Top 200 Guitarists

Top 200 guitarists as compiled by Digitaldreamdoor.com (Music / Guitarists Website)

Guitarists are ranked for their impact, influence,
creativity, versatility, originality, technical skill and lasting
popularity in the genre of Rock guitar.


1. Jimi Hendrix* - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Eric Clapton - Yardbirds, Cream, Derek & The Dominos, Solo
3. Jimmy Page - Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Firm
4. Jeff Beck - Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, Solo
5. Eddie Van Halen - Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan* - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
7. Joe Satriani - Solo
8. Ritchie Blackmore - Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmores Night
9. Steve Vai - David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Solo
10. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd, Solo
11. John Petrucci - Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment
12. Randy Rhoads* - Quiet Riot, Ozzy
13. Allan Holdsworth - Solo
14. Paul Gilbert - Mr. Big, Racer X, Solo
15. Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force, Solo
16. Phil Keaggy - Glass Harp, Solo
17. Jason Becker - Cacophony, David Lee Roth Band, Solo
18. John Mclaughlin- Mahavishnu Orchestra
19. Duane Allman* - Allman Brothers Band, Derek & the Dominos
20. Chuck Berry - Solo
21. Eric Johnson - Solo
22. Steve Howe - Yes, Solo
23. Neal Schon - Santana, Journey, Solo
24. Brian May - Queen
25. Gary Moore - Thin Lizzy, Colosseum II, Skid Row, Solo
26. Bo Diddley* - Solo
27. Steve Morse - Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, Solo
28. Carlos Santana - Santana
29. Tony Iommi - Black Sabbath
30. Buckethead - Solo, Praxis, Thanatopsis, The Deli Creeps, Cornbugs, GNR,
31. Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits, Solo
32. Marty Friedman - Cacophony, Megadeth, Solo
33. Nuno Bettencourt - Extreme, Mourning Widows
34. Shawn Lane* - Black Oak Arkansas, Willy, Solo
35. Kirk Hammett - Metallica
36. Uli Jon Roth - Scorpions, Solo
37. Terry Kath* - Chicago Transit Authority
38. Alex Lifeson - Rush
39. Frank Zappa* - Mothers of Invention, Solo
40. Rory Gallagher* - Solo
41. Dimebag Darrell* - Pantera
42. Peter Green - Fleetwood Mac, Solo
43. Robin Trower - Procal Harum, Solo
44. Slash - Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit, Velvet Revolver
45. Mick Taylor - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Rolling Stones
46. Robert Fripp - King Crimson
47. Tom Morello - Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave
48. Michael Schenker - Scorpions, UFO, MSG, Contraband
49. Ry Cooder - Solo
50. Angus Young - AC/DC
51. Keith Richards - Rolling Stones, Solo
52. Michael Angelo Batio - Nitro, Solo
53. John Squire - Stone Roses
54. Pete Townshend - The Who
55. Steve Hackett - Genisis
56. Zakk Wylde - Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society
57. George Harrison* - Beatles, Traveling Wilberys, Solo
58. Alvin Lee - Ten Years After
59. Dave Davies - Kinks
60. Jerry Cantrell - Alice In Chains, Solo
61. Steve Stevens - Billy Idol
62. Johnny Winter - Solo
63. Dickie Betts - Allman Brothers Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern
64. John Cipollina* - Quicksilver Messenger Service
65. Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
66. Steve Cropper - Booker T. & MG's/Stax sessions
67. Adrian Belew - King Crimson
68. Joe Bonamassa - Solo
69. Steve Lukather - Toto, Solo
70. Jerry Garcia* - Grateful Dead
71. Joe Perry - Aerosmith
72. Prince - Prince & The Revolution
73. Kim Mitchell - Max Webster, Solo
74. Adrian Smith - Iron Maiden
75. Dave Murray - Iron Maiden
76. Neil Young - Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, Solo
77. Billy Gibbons - ZZ Top
78. Tony MacAlpine - Solo
79. Mike McCready - Pearl Jam
80. Adam Jones - Tool
81. Gary Hoey - Solo
82. Leslie West - Mountain, Solo
83. Peter Frampton - Humble Pie, Frampton's Camel, Solo
84. Dick Dale - Del-Tones
85. Vito Bratta - White Lion
86. Mickey "Guitar" Baker - 50's sessions/ Mickey & Sylvia
87. John Frusciante - Red Hot Chili Peppers
88. Ronnie Montrose - Montrose, Edgar Winter Group
89. Mick Ronson* - David Bowie, Solo
90. Roy Buchanan* - Solo
91. Warren Haynes - Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule
92. Vinnie Moore - Alice Cooper, Solo
93. Robbie Krieger - Doors, Solo
94. Chris DeGarmo - Queensryche
95. Jake E. Lee - Cutting Crew, Ozzy, Badlands, Solo
96. Glen Tipton - Judas Priest
97. Joe Walsh - James Gang, Eagles, Solo
98. K.K. Downing - Judas Priest
99. Eddie Hazel* - Funkadelic
100. Alex Skolnick - Testament

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101. Doug Aldrich - Burning Rain, Dio, Whitesnake, Solo
102. Michael Romeo - Symphony X
103. Vernon Reid - Living Colour
104. Gary Richrath - REO Speedwagon, Solo
105. Link Wray - Link Wray and his Ace-Men
106. Allen Collins* - Lynyrd Skynyrd
107. Larry "Ler" Lalonde - Primus
108. Randy Bachmann - Guess Who, BTO
109. Jeff Healy* - Jeff Healy Band
110. Greg Howe - Solo
111. Dave Navarro - Janes Addiction
112. Scott Gorham - Thin Lizzy
113. Ted Nugent - Ambouy Dukes, Damn Yankees, Solo,
114. Vivian Campbell - Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard
115. Paul Kossoff* - Free, Back Street Crawler
116. Ritchie Kotzen - Poison, Mr Big, Solo
117. Brian Robertson - Thin Lizzy, Motorhead
118. Andy Summers - Police
119. John Sykes - Blue Murder, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy
120. Scotty Moore - Elvis Presley
121. Gary Rossington - Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rossington Band
122. Ty Tabor - Kings X, Jelly Bean, Poundhound, Jughead, Platypus
123. John Fogerty - CCR, Solo
124. Ron Wood - Faces, Rolling Stones
125. Ace Frehley - Kiss
126. Akira Takasaki - Loudness, Lazy
127. Michael Wilton - Queensryche
128. Cliff Gallup* - Gene Vincent's Blue Caps
129. Richie Sambora - Bon Jovi
130. George Lynch - Dokken, Lynch Mob
131. Reb Beach - Winger, Dokken
132. Nick Drake* - Solo
133. Tommy Bolin* - James Gang, Deep Purple
134. Kerry King - Slayer
135. Thurston Moore - Sonic Youth
136. Harry Cody - Shotgun Messiah
137. Lowell George* - Little Feat
138. Tracii Guns - Guns N Roses, L.A. Guns
139. Tom Scholz - Boston
140. Buck Dharma - Blue Oyster Cult
141. Jorma Kaukonen - Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna
142. Richard Thompson - Fairport Convention, Solo
143. Trey Anastasio - Phish
144. Janick Gers - Iron Maiden
145. Mick Box - Uriah Heep
146. Johnny Marr - Smiths, Electronic, Johnny Marr & The Healers
147. Blues Saraceno - Poison, Solo
148. Lowman Pauling* - "5" Royales
149. Timo Tolkki - Stratovarius
150. Mike Einziger - Incubus
151. John Christ - Danzig
152. Jonny Greenwood - Radiohead
153. Phil Collen - Def Leppard
154. Andy Timmons - Danger Danger, Ceili Rain
155. Steve Gaines* - Lynyrd Skynyrd
156. Ron Asheton - Iggy Pop, Stooges
157. James Burton - Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley
158. Mark Kendall - Great White
159. Lindsey Buckingham - Fleetwood Mac
160. Jennifer Batten - Jeff Beck, Michael Jackson, Solo
161. Matthias Jabs - Scorpions
162. Carl Perkins* - Solo
163. Wayne Kramer - MC5
164. Nils Lofgren - E Street Band
165. Michael Sweet - Stryper
166. Robbie Robertson - The Band, Solo
167. Frank Hannon - Tesla
168. Trevor Rabin - Yes
169. Brian Setzer - Stray Cats, The Brian Setzer Orchestra
170. Martin Barre - Jethro Tull
171. Kim Thayil - Soundgarden
172. Pat Travers - Pat Travers Band
173. Dave Mustaine - Metallica, Megadeth
174. Rik Emmitt - Triumph
175. Eddie Cochran* - Solo
176. Frank Marino - Mahogany Rush
177. Justin Hayward - Moody Blues, Solo
178. Tommy Skeoch - Tesla
179. Warren DeMartini - Ratt
180. Syd Barrett* - Pink Floyd
181. Don Felder - Eagles
182. The Edge - U2
183. Brad Gillis - Night Ranger, Ozzy
184. Andy Powell - Wishbone Ash
185. Mick Mars - Motley Crue
186. Billy Duffy - The Cult
187. Randy California* - Spirit
188. Eric Bell - Thin Lizzy
189. Lita Ford - The Runaways, Solo
190. Jeff Hanneman - Slayer
191. Mick Jones - Foreigner
192. Stone Gossard - Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog
193. Duane Eddy - Solo
194. Mike Campbell - Tom Petty/ Heartbreakers
195. Glen Buxton* - Alice Cooper
196. Daron Malakian - System Of A Down
197. Steven Stills - Buffalo Springfield, CSN&Y, Solo
198. Roger McGuinn - Byrds, Solo
199. J. Mascis - Dinosaur Junior, The Fog
200. James Hetfield - Metallica

Some of these placements are a joke, look where Lynch & DeMartini are!

There are so many problems w/ this list Upscope doesn't know where to start??

First off although a respected & solid axeman what exactly has Vito Bratta accomplished to be (11) spots higher than Glen Tipton...(13) spots higher than KK Downing...(16) spots higher than Doug Aldrich...(29) spots higher than Vivian Campbell...(40) spots higher than Ace Frehley...(45) spots higher than George Lynch...(89) spots higher than Dave Mustaine...

& (94) spots higher than Warren DeMartini

'Scope

How bout the 'Yardbirds' featuring 3 of the top 4 guitarist of all time

NICE~~

'Scope

NO TOMMY SHAW !!!!!!!

This list blows the big one !!!!

'Scope wrote:

There are so many problems w/ this list Upscope doesn't know where to start??

First off although a respected & solid axeman what exactly has Vito Bratta accomplished to be (11) spots higher than Glen Tipton...(13) spots higher than KK Downing...(16) spots higher than Doug Aldrich...(29) spots higher than Vivian Campbell...(40) spots higher than Ace Frehley...(45) spots higher than George Lynch...(89) spots higher than Dave Mustaine...

& (94) spots higher than Warren DeMartini

'Scope

I'll go with that!...That's f*cked up man

While Vito is an excellent player he's never had a higher profile than the names you've mentioned

How the heck did Jake E Lee and Warren DeMartini end up so low? Doesn't make sense at all.

There's two names in the top ten I totally don't agree with, but I won't say who!...don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings

Matty35 wrote:

There's two names in the top ten I totally don't agree with, but I won't say who!...don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings

1. Jimi Hendrix* - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Eric Clapton - Yardbirds, Cream, Derek & The Dominos, Solo
3. Jimmy Page - Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Firm
4. Jeff Beck - Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, Solo
5. Eddie Van Halen - Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan* - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
7. Joe Satriani - Solo
8. Ritchie Blackmore - Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmores Night
9. Steve Vai - David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Solo
10. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd, Solo

My vote!

Pete wrote:

Matty35 wrote:

There's two names in the top ten I totally don't agree with, but I won't say who!...don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings

1. Jimi Hendrix* - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Eric Clapton - Yardbirds, Cream, Derek & The Dominos, Solo
3. Jimmy Page - Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Firm
4. Jeff Beck - Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, Solo
5. Eddie Van Halen - Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan* - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
7. Joe Satriani - Solo
8. Ritchie Blackmore - Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmores Night
9. Steve Vai - David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Solo
10. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd, Solo

My vote!

Hahahah!!!...Pete you little devil you!

You have one right!

Im not going to say who I think shouldn't be in the top 10. These lists are always relative the listener taste etc. One listener might love a guitarist, while the other might hate him/her. They mean little I guess