In the past 60 years, the genre of rock has influenced many aspiring guitar players to be the best. The best guitarists of these past decades have been enshrined to almost god-like status and with that, here are the top 10 greatest guitarists to ever live.
1. Jimi Hendrix – This man revolutionized the way the guitar is played. WIth songs like All Along the Watchtower, Voodoo Child, Little Wing, among others, Jimi has effectively played his way into the top spot. Though his music was amazing, it wasn’t just him playing that made him the greatest guitarist ever, it was how he played the music. With so much soul and effort, not to mention the technical genius he was, Jimi Hendrix was easily the greatest guitarist to ever live.
2. Jimmy Page – One of the most versatile guitarists on this top 10 list. His versatility is present when listening to songs like Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, D’yer Mak’er, and others have shown that not only can he play differing styles of music, but he can excel in it too. Jimmy Page is one of the greatest guitarists ever and being at number two is nothing close to a shame on this list.
3. Eric Clapton – Eric Clapton is most famous for his piece called “Layla” when he was with Derek and the Dominos. With this song he created one of the greatest songs to ever be recorded or played. Though people not familiar with his work are drawn to only this song, he has tons of other songs that deserve recognition. He has also worked with such famed stars as Jimmy Page, John Mayer, Duane Allman, and many other famous stars in the guitar world.
4. Jeff Beck – With his more distorted sounds on the guitar, he helped revolutionize how the guitar was played. He was also quite a head case. Jeff Beck was pretty crazy on stage and never used picks. Instead, his fingertips and nails were worn away because of it. He truly made his style of music popular with the distorted sounds.
5. Stevie Ray Vaughan – Being one of the first blues players to transform it into rock, he has put up many great songs that have put him up with the greatest guitar players of all time. He is in many respectable top ten lists for greatest guitarists ever. Stevie Ray Vaughan had a great career that lasted for 20 years. From the 1970’s to 1990, Vaughan was among the best that set the standards of guitar playing.
6. Eddie Van Halen – Eddie Van Halen is probably one of the most widely listened to guitarist in this list, aside from Page. Van Halen appealed to all different kinds of people back in their prime. With his great solos like Eruption and Spanish Fly, Eddie has joined the upper echelon of the greatest guitarists to ever live.
7. Kirk Hammet – The lead guitarist for Metallica began the wave of thrash metal. Kirk Hammet has become a legend though Metallica and is known for his sweeping solos. Kirk Hammet is one of the best guitarists to ever live and he even started a new genre of music.
8. B.B. King – King is one of the most famous Blues artists ever. He turned R&B; music into something catchy and popular, as he won a Grammy for the song “The Thrill is Gone.” B.B. King was also ranked at the third spot on the Rolling Stone’s list of greatest guitarists ever.
9. Duane Allman – Most notably famous for his work in The Allman Brothers Band and Derek and the Dominos, Allman tragically had his life end in a motorcycle accident. If that didn’t happen, Allman could have been considered to be one of the greatest guitarists ever.
10. Chuck Berry – Chuck Berry helped shape what Rock & Roll is today. Beginning in 1955, he is credited for pioneering the genre of rock more than any other person. He is one of the greatest guitarists and singers ever and even though he was in and out of jail multiple times during his career, he managed to still have one of the most successful careers ever.
