100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists Of All Time

[Steviekick 0]

Before everyone starts the "metal/not-metal" debated, let's just take this for what it is.

 

01. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH)

02. Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield (METALLICA)

03. Angus & Malcolm Young (AC/DC)

04. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)

05. Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)

06. Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)

07. Dimebag Darrell (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN)

08. Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)

09. Adam Jones (TOOL)

10. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER)

11. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN)

12. Jimi Hendrix

13. Glen Tipton & K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST)

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

15. Slash (GUNS N' ROSES)

16. Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW)

17. Yngwie Malmsteen

18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)

19. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (MEGADETH)

20. Chuck Schuldiner (DEATH)

21. Brian May (QUEEN)

22. Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO)

23. Nigel Tufnel (SPINAL TAP)

24. Jeff Beck

25. Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)

26. Head & Munky (KORN)

27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)

28. Kim Thayil (SOUNDGARDEN)

29. Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD)

30. Daron Malakian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN)

31. Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)

32. Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST)

33. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE)

34. C.C. Deville

35. Marten Hagström & Fredrik Thorndendal (MESHUGGAH)

36. Alex Lifeson (RUSH)

37. Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG, RACER X)

38. Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS)

39. Mantas (VENOM)

40. Jason Becker (DAVE LEE ROTH)

41. Phil Collen & Steve Clarke (DEF LEPPARD)

42. Mikael Åkerfeldt & Peter Lindgren (OPETH)

43. Fast Eddie Clarke (MOTÖRHEAD)

44. Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME)

45. Warren DeMartini (RATT)

46. Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE)

47. George Lynch (DOKKEN)

48. Ted Nugent

49. Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS)

50. Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth (SCORPIONS)

51. Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth (MAYHEM)

52. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (THIN LIZZY)

53. Steve Vai (DAVE LEE ROTH)

54. Reb Beach (WINGER, DOKKEN)

55. Trey Azagthoth (MORBID ANGEL)

56. John Sykes (THIN LIZZY, BLUE MURDER)

57. Hank Shermann & Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE)

58. Richie Sambora (BON JOVI)

59. Jon Donais & Matt Backhand (SHADOWS FALL)

60. Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)

61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)

62. Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD)

63. John Christ (DANZIG)

64. Scott "Wino" Weinrich (THE OBSESSED)

65. Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman (C.O.C.)

66. Tommy Victor (PRONG)

67. Leslie West (MOUNTAIN)

68. Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR)

69. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (ALICE COOPER)

70. Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad (IN FLAMES)

71. Jim Matheos (FATES WARNING)

72. Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt (EXODUS)

73. Donald Buck Dharma Roeser (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT)

74. Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY)

75. Robert Fripp (KING CRIMSON)

76. Andre Olbrich (BLIND GUARDIAN)

77. Joe Satriani

78. Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch (TESLA)

79. Ty Tabor (KING'S X)

80. Mark Morton & Will Adler (LAMB OF GOD)

81. Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY)

82. Pete Townshend (THE WHO)

83. Jon Schaffer (ICED EARTH)

84. Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS)

85. Neil Young

86. Abbath Doom Occulta (IMMORTAL)

87. Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY)

88. Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid (ENTOMBED)

89. Leigh Stephens (BLUE CHEER)

90. Jim Martin (FAITH NO MORE)

91. Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X)

92. Bill Steer (CARCASS)

93. Piggy (VOIVOD)

94. Tony Bourge (BUDGIE)

95. Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN)

96. Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM)

97. Akira Takasaki (LOUDNESS)

98. Michael Angelo

99. John Kay & Michael Monarh (STEPPENWOLF)

100. Nick Bowcott (GRIM REAPER)

[BUTT 0]

I don't see how they can put Van Halen above Hendrix. I mean, Hendrix is the greatest of all time, whereas Van Halen is only the 70th. Right?

[Steviekick 0]

I don't see how they can put Van Halen above Hendrix. I mean, Hendrix is the greatest of all time, whereas Van Halen is only the 70th. Right?

I think they are talking as far as its influence to the metal scene.

[BUTT 0]

I was joking. I was trying to make reference to Rolling Stone's horrible list they did a few months ago.

[Steviekick 0]

I was joking. I was trying to make reference to Rolling Stone's horrible list they did a few months ago.

Sorry for not seeing your sarcasm.

 

I stay away from reading RS.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I just scanned this for Donais and Bachand...even IF they spellt Matt's name wrong

[BUTT 0]

Well lets just say that when a list of the greatest guitarists ever has Kurt Cobain at #12, Jerry Garcia at #13, and Jack White at #17, and then has Eddie Van Halen at #70, Randy Rhoads at #85, and Angus Young at #96, I kind of lose faith in that magazine. And Tony Iommi, #1 on this list, was #86.

[Steviekick 0]

Well lets just say that when a list of the greatest guitarists ever has Kurt Cobain at #12, Jerry Garcia at #13, and Jack White at #17, and then has Eddie Van Halen at #70, Randy Rhoads at #85, and Angus Young at #96, I kind of lose faith in that magazine. And Tony Iommi, #1 on this list, was #86.

WOW. That is a really messed up list. Cobain is definitely not a great guitarist, and Garcia's jamability warrants him a place in the 60s.

[Red Baron 0]

most of the right people

 

wrong places

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

26. Head & Munky (KORN)

27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)

 

Guffaw.

[Steviekick 0]

most of the right people

 

wrong places

That was my general observation

 

Agent of Oblivion

Posted on Jan 24 2004, 06:45 AM

 

 

QUOTE

 

26. Head & Munky (KORN)

27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)

 

 

Guffaw.

Exactly.

[DrainYou42 0]

09. Adam Jones (TOOL)

10. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER)

 

?

[BUTT 0]

How is C.C. DeVille above Steve Vai?

[Steviekick 0]

How is C.C. DeVille above Steve Vai?

That's what I was wondering. C.C. really hasn't had any impact or been known as being just a good metal guitarist.

[Guest Blas]

Uffe and Alex of Entombed deserve to be waaayy up on that list. Not 88.

 

Kirk and Hettfield need to be at around 50. Dimebag needs to be at number 400. Abbath needs to be higher. Chuck should be fucken higher!

 

I disagree with all of this list except with Iommi at 1. There will never, ever be a halfway decent metal list of any type.

[Steviekick 0]

I love Opeth to death (heheh...that rhymes), but I was suprised to see that they were this high on the list. They do great stuff at times, but nothing to brag home about. I guess their songwriting/diversity helped them.

[haVoc 0]

18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)

 

Holy shite! Brad Whitford gets a little credit for once.

[Red Baron 0]

18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)

 

Holy shite! Brad Whitford gets a little credit for once.

Wait a second...

 

 

Aerosmith has two guitarist?

 

 

When did this happen?

[Red Baron 0]

Um...

 

Vivian Campbell was also in Dio as well.

[haVoc 0]

^

 

I remember Dave Mustaine was asked once what he thought of Aerosmith and he said "The best leads were done by Brad Whitford." I agree. The leads on Last Child, Nobody's Fault and Lord Of The Thighs are heavier, darker and better then anything Joe Perry has done.

 

BTW, how did Sammy Hager get on that list as a guitarist? There HAS to be quite a few better then him.

[Slayer 0]

Vivian Campbell was also in Dio as well.

Where his guitar work was far superior to the dumbing down that Def Leppard gave him

[snuffbox 0]

if Neil Young, Townshend, and Steppenwolf make this list....then shouldnt Billy Corgan/James Iha, Chris Connelly, Twiggy Ramirez, and John Fogerty make it as well?

 

And, why isnt Izzy Stradlin's name next to Slash's??

[Henry Spencer 0]

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

 

That's funny, because if I was to make a list of the 100 worst guitar players ever, this is about where they'd place.

[Steviekick 0]

if Neil Young, Townshend, and Steppenwolf make this list....then shouldnt Billy Corgan/James Iha, Chris Connelly, Twiggy Ramirez, and John Fogerty make it as well?

 

And, why isnt Izzy Stradlin's name next to Slash's??

Neil Young: Great influential figure and great songwriter. Besides, Type O Negative did a cover of one of his songs.

 

Townshend (via The Who) and Steppenwolf were very influential, being that they were two of the earliest hard rock bands.

 

As for your picks:

• Corgan and Iha were just average guitarists. They have yet to show how they have influenced anyone.

• Connelly influence is mostly in the industrial genre. At best he'd show up in the 90-100 range.

• Twiggy is best known for being a bassist. Although some of the stuff that he wrote while in Marylin Manson was good, the spectacle and image overwhelm the musical quality.

• I really don't see any connection to this list and Fogerty at all. However, one of Kiss' better guitarists from their 80s metal period Bruce Kulick joined his band Credence Clearwater Revival, so I guess that might count for soemthing.

[Steviekick 0]

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

 

That's funny, because if I was to make a list of the 100 worst guitar players ever, this is about where they'd place.

There are many better guitar players on their list, but many of them were not part of bands as influential as Kiss.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Robert Fripp at #73? That's just WRONG.

[Slayer 0]

Robert Fripp at #73? That's just WRONG.

You could argue that he influenced all the technical/virtuoso type metal guitar players (ex: Malmsteen, Petrucci and Matheos)

[Sonic Reducer 0]

Angus Young #4 my fucking ass. Maybe 104, but not 4.

 

Randy Rhoads has him beat, and everybody knows that.

[snuffbox 0]

Angus Young #4 my fucking ass. Maybe 104, but not 4.

 

Randy Rhoads has him beat, and everybody knows that.

riiiiiiiight.

[Paul Stanley 0]

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

 

That's funny, because if I was to make a list of the 100 worst guitar players ever, this is about where they'd place.

 

That's the funniest comment i've seen all week.