Rolling Stone’s best guitarists
The Best Ever Guitarists?
100 Listed in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone magazine has assembled a large and impressive panel of top players and other experts to rank their favorite guitarists. It’s a fascinating array of the best of the best, with detailed explanations as to each ranking. HERE IS THE LIST
Here’s the names-only summary.
ROLLING STONE’S GREATEST GUITARISTS
100 Lindsey Buckingham
99 Thurston Moore
98 Alex Lifeson
97 Steve Jones
96 Bruce Springsteen
95 Roger McGuinn
94 Peter Buck
93 Paul Simon
92 Dimebag Darrell
91 Dave Davies
90 Tom Verlaine
89 Bonnie Raitt
88 Carl Perkins
87 James Hetfield
86 J Mascis
85 Andy Summers
84 Joe Perry
83 Eddie Hazel
82 Nels Cline
81 Lou Reed
80 Buddy Holly
79 Mike Campbell
78 John Fahey
77 Willie Nelson
76 Robby Krieger
75 Joni Mitchell
74 Dick Dale
73 Kurt Cobain
72 John Frusciante
71 Robert Johnson
70 Jack White
69 Richard Thompson
68 John McLaughlin
67 T-Bone Walker
66 Leslie West
65 Slash
64 Duane Eddy
63 Johnny Winter
62 Robert Fripp
61 Dickey Betts
60 Ron Asheton
59 Robbie Robertson
58 Peter Green
57 Rory Gallagher
56 Albert Collins
55 John Lennon
54 Joe Walsh
53 Otis Rush
52 Clarence White
51 Johnny Marr
50 Ritchie Blackmore
49 Muddy Waters
48 Jonny Greenwood
47 Stephen Stills
46 Jerry Garcia
45 Link Wray
44 Mark Knopfler
43 Hubert Sumlin
42 Mike Bloomfield
41 Mick Ronson
40 Tom Morello
39 Steve Cropper
38 The Edge
37 Mick Taylor
36 Randy Rhoads
35 John Lee Hooker
34 Curtis Mayfield
33 Prince
32 Billy Gibbons
31 Ry Cooder
30 Elmore James
29 Scotty Moore
28 Johnny Ramone
27 Bo Diddley
26 Brian May
25 Tony Iommi
24 Angus Young
23 Buddy Guy
22 Frank Zappa
21 Chet Atkins
20 Carlos Santana
19 James Burton
18 Les Paul
17 Neil Young
16 Derek Trucks
15 Freddy King
14 David Gilmour
13 Albert King
12 Stevie Ray Vaughan
11 George Harrison
10 Pete Townshend
9 Duane Allman
8 Eddie Van Halen
7 Chuck Berry
6 B.B. King
5 Jeff Beck
4 Keith Richards
3 Jimmy Page
2 Eric Clapton
1 Jimi Hendrix
THE VOTERS:
Trey Anastasio, Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Brian Bell (Weezer), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket), James Burton, Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Gary Clark Jr., Billy Corgan, Steve Cropper, Dave Davies (The Kinks), Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing editor, Rolling Stone), Tom DeLonge (Blink-182), Rick Derringer, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Melissa Etheridge, Don Felder (The Eagles), David Fricke (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), Peter Guralnick (Author), Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band), Brian Hiatt (Senior writer, Rolling Stone), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Lenny Kravitz, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Jon Landau (Manager), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Nils Lofgren (The E Street Band), Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe), Doug Martsch (Built to Spill), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Brian May, Mike McCready (
