Top Guitarists
It’s been over 5 years since the famous Rolling Stones magazine has published its (in)famous top 100 of the best guitarists of all time and the flames it sparkled are yet to die out, proof of the passion that lies within music.
Hordes of fans rose to defend their favorites and criticize the opponents in a frezy that took over a good slice off the Internet.
I cannot but agree that the top is controversial. During all this time little was said about what actually makes a top guitarist. How can one compare guitarists from across time, when most of these guitarists play different styles, what metric does one use as comprison? Their technique? Sure, this accounts for Hendrix being in the top spot, but the simplicity and clarity of Clapton’s shouldn’t put him on the 4th spot. Or why Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are completely missing. Influence over others? Sure, that puts Hammer under Page, but then why is Ritchie Blackmore so low? Creativity? We’re already in the zone that can’t be tied to guitar play anymore.
I’m at a loss and I’m sure others are too. I’m not going to really debate this though because it doesn’t really help anyway. I don’t think seeing Ritchie Blackmore below the middle of the top has made any of his fans like him less just as I’m sure that even if I’d manage to reverse the top, none of the Hendrix fans will suddenly give up their idol. Add to this the fact that any long-time guitarist eventually falls within a genre and will create his own sub-genre niche right there (for example BB King and Eric Clapton play the blues, their style fits there, but blues is inherently less technical than what Vai plays for example, yet this does not detract from the blues’ beauty).
That being said … I guess I should pin point my preferences …
1. Jimmy Hendrix (this is one position that was the least controversial, only contestors were die-hard Metallica fans who don’t really listen to much else, claiming Kirk Hammer should be here)
2. Carlos Santana (bringing him up, sure, I’m ok with Duane Allman here or with Stevie Ray Vaughan but Santana is Santana)
3. Jimmy Page (not sure whether to put him 2nd or third but here’s here to stay)
4. Brian May (the one and only)
5. Steve Vai (even if I don’t always like his style, he’s the most versatile player in this list, true guitar god)
6. Ritchie Blackmore (fretless guitars, enough said)
7. Mark Knopfler (”private investigations”)
8. Jerry Garcia
9. David Gilmour
10. Kurt Cobain & Eric Clapton (i won’t leave either of them out)
Sure, there’s no Kirk Hammet. I’m not gonna put Kirk Hammet on the same list with Ritchie Blackmore or Brian May. I’d put Eddie Van Halen or Ry Cooder first. Guy’s good, very good, but just not in the same class.
So, it seems I left out quite a crowd. Slash, Ry Cooder, Eddie Van Halen, Paco de Lucia, Joe Walsh, Peter Green, Joe Satriani. Yeah, it’s really hard to make a top here so the above list of guitarists isn’t just a personal top 10 but also depending on what I listen more often (except Jimi Hendrix, surprinsingly I’m not a big fan at all but I do acknowledge his skill, in guitar world the number 1 can’t be written separately from his name).