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

[4yearlurker]

A lot of the guys on the list are just playing Hendrix. Jimi started it all. That being said where are Dave Mason,Roy Buchanan,Les Dudek,Al Dimeola,Rick Derringer,....

[tsomer]

Never heard of half these guys, not convinced about 35% of the remainder.
Too many greats were left out:

John Williams, Segovia (a little overrated in my opinion, but great), Julian Bream and the greatest, Francisco Tárrega

Likewise: Paco Pena, Paco Cepero, Diego del Gastor, Melchor de Marchena, Paco de Lucia, Nino Ricardo and Ramon Montoya, and Sabicas ...

There are probably half a dozen guitarists from S. America Barrios for example, Hawaii, and Portugal deserving mention.

Among the rockers, I like the guys who play through glass (tubes)— J. Winter, Albert King, Hendrix and Stevey Ray to name a few- it’s the biting edgy attack and sagging decay I like.

Then there are the electronics guys: Queens guitarists got some incredible tones and novel riffs .

Unsung hero: Niels Lofgrin.

Glaring omissions: Leo Kotke, John Renbourn and Richard Thompson.

They should have consulted me about this, or anything else; I can’t understand why nobody does. I’m sitting on an amazing stock of opinions and I’m letting them go for cheap. ;-)

Thanks for a pleasant diversion.

[TChris]

Not a lot of love for country players.

Don't forget Roy Clark and Wade Hayes. Both are downright amazing pickers.

[Fiji Hill]

Eddie Lang should be near the top of the list. Andy Iona, George Barnes and "King" Benny Nawahi should also be here.

[a fool in paradise]

Without Dex Romweber or Billy Childish, there is no Jack White.

Dex Romweber (formerly 1/2 of Flat Duo Jets, since the 1980s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksNJwbencVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BvKB-eOR9M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E20aFyn-zo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmaTTbBwaTE

Billy Childish (over 100 albums out since 1977)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSJ5hG7ms_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOo7DepCd9w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR3icIpuUZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4STKPdMht8

[Dead Corpse]

Obvious popularity contest is obvious...

Plenty of skilled musicians in that list, but the order leaves a lot to be desired.

[dmz]

Stevie Ray Vaughn was tons better than Hendrix. This list stinks.

<><><><

Stevie Ray is standing on Hendrix’s shoulders. No Jimi and Stevie Ray is deriving his sound from some other blues inflected player.

[Fiji Hill]

Johnny "Guitar" Watson also belongs on this list.

[353FMG]

When one says “guitar”, one thinks Johnny Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HwQxdrmwY8

[Slump Tester]

Hey - Speaking of Zappa, have you ever heard this? (It doesn't get good until about a minute or so in, where it becomes apparent who's playing guitar!)

FZ not only at #27, but behind a bunch of posers who can't hold a candle - go figure!

[a fool in paradise]

That look isn’t going to age well. How will the public know it’s still him when he’s playing gigs at age 72?

[dmz]

Eric Clapton at 28? one under Franz Zappa - thats all i need to know about this list.
Worthless.

<><><><

Exactly, no way does Clapton get within 40 spots of Zappa.

Clapton is a really good guitar player. Zappa was an incredible musician who happened to play the guitar (even thought his band was his best instrument).

[Inwoodian]

No, but I will.

[TChris]

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

Ditto! Glad to see another APP fan. :)

Bairnson is my all-time favorite melodic soloist. Just... smoooooooooth.

Silence and I

Dreamscape

Cloudbreak

... ear candy

[Scoutmaster]

They should have consulted me about this, or anything else; I can’t understand why nobody does. I’m sitting on an amazing stock of opinions and I’m letting them go for cheap.

I'll keep that in mind.

[AdamBomb]

George Lynch should have made the top 30 easy -

Also, Country and Western got jobbed......
Ray Flacke is better than 1/2 of these guys

[AdamBomb]

"68. George Lynch - Dokken/Lynch Mob Way too low. "

my thoughts exactly...he should have been in top 25

[BuckeyeTexan]

Psshhaaww! And then Heath wakes up. I’ll give Heath his dues because he’s a Texan, but he ain’t Eddie Van Halen.

[jimt]

What about Alvin Lee ‘10 Years After’.

Damn good question. Anybody who ever heard Alvin Lee play "Goin' Home" would have him #1 or #2, behind Hendrix.

The list clearly was made by pinheads, as Alvin Lee isn't even in the top 100.

Ridiculous !!

[TennTuxedo]

Hard to give credence to a list that excludes Gary Moore and Steve Gaines.