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

[My Favorite Headache]

Have at it! I know a whole bunch didn't make the Top 100 but this is what was voted Top 100 Guitarists of All Time!

[rarestia]

Mark Tremonti (#34) is a MADMAN on the strings. He is by far my rock guitar idol.

Of note, he’s also the lead guitar in Alter Bridge and recently released a self-titled album (Tremonti) that’s worth a listen.

[cotton1706]

I’m not into heavy rock so can’t judge their talent. Seeing Les, Chet and Django on the list was good enough for me!

[latina4dubya]

hmmmmmm... the list and the order...

[Verbosus]

Looking at that list, well, I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.

Come to think of it - I haven’t purchased Guitar World in a long time either.

[knittnmom]

I’m a bit surprised Roy Clark isn’t on the list.

[brownsfan]

If this list doesn’t have Phil Keaggy, then it’s garbage.

[Hammerhead]

List is full of it.

Jim Heath (aka Rev. Horton Heat) should easily be in the top 5 if not No. 1 of all time.

Also, the list is missing Phil Keaggy.

ridiculous.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Right on with Eddie Van Halen at the top.

[JPG]

No Vito Bratta?

[Snickering Hound]

So, according to Guitar Player magazine, #21 Angus Young of AC/DC is better than:

#25 George Harrison
#28 Eric Clapton
#39 Jeff Beck
#40 Keith Richards
#44 CHUCK BERRY for cryin outloud.
#65 Pete Townsend

Riiiiight....

[duckman]

What about Alvin Lee ‘10 Years After’.

[Michael.SF.]

25. George Harrison - The Beatles.... 28. Eric Clapton

My eyes popped out when I saw George at 25. I stopped reading when I saw he was above Eric Clappner.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Les Paul should be in the top 10 at least.

[Hammerhead]

see my post...we think alike.

[soupbone1]

Pat Travers? I guess to each his own.

[discostu]

I like Eddie, good guitar player, but let’s not go crazy, he ain’t even top 20. And he needs to lose points for wanting to be a keyboard player, something at which he sucked.

[taildragger]

Really, and Robert Cray, How about Elvin Bishops lead man, Johnny Deranza (? Spelled correct)... Not to mention SR Vaughn should be number one... Was Dick Dale on it?...

[Hammerhead]

The Reverend Horton Heat would eat Eddie’s lunch. NO PROBLEM!

[Michael.SF.]

the late Glen Cambell should also be on this list (I may have missed him, as I only skimmed after #28.

Also no Rory Gallagher?

[kidd]

Eric Clapton...at 28th??
Mark Knopfler....at 96th???

[McGruff]

96. Mark Knopfler - Dire Straits

WTF?

[Snickering Hound]

The late James Honeyman-Scott of The Pretenders was completely overlooked as well.

[old school]

Some truly great guitarists were left out:

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitar-all.html

[My Favorite Headache]

I was just happy to see Hendrix not #1...so sick of him being on top of every poll my entire life. Great guitarist no question...but honestly...the best ever? Not a chance.

Nice to see Lifeson make a strong showing.

[Rona_Badger]

Jeff Beck should be much higher IMHO! I like this Rolling Stone list better: 100 Greatest Guitarists

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I don’t see anything in the top 10 I disagree with, but I’m a little surprised to see Dave Mustaine ranked as high as he is. Just about every “second” guitarist who did time in Megadeth was better than Dave, especially Marty Friedman and Chris Poland.

[My Favorite Headache]

That one was a shocker as well...def a top 30 for sure.

[bankwalker]

73. Rory Gallagher

73. ??? - A deaf person musta compiled this list.

[bigbob]

I figure the list is a good starting point, and the order is “random”. Besides, I guarantee you that #1 would be the first to say that he owes it all to #14.

[Revelation 911]

no Ed King - ?

[McGruff]

Yeah, but how many of these guys can play without a pick?

[running_dog_lackey]

At least your list has Leo Kottke on it.(I just had to get his name in this thread).

[RckyRaCoCo]

Steve Stevens?

[Rona_Badger]

I vote Stevie Ray #1 with you. And Clapton not in the top ten makes this list kinda wonky...

[Vince Ferrer]

Two that are not on the list, but who would be on mine, are:

Prince: Just My Imagination , While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Brian Setzer: Sleepwalk

[basalt]

of the top 10 on this list...iv’e seen em all, live,..in their prime. Sorry, But Randy Rhoads was the greatest guitarist i ever seen or heard. At times, it sounded like there were 3 guitarists playing. Just amazing...what a tragegy.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

bfl

[wyowolf]

IMO He should be first. I have never heard a more soulful guitar player! Even on the songs i dont like, i love hearing him play!

[guitman]

Glen Campbell is not “late” tho he has Alzheimer’s

Also, (not a response to you) Wes Montgomery last place? WTF?!

[gr8eman]

I thought it was a list of most overrated when I saw him at #1.

[Mad Dawgg]

I can invalidate this list with just a copy paste.

18. Zakk Wylde - Ozzy Osbourne
19. James Hetfield - Metallica

28. Eric Clapton
29. Billy Gibbons - ZZ Top

Any list that would put the people listed at 18. & 19. above the people listed at 28. & 29. is immediately invalidated because its pure Barbara Streisand

[wardaddy]

I saw Van Halen last summer...and although I was a hair old for the VH generation..born 1957...I grew up on LZ and BS and Southern rock as a mid teen

but Eddie Van Halen is great no doubt...and a disarming guy...David Lee Roth acts like a gay vaudeville act..very Catskills kitsch...entertaining though

as for number one...

I would place Hendrix in a class by himself ..as he actually was...emulators...Trower, Stevie, Marino...it's just a different thing

but overall best Guitar player to over 45 guys like me is after much consideration ..

...JEFF BECK

and he's the least commercially successful..

but just do this with the holy trinity of rock guitar 1966-1974

Yardbirds....Train Kept a Rolling

Beck, Clapton and Page..all played on many many versions of that great tune

go on Rhapsody or YouTube and compare who has the tastiest licks of those three

it ain't even close...

and Beck can still effortlessly tear up a guitar

Duane Allman has a special place for slide and his very young death

best guitarist I ever saw from only 10 feet away in a small club in Nashville and who also died young and tragic

Eddie Shaver...and I bet few outside some Texas freepers know who he was

when his daddy would say “hit it Eddie”..man he was quick chopped..alas...he had a tar problem

earliest guitar act to really impress me was Alvin Lee I'm coming Home" on the Woodstock movie-sountrack...it was something

man we could talk this stuff all day...I am sure glad I got to grow up in the best period before Rock died...from my Link Wray-Motown -Top-40-FM underground rock-Stadium rock-Punk rock youth....it was great to be there for the ride

[mountn man]

Brian May of QUEEN is no.2???

Only because Brian May is from Queen which had liberal rocks god Freedie Mercury. All things Freedie are to be worshipped.

I doubt I would have had him in the top 50.

Rik Emmit isn't EVEN ON the list.

What about Roy Clark Roy Clark youtube

Then there is Jerry Reed.

Eddie Van Halen #1???

This is more of a popularity contest than anything objective.

Chet Atkins and Les Paul did more to revolutionize todays guitar playing than any of these others on the list did.

And Ace Frehley ACTUALLY made the list of top 100???

[ReaganÜberAlles]

“Move over rover, let Jimi take over!”

Hendrix, was, is and always will be, The King.

[jaydubya2]

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.

[andyk]

Nice to see Django in there. Was kind of hoping to see Charlie Christian too.

[massgopguy]

Roy was a Five Time winner in Guitar Player magazine and thus in their Hall of Fame. Have to agree with Van Halen. My Rock Bands” of the mid and late 70’s were profoundly changed by Van Halen.

[gorush]

Jeff Beck at #39, Stevie Ray Vaughn at #8. Bogus poll, I rest my case.

[Mr. Jeeves]

These things are always nothing but popularity contests, and trying to objectively rank musicians across varying genres as if they were athletes is nuts anyway. That said, most of the right names are on the list somewhere (and I'm very happy to see Alex at #3!)

The real "greatest" guitarists are no doubt studio musicians with names unfamiliar to the public.