Guitar enthusiasts and rock music lovers appreciate great guitar players who enhance the rhythm and leads of rock music songs. While there are thousands of remarkable guitar players across all genres, these artists are considered by some as the top 10 guitarists of all time. They’ve significantly influenced rock’s trajectory, and many artists today cite them as the most influential guitarists in history.
1. Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix is one of the most recognized and influential rock guitarists of all time. His unique approach to feedback manipulation and distortion created his signature sound. Jimi formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience band in 1966. Their hit song “Hey Joe” reached the U.K. charts. Hendrix is known for songs such as “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Purple Haze,” and “All Along the Watchtower.” Jimi Hendrix died in 1970 at the age of 27. The Recording Academy gave Hendrix a lifetime achievement award in 1992.
2. Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame is another guitar great. Led Zeppelin is considered one of the most influential rock bands of their generation, and their 2014 album Celebration Day won Best Rock Album at the GRAMMY Awards. Page had a way of blending psychedelic rock with acoustic touches to create layered sounds that could take the listener on a journey. Examples of this sound are “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love.”
3. Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential musicians and singers of all time. He was a member of bands such as Cream, the Yardbirds, and Derek and the Dominos before launching his solo career. You can’t hear the song “Layla” without thinking of Eric Clapton and his blistering, jamming guitar riffs. While rock and blues help define Clapton’s guitar style, he can also take you on a sentimental journey with his sweet guitar notes in songs such as “Wonderful Tonight.” Clapton has won 17 GRAMMY Awards over his long career.
4. Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen is one of the most versatile and gifted guitarists in rock history. He could switch from playing fast and hard with blazing hot riffs to flamenco-style guitar playing in an instant. Eddie Van Halen formed the hard rock group Van Halen in 1974, and they dominated the charts and radio waves for almost a decade. Van Halen won a GRAMMY Award in 1991 for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal for the album Unlawful Carnal Knowledge. The band is known for songs such as “Jump” and “Runnin’ With the Devil.” Eddie Van Halen died in 2020.
5. David Gilmour
David Gilmour, of Pink Floyd fame, is a melodious and dramatic guitarist. Songs such as “Time” and “Comfortably Numb” made Gilmour one of the most compelling progressive rock guitar players of all time. He’s known for his bluesy rock guitar, especially in songs such as “Money” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.”
Gilmour was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge in 2009 for his outstanding contributions to music as a writer, performer, and innovator.
6. Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry was the most inspirational guitarist of the time in the early days of rock and roll. There was no other rock guitar player in the 1950s like Chuck Berry, and he revolutionized the world of rock and blues, setting trends that guitarists use today. His 18-second electric guitar riff in “Johnny B. Goode” showed the music world just how fast and intense the electric guitar could sound, paving the way for hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz. Berry wrote ”Maybelline” in 1955, and some music historians believe this tune was the true first rock and roll song.
Chuck Berry was born in 1926 and died in 2017.
7. Brian May
Brian May was co-founder and lead guitarist for the band Queen. He could play anything from classical to heavy metal in Queen’s diverse set list. He was able to back frontman Freddy Mercury’s soaring voice while adding his unique approach to guitar riffs and solos. Queen is best known for songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” and “We Are the Champions.” Although the band Queen never won a GRAMMY, they did receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2018.
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan
Blues/rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is known for his hard-driving, fast guitar licks. He brought blues and rock back to the forefront of the music scene with songs such as “Texas Flood” and “Pride and Joy.” Stevie Ray Vaughan was influenced by blues, rock, and jazz guitarists who helped him create his signature electric blues style. In 1993, Vaughan won the Best Contemporary Blues Album GRAMMY Award for The Sky is Crying. Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a 1990 helicopter crash at the age of 35.
9. Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana’s Latin-influenced guitar playing changed the world of rock and roll with his 1969 Woodstock performance. He has collaborated with numerous artists throughout his career, and his band, Santana, played a pivotal part in defining the 1970s music scene. Santana’s guitar playing is characterized by distinctively sustaining individual notes best heard in songs such as “Jingo.” Santana’s diverse playing style remains influential today, and he has won over 10 GRAMMY Awards.
10. Keith Richards
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones is a household name. Richards’ chord-heavy playing style, rooted in the rhythms and techniques of early 20th-century blues music, is the foundation of his work. The Stones are known for their provocative and energetic rock and roll performances, with songs such as “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” exemplifying their style. The Rolling Stones won a 2025 GRAMMY Award for their latest album Hackney Diamonds.
These top 10 guitarists possess tremendous talent, driven by a passion and commitment to their musical craft. We can still hear the influence of these guitar greats when we listen to newer artists such as John Mayer, Billy Strings, and Gary Clark Jr.
