250 greatest guitarists

[PhilTheFragger]

It’s a bad list but the one positive I can say about it is that it does at least recognise Prince near the top. However…

No Bob Dylan. If you include Joni Mitchell you should include Dylan by the same measure.

If there was a crap vocalist section, Dylan and Leonard Cohen would be fighting for the top award. as they just cant sing

Dylan- great lyricist, not a great guitarist

And where is Frampton?

gaping holes everywhere

 

[Jimaroid]

Dylan- great lyricist, not a great guitarist

If he’s not great, why do so many of the guitarists on that list cover his work? Hendrix being a good example.

I’d be willing to bet a whole £5 most of the top 100 learned to play guitar by copying Dylan.

i know this is about good versus influential but you have to be good to become an influence in the first place. Credit where it’s due. Dylan is better than the bottom 100 in that list and can still bang them out. Greatness is more than just chin bite noodling.

 

[TimShady]

Did any of you actually read the criteria?

“In making the list, we tended to value heaviness over tastiness, feel over polish, invention over refinement, risk-takers and originators more than technicians. We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game-changing albums, not just impressive playing.”

 

[larmen]

If there was a crap vocalist section, Dylan and Leonard Cohen would be fighting for the top award. as they just cant sing

Dylan- great lyricist, not a great guitarist

And where is Frampton?

gaping holes everywhere

My hot take: Dylan ruined music

Before Dylan there were singers and songwriters. Now we have singer/songwriter types who do great songs but have no business singing them themselves.
Imagine Andrew Lloyd Webber insisting he played the Phantom.



Not sure what makes a great guitar player. Is it difficult riffs? Chord progressions? Or playing guitar in a great/famous band?
The few players I know by name are a lot lower than I thought they would be.

 

[cliveb]

(emacs (loves (Jimaroid)))

Never thought I’d find another emacs fan here.

Been using it since 1983. Best. Editor. Ever.

It’s a bad list but the one positive I can say about it is that it does at least recognise Prince near the top. However…

No Bob Dylan. If you include Joni Mitchell you should include Dylan by the same measure.

Probably, although I think Dylan is more appropriate for the "best harmonica player" list.

If Joni Mitchell should be there, so should Joan Armatrading. I've seen her live and she's a great guitarist - acoustic AND electric.

 

[cliveb]

Did any of you actually read the criteria?

“In making the list, we tended to value heaviness over tastiness, feel over polish, invention over refinement, risk-takers and originators more than technicians. We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game-changing albums, not just impressive playing.”

Ah, right. So it's not "best guitarists, period".
It's "guitarists who've made the best of their (possibly limited) talents".
On that basis, I declare myself one of the best golfers in history.

 

[Tashyboy]

I liken this list to me and Fragger picking the top 250 golf courses in the world. It has that much credibility.

 

[Rlburnside]

Here you go:

250 Andy Summers
249 Brittany Howard
248 Robby Krieger
247 Ricky Wilson
246 Paul Simon
245 Leslie West
244 Edilio Paredes
243 Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner
242 Lindsey Jordan
241 Keith Urban
240 Erin Smith
239 Duane Eddy
238 Doug Gillard
237 Jennifer Batten
236 Greg Sage
235 Laura Marling
234 John McGeoch
233 H.E.R.
232 David Williams
231 Etta Baker
230 Gustavo Cerati
229 Barbara Lynn
228 Steve Jones
227 Glenn Branca
226 El Kempner
225 Fred "Sonic" Smith and Wayne Kramer
224 Marv Tarplin
223 Joseph Spence
222 Molly Tuttle
221 James Blood Ulmer
220 Courtney Barnett
219 Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing
218 Lzzy Hale
217 Thomas McClary
216 Steve Hackett
215 Kurt Vile
214 Keiji Haino
213 Lucy Dacus
212 Jose Feliciano
211 Nick Zinner
210 Kaki King
209 Gary Clark Jr.
208 Amadou Bagayoko
207 Justin Broadrick
206 Hugh McCracken
205 Eric Johnson
204 Lynn Taitt
203 Grant Green
202 Vince Gill
201 Garry "Diaper Man" Shider
200 Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
199 Bombino
198 Jerry Reed
197 Nuno Bettencourt
196 James Taylor
195 Greg Ginn
194 Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham
193 David Lindley
192 Lita Ford
191 Chalmers Edward "Spanky" Alford
190 Lightnin' Hopkins
189 Jerry Cantrell
188 Marnie Stern
187 Marc Ribot
186 Steve Lukather
185 Peggy Jones
184 Eldon Shamblin
183 Roy Buchanan
182 Earl "Chinna" Smith
181 Larissa Strickland
180 Mike Campbell
179 Ernest Ranglin
178 Skip James
177 Rodrigo y Gabriela
176 Sadie Dupuis
175 Rory Gallagher
174 Marty Stuart
173 Paul McCartney
172 Chrissie Hynde
171 D. Boon
170 Phil Manzanera
169 Jessie Mae Hemphill
168 John Cipollina
167 James Williamson
166 Johnny Winter
165 Rokia Traor
164 Dave Davies
163 Wah Wah Watson
162 Rosinha de Valena
161 Tim Henson
160 Kim and Kelley Deal
159 John Lennon
158 Johnny Thunders
157 Pat Metheny
156 Carl Perkins
155 Yvette Young
154 Bill Frisell
153 Otis Rush
152 Ani DiFranco
151 Pete Cosey
150 Marissa Paternoster
149 Ron Asheton
148 Ike Turner
147 Memphis Minnie
146 Mike Bloomfield
145 Dickey Betts
144 Odetta
143 Ira Kaplan
142 João Gilberto
141 Fredrik Thordendal
140 Stephen Stills
139 Susan Tedeschi
138 Teenie Hodges
137 Liz Phair
136 Joe Perry
135 Roger McGuinn
134 Bob Mould
133 Robert Cray
132 Nils Lofgren
131 Dimebag Darrell
130 Joe Walsh
129 Nita Strauss
128 Bob Stinson
127 Steve Vai
126 Kim Thayil
125 Viv Albertine
124 Mike McCready and Stone Gossard
123 Steve Howe
122 King Sunny Ade
121 Dick Dale
120 Warren Haynes
119 Donita Sparks
118 Adrian Belew
117 Albert Collins
116 Ana da Silva
115 Nels Cline
114 Robert Quine
113 Allen Collins and Gary Rossington
112 Rowland S. Howard
111 Kelley Johnson
110 Lindsey Buckingham
109 Mick Ronson
108 Merle Travis
107 Clarence White
106 Peter Buck
105 Slash
104 Ali Farka Tour
103 Nancy Wilson
102 Billy Gibbons
101 John Fogerty
100 Kerry King
99 Tosin Abasi
98 Link Wray
97 Stephen Malkmus
96 Mark Knopfler
95 Mary Timony
94 Joe Satriani
93 Leo Nocentelli
92 Wata
91 Cat Coore
90 Mdou Moctar
89 Lou Reed
88 Kurt Cobain
87 Poison Ivy
86 Sonny Sharrock
85 Larry Carlton
84 Muddy Waters
83 Adrian Smith and Dave Murray
82 Wes Montgomery
81 Bert Jansch
80 Derek Trucks
79 Ernie Isley
78 Charlie Christian
77 Willie Nelson
76 Joan Jett
75 Ritchie Blackmore
74 J Mascis
73 Hubert Sumlin
72 John McLaughlin
71 Franco Luambo
70 Django Reinhardt
69 Robbie Robertson
68 Les Paul
67 Kevin Shields
66 Ry Cooder
65 T-Bone Walker
64 Carrie Brownstein
63 Richard Thompson
62 Peter Green
61 John Mayer
60 Scotty Moore
59 Robert Fripp
58 Alex Lifeson
57 Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo
56 Johnny Marr
55 Mick Taylor
54 Bonnie Raitt
53 Trey Anastasio
52 John Lee Hooker
51 Tom Verlaine
50 Elmore James
49 PJ Harvey
48 Curtis Mayfield
47 The Edge
46 Frank Zappa
45 Steve Cropper
44 Johnny Ramone
43 Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien
42 Vernon Reid
41 Bo Diddley
40 John Fahey
39 Chet Atkins
38 Angus Young and Malcolm Young
37 Pete Townshend
36 Elizabeth Cotten
35 Eric Clapton
34 Jerry Garcia
33 Brian May
32 Jack White
31 George Harrison
30 Neil Young
29 Eddie Hazel
28 David Gilmour
27 Buddy Guy
26 St. Vincent
25 John Frusciante
24 James Burton
23 James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett
22 Albert King
21 Randy Rhoads
20 Stevie Ray Vaughan
19 Freddy King
18 Tom Morello
17 Mother Maybelle Carter
16 Robert Johnson
15 Keith Richards
14 Prince
13 Tony Iommi
12 Jimmy Nolen
11 Carlos Santana
10 Duane Allman
9 Joni Mitchell
8 B.B. King
7 Nile Rodgers
6 Sister Rosetta Tharpe
5 Jeff Beck
4 Eddie Van Halen
3 Jimmy Page
2 Chuck Berry
1 Jimi Hendrix

And after a quick scan of my library, here are several omitted names all deserving of being ahead of many on that list:

Jan Akkerman
Jeff Baxter
Gary Boyle
Glen Campbell
Al Di Meola
Gordon Giltrap
John Goodsall
Jeff Healey
Steve Hillage
Allan Holdsworth
Wilko Johnson
Paul Kossoff
Andy Latimer
Steve Marriot
Hank Marvin
Phil Miller
Gary Moore
Steve Morse
Mike Oldfield
Walter Trout
Robin Trower
Jonny Guitar Watson
Steven Wilson
Steve Winwood (yes, generally an organist, but also a great guitarist)
Ronnie Wood

Well I wouldn’t take much notice of that list whatever criteria they use.

Peter Green at number 62 is a joke as are many others, didn’t even see Joe Bonamassa on the list.

 

[cliveb]

Well I wouldn’t take much notice of that list whatever criteria they use.

Peter Green at number 62 is a joke as are many others, didn’t even see Joe Bonamassa on the list.

Crikey you're right. How did I miss that glaring omission?

No matter, at least there are some punk rockers who couldn't even tune their own instruments on the list. I'm waiting with baited breath for their list of top bass players that will have Sid Vicious above Jaco Pastorius.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

(emacs (loves (Jimaroid)))

Never thought I’d find another emacs fan here.

…and for me emacs rings bells but for the life of me i can’t recall when I used it. I think maybe in an early form of word processor I used late 80s perhaps? Dead frustrating that I can’t put me finger on quite when I used it.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Did any of you actually read the criteria?

“In making the list, we tended to value heaviness over tastiness, feel over polish, invention over refinement, risk-takers and originators more than technicians. We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game-changing albums, not just impressive playing.”

A very good point you've made.

I think Tony Peluso should be in the list for showing that fuzz-guitar and soaring guitar solos could be part of "easy listening" music.
His collaboration with The Carpenters was hugely commercially successful - no doubt about it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

No Steve Rothery or Frank Usher so list is flawed to me. Knopfler so low and Dave Gilmour only 28. Both should have been top 15 imo

 

[Beezerk]

Crikey you're right. How did I miss that glaring omission?

No matter, at least there are some punk rockers who couldn't even tune their own instruments on the list. I'm waiting with baited breath for their list of top bass players that will have Sid Vicious above Jaco Pastorius.

Ha ha, I did notice one of the Ramones is in the list, why? For playing sped up 50s rock and roll chords?

 

[TimShady]

Ha ha, I did notice one of the Ramones is in the list, why? For playing sped up 50s rock and roll chords?

Being innovators in a genre.

 

[Beezerk]

Being innovators in a genre.

The band maybe but certainly not the guitarist.

 

[Orikoru]

Being innovators in a genre.

So Bob Dylan should be in it then really? My history might be off, but wasn't he one of the first to popularise use of electric guitar?

 

[Beezerk]

So Bob Dylan should be in it then really? My history might be off, but wasn't he one of the first to popularise use of electric guitar?

That’s the thing with the list, it’s not about being exceptional guitarists it seems to be more about the bands they were in and the songs they wrote/recorded. I mean The Edge being in there is bad enough but no Gary Moore is criminal.

 

[Orikoru]

That’s the thing with the list, it’s not about being exceptional guitarists it seems to be more about the bands they were in and the songs they wrote/recorded. I mean The Edge being in there is bad enough but no Gary Moore is criminal.

I agree. May get laughed at for this, but I was slightly surprised Matt Bellamy of Muse wasn't in there. His sound is very unique.

 

[cliveb]

So Bob Dylan should be in it then really? My history might be off, but wasn't he one of the first to popularise use of electric guitar?

Your history is indeed a bit off.
Electric guitar was in widespread use by the time Dylan "went electric".
What did happen was that hardcore fans of his up-til-then exclusively acoustic work were apoplectic that he'd gone to the dark side.

 

[Beezerk]

I agree. May get laughed at for this, but I was slightly surprised Matt Bellamy of Muse wasn't in there. His sound is very unique.

That crazy effects thing he has on his guitar, mental
Someone mentioned Stephen Wilson from Porcupine Tree, another huge omission.