten fuzz textures of “Presence.” Howard’s ability to seamlessly navigate genres and imbue her guitar work with raw emotion marks her as a distinctive voice in contemporary guitar music.
Key Tracks: “History Repeats,” “Presence”
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger of The Doors performing at the Ondine Club, New York City, 1966
Image Credit: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Robby Krieger, with his background in flamenco and jazz, defied rock conventions at a time when many guitarists remained tethered to blues traditions. In The Doors, Krieger’s improvisational prowess allowed him to follow Jim Morrison’s unpredictable musical journeys. He also penned some of the band’s most iconic hits, including “Light My Fire,” and creatively filled the sonic space in their unique keyboard-drums-guitar lineup. Krieger explained, “Not having a bass player … made me play more bass notes to fill out the bottom. Not having a rhythm player also made me play differently, to fill out the sound. I always felt like three players simultaneously.” His ability to blend diverse influences and adapt his playing to the band’s unconventional instrumentation solidified his role as a pioneering guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Riders on the Storm,” “Roadhouse Blues”
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson of The B-52s performing live in Athens, Georgia, 1978
Image Credit: Tom Hill/WireImage
Ricky Wilson, the guitarist for the B-52s, often appeared understated amidst the exuberant stage presence of Fred Schneider and the flamboyant energy of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. However, his distinctive blend of down-home chicken scratch, angular post-punk sensibilities, rockabilly energy, and surf rock twang on B-52s classics like “52 Girls,” “Strobe Light,” and “Private Idaho” established him as a uniquely inventive guitarist of the New Wave era. Wilson frequently utilized only four or five strings on his blue Mosrite guitar and experimented with unconventional tunings to achieve his signature strange, spartan sound. “I just tune the strings till I hear something I like,” he once remarked. His untimely death in 1985 marked the loss of an unassuming radical within the indie-rock scene, whose innovative approach continues to inspire.
Key Tracks: “52 Girls,” “Mesopotamia”
Paul Simon
Paul Simon playing guitar onstage at the Auditorium Theater, Chicago, 1980
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Paul Simon, renowned for his lyrical mastery, expresses himself just as vividly through his guitar. Influenced by early doo-wop and rock & roll, Simon became deeply involved in the folk revival of the mid-Sixties, even traveling to England to study the acoustic guitar techniques of Bert Jansch. He has consistently absorbed new musical influences throughout his career, as exemplified in “Dazzling Blue” from his album So Beautiful or So What. He noted, “All that folk fingerpicking is what I did with Simon and Garfunkel, but [here] it’s on top of this rhythm with Indian musicians playing in 12/8.” Even in his 80s, Simon’s guitar skills remain remarkably agile, as demonstrated on his 2023 album Seven Psalms. His continuous evolution and integration of diverse styles highlight his enduring artistry.
Key Tracks: “Dazzling Blue,” “Kathy’s Song”
Leslie West
Leslie West of Mountain performing live in the UK, 1977
Image Credit: Erica Echenberg/Redferns/Getty Images
Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein) initially gained recognition in mid-Sixties garage rock with the Vagrants’ powerful rendition of Otis Redding’s “Respect.” By 1969, West became the driving force in the Cream-esque quartet Mountain. On tracks like the 1970 hit “Mississippi Queen,” West delivered raw, blues-infused guitar lines with deceptive ease and an R&B sensibility, all amplified through thick layers of amp distortion. Dave Davies of The Kinks commented, “The riffs were incredible. He could play flashy, intricate phrases. But he wasn’t a look-at-me guy. He played with feel.” West’s ability to combine technical prowess with raw emotion and powerful riffs made him a significant figure in hard rock.
Key Tracks: “Mississippi Queen,” “Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)”
Edilio Paredes
Edilio Paredes, Dominican bachata guitar pioneer
Edilio Paredes is the architect of bachata’s distinctive guitar sound – those poignant, spiraling lines that weave through and accentuate the bittersweet essence of lost love (la música del amargue). A self-taught prodigy, Paredes was instrumental in the evolution from bolero campesino to contemporary bachata, which eventually gained international recognition as a significant Afro-Caribbean genre in the Nineties, particularly after pop stars Rosalía and the Weeknd explored its mystique. Paredes’ extensive discography as a session musician from the 1960s to the 1980s speaks volumes. His legacy was further cemented by his appearance on the acclaimed 2011 album The Bachata Legends, solidifying his status as el maestro of bachata guitar.
Key Tracks: “No Me Olvides,” “Bendita Nena”
Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner
Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National performing at Panorama NYC, 2016
Image Credit: Kris Connor/FilmMagic
The National’s story is unique in rock, centered around the virtuosic twin-guitar dynamic of twin brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Bryce Dessner’s collaborative resume includes work with luminaries like Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jonny Greenwood, and Kronos Quartet, highlighting his diverse musical scope. Aaron Dessner has become Taylor Swift’s key guitar collaborator on Folklore and Evermore, adding a Jerry Garcia-esque twang to tracks like “Cowboy Like Me” and unleashing dynamic guitar work on “August” in The Long Pond Studio Sessions. Together, the Dessner brothers create a spectrum of sounds, from electric intensity in tracks like “Terrible Love” to intimate folk beauty in “I Need My Girl.” They also curated the acclaimed 2016 Grateful Dead tribute album Day of the Dead, even jamming with Bob Weir on “I Know You Rider,” showcasing their versatility and collaborative spirit.
Key Tracks: “Mr. November,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”
Lindsey Jordan
Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail performing at Governors Ball, New York City, 2023
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Lindsey Jordan, a Gen Z guitar hero known as Snail Mail, honed her skills under the tutelage of Mary Timony, a fellow list member and inventive guitarist from Helium and Wild Flag. Jordan debuted as Snail Mail at just 18 with 2018’s Lush, seemingly arriving fully formed with a deep understanding of the indie-rock canon. She is both a casual virtuoso and a serious shredder, seamlessly transitioning from strummy, tension-building passages to explosive, cathartic solos, moving between Liz Phair’s cool low-fi aesthetic and Sonic Youth’s sprawling soundscapes. “I like to play really balls out,” she told Rolling Stone in 2018. “That’s what it means to be onstage with integrity.” Jordan’s dynamic playing and mature musicality at a young age mark her as a significant force in contemporary guitar music.
Key Tracks: “Heat Wave,” “Pristine”
Keith Urban
Keith Urban performing at The Bottom Line, New York City, 2001
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Keith Urban may not be country music’s most overtly virtuosic or traditional player, but he distinguishes himself among Nashville guitarists with his effortless style. His riffs, rhythms, and solos materialize with a natural flow, seamlessly enhancing each song. Nothing feels forced or overly flashy; every note serves a purpose. Tracks like “Highway Don’t Care” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color” exemplify his studio prowess. However, Urban truly shines onstage, delivering guitar heroics that rival rock’s greatest. This versatility has led to collaborations with artists ranging from the Rolling Stones to Nile Rodgers. “I love that people want to hear the guitar,” Urban shared with Rolling Stone in 2015, “but I just think about the song … whatever the song seems to want.” His song-centric approach and effortless guitar style underscore his broad appeal.
Key Tracks: “Highway Don’t Care,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Erin Smith
Image Credit: © Greg Neate/neatephotos.com/flickr CC BY 2.0
Erin Smith, guitarist for riot grrrl pioneers Bratmobile, began playing along to records by Beat Happening, a deliberately lo-fi band with a female drummer, which was formative for her. “That was in ’87, and not only did I see women could play music, but I could see that just you could do it yourself,” she recounted to the Museum of Pop Culture. “I could never be [Duran Duran’s] Andy Taylor. And I realized that was OK.” Smith, with singer Allison Wolfe and drummer Molly Neuman, developed a style that merged melodic surf-rock bass lines with raw garage-rock chords. This sound defined Bratmobile’s 1993 debut, Pottymouth, a landmark punk record of the Nineties. Smith’s DIY ethos and impactful guitar style were crucial to the riot grrrl movement.
Key Tracks: “Love Thing,” “P.R.D.C.T.”
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy posing for a portrait in New York City, 1958
Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In the late 1950s, if there was any lingering doubt about the guitar’s dominance over the saxophone as rock & roll’s lead instrument, Duane Eddy definitively settled the debate. His 1958 single “Rebel Rouser,” with its country twang and tremolo-laden sound, became a defining moment. Dave Davies of the Kinks observed, “Chet Atkins used vibrato in a selective way — Duane Eddy used it to thrash the music.” Eddy’s hits, including “Forty Miles of Bad Road” and “Peter Gunn,” foreshadowed surf music and influenced guitarists like Jeff Beck and George Harrison. Eddy’s signature “twangy guitar” sound and influential use of tremolo left an indelible mark on rock and roll guitar.
Key Tracks: “Rebel Rouser,” “Peter Gunn”
Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices performing in Chicago, 2004
Image Credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty Images
In the Ohio indie-rock institution Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard serves as the band’s eccentric creative id, while Doug Gillard functions as its musical heart. Gillard is the ideal complement to Pollard, transforming his unconventional wordplay and experimental musical ideas into cohesive rock songs, often at a prolific pace of two or three GBV albums annually. “I know his usual shapes and drones — or can pretty much decipher what they are if it’s a new shape — and replicate them on the rhythm parts on the records for the most part,” Gillard once explained. “But also, I have some freedom to transform them.” His ability to interpret and enhance Pollard’s vision and maintain a high output solidified his importance to Guided By Voices.
Key Tracks: “I Am a Tree,” “Mr. Child”
Jennifer Batten
Image Credit: Catherine McGann/Getty Images
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence as the striking, lion-maned guitarist on Michael Jackson’s monumental tours. This role demanded versatility, requiring her to play funk, soul, metal, and even Eddie Van Halen’s “Beat It” solo nightly. Her debut solo album, 1992’s Above Below and Beyond, showcased her range, featuring renditions of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” (in two distinct styles) on electric guitar, incorporating whammy bar techniques and finger-tapping. Batten later joined Jeff Beck’s band, becoming one of the few guitarists capable of matching his virtuosity, touring and recording with him on some of his most adventurous albums around the turn of the millennium. Her ability to master diverse genres and collaborate with legends underscores her exceptional talent.
Key Tracks: “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Giant Steps (Rock Version)”
Greg Sage
Greg Sage of The Wipers performing live in Amsterdam, 1986
Image Credit: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty Images
Greg Sage formed the Wipers in Portland, Oregon, in 1977, surpassing punk conventions before they were even fully established. His complex, expansive songwriting and raw, distorted guitar sound set him apart. While other bands embraced punk simplicity, Wipers songs like “When It’s Over” and “Romeo” created immersive sonic landscapes. This approach significantly influenced the Pacific Northwestern indie-rock scene. Kurt Cobain, a vocal admirer, stated, “We learned everything from the Wipers. They were playing a mix of punk and hard rock when nobody cared.” Sage’s pioneering sound and independent spirit were foundational to the development of indie rock.
Key Tracks: “When It’s Over,” “Up Front”
Laura Marling
Image Credit: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage
British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Marling embodies a subtle form of virtuosity, employing intricate tunings and voicings that sound deceptively simple. “I Was an Eagle,” from her 2013 album One I Was an Eagle, achieves its dreamy atmosphere through DADDAD tuning, with the influence of Joni Mitchell evident in her unusual phrasing and atonal touches throughout her catalog. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Marling shared her guitar expertise with fans through concise and informative tutorials on Instagram. Her sophisticated yet understated guitar style and willingness to share her knowledge highlight her unique contribution to contemporary folk and beyond.
Key Tracks: “I Was an Eagle,” “Wild Fire,” “Ghosts”
John McGeoch
John McGeoch of Siouxsie and The Banshees performing at Palladium, New York City, 1980
Image Credit: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images
John McGeoch, hailing from Manchester, made a powerful entrance with the soaring guitar attack of Magazine’s 1978 debut single, “Shot by Both Sides,” a defining anthem of UK punk-rock. He quickly developed his own expansive, architectural guitar style in Magazine’s subsequent work, as well as with Public Image Ltd and Siouxsie and the Banshees. McGeoch garnered high praise from guitarists like Johnny Marr and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien. His combination of slashing rhythm guitar, flanging effects, and swirling arpeggios on the Banshees’ 1981 album, Juju, established it as the quintessential Eighties goth-guitar album, introducing a new, atmospheric language to UK rock that prioritized mood over overt angst. McGeoch’s innovative approach to guitar textures and atmospheric soundscapes had a lasting impact.
Key Tracks: “Philadelphia,” “Spellbound”
H.E.R.
H.E.R. performing at Spotify event, Cannes, France, 2023
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images
H.E.R. maintains a relatively low profile, allowing her to consistently surprise and impress with each major public appearance, such as at the Grammys or the Super Bowl. Her vocal style is rooted in classic R&B, and she excels at simmering ballads, but her guitar playing is remarkably diverse, ranging from delicate, fluid accents to Prince-inspired rock shredding. Her single “Hold On” features her doubling vocal melodies with soaring guitar leads, a signature technique. “I also like to play my guitar like I’m singing,” she told Guitar World. “Sometimes, I like to sing and play my solos at the same time … even harmonizing my voice with my guitar.” In 2021, Fender honored H.E.R. with a signature Stratocaster model, making her the first Black woman to receive this recognition. Her multifaceted talent and innovative approach to guitar playing continue to elevate contemporary R&B and beyond.
Key Tracks: “Hold On,” “Comfortable”
David Williams
David Williams of The Jacksons performing onstage, Kansas City, 1984
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Despite his jazz background, David Williams made his most significant impact on Eighties pop, a genre not typically associated with instrumental showcases. His intentionally sparse guitar touches are crucial to the rhythmic allure of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back,” and Diana Ross’ “Muscles.” The Vietnam veteran, who also toured with Jackson and Madonna and collaborated with artists from Chaka Khan to Kenny Loggins, once described his “secret spice” for Top 40 hits: “You don’t need much of it, but the right amount gets the job done.” Williams’ understated yet vital contributions to iconic pop tracks demonstrate the power of subtle guitar artistry. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 58.
Key Tracks: “Billie Jean,” “Dirty Diana”
Etta Baker
Image Credit: Timothy Duffy
Etta Baker’s name is synonymous with Piedmont blues, a flowing, ragtime and folk-influenced style originating along the East Coast in the early 20th century. Born into a multi-racial family in North Carolina in 1913 and raised in Virginia, Baker learned guitar from her father and often performed at dances with her family as a young musician. Her instrumental compositions, such as “One Dime Blues” featured on a 1956 anthology, were profoundly influential. Listeners included Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, with Mahal later recording an album with Baker before her death in 2006. Baker’s contributions were pivotal in preserving and popularizing Piedmont blues, influencing generations of musicians.
Key Tracks: “One Dime Blues,” “Carolina Breakdown”
Gustavo Cerati
Gustavo Cerati performing onstage in Chicago, 2003
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Gustavo Cerati’s profound impact on Latin rock often overshadows his extraordinary guitar skills. In the mid-Eighties, the Argentine singer-songwriter spearheaded the pan-American rock en español movement with his band Soda Stereo and anthemic hits like “De Música Ligera.” After Soda Stereo disbanded, Cerati explored sequencers and samples, but he returned to guitar-god mode with 2006’s Ahí Vamos, a powerful album filled with raw electric riffs. Cerati tragically fell into a coma at age 50 and never recovered. However, the image of him passionately playing guitar solos onstage remains an enduring symbol in Latin music culture. His guitar work was central to his musical identity and legacy.
Key Tracks: “Canción Animal,” “La Excepción”
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Lynn posing for a portrait, circa 1964
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
At sixteen, Barbara Lynn delivered a strong message to her boyfriend in her breakout hit: “If you should lose me/You’ll lose a good thing.” The Beaufort, Texas native set these words to music, teaching herself to play a right-handed guitar left-handed. The resulting song, “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” topped the R&B charts in 1962, marking the beginning of a celebrated 60-year career. Lynn’s mostly self-penned songs have been covered by artists like the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Robert Plant, and sampled by the Beastie Boys and Moby, highlighting the universal appeal and creative power of her songwriting, rooted in relatable experiences of love and heartbreak.
Key Tracks: “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” “I’ll Suffer”
Steve Jones
Steve Jones of Sex Pistols performing live in Dunstable, UK, 1977
Image Credit: Chris Morphet/Redferns/Getty Images
When Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren gifted Steve Jones a white Les Paul Custom previously owned by Syl Sylvain of the New York Dolls, it became Jones’ signature instrument. Jones’ raw power chords and flamboyant, gutter-glam solos perfectly mirrored Johnny Rotten’s confrontational lyrics, setting a benchmark for punk guitarists who followed. His legacy was cemented by the indelible riffs on 1977’s Never Mind the Bollocks…, inspiring guitarists from Slash to Billie Joe Armstrong. It was as much about attitude as sound. As Jones famously told a journalist, “Actually, we’re not into music. We’re into chaos.” His raw energy and rebellious spirit defined punk guitar.
Key Tracks: “God Save the Queen,” “Pretty Vacant”
Glenn Branca
Glenn Branca performing live
Image Credit: Hallwalls Archive/CC BY 3.0
A key figure in New York’s post-punk No Wave movement, Glenn Branca dedicated himself to establishing the guitar as a symphonic instrument. He often used his signature “harmonic series” tuning and modified guitars to explore different registers and tonalities, composing for ensembles that sometimes included up to 100 guitarists. His droning, powerful Symphony No. 1, recorded in 1981, featured Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth in the orchestra. Branca also released Sonic Youth’s debut album on his Neutral label, demonstrating his talent for recognizing musical innovators. “I’ve got so many ideas about music that I haven’t even begun to work on,” he told Esquire in 2016. “If I lived to 200, I wouldn’t finish my work.” His experimental approach expanded the possibilities of guitar orchestration and noise music.
Key Tracks: “Light Field (In Consonance),” “Velvets and Pearls”
El Kempner
El Kempner of Palehound performing at Boston Calling Music Festival, 2016
Image Credit: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Long before launching Palehound, an indie-rock project that has opened for boygenius, El Kempner began playing guitar at age seven, strumming their dad’s guitar with a marker cap. Guitar has since been central to their musical journey. Electrifying riffs, enhanced by Kempner’s musical dexterity, drive tracks like “The Clutch” from their recent album, Eye on the Bat. Kempner’s versatility is a key strength, equally comfortable rocking out on their Stratocaster, playing delicate acoustic fingerpicking, or creating swirling arpeggios. Their dynamic range and skillful guitar work position them as a prominent figure in contemporary indie rock.
Key Tracks: “The Clutch,” “Independence Day”
Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith and Wayne Kramer
Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith of MC5 performing live, 1969
Image Credit: Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Forged in Detroit in the 1960s, the MC5 guitar duo of Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith functioned as the powerful engine of their band. Combining Chuck Berry and early Motown influences with an emerging interest in free jazz, they propelled MC5’s legendary high-energy jams into expansive sonic territory while maintaining a strong rhythmic foundation. “If you play with another guitar player long enough, you exhaust everything you know, and then you start playing what you don’t know, and you get into something good,” Kramer told Premier Guitar in 2018. “We just found that we could play syncopated rhythm parts simultaneously, and they would lock in perfectly, or we could solo simultaneously and they’d still lock in.” Their symbiotic guitar interplay was central to MC5’s revolutionary sound.
Key Tracks: “Looking at You,” “Poison”
Marv Tarplin
Marv Tarplin of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles posing for a portrait, circa 1962
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Marv Tarplin’s guitar playing and songwriting became essential to the success of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles after Robinson personally selected him as the group’s guitarist in the 1960s. Tarplin’s versatility suited Motown’s demands, from the driving chords on “Going to a Go-Go” to the delicate 12-string acoustic on “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” His exploration of the chords of Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” led to the creation of the Miracles’ hit “The Tracks of My Tears.” He continued collaborating with Robinson after the Miracles split, adding delicate guitar lines to Robinson’s 1979 solo hit “Cruisin’,” lending it a timeless quality that propelled it to the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Five. Tarplin’s subtle yet impactful guitar work was integral to the sound of Motown soul.
Key Tracks: “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Cruisin’”
Joseph Spence
Image Credit: Guy Droussart
In 1958, musicologists Sam and Ann Charters encountered Joseph Spence in the Bahamas, initially mistaking his rich sound for two guitarists. “He often seemed to be improvising in the bass, the middle strings, and the treble at the same time,” Sam Charters noted in the liner notes to Joseph Spence: The Complete Folkways Recordings 1958. Spence’s pointillistic, angular fingerpicking style across genres from blues to spirituals to calypso, profoundly influenced the folk movement and beyond. The Grateful Dead adapted Spence’s “We Bid You Goodnight” as a live set closer, and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds classic “Sloop John B” is indebted to Spence’s version. Spence’s innovative fingerpicking and genre-bending approach made him a highly influential figure in folk and roots music.
Key Tracks: “Brownskin Girl,” “Jump in the Line”
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle performing at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, 2014
Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Before achieving widespread acclaim, Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway were already making their mark on roots music. Tuttle’s acoustic flatpicking, influenced by figures from Tony Rice to Joni Mitchell to Clarence White, is rooted in tradition yet pushes boundaries. She became the first bluegrass act to receive a Best New Artist Grammy nomination, signaling bluegrass’s continued evolution, in which Tuttle plays a significant role. “Our generation of bluegrass players are really pushing in some new directions,” Tuttle told Rolling Stone in January. “I feel lucky to be part of this scene that’s breaking down barriers.” Her innovative approach is shaping the future of bluegrass.
Key Tracks: ‘Take the Journey,” “El Dorado”
James Blood Ulmer
James Blood Ulmer posing for a portrait
Image Credit: Peter Noble/Redferns/Getty Images
James Blood Ulmer, initially playing soul jazz and later collaborating with free jazz icon Ornette Coleman, fused blues, funk, and jazz guitar styles into shimmering textures, angular riffs, and unpredictable solos. Albums like Tales of Captain Black and Odyssey showcased his distinctive, stinging tone, profoundly influencing the downtown New York experimental scene of the Seventies and Eighties, impacting artists from Vernon Reid (who produced Ulmer’s blues records in the 2000s) to no-wave bands like DNA and Mars. As Reid put it, “James Blood Ulmer is fully aware, theoretically and idiomatically — he’s just never been constrained by those concerns. He is a rock. He is unapologetically himself. He is the blues. Itself. Not its rules.” Ulmer’s genre-defying approach and unique guitar voice are highly influential.
Key Tracks: “Theme from Captain Black,” “Timeless”
Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett performing live
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Courtney Barnett’s ability to seamlessly transition between intricate fingerpicking and energetic, garage-rock-inspired solos enhances her witty storytelling. “It sounds like you’re driving across a highway and it’s sunny,” Barnett described “Write a List of Things to Look Forward To” from her 2021 album, Things Take Time, Take Time, capturing the essence of her guitar playing. On Lotta Sea Lice, her collaborative album with Kurt Vile, their musical chemistry is evident, with guitars and vocals intertwining naturally. Barnett’s dynamic guitar work and collaborative spirit make her a compelling contemporary artist.
Key Tracks: “Turning Green,” “Over Everything,” “Pedestrian at Best”
Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing
K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest performing live in London, 1978
Image Credit: Gus Stewart/Redferns/Getty Images
Inspired by the heavy sounds of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple with single guitarists, Judas Priest redefined “heavy” in the mid-Seventies with two guitarists: K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Instead of dividing roles into rhythm and lead, Tipton and Downing doubled riffs, traded solos, and incorporated harmony leads on Judas Priest’s high-octane tracks. Their interplay established a template for Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and countless two-guitar bands. Slayer’s Kerry King noted, “You can almost always tell that if it’s Tipton, it’s super-fucking tasty. If it’s K.K., it’s a more edgy, almost punky kind of vibe, which is a great mix.” Their dual guitar attack became a hallmark of heavy metal.
Key Tracks: “Victim of Changes,” “Breaking the Law,” “The Hellion/Electric Eye”
Lzzy Hale
Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performing live in Wheatland, CA, 2010
Image Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Lzzy Hale’s powerful voice alone makes her a hard rock icon. However, she is also a fierce guitarist with an aggressive rhythmic style that complements Halestorm’s lead guitarist Joe Hottinger. Hale is also a skilled shredder, evident in her guitar mimicry of the vocal melody in “I Miss the Misery.” Her influence on 21st-century guitar rock is so significant that Gibson made her their first female brand ambassador, even creating a Hale signature Explorer model, which she plays onstage and gifts to peers. “The people at Gibson keep telling me the demographic that buys the most electric guitars right now are female,” Hale told Rolling Stone. “The wave is coming whether anybody likes it or not.” Hale’s dual talents and advocacy for women in guitar solidify her position as a modern guitar hero.
Key Tracks: “I Miss the Misery,” “The Steeple”
Thomas McClary
Thomas McClary of The Commodores performing live with Lionel Ritchie, 1978
Image Credit: Alamy
As one of the first Black students to integrate Florida public schools, Thomas McClary, who started with the ukulele, was accustomed to forging his own path. At Tuskegee Institute, he co-founded the Commodores with Lionel Richie. The group blended funk, soul, gospel, and country, appealing to diverse audiences. McClary’s blend of glam and blues on songs like “Easy” shaped the sound of Eighties crossover music. “I would listen to Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young,” he recalled. “I thought it would be really great to mesh those guys together to have a really raunchy, raw, authentic sound that could be appealing to everybody.” McClary’s genre-blending guitar style was key to the Commodores’ broad appeal.
Key Tracks: “Easy,” “Brick House”
Steve Hackett
Image Credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
Genesis was a relatively unknown art-rock band before Steve Hackett joined in 1971, replacing Anthony Phillips. Hackett immediately impacted their sound by introducing his two-hand tapping technique, captured on 1971’s Nursery Crime, years before Eddie Van Halen popularized it. He also delivered an epic, soaring guitar solo on “Firth of Fifth” from Selling England by the Pound, a prog-rock masterpiece. Hackett left Genesis in 1977 to pursue a solo career. “I’m very happy to have freed up guitarists to play dazzling solos,” Hackett said, “and come up with things that would only be dreamt up at one time.” His innovative techniques and contributions to Genesis were pivotal in prog rock history.
Key Tracks: “Horizons,” “Firth of Fifth”
Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile holding a Fender Jaguar guitar in Amsterdam, 2015
Image Credit: Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images
Kurt Vile projects a laid-back persona, but he is a dedicated guitarist. His style, combining chilled-out drones and intricate, melodic solos, is partly rooted in receiving a banjo as a teen after asking for a guitar. “Banjos are in an open tuning, and they’ve got that high drone string,” Vile told guitar.com in 2018. “It’s not like you’d even think about that when you’re playing as a kid, but I came to really like that ethereal drone.” He has incorporated diverse influences into his distinctive, subtly virtuosic style. Vile’s unique blend of genres and relaxed yet skilled guitar playing has made him a prominent figure in indie rock.
Key Tracks: “Pretty Pimpin,” “Wakin on a Pretty Day”
Keiji Haino
Keiji Haino posing for a portrait in Tokyo, Japan
Image Credit: Alamy
Japanese musician Keiji Haino’s free-form solo performances are intense, cathartic explorations of noise, blurring the line between playing and sonic exorcism. In ensembles like Aihiyo, his playing is both beautifully raw and deeply emotional. He alternates between soft, shimmering chords and ear-splitting bursts of fuzz. “People practice really hard because they want people to check them out,” he told Vice Japan. “And then they say it’s improvisation. That drives me nuts.” Haino’s extreme dynamics and commitment to improvisation have made him a unique and influential figure in experimental music.
Key Tracks: “A Shredded Coiled Cable Within This Cable Sincerity Could Not be Contained,” “Why in the Courtesy of the Prey Always Confused With the Courtesy of the Hunters Pt. 1”
Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus performing live
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
For Lucy Dacus, guitar is as essential as her voice, even if her playing is less overtly celebrated than her lyrical insights. From her rhythmic drive on “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” to her contributions to boygenius, Dacus’ arrangements are understated yet crucial. Live performances of “Night Shift” begin quietly with Dacus on guitar, building intensity with her lead guitarist Jacob Blizard. Dacus maintains a powerful presence throughout, culminating in a cathartic release. Her focused and emotionally resonant guitar playing is integral to her songwriting and performance.
Key Tracks: “Night Shift,” “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore”
José Feliciano
José Feliciano performing at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 1973
Image Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Reducing José Feliciano to just his holiday hit “Feliz Navidad” would be a disservice to his artistry. Born blind, Feliciano became an acoustic guitar virtuoso in his teens. His playing, alternating between lyrical and intense, is infused with the boleros and folk songs of his Puerto Rican heritage. His blend of rock, jazz, soul, and bossa nova transformed mainstream pop rock in the Sixties. Feliciano’s radical 1968 reimagining of the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” incorporated Spanish vocals and salsa influences, while his pyrotechnic rendition of “Light My Fire” took the Doors classic into darker territories. Feliciano’s virtuosity and genre-bending approach redefined pop guitar.
Key Tracks: “Light My Fire,” “Here, There and Everywhere”
Nick Zinner
Nick Zinner posing for a portrait
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
When Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed in New York City in 2000, their goal was “trashy, punky, grimy.” Nick Zinner’s guitar style embodies this and more, blending dance-punk, Van Halen panache, Rowland S. Howard’s intensity, and Johnny Marr’s grandeur into catchy, shimmering riffs. Zinner’s guitar work is minimalist yet emotionally charged, from the longing in “Maps” to the monstrous tension in “Heads Will Roll.” His unique and evocative guitar style is central to Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ sound.
Key Tracks: “Y Control,” “Maps,” “Gold Lion”
Kaki King
Kaki King performing live
Image Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
Kaki King is a relentless sonic explorer, combining Preston Reed’s percussive style with John Cage’s experimental approach to acoustic guitar. She experiments with alternate tunings, treated instruments, and electronic loops, utilizing fingerstyle, two-handed tapping, and percussive techniques. “I’ll think, ‘Let’s see what happens if I lower this string here and raise that one there,’” she told Premier Guitar in 2011. “When you tune your guitar differently, all of a sudden your fingers and your mind have to be creative again because you’re not relying on shapes and places that sound good or feel familiar. You have to explore the fretboard to find new fingerings and sounds, and that leads to new discoveries.” King’s experimental and innovative techniques expand the boundaries of acoustic guitar.
Key Tracks: “Playing With Pink Noise,” “Skimming the Fractured Surface to a Place of Endless Light”
Gary Clark Jr.
Gary Clark Jr. posing for a portrait in London, 2012
Image Credit: Rob Monk/Guitarist Magazine/Future/Getty Images
Initially categorized as a successor to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Grammy-winning blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr. has consistently demonstrated a broader musical range. His playing incorporates soul, funk, grunge, and hip-hop, collaborating with diverse artists like Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, Tech N9ne, and Bun B. “I don’t think that I’m reaching my full potential if I just do what people expect of me,” he told Rolling Stone in 2014. “I love to play, and I love to experiment, and there are a lot more roads to explore. I don’t know if I want to get too far off the path — I don’t want to get lost in the forest — but I like to wander out a bit and adventure.” Clark Jr.’s genre-bending approach and willingness to experiment define his contemporary blues sound.
Key Tracks: “This Land,” “Grinder”
Amadou Bagayoko
Amadou Bagayoko of Amadou & Mariam performing live in London, 2012
Image Credit: C Brandon/Redferns/Getty Images
Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, a Malian couple who met at an institute for the blind in 1977, achieved international success as Amadou & Mariam. Their bright, melodic duets, driven by Amadou’s jaunty, sometimes unconventional guitar leads, resonated across rock festivals. “People are often surprised when we explain how much we were influenced by Western pop music,” Amadou Bagayoko shared. “I grew up listening to records by Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, James Brown, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder … That’s because they were the only records we had in Mali!” Their blend of Malian musical traditions with Western pop influences created a unique and globally appealing sound.
Key Tracks: “Djanfa,” “Ce N’est Pas Bon”
Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick of Godflesh performing live in New York City
Image Credit: Karjean Levine/Getty Images
Justin Broadrick has developed a distinct guitar vocabulary across industrial-metal band Godflesh, grindcore pioneers Napalm Death, and psychedelic post-metal project Jesu. His crushing, elastic riffs and textural sounds in Godflesh brought an organic element to the band’s mechanical rhythms. In Napalm Death, he helped pioneer grindcore’s hyper-fast, distorted sound, creating a visceral intensity on tracks like “Instinct of Survival.” In Jesu, he layered noise to create atmospheric soundscapes for his vocals. Across all his projects, Broadrick’s guitar work is characterized by its unique sonic textures and emotional weight.
Key Tracks: “Like Rats,” “Silver,” “Scum”
Hugh McCracken
Hugh McCracken posing for a portrait during a recording session for Aretha Franklin, New York City
Image Credit: David Gahr/Getty Images
East Coast guitarist Hugh McCracken, though not a flashy soloist, left his tasteful mark on countless classic recordings. His piercing lead guitar is featured on Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” his energetic opening lick on Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” and his smooth acoustic guitar on Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” He also subtly enriched Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “I’m Losing You.” McCracken was a highly sought-after session guitarist, so in demand that he declined Paul McCartney’s offer to join Wings after playing on Ram. His understated yet essential guitar work is a hallmark of many iconic songs.
Key Tracks: “Hey Nineteen,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song”
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson posing for a portrait in Pittsburgh, 1991
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Austin-born Eric Johnson is a technically masterful guitarist, highly respected by his peers. Steve Morse lauded him as “so good it’s ridiculous,” Stevie Ray Vaughan considered him “one of my favorite guitarists,” and Billy Gibbons exclaimed, “Damn, that guy can play!” A fusion stylist blending rock and jazz, Johnson rose to prominence in the Austin scene in the mid-Seventies but faced career setbacks due to contractual issues. Although his 1990 instrumental album Ah Via Musicom achieved platinum status, he is best known for guitar-focused collaborations like G3 with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and Eclectic with Miles Davis guitarist Mike Stern. Johnson’s exceptional technical skill and fusion style have earned him recognition among guitar aficionados.
Key Tracks: “Cliffs of Dover,” “Benny Man’s Blues”
Lynn Taitt
Image Credit: Federal Records
Lynn Taitt, born in Trinidad, became a pivotal figure in Jamaican music, essentially creating the guitar sound of rocksteady through his playing on early recordings like Hopeton Lewis’ “Take It Easy” and Derrick Morgan’s “Tougher Than Tough.” When Jamaican guitar legend Ernest Ranglin moved to England in 1964, Taitt became the island’s leading session guitarist. His work on Desmond Dekker’s “007 (Shanty Town)” is among the most recognizable guitar parts in Jamaican music history. Despite being active in the scene for only a few years before moving to Canada in 1968, his influence was cemented when his student Hux Brown refined Taitt’s style to help create reggae guitar. Taitt’s foundational role in rocksteady and reggae guitar makes him a highly significant figure.
Key Tracks: “007 (Shanty Town),” “Take It Easy”
Grant Green
Grant Green performing at the Keystone Korner nightclub, San Francisco, 1975
Image Credit: Janet Fries/Getty Images
Grant Green emerged from the hard bop scene to become a soul-jazz pioneer. A Charlie Parker enthusiast from St. Louis, he debuted on Blue Note in 1960 and had a stellar five-year run, including the cool grooves of Idle Moments and The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark. He explored Latin jazz in his 1964 album Matador with Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner. Green passed away in 1979 at just 43. His influence continues, particularly in hip-hop, with his guitar sampled in classics from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory to Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. Green’s soulful jazz guitar and enduring influence on hip-hop highlight his lasting impact.
Key Tracks: “Idle Moments,” “Jean De Fleur,” “On Green Dolphin Street”
Vince Gill
Vince Gill posing for a portrait in Nashville
Image Credit: Beth Gwinn/Redferns/Getty Images
Vince Gill is celebrated as one of country music’s greatest vocalists, but he is also an exceptional guitarist. Beyond his lively chicken picking and twangy bends on hits like “Liza Jane,” Gill has paid tribute to California country guitarists like Don Rich and Roy Nichols on his album Bakersfield. He has also contributed guitar to albums by Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Dolly Parton, and Don Henley. Since Glenn Frey’s death in 2017, Gill has toured with the Eagles, serving as both a harmony vocalist and a guitar slinger. Gill’s dual talents as vocalist and guitarist solidify his standing as a country music icon.
Key Tracks: “Liza Jane,” “Oklahoma Borderline”
Garry ‘Diaper Man’ Shider
Garry Shider of Parliament performing onstage in Los Angeles, 1977
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Parliament/Funkadelic guitarist Garry Shider, known for performing in little more than an oversized diaper, explained, “God loves babies and fools. I’m both.” While initially recognized for his searing, distorted leads on Funkadelic jams like “Cosmic Slop,” Shider was also a master rhythm guitarist, evident in his funky playing on “One Nation Under a Groove” and “Atomic Dog,” both of which he co-wrote. In addition to “Diaper Man,” he was also known as “Starchild” in Bootsy’s Rubberband and served as music director for the P-Funk All Stars. His post-P-Funk work included collaborations with Paul Schaffer and the Black Crowes. Shider’s multifaceted talents and contributions to funk music, both as a lead and rhythm guitarist, are significant.
Key Tracks: “Cosmic Slop,” “One Nation Under a Groove”
In conclusion, the quest to define the world’s greatest guitar player is an ongoing and richly diverse exploration. This expanded list of 250 guitarists reveals not a single pinnacle of achievement, but a vast and branching pantheon. From the foundational blues licks to experimental noise textures, from delicate fingerpicking to aggressive shredding, the instrument’s potential is continuously reimagined and redefined by each generation of players. The criteria for greatness extend beyond technical skill, encompassing innovation, emotional expression, songwriting prowess, and the unique voice each guitarist brings to their music. Ultimately, the “greatest” guitar player is a subjective ideal, ever-evolving and multifaceted, reflecting the boundless creativity and enduring power of the guitar itself.
