50 greatest guitarists

1. Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson was born on May 8, 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, USA. He was a writer, known for The Skeleton Key (2005), Chocolat (2000) and Holes (2003). He was married to Calleta "Callie" Craft and Virginia Travis. He died on August 13, 1938 in Greenwood, Mississippi, USA.

2. Muddy Waters

Soundtrack | Adventures in Babysitting

Muddy Waters (born McKinley Morganfield) was one of the major forces in contemporary blues. He was instrumental in bringing the sound of the Mississippi Delta to Chicago in the 1940s, where his recordings for the Chess label exerted an enormous influence on both blues and rock musicians from the ...

3. John Lee Hooker

Soundtrack | The Blues Brothers

John Lee Hooker was born on August 22, 1917 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Blues Brothers (1980), The Colony (2013) and Kiss the Girls (1997). He was married to Maude Mathis, Alma Hopes and Sarah Jones. He died on June 21, 2001 in Los Altos, California,...

4. Albert King

Soundtrack | Star Trek Into Darkness

Albert King was born on April 25, 1923 in Indianola, Mississippi, USA. He was an actor, known for Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), The Switch (2010) and 27 Dresses (2008). He died on December 21, 1992 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

5. B.B. King

Actor | Blues Brothers 2000

Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 - May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimmering vibrato and staccato picking that influenced many ...

6. Bo Diddley

Actor | Blues Brothers 2000

Ever heard "I Want Candy" or "Not Fade Away" or "Willie & The Hand Jive", Shirley & Company's "Shame, Shame, Shame" or U2's "Desire" or George Michael's "Faith"? If you have, then you've heard the "Bo Diddley beat", the most famous beat in the world! One of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll, Bo ...

7. Chuck Berry

Soundtrack | Men in Black

Charles Edward Anderson Berry was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive with songs such as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll ...

8. Dick Dale

Soundtrack | Escape from L.A.

Hailed as the "King of Surf Guitar, " Dick Dale virtually galvanized the surf rock sound in the 1950s. An avid surfer and accomplished musician, Dale and his band, 'Dick Dale and the Del-Tones', appeared in several of the ever-popular "Beach Party" teen flicks starring Annette Funicello and Frankie...

9. Frank Zappa

Soundtrack | Baby Snakes

Of all the qualities that typified Frank Zappa, perhaps the most striking is that he was a paradox. A workaholic perfectionist rock star who eschewed the hippie culture of the 1960s, deploring its conformism, spurious ideals and drug use, Zappa was not only a brilliant rock guitarist but an ...

10. Jerry Garcia

Soundtrack | The Box

One of the most prolific and iconic guitarists of the second half of the 20th Century, Jerome John Garcia was born in San Francisco, California, USA on August 1st 1942. Garcia, whose mother was a registered nurse and whose father, Jose, was a small time jazz musician, had a troubled childhood. At ...

11. Jimi Hendrix

Soundtrack | Woodstock

Widely regarded as the greatest and most influential guitarist in rock history, Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, to African-American parents Lucille (Jeter) and James Allen Hendrix. His mother named him John Allen Hendrix and raised him alone while his father, Al ...

12. Mike Bloomfield

Soundtrack | Sneakers

Mike Bloomfield was born on July 28, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a composer, known for Sneakers (1992), Easy Rider (1969) and Rocketman (2019). He died on February 15, 1981 in San Francisco, California, USA.

13. George Harrison

Actor | A Hard Day's Night

A master musician, a film producer and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and occasionally lead vocalist of The Beatles, George Harrison was born February 25, 1943, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He was also the youngest of four children, born to Harold Harrison and Louise Harrison.

Like ...

14. Keith Richards

Soundtrack | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Keith Richards is an internationally recognized iconic figure in contemporary culture and popular music as a singer, guitar player, songwriter, film actor, and public figure. He was voted 10th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine, and was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of ...

15. Jeff Beck

Soundtrack | Pirate Radio

Jeff Beck was born in Surrey in 1944. He grew up in a suburban street in Carshalton. When he was about 10, he wanted to play the guitar. His mum, however, wanted him to play the piano because she didn't approve of the guitar. When he was in his late teens, he joined "The Tridents" on lead guitar. ...

16. Jimmy Page

Soundtrack | The Song Remains the Same

Jimmy Page was born on January 9, 1944 in Heston, Middlesex, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for The Song Remains the Same (1976), Godzilla (1998) and The Adam Project (2022). He was previously married to Jimena Gomez-Paratcha, Patricia Ecker and Charlotte Martin.

17. Alvin Lee

Soundtrack | Tropic Thunder

Alvin Lee is still played regularly on Radio shows. He is highly regarded as a Jazz player, A rock and Roll player and a superb blues guitarist. His records are still in demand, both with Ten Years After and Solo Albums. He was an immense player and was one of the fastest full note players in ...

18. Eric Clapton

Soundtrack | Lethal Weapon 3

Eric Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. His real father was a Canadian pilot but he didn't find that out until he was 53. When he was 2 his mother felt she was unable to look after him, so Eric then went to live with his grandparents. When he was 14 he took up the ...

19. Pete Townshend

Music_department | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Born in Chiswick, London just ten days after the German surrender in 1945, Townshend grows up in a typical middle-class home. His parents, Cliff and Betty Townshend, are both musicians, and as a child he accompanies them on dance band tours. Townshend starts playing guitar at 12. He goes to art ...

20. Ritchie Blackmore

Soundtrack | Point Break

Ritchie Blackmore was born on April 14, 1945 in Weston Super Mare, England, UK. He is a composer and actor, known for Point Break (1991), Twister (1996) and Almost Famous (2000). He has been married to Candice Night since October 2008. They have one child. He was previously married to Amy Rothman, ...

21. Duane Allman

Self | Untitled Allman Brothers/Nick Cassavetes Project

Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee in November 1946. On Christmas Day in 1960, Duane was given a motorcycle as a gift while his younger brother, Gregg Allman, got a guitar. A few months later, Duane wrecked his motorcycle in an accident, but traded in the spare parts for a guitar of his ...

22. Robert Fripp

Soundtrack | Children of Men

Robert Fripp was born on May 16, 1946 in Dorset, England, UK. He is a music artist and actor, known for Children of Men (2006), The Big Boss (1971) and Power Rangers (2017). He has been married to Toyah Willcox since May 16, 1986.

23. Robby Krieger

Soundtrack | Army of the Dead

Robby Krieger was born on January 8, 1946 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Army of the Dead (2021), Forrest Gump (1994) and Road House (1989). He has been married to Lynn Ann Veres since December 26, 1970. They have one child.

24. Peter Green

Soundtrack | Frequency

Peter Green was born on October 29, 1946 in London, England, UK. He was a music artist, known for Frequency (2000), 6 Underground (2019) and Jerry Maguire (1996). He was married to Jane Samuels. He died on July 25, 2020 in Canvey Island, Essex, England. UK.

25. David Gilmour

Soundtrack | Pink Floyd: The Wall

David Jon Gilmour was born on 6th March, 1946, in Grantchester Meadows, Cambridge. As the lead guitarist of Pink Floyd, he is by many considered one of the most influential guitarists on the rock stage. Right up to "The Dark Side of The Moon", Dave wrote his own songs, but from then up to "The ...

26. Paco de Lucía

Soundtrack | The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Paco de Lucía was born on December 21, 1947 in Algeciras, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. He was a composer and actor, known for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and Don Juan DeMarco (1994). He was married to Casilda Varela. He died on February 25, 2014 in Playa ...

27. Ry Cooder

Soundtrack | Primary Colors

Born in Santa Monica, Ca., Ry Cooder, at the age of four had an accident which left him blind in one eye. He became a bit secluded and began playing the guitar. His biggest influences include Blind Willie Johnson, Arthur "Blind" Blake, Joseph Spence and Curtis Mayfield. Cooder has played on several...

28. Carlos Santana

Soundtrack | La Bamba

Carlos Santana is a Mexican guitarist, composer, singer and band-leader who helped to shape the concept of "world music" by his experiments with blending many styles of music from a multitude of ethnic sources.

He was born Carlos Augusto Alves Santana on July 20, 1947, in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco,...

29. Brian May

Soundtrack | Flash Gordon

Brian May is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential, innovative, technically gifted and recognisable guitarists in the history of rock. He is also a prolific songwriter, responsible for writing or co-writing many international hits with Queen. He was educated at Hampton Grammar School ...

30. Tony Iommi

Soundtrack | Iron Man

Tony Iommi was born on February 19, 1948 in Birmingham, England, UK. He is an actor and composer, known for Iron Man (2008), Suicide Squad (2016) and Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000). He has been married to Maria Sjöholm since 1999.

31. Mark Knopfler

Soundtrack | Local Hero

Mark Knopfler recorded his first single at age 16, but it was never released, He started the band Dire Straits in 1977, they were signed to Vertigo Records in 1978 and recorded the album "Dire Straits", which featured their first major hit single, "Sultans of Swing". Their follow-up albums include ...

32. Joe Perry

Soundtrack | Armageddon

As co-founding member, principal co-songwriter, electrifying lead guitarist and co-producer of Aerosmith--America's Greatest Rock & Roll Band--Joe has achieved permanent iconic stature in the pantheon of rock. He has helped to drive his band, over the course of three decades, to sales of more than ...

33. Gary Moore

Composer | A Candle in the Dark: The Story of William Carey

Gary Moore is known for A Candle in the Dark: The Story of William Carey (1998).

34. Johnny Ramone

Soundtrack | Spider-Man: Homecoming

Johnny Ramone was born John William Cummings in Queens, New York. He went to be the guitar player for the Ramones, alongside Jeffrey Hyman and Douglas Colvin (later Joey Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone). They also hired Thomas Erdelyi (later Tommy Ramone) as drummer. Tommy disbanded in 1978 and asked ...

35. Stevie Ray Vaughan

Soundtrack | Unbreakable

Stevie Ray Vaughan was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Dallas, Texas. He was the main guitarist and frontman for the musical trio "Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble" from 1978 to his death in 1990. Vaughan and his band-mates specialized in blues rock, and Vaughan was a key ...

36. Angus Young

Soundtrack | School of Rock

Angus Young was born on March 31, 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland. At school, Angus was an unenthusiastic student. His only real academic interest was art which allowed him some freedom of expression. He gave up school at 15 and went to work for a soft porn magazine called Ribald as a printer. But his ...

37. Edward Van Halen

Soundtrack | Twister

Edward Van Halen was a musician who along with his brother Alex Van Halen, and Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth, formed the band Van Halen in the early '70s, with Eddie on guitar, Alex on drums, Michael on bass and David on vocals. The band had different members over the years, but the core (...

38. Randy Rhoads

Soundtrack | Ghost Rider

Randy Rhoads was born on December 6, 1956 in Santa Monica, California, USA. He was a writer, known for Ghost Rider (2007), Megamind (2010) and Tag (2018). He died on March 19, 1982 in Leesburg, Florida, USA.

39. Joe Satriani

Soundtrack | Say Anything...

Joe Satriani was born on July 15, 1956 in Long Island, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Say Anything (1989), Super Mario Bros. (1993) and Moneyball (2011). He has been married to Rubina Satriani since 1981. They have one child.

40. Steve Vai

Soundtrack | Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

American guitarist, songwriter, composer and producer. He first learned guitar by studying under Joe Satriani and also studied at the Berklee College of Music. He started as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa in 1978, joined his band in 1980 and stayed until 1983. He formed two separate bands, the ...

41. Dave Mustaine

Soundtrack | Last Action Hero

Dave Mustaine was born on September 13, 1961 in La Mesa, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Last Action Hero (1993), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). He has been married to Pamela Anne Casselberry since March 3, 1991. They have two children.

42. The Edge

Soundtrack | Gangs of New York

One of the most instantly recognizable and influential guitarists in rock history, The Edge was born David Howell Evans, in Barking, Essex, in 1961. When he was two years old the family moved to Dublin. During his childhood he learned how to play the guitar and the piano. In 1978, the Edge became ...

43. Kirk Hammett

Soundtrack | Jungle Cruise

Hammett was born in San Francisco, California on November 18, 1962, to Teofila (Oyao) and Dennis L. Hammett, a merchant seaman. He learned guitar at age 15 and joined Metallica to replace Dave Mustaine in 1982. He has won several Grammys with Metallica and participated in their class action law ...

44. Yngwie Malmsteen

Actor | Yngwie Malmsteen: I'll See the Light Tonight

Yngwie Malmsteen was born on June 30, 1963 in Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden. He is an actor and composer, known for Yngwie Malmsteen: I'll See the Light Tonight (1985), Yngwie Malmsteen: You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget (1986) and Yngwie Malmsteen: Heaven Tonight (1988). He is married to ...

45. Tom Morello

Soundtrack | Real Steel

Tom Morello was born on May 30, 1964 in New York city. He has become an influential guitarist due to his work with Rage Against The Machine in the 1990s. Tom got his Social Studies degree from Harvard and went to L.A to start a band. He briefly played guitarist for a band named Lock Up with fellow ...

46. Slash

Soundtrack | Barbie

Saul Hudson, mainly known as Slash, was born on July 23, 1965, and was raised in Stoke-on-Trent. Both his parents worked in the entertainment business, his mother being a clothing designer (she did some of David Bowie's costumes) and his father being an art director for a record company. When Slash...

47. Mike McCready

Soundtrack | Out of the Furnace

Mike McCready was born on April 5, 1966 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Out of the Furnace (2013), 50/50 (2011) and Almost Famous (2000). He has been married to Ashley since 2005. They have one child.

48. Kurt Cobain

Soundtrack | The Batman

Kurt Cobain was born on February 20 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. The divorce left Kurt's outlook on the world forever scarred. He...

49. Zakk Wylde

Soundtrack | V for Vendetta

Zakk Wylde was born on January 14, 1967 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for V for Vendetta (2005), Rock Star (2001) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). He has been married to Barbaranne Wylde since December 14, 1992. They have three children.

50. John Frusciante

Soundtrack | Stealth

John Anthony Frusciante was born on March 5, 1970, in New York. He became interested in rock music at an early age. After his parents divorced, John and his mother moved to California when he was seven. When he was nine, his stepfather offered him his first acoustic guitar.

John taught himself how ...