Music is a universal language. Artists from every generation have contributed to the growth of music. There has been an ongoing argument about the best guitarists of all time. It changes as music can be of different meaning and sentiment to each person. When it comes to guitarists, they can be classified into genres. Hence, the idea of the greatest is subjective and relative. However, no matter the context, a guitarist needs his appreciation based on his versatility, maturity, and experience.
The following countdown acknowledges guitarists who have played a vital role in shaping the course of music that we know of today.
#1- Jimi Hendrix:
Jimi Hendrix is hands down the biggest guitarist of all time. He has an untimely death at the age of 27. But within just four years of mainstream success, he changed the view of the music world entirely. He is the pioneer of the whammy bar in guitar playing that included the wah-wah and the fuzz distortion. You will often find artists swearing by Fender Stratocaster. Hendrix and his playing are the reason behind its continued success even to this day. Some of the artists that shaped his sense of rock n roll and impacted him during his early age include Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. He has pioneered various guitar techniques throughout his career like the usage of new effects, thumb fretting, and barre chord rejection among many others. His sound may be remotely described as a bend of British rock, blues, jazz, American, folk, etc. His solos within chords are something that will be remembered till the end of time.
#2- Eric Clapton:
Guitar virtuoso Eric Clapton is the only artist who got his name inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times. Apart from his solo career, he also gained widespread success with his bands like Blind Faith, The Yardbirds, Cream, and Derek and the Dominos. He was also considered for a spot in The Beatles. Clapton’s style is very empathetic and strikes the right chord of relatability with the audience. His music comes with compassion that penetrates deep into the audience’s hearts. Some of his biggest influences include Freddie King, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Buddy Holly among others.
#3- Jimmy Page:
I would like to call Jimmy Page not a musician or a guitarist, but a wizard. His music can lead you to enlightenment. His taste is so remarkable that every note that he utters comes with a personality and story of its own. He is a showstopper no doubt. His incredible composure and musical insanity have led to some of the greatest hits and tunes of all time. Through his personal musical growth, he exactly knew where he wanted to take his sound. And of course, Led Zeppelin has been one of the biggest step-ups of his career that led to new opportunities. He wanted to break the stereotypes of conventional guitar playing. Each of his compositions as well as playing has internal wisdom to it. It is passionate and endearing and also captures emotions through each corner of the melodic symbolism.
#4- Eddie Van Halen:
Eddie Van Halen has topped various countdown lists many times. He was an audience favorite who has changed the diversity of music to new degrees. According to him, Eric Clapton has been one of the biggest influences in his career. But he feels that his playing style is close to that of Jimmy Page. Over the years, he also came up with his unique techniques. His tapping tactics are very popular and followed by budding musicians around the world. In this technique, both hands are used on the neck of the guitar emitting a rapid-fire of off notes. This technique is considered revolutionary. Many argue that he is the greatest guitarist the world has ever seen. According to him, he discovered these skills by following the styles of jimmy Page and Genesis’ Steve Hackett. One interesting note about him is that he never ended up learning how to read music. He was also an inventor who held various patents. He also came with a device that converted guitar to be played like a piano. Eddie accompanied by his brother Alex were the founders of the band, Van Halen that included David Lee Roth. The band went on to gain huge success and popularity.
#5- Stevie Ray Vaughan:
In the evolution of blues music, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s name will remain evergreen forever. He has had a very influential career and led to the resurgence of blues-rock around 1980. Ask any music fan or artist, they will invariably mention his name in their top 10 list. According to Vaughan, his influences came mostly from Lonnie Mack’s style. He said that irrespective of the genre, his music stands out as his sound is completely different from any other guitarist that he has come across. He held his roots in jazz, rock, and blues. Billy Gibbons once gifted him a custom guitar belonging to him called ‘Main’. His style and technique included the use of a custom set of heavy guitar strings. They have tuned half a step-down. His preference was an asymmetrical neck. He can be easily called a master of the blues scale.
#6- Jeff Beck:
Mix technique and personality and you get Jeff Beck. His style has always been in-your-face, something that stands out is ambiguous, and that cannot be ignored. Some of his works with Rod Stewart explores his discipline and patience. He was a notorious guitarist always pulling the strings of existential humor here and there in his music. He also tried his hands at fusion. The rendition of ‘Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers’, originally by Stevie Wonder still makes our hearts go weak. His guitar and music speak to the listeners as he deconstructs every note and every story that belonged to the song. His hard work and close interaction with the guitar make him one of the greatest of all time.
#7- B.B. King:
B.B. King’s story as a musician and as a personality in itself surpasses everything that is known to man. He cites his influences to field hollers in Mississippi where he grew up. From Robert Johnson to Charley Patton, and T-Bone Walker’s single-note phrasing, his music is more about the simple unattended qualities that make music an entity of its own. His delivery is robust with a rich enamel. His solos scream sophistication in every corner. His music can be read and interpreted, a quality that attracted the audience even more to his story. Once you listen to him, there is no turning back. The way in which he wraps around notes with unprecedented surprises, it is hard to not go back to his music time and again. His voice carried a different authority all together but never felt overpowering. However, his guitar was the one that did all the talking. His fluidity in his strings later influences a lot of blues electric guitar players. He left behind a legacy that would later remain in history as one of the most influential.
#8- Brian May:
Brian May’s career may be one of the most influential of all times. His grandeur, down-to-earth personality, and sense of gratitude make him one of the biggest guitarists ever to have walked the earth. His times with the band Queen was a cultural renaissance in the history of music and he has not looked back ever since. He plays his instrument like he is speaking to it. The essence can be read by the audience or the listener as well. From his beautiful constructions to his humility that sets him apart from the rest, this list could not have been complete without him. Brian May is known for playing guitar with a coin instead of a plectrum as it gives more rigidity while striking the string. His uniqueness is the Red Special which he originally built with his father. He has influenced the work of many artists who emerged later and continue to be a part of the endless scope of music and melodies.
#9- Keith Richards:
Keith Richards was associated with the Rolling Stones for almost six decades. He is a legend in his own terms who has given us some of the greatest hits of all time. His style and abilities can be considered as a benchmark for rhythmic guitar playing as well as songwriting. His voice comes from within and so do his melodies. He understands music at the very essence and hence was able to make it relatable. His riffs have stood out and continued to be big influences among guitarists of the present generation. No one cannot pinpoint why some are the greatest. But also his versatility point at only one thing and that is to make music a transient flow of tunes and emotions that define people at their very core.
#10- Chuck Berry:
Chuck Berry’s exclusive style came from influences such as T-Bone Walker. He took the Chicago blues to a whole another level. His sound also had the bend of swing. It was all about rock n roll during those days. He also had an incredible band accompanying him to the recordings that still remain assets to this day. His deconstruction and introspection all led to an outstanding career shaping the foundation of new-age music and more. The sense of making music your own without being answerable to anyone is a virtue that Chuck picked up and continued to stand by till the end.
Conclusion:
Those were the top 10 guitarists that have made it to this list. Although many influential names went amiss, this list puts together some of the best that you can listen to and start your journey with music. Music taste changes from person to person and is very relative. As a result, the preference of a favorite also changes based on exposure and experience. Get started with a melodic and emotional journey into the rich history of music. These guitarists have shaped the past, present, and future of various genres with their styles and techniques. Press the play button now and indulge in what can only be called spiritual cleansing with music.