“My guitar is not a thing,” Joan Jett once said. “It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” This sentiment resonates deeply within the world of music, where the guitar stands as a universal instrument, primal in its appeal and profoundly expressive in its capabilities. While anyone can strum a chord in moments, a lifetime isn’t enough to fully explore its vast potential. This endless journey of discovery is what makes the question of who the greatest guitarists are so compelling.
Rolling Stone‘s initial list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists, published in 2011, was a landmark, shaped by a panel of seasoned musicians. Now, this expanded list, curated by the editors and writers of Rolling Stone, delves even deeper, reaching 250 players who have shaped the landscape of guitar music.
Guitarists often transcend their role as instrumentalists, becoming icons as recognizable as the lead singers they accompany. While legendary figures like Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Eddie Van Halen rightly hold their place in the pantheon of guitar gods, their stories are just a part of the expansive narrative. This list aims to showcase the remarkable evolution of the guitar, spanning from early pioneers like folk icon Elizabeth Cotten, born in 1893, to contemporary innovators such as indie-rock prodigy Lindsey Jordan, born in 1999. It encompasses a breathtaking range of genres: rock, jazz, reggae, country, folk, blues, punk, metal, disco, funk, bossa nova, bachata, Congolese rumba, flamenco, and countless more. Within this spectrum are peerless virtuosos like Pat Metheny, Yvette Young, and Steve Vai, juxtaposed with the raw energy of primitivists like Johnny Ramone and Poison Ivy of the Cramps. The list honors both stadium-filling stars such as Prince, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young, and the unsung heroes behind the scenes, like Memphis soul maestro Teenie Hodges and the smooth sophistication of Larry Carlton.
Many of the top guitar players achieved their iconic status as part of dynamic duos. Therefore, this list celebrates symbiotic pairings such as Kim and Kelley Deal of the Breeders, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, recognizing the power of collaborative genius. The primary criterion for inclusion remains mastery of the six-string guitar, acknowledging the vast universe within this instrument itself.
The selection process for this list prioritized certain qualities: heaviness over mere technical proficiency, genuine feel over polished perfection, and groundbreaking invention over simple refinement. Above all, it celebrates those artists who channeled their unique gifts into crafting unforgettable songs and albums that redefined the musical landscape, not just those who displayed impressive technical prowess.
As modern blues visionary Gary Clark Jr. aptly put it, “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 adventure and pushing boundaries is what defines the Top Guitar Players Ever.
Andy Summers
Andy Summers performing live with The Police, playing a Fender Telecaster guitar
Image Credit: Graham Wiltshire/Redferns/Getty Images
The Police emerged as a revolutionary power trio, largely due to the innovative guitar work of Andy Summers. Moving swiftly beyond punk’s confines, Summers masterfully blended jazz chord voicings and reggae rhythms into a high-energy rock and roll fusion. His playing was defined by its economy and precision, constructing sparse, clipped phrases or expansive, dub-influenced washes of sound, creating ample sonic space for Sting’s vocals and Stewart Copeland’s drumming. Alex Lifeson of Rush lauded Summers’ style: “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’ distinctive approach cemented his place among the top guitar players, demonstrating how space and texture can be as impactful as virtuosity.
Key Tracks: “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Breath You Take”
Brittany Howard
Image Credit: Sacha Lecca for Rolling Stone
From her beginnings with the garage-roots band Alabama Shakes, Brittany Howard’s guitar playing has been a raw, organic, and wonderfully unpredictable complement to her powerhouse vocals and deeply soulful songwriting. Her rhythmic sensibility is remarkably elastic, evident in the robust, jagged lines that interweave with Shakes lead guitarist Heath Fogg’s playing on their 2015 track “Don’t Wanna Fight.” Howard fearlessly embraced straight-ahead rock and roll with her side project Thunderbitch. Her 2019 solo album, Jaime, further showcased her expansive musicianship, ranging from the James Brown-esque funky hopscotching on “History Repeats” to the molten fuzz distortion she unleashes on “Presence.” Howard’s versatility and visceral approach solidify her reputation as one of the most compelling contemporary guitar players.
Key Tracks: “History Repeats,” “Presence”
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger of The Doors performing with Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek in 1966
Image Credit: Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Rooted in flamenco and jazz, Robby Krieger boldly ventured beyond the blues-centric boundaries of rock guitar at a time when many of his peers remained tethered to them. As the guitarist for The Doors, Krieger possessed the improvisational agility to follow Jim Morrison’s unpredictable and often shamanic musical journeys. He penned some of the band’s most iconic hits, including “Light My Fire,” and skillfully filled the sonic space within their unique keyboard-drums-guitar lineup. Krieger explained his approach: “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 weave intricate melodies and rhythmic textures into The Doors’ psychedelic soundscape marks him as a truly innovative and top-tier guitar player.
Key Tracks: “Riders on the Storm,” “Roadhouse Blues”
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson of The B-52s performing in Athens, Georgia in 1978
Image Credit: Tom Hill/WireImage
In the live performances of the B-52s, Ricky Wilson often appeared content to remain in the background, a subtle presence amidst the flamboyant energy of lead singer Fred Schneider and the iconic beehive hairstyles and quirky dance moves of Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson. However, Wilson’s distinctive guitar style, a unique blend of downhome chicken scratch, angular post-punk sensibilities, rockabilly twang, and surf rock reverb, on classics like “52 Girls,” “Strobe Light,” and “Private Idaho,” cemented his status as one of the most inventive guitarists of the New Wave era. Often utilizing only four or five strings on his signature blue Mosrite guitar and employing unconventional tunings, Wilson crafted a sound that was both strange and stark. “I just tune the strings till I hear something I like,” he famously stated. His untimely death in 1985 marked a significant loss for the indie-rock scene, depriving it of an unassuming yet profoundly radical guitar innovator.
Key Tracks: “52 Girls,” “Mesopotamia”
Paul Simon
Paul Simon playing guitar on stage in Chicago, 1980
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Paul Simon, celebrated as a master wordsmith, communicates just as eloquently through his guitar as he does through his lyrics. Influenced by early doo-wop and rock and roll, Simon became deeply immersed in the folk revival of the mid-Sixties, even traveling to England to study the acoustic artistry of Bert Jansch. He has consistently absorbed new musical influences throughout his career, as exemplified by “Dazzling Blue” from his album So Beautiful or So What: “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 eighties, Simon’s guitar skills remain remarkably nimble, as demonstrated on his 2023 album Seven Psalms. His enduring dedication to acoustic guitar artistry and his ability to seamlessly blend diverse influences solidify his place as a top guitar player and songwriter.
Key Tracks: “Dazzling Blue,” “Kathy’s Song”
Leslie West
Leslie West of Mountain performing in the UK, 1977 or 1978
Image Credit: Erica Echenberg/Redferns/Getty Images
Leslie West, born Leslie Weinstein, first gained recognition in the mid-Sixties garage rock scene with the Vagrants’ powerful cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect.” By 1969, West became the driving force behind Mountain, a Cream-influenced quartet known for its heavy sound. On iconic tracks like the 1970 hit “Mississippi Queen,” West delivered raw, blues-infused guitar lines with deceptive ease and a distinct R&B sensibility, all amplified through a wall of saturated, distorted amplifier tones. Dave Davies of the Kinks noted, “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 signature heavy blues sound and his ability to craft instantly memorable riffs established him as a major figure among top rock guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Mississippi Queen,” “Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)”
Edilio Paredes
Edilio Paredes, a key figure in Bachata music
Now that global pop stars Rosalía and The Weeknd have embraced bachata’s mystique, propelling it to international popularity, it’s easy to forget that this genre was once relatively unknown outside its native Dominican Republic. Edilio Paredes is the architect of la música del amargue‘s sonic identity, the creator of those poignant, spiraling guitar lines that dance and accentuate the bittersweet emotions of lost love. A self-taught prodigy, Paredes was instrumental in the evolution from bolero campesino to contemporary bachata, which ultimately gained recognition as a transcendent Afro-Caribbean genre in the Nineties. Paredes’ extensive discography as a sought-after session musician from the 1960s to the 1980s speaks volumes about his influence. His appearance on the acclaimed 2011 album The Bachata Legends further solidified his legacy 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 in New York City, 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 collaborations extend to luminaries like Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jonny Greenwood, and the Kronos Quartet, showcasing his range and experimental approach. 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 raw emotion on “August” in The Long Pond Studio Sessions. Together, the Dessner brothers create a spectrum of guitar textures, from electric angst in songs like “Terrible Love” to intimate folk beauty in “I Need My Girl.” They also spearheaded the acclaimed 2016 Grateful Dead tribute album Day of the Dead, even jamming with Bob Weir on “I Know You Rider.” Their combined talents and diverse projects cement their place among top contemporary guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Mr. November,” “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”
Lindsey Jordan
Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail performing at Governors Ball, 2023
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Gen Z guitar hero Lindsey Jordan, who performs as Snail Mail, honed her skills under the tutelage of Mary Timony, an extraordinarily inventive guitarist in Helium and Wild Flag, and also a member of this 250 Greatest Guitarists list. When Jordan debuted as Snail Mail at just 18 with 2018’s Lush, she seemed to have already absorbed the entire indie-rock guitar canon. She is both effortlessly virtuosic and a serious shredder, seamlessly transitioning from strummed, tension-building passages to soaring, explosive solos, and moving from coolly detached Liz Phair-esque low-fi sounds to Sonic Youth-inspired sprawling textures. “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 precocious talent and dynamic range position her as a leading voice among the new generation of top guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Heat Wave,” “Pristine”
Keith Urban
Keith Urban performing at The Bottom Line in New York City, 2001
Image Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
While Keith Urban may not be the most technically flamboyant or traditionally country guitarist in Nashville, he stands out amongst his peers for his effortlessly stylish playing. His riffs, rhythms, and solos seem to emerge as naturally as thought itself, yet consistently elevate the songs they inhabit. Nothing in his playing feels overtly flashy; every note serves a purpose, enhancing the musicality and emotional impact. Tracks like “Highway Don’t Care” and “Blue Ain’t Your Color” perfectly showcase peak studio Urban. However, he truly shines on stage, delivering guitar heroics that rival the greatest figures in rock history. It’s no surprise he has jammed with artists ranging from the Rolling Stones to Nile Rodgers. “I love that people want to hear the guitar,” Urban told Rolling Stone in 2015, “but I just think about the song … whatever the song seems to want.” His commitment to serving the song and his understated virtuosity place him among the top guitar players in country and beyond.
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, found her musical inspiration in Beat Happening, a deliberately primitive cuddle-core band featuring a female drummer. “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.” The distinctive style she developed with singer Allison Wolfe and drummer Molly Neuman combined melodic surf-rock basslines with raw, slashing garage-rock chords. This sonic blend was crucial in making Bratmobile’s 1993 debut, Pottymouth, one of the most electrifying punk records of the Nineties. Smith’s DIY ethos and powerful, minimalist style were instrumental in shaping the riot grrrl sound and establishing her as an influential guitarist in punk and indie music.
Key Tracks: “Love Thing,” “P.R.D.C.T.”
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy posing for a portrait in New York, 1958
Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
If there was any remaining doubt in the late 1950s that the guitar, not the saxophone, was the defining lead instrument of rock and roll, Duane Eddy decisively settled the argument. His 1958 single “Rebel Rouser,” with its country-infused twang and shimmering tremolo, became an instant classic. “Chet Atkins used vibrato in a selective way — Duane Eddy used it to thrash the music,” observed Dave Davies of the Kinks. The impact of Eddy’s hits, such as “Forty Miles of Bad Road” and “Peter Gunn,” resonated deeply and quickly, influencing surf music and guitarists like Jeff Beck and George Harrison. Eddy’s pioneering use of tremolo and his creation of a signature “twangy” guitar sound were foundational to rock and roll guitar, making him one of the top influential guitar players of the era.
Key Tracks: “Rebel Rouser,” “Peter Gunn”
Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices performing in Chicago, 2004
Image Credit: Matt Carmichael/Getty Images
Within the off-kilter genius of Robert Pollard, the creative force behind Ohio indie-rock institution Guided By Voices, Doug Gillard serves as the band’s musical heart. He is the ideal complement to Pollard’s eccentric wordplay and experimental sonic ideas, transforming them into cohesive rock and roll structures, and doing so at the prolific pace of two or even three GBV albums per year. “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 explained. “But also, I have some freedom to transform them.” Gillard’s ability to translate Pollard’s unconventional vision into compelling guitar parts and his consistent output solidify his status as a top indie-rock guitarist.
Key Tracks: “I Am a Tree,” “Mr. Child”
Jennifer Batten
Image Credit: Catherine McGann/Getty Images
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence as the visually and sonically arresting guitarist in Michael Jackson’s monumental tours. This high-profile role demanded she masterfully navigate funk, soul, metal, and even Eddie Van Halen’s iconic “Beat It” solo nightly. On her debut solo album, 1992’s Above Below and Beyond, Batten showcased her versatility by recording Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” (in two distinct arrangements) on electric guitar, incorporating whammy bar techniques and finger-tapping throughout, all with her unique touch. She further elevated her status by becoming one of the few guitarists capable of collaborating with Jeff Beck, touring and recording with him on some of his most adventurous albums around the turn of the millennium. Batten’s technical brilliance, genre-spanning expertise, and ability to hold her own alongside guitar legends cement her place among the top guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Giant Steps (Rock Version)”
Greg Sage
Image Credit: Frans Schellekens/Redferns/Getty Images
Greg Sage formed his Portland, Oregon band The Wipers in 1977, pushing beyond the established norms of punk even before they were fully defined. He created complex, sprawling song structures and a jagged, atmospherically distorted guitar sound that was uniquely his own. In an era where many punk bands emphasized stripped-down simplicity, Wipers songs like “When It’s Over” and “Romeo” felt like immersive sonic landscapes. As a result, they became a galvanizing force for the Pacific Northwestern indie-rock scene. Kurt Cobain famously declared, “We learned everything from the Wipers. They were playing a mix of punk and hard rock when nobody cared.” Sage’s pioneering approach to punk guitar, characterized by its complexity and atmospheric distortion, had a profound impact on the development of indie rock and positions him as a highly influential and top guitar player.
Key Tracks: “When It’s Over,” “Up Front”
Laura Marling
Image Credit: Chiaki Nozu/WireImage
British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laura Marling is a virtuoso of subtlety, employing intricate tunings and voicings in her music that sound deceptively simple. “I Was an Eagle,” from Marling’s 2013 LP, Once I Was an Eagle, creates a dreamy and atmospheric soundscape through her use of DADDAD tuning, with the influence of Joni Mitchell permeating her catalog through unusual phrasing and atonal flourishes. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Marling shared her deep guitar knowledge with fans, offering concise and informative tutorials on Instagram. Marling’s sophisticated acoustic guitar work, characterized by its subtle complexity and Joni Mitchell-inspired innovations, establishes her as a top contemporary acoustic guitar player and songwriter.
Key Tracks: “I Was an Eagle,” “Wild Fire,” “Ghosts”
John McGeoch
Image Credit: Ebet Roberts/Redferns/Getty Images
John McGeoch, from Manchester, UK, made a powerful entrance with the soaring guitar attack on Magazine’s 1978 debut single, “Shot by Both Sides,” a defining anthem of UK punk rock. He rapidly developed a distinctive, expansive, and architectural guitar style, evident in Magazine’s subsequent work, as well as his contributions to Public Image Ltd and Siouxsie and the Banshees. McGeoch garnered devoted admiration from guitarists like Johnny Marr and Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien. His signature blend of slashing rhythm guitar, atmospheric flanger effects, and swirling arpeggios on the Banshees’ 1981 album, Juju, defined the sound of Eighties goth-guitar, introducing a moody and atmospheric new language to UK rock, where atmosphere took precedence over raw angst. McGeoch’s innovative and influential guitar work in post-punk and goth rock positions him as one of the top guitar players of his era.
Key Tracks: “Philadelphia,” “Spellbound”
H.E.R.
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images
H.E.R. has maintained a relatively low profile, allowing her to consistently surprise and captivate audiences with each major public appearance, such as at the Grammys or the Super Bowl. While her vocal style is deeply rooted in classic R&B and she excels at crafting simmering ballads, her guitar playing is remarkably versatile, ranging from delicate and fluid accents to Prince-inspired rock shredding. Her single “Hold On” features her doubling her own vocal melodies with a series of soaring lead guitar lines, a signature element of her style. “I also like to play my guitar like I’m singing,” she explained to 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 distinction. H.E.R.’s impressive vocal and guitar talents, combined with her innovative approach to blending R&B with rock guitar, solidify her place as a top contemporary musician and guitar player.
Key Tracks: “Hold On,” “Comfortable”
David Williams
The Jacksons performing during the Victory Tour in Kansas City, 1984, featuring Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson, and Marlon Jackson
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Despite his early love for jazz, David Williams had his most significant impact in a genre not typically known for instrumental showcases: Eighties pop. His intentionally minimalist guitar touches are crucial to the rhythmic allure of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back,” and Diana Ross’ “Muscles.” This Vietnam veteran, who also toured with Jackson and Madonna and collaborated with a diverse range of artists from Chaka Khan to Kenny Loggins, once described the “secret spice” he brought to Top 40 hits: “You don’t need much of it, but the right amount gets the job done.” Williams, who passed away from a heart attack in 2009 at age 58, exemplified how impactful restraint and precise rhythmic guitar work can be in shaping iconic pop songs, earning him recognition as a top session guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Billie Jean,” “Dirty Diana”
Etta Baker
Image Credit: Timothy Duffy
Etta Baker’s name is synonymous with Piedmont blues, a distinctive style characterized by rolling, ragtime and folk-influenced fingerpicking, 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 frequently played dances with her family in her youth. Her instrumental compositions, such as “One Dime Blues,” featured on a 1956 anthology, were seismic in their impact. Among those captivated listeners were Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal, the latter of whom would later record an album with Baker before her death in 2006. Baker’s intricate fingerstyle technique and her preservation of Piedmont blues traditions have made her a highly influential figure and one of the top acoustic blues guitar players.
Key Tracks: “One Dime Blues,” “Carolina Breakdown”
Gustavo Cerati
Gustavo Cerati performing on stage in Chicago, 2003
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Perhaps because of his transformative impact on the sound of Latin rock through his songwriting, it is easy to overlook Gustavo Cerati’s exceptional guitar skills. In the mid-Eighties, the Argentine singer-songwriter ignited a pan-American rock en español boom 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 his 2006 album Ahí Vamos, a powerful collection of songs saturated in raw electric riffs. Cerati tragically fell into a coma at age 50 and never recovered, but his image, smiling with genuine joy as he unleashed a guitar solo onstage, remains indelibly etched in the collective memory of Latin music culture. His pioneering role in Latin rock and his guitar prowess establish him as one of the top guitar players from Latin America.
Key Tracks: “Canción Animal,” “La Excepción”
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Lynn posing for a portrait in 1964
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
At sixteen years old, Barbara Lynn delivered a final warning to her boyfriend, Stank: “If you should lose me/You’ll lose a good thing.” The Beaufort, Texas native set these words to music, using a right-handed guitar she taught herself to play left-handed. The resulting song, “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” became an R&B Number One hit in 1962, launching an acclaimed career spanning over 60 years. Lynn’s predominantly self-penned songs have been covered by iconic artists like the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Robert Plant, and sampled by the Beastie Boys and Moby, a testament to the relatability and creative power of her music, born from the experience of a “good woman done wrong.” Lynn’s soulful guitar playing and songwriting have made her a significant figure in R&B and blues music, and one of the top female guitar players of her generation.
Key Tracks: “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” “I’ll Suffer”
Steve Jones
Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols performing in Dunstable, UK
Image Credit: Chris Morphet/Redferns/Getty Images
When Malcolm McLaren, manager of the New York Dolls turned Sex Pistols, gifted Steve Jones a white Les Paul Custom previously owned by Syl Sylvain of the Dolls, this instrument (or a similar model) became Jones’ signature weapon. Jones’ raw power chords and flamboyant, gutter-glam-inspired solos perfectly mirrored the taunting cynicism of Johnny Rotten, setting a new standard for punk rock guitarists who followed. His legacy was solidified with the indelible riffs on the Sex Pistols’ seminal 1977 album, Never Mind the Bollocks…, inspiring guitarists from Slash to Billie Joe Armstrong. It was an attitude as much as a sound. As Jones famously told a journalist during his Sex Pistols days, “Actually, we’re not into music. We’re into chaos.” Jones’ aggressive, chaotic guitar style became synonymous with punk rock and has cemented his place as one of the top influential guitar players in the genre.
Key Tracks: “God Save the Queen,” “Pretty Vacant”
Glenn Branca
Glenn Branca, a pioneer of No Wave music
Image Credit: Hallwalls Archive/CC BY 3.0
A central figure in New York’s post-punk No Wave movement, Glenn Branca dedicated himself to establishing the guitar, often tuned to his unique “harmonic series” and modified to operate in different registers and produce varied timbres, as a symphonic instrument capable of being composed for ensembles that sometimes numbered up to 100 players. His droning, monumental Symphony No. 1, recorded in 1981, featured both 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 other musical revolutionaries. “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.” Branca’s experimental approach to guitar and his expansion of its symphonic possibilities have established him as a top avant-garde guitar composer and innovator.
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 El Kempner launched Palehound, a critically acclaimed indie-powerhouse project that recently toured with boygenius, they were a seven-year-old learning guitar by strumming their dad’s instrument with a marker cap. Since then, the guitar has been Kempner’s guiding light. Electrifying riffs, elevated by Kempner’s musical dexterity, propel vibrant tracks like “The Clutch” from Palehound’s recent fourth studio album, Eye on the Bat. But what truly distinguishes the 29-year-old’s refined skills is their versatility. Kempner is equally comfortable rocking out on their beloved Stratocaster, playing delicate acoustic fingerpicking, or crafting swirling arpeggios. Kempner’s diverse guitar skills and their role in shaping Palehound’s indie rock sound mark them as a top contemporary guitar player.
Key Tracks: “The Clutch,” “Independence Day”
Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith and Wayne Kramer
Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith of MC5 performing in Mount Clemens, MI, 1969
Image Credit: Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
Forged in the crucible of Detroit in the 1960s, the MC5 guitar tandem of Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith functioned as perfectly synchronized pistons in a high-performance engine. Blending Chuck Berry and early Motown influences with an emerging interest in free jazz improvisation, the duo could propel their band’s legendary high-energy jams into uncharted sonic territories while simultaneously anchoring them with a powerful groove. “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.” Kramer and Smith’s synergistic guitar interplay and their role in defining the high-energy proto-punk sound of MC5 have made them both top influential guitar players.
Key Tracks: “Looking at You,” “Poison”
Marv Tarplin
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles posing for a portrait in Detroit, 1962, featuring Marv Tarplin
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The guitar playing and songwriting of Atlanta-born and Detroit-raised Marv Tarplin became integral to the success of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles almost immediately after the soul crooner personally selected him to be the group’s guitarist in the 1960s. Tarplin’s versatility was perfectly suited to the demands of Motown, evident in his driving chords on “Going to a Go-Go” and the delicate 12-string acoustic work on “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” His experimentation with the chords of Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” led him to create the core melody for the Miracles’ smash hit “The Tracks of My Tears.” He continued collaborating with Robinson after the Miracles’ split; the subtle filigree he added to Robinson’s 1979 solo single “Cruisin’” gave the track a timeless quality, propelling it into the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Five. Tarplin’s crucial contributions to the Motown sound and his sophisticated guitar arrangements solidify his place as a top session guitarist and songwriter.
Key Tracks: “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Cruisin’”
Joseph Spence
Image Credit: Guy Droussart
In 1958, musicologists Sam Charters and Ann Danberg Charters were traveling through the Bahamas in search of musicians to record when they encountered Joseph Spence playing music so rich and layered that from a distance they believed they were hearing two guitarists. “He often seemed to be improvising in the bass, the middle strings, and the treble at the same time,” Sam noted in the liner notes to Joseph Spence: The Complete Folkways Recordings 1958. Spence’s pointillistic, sharply articulated fingerpicking style, applied to a wide range of music from blues to spirituals to calypso, had a profound influence on the folk movement and beyond. The Grateful Dead transformed Spence’s highlight “We Bid You Goodnight” into a staple live set closer, and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds classic “Sloop John B” owes a clear debt to Spence’s version of the song. Spence’s unique and influential fingerpicking style has established him as one of the top acoustic guitar innovators.
Key Tracks: “Brownskin Girl,” “Jump in the Line”
Molly Tuttle
Molly Tuttle performing at The Roxy Theatre, 2014
Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Even before Molly Tuttle began sweeping bluegrass awards ceremonies, this California-raised, Nashville-based innovator and her exceptional band Golden Highway were already making their mark on roots music history. Her acoustic flatpicking style, influenced by a diverse range of guitarists from Tony Rice to Joni Mitchell to Clarence White, is deeply rooted in tradition but not constrained by it. Earlier this year, she became the first bluegrass artist ever nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy—a significant indication of the genre’s ongoing evolution, in which Tuttle is playing a major 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.” Tuttle’s innovative approach to bluegrass guitar and her role in pushing the genre forward solidify her place as a top contemporary bluegrass guitar player.
Key Tracks: ‘Take the Journey,” “El Dorado”
James Blood Ulmer
James Blood Ulmer, a pioneer of avant-garde jazz guitar
Image Credit: Peter Noble/Redferns/Getty Images
Initially playing soul jazz, and later becoming the buzzing, angular counterpoint to free jazz icon Ornette Coleman’s melodic explorations, James Blood Ulmer forged a unique guitar style by fusing generations of blues, funk, and jazz into shimmering walls of sound, skronky riffs, and jittery solos. On albums like Tales of Captain Black and Odyssey, his stinging guitar tone proved profoundly influential on the Seventies and Eighties downtown New York experimental music scene, impacting artists from Vernon Reid (who produced Ulmer’s acclaimed 2000s blues albums) to no-wave bands like DNA and Mars. As Reid himself eloquently stated, “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 groundbreaking fusion of genres and his unapologetically unique guitar voice have made him a top avant-garde guitar innovator.
Key Tracks: “Theme from Captain Black,” “Timeless”
Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett playing guitar, known for her dynamic indie rock style
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
Indie-rock singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett’s ability to seamlessly transition between intricate, melodic fingerpicking and frenetic, garage-rock inspired solos amplifies the dynamic impact of her witty and insightful 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, to Rolling Stone in 2021. This perfectly encapsulates how Barnett’s guitar playing complements the lilting, liberating quality of her songs. On Lotta Sea Lice, her 2017 collaborative album with Kurt Vile (also featured on this list), the musical chemistry between the two is dazzling, as their guitars and vocals intertwine spontaneously and seamlessly. Barnett’s dynamic guitar style and her ability to blend intricate fingerpicking with raw garage rock energy solidify her place as a top contemporary indie rock guitar player.
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 in London, 1978
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After witnessing the sonic power Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple achieved with a single guitarist, Judas Priest redefined “heavy” in the mid-Seventies by employing two: K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. Instead of dividing themselves into traditional rhythm and lead guitar roles, as bands like the Rolling Stones and the Kinks had done, Tipton and Downing doubled down on riffs, traded off searing solos, and incorporated harmony leads into the band’s high-octane, motorcycle-revving anthems. Their dynamic interplay and mutual give-and-take established the blueprint for iconic two-guitar bands that followed, including Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Slayer. As Slayer’s Kerry King observed, “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.” Tipton and Downing’s groundbreaking twin-guitar attack and their role in shaping the sound of heavy metal have cemented their status as top influential metal guitarists.
Key Tracks: “Victim of Changes,” “Breaking the Law,” “The Hellion/Electric Eye”
Lzzy Hale
Lzzy Hale of Halestorm performing in Wheatland, CA
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Lzzy Hale is a hard rock goddess, not only for her powerhouse vocals, but also for her fierce guitar playing. She employs an aggressively rhythmic slap style that perfectly complements Halestorm’s lead guitarist Joe Hottinger. Hale is also a formidable shredder—note how she mirrors the vocal melody of “I Miss the Misery” on her guitar—and her influence on 21st-century guitar rock is so significant that Gibson chose her as their first female brand ambassador. The company even designed a Hale signature model of its Explorer guitar, which she plays onstage and gifts to fellow musicians, from Demi Lovato to Daniela Villarreal of the Warning. “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 dynamic stage presence, powerful vocals, and impressive guitar skills make her a top contemporary hard rock icon and guitar player.
Key Tracks: “I Miss the Misery,” “The Steeple”
Thomas McClary
Thomas McClary of The Commodores, pictured with Lionel Ritchie
Image Credit: Alamy
As one of the first Black students to integrate Florida public schools, Eustis, Florida-born Thomas McClary, whose first instrument was the ukulele, was accustomed to forging his own path. He attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he co-founded the Commodores with singer Lionel Richie. The group uniquely merged funk, soul, gospel, and country, appealing to both Black and white audiences. McClary’s blend of glam grandeur and blues grit on songs like “Easy” was crucial in shaping the band’s crossover sound in the Eighties. “I would listen to Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young,” he later 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-bending guitar style and his role in shaping the Commodores’ sound have made him a top influential guitarist in funk, soul, and crossover music.
Key Tracks: “Easy,” “Brick House”
Steve Hackett
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Genesis were a relatively obscure art-rock band before guitarist Steve Hackett joined in 1971, replacing founding member Anthony Phillips. Hackett made an immediate impact by introducing the band to his two-hand tapping technique, which they featured on 1971’s Nursery Crime, years before Eddie Van Halen popularized it for a wider audience. A few years later, he delivered an epic, soaring guitar solo on their masterpiece “Firth of Fifth,” one of the most beautiful and iconic pieces of music ever recorded on a prog-rock album. He departed Genesis in 1977 to pursue a successful solo career that continues to this day. “I’m very happy to have freed up guitarists to play dazzling solos,” Hackett reflected, “and come up with things that would only be dreamt up at one time.” Hackett’s innovative tapping technique and his contributions to Genesis’s prog-rock masterpieces have established him as a top influential progressive rock guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Horizons,” “Firth of Fifth”
Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile holding a Fender Jaguar guitar in Amsterdam, 2015
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Kurt Vile may project an image of an easygoing slacker, but he is a deeply serious and skilled guitarist. His style, which blends laid-back drones with intricate yet melodic solos, is partly rooted in his early experience learning banjo, which he received from his parents as a teenager after initially asking for a guitar. “Banjos are in an open tuning, and they’ve got that high drone string,” the Philadelphian explained in a 2018 interview. “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.” Throughout his career, he has incorporated influences from across the musical spectrum, synthesizing them into his signature, subtly virtuosic style. Vile’s unique blend of drone-based textures and melodic guitar work has made him a top contemporary indie rock guitar player.
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, noisy exercises in catharsis, often blurring the line between playing and sonic exorcism. In ensemble settings like the late-Nineties group Aihiyo, whose self-titled debut is beautifully chaotic and deeply emotive, Haino’s playing is equally powerful. He can transition from soothing, shimmering chords to ear-splitting squalls of fuzz in an instant. “People practice really hard because they want people to check them out,” he stated in an interview with Vice Japan. “And then they say it’s improvisation. That drives me nuts.” Haino’s extreme and unpredictable approach to guitar playing, ranging from delicate beauty to intense noise, has made him a top experimental and noise guitar innovator.
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 playing guitar, known for her understated but powerful style
Image Credit: Griffin Lotz for Rolling Stone
For Lucy Dacus, the guitar is as essential an instrument as her voice, even if her guitar playing often receives less attention than her piercing lyrical insights. From her pulsing rhythm guitar part on her 2016 standout track “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” to her contributions within the indie supergroup boygenius, Dacus’s guitar arrangements are an understated yet crucial element of her musical gifts. Live performances of her 2018 fan favorite “Night Shift” begin quietly, with Dacus strumming alone. Her longtime lead guitarist Jacob Blizard adds distorted textures as the song builds, but Dacus remains locked in rhythmically throughout each movement, maintaining intensity. By the song’s cathartic climax, Dacus has delivered a final goodbye to a former lover, and her guitar playing underscores the emotional weight of her words. Dacus’s understated yet powerful guitar style and her integral role in shaping her songs and band projects establish her as a top contemporary singer-songwriter and guitar player.
Key Tracks: “Night Shift,” “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore”
José Feliciano
José Feliciano performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London, 1973
Image Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
To think of José Feliciano solely as the artist behind “Feliz Navidad” during the holiday season would be a profound underestimation of his artistry. Born blind, Feliciano became an acoustic guitar virtuoso in his teens. His playing, alternating between lyrical tenderness and ferocious intensity, is deeply infused with the boleros and folk songs of his Puerto Rican heritage. His diverse stylistic approach, encompassing rock, jazz, soul, and bossa nova, transformed the sound of mainstream pop rock in the Sixties. Feliciano’s radical 1968 reinvention of the Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” featured him vocalizing in Spanish like a salsa sonero, while his guitar pyrotechnics on “Light My Fire” transformed the Doors classic into a darker, more cinematic experience. Feliciano’s virtuosic acoustic guitar playing and his genre-bending innovations have made him a top influential guitarist and crossover artist.
Key Tracks: “Light My Fire,” “Here, There and Everywhere”
Nick Zinner
Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, known for his raw and energetic guitar style
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When New York City’s garage-rock trio Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed in 2000, their aim was to create something “trashy, punky, grimy.” Nick Zinner’s guitar style embodies all of these qualities and more, fusing the dance-punk energy of ESG, the showmanship of Van Halen, the raw intensity of Rowland S. Howard, and the melodic sensibility of Johnny Marr into his signature catchy, glittering riffs. Zinner’s guitar work is often minimalist yet carries immense emotional depth, ranging from the yearning vulnerability of “Maps” to the monstrous tension of “Heads Will Roll.” Zinner’s raw and energetic guitar style, blending punk, dance-rock, and glam influences, has made him a top influential guitarist in the indie and garage rock scenes.
Key Tracks: “Y Control,” “Maps,” “Gold Lion”
Kaki King
Kaki King performing, an experimental acoustic guitar innovator
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A tireless sonic explorer, Kaki King takes a Preston Reed-meets-John Cage approach to the acoustic guitar, experimenting with alternate tunings, “treated” instruments, and electronic loops, while utilizing fingerstyle, two-handed tapping, and percussive slapping techniques. “I’ll think, ‘Let’s see what happens if I lower this string here and raise that one there,’” she explained to 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 approach to acoustic guitar, pushing its boundaries through extended techniques and sonic exploration, has established her as a top contemporary acoustic guitar innovator.
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, a modern blues-rock innovator
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Initially categorized as an heir to the legacies of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Grammy-winning blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr. has consistently demonstrated a far broader musical palette in his fiery playing. He seamlessly incorporates elements of soul, funk, grunge, and hip-hop into his recordings, and has collaborated with a diverse array of artists including 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 to blues-rock guitar and his willingness to experiment and collaborate have established him as a top contemporary blues-rock innovator.
Key Tracks: “This Land,” “Grinder”
Amadou Bagayoko
Amadou Bagayoko of Amadou & Mariam performing in London, 2012
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The Malian musical duo Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, who first met at an institute for the blind in 1977, achieved international success as Amadou & Mariam. Their brightly melodic duets, rhythmically driven by Amadou’s upbeat and sometimes skronky guitar leads, crossed over to major rock festival circuits. This crossover success is understandable given their diverse influences: “People are often surprised when we explain how much we were influenced by Western pop music,” Amadou Bagayoko once shared with a laugh. “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!” Bagayoko’s vibrant and rhythmically infectious guitar style, blending Malian traditions with Western rock and pop influences, has made him a top world music guitar player.
Key Tracks: “Djanfa,” “Ce N’est Pas Bon”
Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick of Godflesh, a pioneer of industrial metal guitar
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Justin Broadrick has forged his own unique guitar vocabulary across industrial-metal pioneers Godflesh, grindcore originators Napalm Death, and the psychedelic post-metal project Jesu (among numerous other projects). His steamrolling, elastic riffs and dense, spongy textures in Godflesh brought a rare sense of humanity to the band’s mechanical rhythms. In Napalm Death, he helped pioneer the extreme “grinding” sound of grindcore (hyper-fast death metal) by pushing his distortion to such extremes that the listener felt the raw pulse more than individual notes on tracks like “Instinct of Survival.” In Jesu, his psychedelic post-metal guise, he layered vast miasmas of noise, creating a beautiful, shadowy sonic world in which his vocals echoed. Across all his projects, his guitar sighs, groans, and weeps with a uniquely identifiable voice. Broadrick’s pioneering work in industrial metal and grindcore guitar, characterized by extreme distortion and textural innovation, has made him a top influential metal guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Like Rats,” “Silver,” “Scum”
Hugh McCracken
Hugh McCracken, legendary session guitarist
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East Coast guitarist Hugh McCracken was never a flashy soloist, but his tasteful and impeccably crafted guitar parts have graced countless classic recordings. That’s his piercing lead guitar work on Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen,” his energetic opening lick on Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” and his silky acoustic guitar textures throughout Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” In an unobtrusive yet vital way, he also 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 in such high demand and so content with studio work that he declined Paul McCartney’s offer to join Wings after playing on Ram. McCracken’s exceptional taste and versatility as a session guitarist have made him a top behind-the-scenes guitar hero, contributing to an astonishing number of iconic recordings.
Key Tracks: “Hey Nineteen,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song”
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson performing, a guitar virtuoso known for his technical skill
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A consummate technician, Austin-born Eric Johnson is the kind of guitarist whose extraordinary abilities are often more appreciated by fellow musicians than by the general public. “Eric’s so good it’s ridiculous,” Steve Morse raved, while Stevie Ray Vaughan hailed him as “one of my favorite guitarists.” “Damn, that guy can play!” was Billy Gibbons’ succinct assessment. A fusion stylist whose approach leaned more towards rock than jazz, Johnson was a rising star in the mid-Seventies Austin music scene but faced career setbacks due to contractual issues. Although his 1990 instrumental album Ah Via Musicom eventually achieved platinum status, he remains primarily known for guitar-centric collaborations such as G3, alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and Eclectic, with Miles Davis guitarist Mike Stern. Johnson’s unparalleled technical skill and his fusion-oriented guitar style have made him a top guitar virtuoso and a guitarist’s guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Cliffs of Dover,” “Benny Man’s Blues”
Lynn Taitt
Image Credit: Federal Records
Lynn Taitt was born in Trinidad but made his indelible mark in Jamaica, essentially creating the signature guitar sound of rocksteady music through his playing on early recordings in the genre, such as Hopeton Lewis’ “Take It Easy” and Derrick Morgan’s “Tougher Than Tough.” When Ernest Ranglin, Jamaica’s preeminent guitarist, relocated to England in 1964, Taitt became the island’s top session guitarist. His guitar work on Desmond Dekker’s “007 (Shanty Town)” is among the most recognizable guitar riffs in Jamaican music history. Although his active period in the scene was relatively brief—he moved to Canada in 1968—his influence and importance were solidified when his student Hux Brown refined Taitt’s playing style to help create the distinctive sound of reggae guitar. Taitt’s foundational role in shaping the sound of rocksteady and his influence on reggae guitar have established him as a top influential Jamaican guitarist.
Key Tracks: “007 (Shanty Town),” “Take It Easy”
Grant Green
Grant Green performing at the Keystone Korner nightclub, 1975, a soul-jazz guitar pioneer
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Grant Green emerged from the hard bop scene to become a pioneer of soul-jazz guitar. A devoted Charlie Parker admirer from St. Louis, he recorded his Blue Note debut in 1960 and embarked on a stellar five-year run, producing impeccably cool grooves on albums like Idle Moments and The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark. He explored Latin jazz on his 1964 album Matador, featuring Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner. Green tragically passed away in 1979 at only 43 years old, while in New York for a gig at George Benson’s Breezin’ Lounge. However, his musical legacy continues to thrive, particularly in hip-hop. His guitar work has been sampled on numerous rap classics, from A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory to Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. Green’s pioneering role in soul-jazz guitar and his enduring influence on hip-hop make him a top influential jazz guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Idle Moments,” “Jean De Fleur,” “On Green Dolphin Street”
Vince Gill
Vince Gill posing for a portrait in Nashville, known for his country guitar and vocals
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It is almost unfair how immensely talented Vince Gill is—as a vocalist alone, he is rightfully celebrated as one of country music’s all-time greats. But beyond his vocal prowess, Gill is also a formidable guitarist, lethal with an electrified Fender in his hands. In addition to the lively chicken picking and twangy bends on singles like 1991’s “Liza Jane,” Gill has paid homage to California country guitar legends like Don Rich and Roy Nichols on his 2013 album Bakersfield. Furthermore, Gill has lent his guitar skills to countless sessions for other artists’ albums, including Miranda Lambert, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Kenny Chesney, Dolly Parton, and Don Henley. Speaking of Henley, Gill has been a touring member of the Eagles since Glenn Frey’s passing in 2017, seamlessly pulling double duty as a harmony vocalist and guitar virtuoso. Gill’s exceptional vocal and guitar talents, and his contributions to country music as both a solo artist and collaborator, establish him as a top country music icon and guitar player.
Key Tracks: “Liza Jane,” “Oklahoma Borderline”
Garry ‘Diaper Man’ Shider
Garry 'Diaper Man' Shider of Parliament performing in Los Angeles, 1977, known for his funk guitar
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When asked about his onstage persona, which often involved performing in little more than an oversized diaper, Parliament/Funkadelic guitarist Garry Shider famously replied, “God loves babies and fools. I’m both.” While initially acclaimed for adding the “-delic” to Funkadelic through searing, distortion-laden lead guitar work on jams like “Cosmic Slop,” Shider was also a master rhythm guitarist, as evidenced by his insistently funky playing on “One Nation Under a Groove” and “Atomic Dog” (both of which he co-wrote). In addition to his “Diaper Man” persona in Parliament/Funkadelic, 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 career included collaborations with Paul Schaffer and the Black Crowes. Shider’s dual mastery of lead and rhythm guitar in the context of Parliament-Funkadelic, and his role in shaping the P-Funk sound, have made him a top influential funk guitarist.
Key Tracks: “Cosmic Slop,” “One Nation Under a Groove”
