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

[ßuddaßudd]

imho
Epic Weak List (who makes top 100 list anymore)
Now Eddie’s ego will really swell up ,,,, FUEVH

[Pagey]

Allan Holdsworth is #51? THAT is embarrassing for Guitar World. They really should know better. No one plays like Allan Holdsworth. 51, nonsense. Even E.V.H. would admit that Holdsworth is better than he is, know that.

[Pagey]

And how could they leave off Michael Landau? What the? Oh that’s right, this is more about popularity, NOT TONE. How embarrassing.

[HenpeckedCon]

Any list that doesn't have Jimi number 1 and Stevie Ray number 2 isn't worth the paper it's written on.

[HenpeckedCon]

“40. Keith Richards - The Rolling Stones”

Keith Richards couldn’t hold Mick Taylor’s jock. Give me a break!

[mrs. a]

Maybe not one of the Top 100, but hugely underrated - Charo.

Yes, Charo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_McDOa6TOfg

[bobby.223]

What a load of crap. Harrison AHEAD of Beck and Clapton??! Where is the great Terry Kath?

[KevinB]

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

Well, I'm a Virginia Freeper and I know who he is. I have all the Shaver albums as well as all the Billy Joe Shaver albums. Saw Billy Joe at a very small venue in Virginia a couple of years ago. One of the best shows I've seen. And Billy Joe is a great Christian and patriot. Unfortunately, I never got to see Eddy live, though his recorded stuff is great.

Another of my favorite artists is Todd Snider, even though he's a big lib. He was a good friend of Eddy's. You might enjoy this video.

[x]

Nah. Smiles too much. Doesn’t talk with an accent. And is some kind of Indonesian.

[NCC-1701]

No Brad Paisley or Keith Urban?

[Verbosus]

I like and respect the talent of all those on the list
that i have heard of, and heard live (everyone from Jeff Beck to Buckethead to Al Dimeola to Johnny Winter, etc.

But Guitar World is primarily rock based, but occasionally
opines on jazz also. Rarely is country or bluegrass or
classical guitar written about.

It isn’t that I disagree that any are good or great, but it
is dependant on the style of music.

Andre Segovia was a classical genius on guitar.
Al Dimeola studied him, and it shows in his form of jazz.

Buckethead’s early stuff wasn’t that good, but his more
recent stuff in phenominal. It all depends on the type of
music and the stage of one’s career. (at least in my opinion).

[lormand]

Guthrie Govan is way better than Eddie Van Halen, and Govan is not even on the list.

[lormand]

You got that right, Junior Brown is one hell of a guitar player.

[Badmofo]

I know most don’t really know of him but everybody NEEDS to look up some Buckethead videos quick.Putting hm @ 38 is BLASPHEMY!C’mon man HETFIELD,MUSTAINE ahead of talent like that?OOOKAAAY.

[Yardstick]

About what you’d expect from a Guitar World readers poll. That crowd is mostly young metal guys.

My beef is no Albert Collins but good that Albert King made the list.

I just discovered a guy named Oz Noy who is like Jeff Beck in being sort of unlimited in his ability to express himself on guitar. He just makes his own rules.

Robert Johnson always makes these lists.