Guitar World Magazine: Eddie Van Halen Named #1 Guitarist of All Time (Top 100 List)

Guitar World Magazine ^ | 10/11/12

[My Favorite Headache]

1. Edward Van Halen - Van Halen
2. Brian May - Queen
3. Alex Lifeson - Rush
4. Jimi Hendrix
5. Joe Satriani
6. Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin
7. Tony Iommi - Black Sabbath
8. Stevie Ray Vaughn
9. Dimebag Darrell - Pantera
10. Steve Vai
11. Randy Rhoads - Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot
12. Dave Mustaine - Megadeth
13. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd
14. Les Paul
15. Duane Allman
16. Robert Johnson
17. John Petrucci - Dream Theater
18. Zakk Wylde - Ozzy Osbourne
19. James Hetfield - Metallica
20. Ritchie Blackmore - Rainbow/Deep Purple
21. Angus Young - AC/DC
22. Slash - Guns N Roses
23. Paul Gilbert - Mr. Big/Racer X
24. Buddy Guy
25. George Harrison - The Beatles
26. Vernon Reid - Living Color
27. Frank Zappa
28. Eric Clapton
29. Billy Gibbons - ZZ Top
30. Chet Atkins
31. Dickey Betts - Allman Brothers
32. Django Reinhardt
33. Mark Morton - Mastodon
34. Mark Tremonti - Creed
35. Warren Haynes - Allman Brothers
36. Kirk Hammett - Metallica
37. Jerry Cantrell - Alice In Chains
38. Buckethead
39. Jeff Beck
40. Keith Richards - The Rolling Stones
41. Michael Schenker
42. Carlos Santana
43. Yngwie Malmsteen
44. Chuck Berry
45. John Frusciante - Red Hot Chili Peppers
46. Jason Becker - David Lee Roth/Solo
47. Eric Johnson
48. Joe Bonamassa - Black Country Communion
49. Alexi Laiho
50. Dave Murray - Iron Maiden
51. Allan Holdsworth
52. Joe Walsh - The Eagles
53. Rick Nielsen - Cheap Trick
54. Jerry Garcia - Grateful Dead
55. B.B. King
56. Lindsey Buckingham - Fleetwood Mac
57. Tom Morello - Rage Against The Machine
58. Steve Lukather - Toto
59. Son House
60. John Lee Hooker
61. Steve Howe - Asia/Yes
62. Chuck Schuldiner - Death
63. John McLaughlin
64. Albert Lee
65. Pete Townshend - The Who
66. Alex Skolnick - Testament
67. Johnny Winter
68. George Lynch - Dokken/Lynch Mob
69. Kerry King - Slayer
70. Michael Angelo Batio
71. Jeff Loomis - Nevermore
72. Steve Morse - Deep Purple/ Dixie Dreggs
73. Rory Gallagher
74. Ted Nugent
75. Joe Perry - Aerosmith
76. Al Di Meola
77. Andy Summers - The Police
78. Chris Broderick - Megadeth
79. Gary Moore
80. KK Downing - Judas Priest
81. Nuno Bettencourt - Extreme
82. Ropert Fripp - King Crimson
83. Glenn Tipton - Judas Priest
84. Malcolm Young - AC/DC
85. Jeff Hanneman - Slayer
86. Peter Frampton
87. Synyster Gates - Aveneged Sevenfold
88. Neil Young
89. Kenny Wayne Shepherd
90. Robin Trower
91. T-Bone Walker
92. Ace Frehley
93. Gary Rossington - Lynyrd Skynryd
94. Albert King
95. Jack White - White Stripes
96. Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits
97. Tosin Abasi - Animals As Leaders
98. Derek Trucks - Allman Brothers
99. John 5
100. Wes Montgomery

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

As one guitar player who is not especially into Van Halen type music, I agree, he is a monster. Whether #1 or not...well.

But, seriously, Wes Montgomery #100?

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Looks pretty good to me, but what do I know? Placing Gilmor so high on the list is surprising.

And Hendrix should be number one for “Voodoo Chile” alone, which took the whole thing to another level.

[Darren McCarty]

I don’t see Gary Moore on here either.

[MarineBrat]

Tommy Emmanuel is what Eddie Van Halen would have been had Van Halen be been sober and practiced every day for the last 30 years.

[Rona Badger]

And is Santana missing?!

[newbolt]

No Andre Segovia?

[edh]

“I’m a little surprised to see Dave Mustaine ranked as high as he is.”

He should be permanently named #1 ;-). (he’s my personal favorite ;-) )

“Just about every “second” guitarist who did time in Megadeth was better than Dave, especially Marty Friedman and Chris Poland.”

I totally get what you are saying here. Dave literally invented that sound they had though (they still have it somewhat).

While there may be more raw talent flanking him on guitar, he’s the composer if you will :-). Even when he was strung out on drugs, the crafted some of the greatest guitar riffs in history :-). His overall sound is certainly unique and intelligent if you will. I really don’t listen to much metal anymore, but I still love that band.

To this day I cannot figure out why Metallica made it to mega-stardom and Megadeth, while successful, never enjoyed that level of success. Metallica post Cliff Burton stunk save one or two songs (and “One” wasn’t one of the good ones :-) ). That’s obviously subjective, but Metallica wasn’t the same after Burton died.

I’m happy Dave FINALLY has stability in his life. I just wish he’d make something as good as Peace Sells :-). I still think the world will end soon ... the man endorsed Rick Santorum for President earlier this year :-). I think back to some of the crap he spewed in the 80s/early 90s and laugh hysterically at his 180 degree political shift :-). Never in a billion years did I think he’d see the light despite some of the underlying messages in a lot of his music.

Enough incoherent rambling from me :-). I’m just a fan of music ... I can’t play so much as a kid’s 5 note xylophone without screwing something up ;-).

[brownsfan]

“Phil Keaggy, that brings back some memories! I saw him about 20 years ago perform at Valparaiso University. He was a great one man show! He could do amazing things with a digital delay pedal.”

I didn’t see him live. But I was a fan of Glass Harp.

Thanks for reminding me how old I am!

[goseminoles]

Doesn’t get better than malmsteen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cVIOuvDUGE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Rona Badger]

My bad, but #42?

[subterfuge]

These are always fun threads. Thanks for posting.

My tops:

1. Steve Vai - the Satriani protege, best all time.

2. Hendrix - it’s amazing how many “modern” songs I hear in his recordings.

3. Stevie Ray Vaughn - ...he should still be here.

Some of the guys like James Hetfield, Keith Richards, George Harrison should NOT be on the list. There are 10,000 teenagers that can play better than them RIGHT NOW.

Oh, and I agree with the other poster that ALVIN LEE from Ten Years After should be on the list somewhere, plus, I’m fine with Satch at # 5, fwiw.

[Despot of the Delta]

13. David Gilmour

I believe this should be a bit higher on the list

[woodbutcher1963]

Vince Gill
Robert Cray
Alvin Lee
Brad Paisley

Not a lot of love for country players. I have seen all of the above. I have also seen Clapton, Alex Lifeson, BB King, Al Dimeola, Jeff Beck , Pete Townsend and Carlos Santanna.
Clapton, Beck, Gill, Cray and Lee are the best.

[dfwgator]

The one guy who never seems to make the lists is Ian Bairnson of the Alan Parsons Project, hugely underrated.

[Cboldt]

Carlos Santana made the list. Leslie West didn't.

I'd have shifted a few of them quite a bit higher. Steve Howe, for example, Joe Walsh, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler.

[Inwoodian]

George Benson, Earl Klugh, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

—— 21 Angus Young of AC/DC is better than: -——

But can they duck walk and thrash their heads constantly while playing? That’s gotta count for something. ;-)

I recntly played an AC/DC YouTube video for my teenage girl Swifties. They were very impressed, in a dumbfounded kind of way.

[dfwgator]

Where’s Pat Metheny?

[Cboldt]

You a Valpo grad? I am. Probably more than a decade separates us though.

[montag813]

Preposterous order in the top 10. Just ridiculous.