30 Favorite Rock Guitarists of All Time
From the daily countdown on Sea of Tranquility, three favorite albums the guitarist was involved with, and song with favorite riffs or performance. Rumors are true, I do like riffs, but other factors can be important too.
1. Tony Iommi
Black Sabbath – Master Of Reality (1971)
Black Sabbath – Paranoid (1970)
Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Tony Iommi is certainly not the flashiest or most versatile. But what matters most to me is he is the Master of the Riff, none more black. No need to go into his origin story, everyone knows it. “Into the Void.”
2. John McGeoch
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Juju (1981)
Magazine – Real Life (1978)
Magazine – Secondhand Daylight (1979)
The most singularly celebrated guitarist in the post-punk scene, John McGeoch seemed to have natural talent for everything he tackled — his studies, martial arts, visual arts, piano, and ultimately guitar. In The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorized Biography of John McGeoch by Rory Sullivan-Burke (2022) relies heavily on quotes from a not-so secret society of McGeoch admirers like John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Dave Navarro (Janes Addiction), Ed O’Brien and Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead) and Johnny Marr (The Smiths). U2’s The Edge should have spoken up too, as he owes a lot to McGeoch.
As great as McGeoch’s work was on the first three Magazine albums, three Siouxsie & the Banshees albums (his artistic peak is arguably on Juju), Visage, Generation X’s “Heavens Inside,” The Armoury Show, Peter Murphy and Public Image Ltd., I see his greatest failing, aside from his descent into drugs and alochol, was he never had his own band. He really needed to be an equal partner with a co-songwriter, and as important as innovations were to making those Magazine and Siouxsie albums great, he was just passing through. Alas, such is the nature of some forms of genius — delicate and fleeting.
3. Rowland S. Howard
The Birthday Party – The Birthday Party (1980)
The Birthday Party – Prayers On Fire (1981)
The Birthday Party – Junkyard (1982)
With his skeletal frame and black rooster hair, Rowland S. Howard looks as if he were drawn by Roman Dirge (Lenore, Invader Zim), and inspired Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands. Quite a few bands took inspiration from the Birthday Party, but none had a guitarist as inventive as Howard, who, despite his drug problems, would continue to be productive after the 1983 break-up with Crime & the City Solution, These Immortal Souls and solo. “The Friend Catcher.”
4. Robert Quine
Richard Hell & the Voidoids – Blank Generation (1977)
Lou Reed – The Blue Mask (1982)
Matthew Sweet – Girlfriend (1991)
Richard Hell made the right choice in leaving Television and taking his songs with him, especially because he found Robert Quine, who brought them alive and did them justice with a prickly, angular style that seemed to draw from the Magic Band, and would influence post-punk playing in the near future. It’s too bad the Voidoids didn’t do more, because while his talents were showcased nicely on a couple Lou Reed albums, his guest spots with James White and the Blacks, Lydia Lunch, Scritti Politti, Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, John Zorn, Lloyd Cole, Dim Stars and Matthew Sweet (with Richard Lloyd!) didn’t earn him the acclaim he deserved. “Blank Generation.”
5. Johnny Thunders
New York Dolls – New York Dolls (1973)
Heartbreakers – L.A.M.F. (1977)
New York Dolls – Too Much Too Soon (1974)
Johnny Thunders was the perfect guitarist to take pieces of rock ‘n’ roll past, and get ’em wasted to such a disheveled grimy, fast and loose state that he even makes Keith Richards sound kind of reserved and square. Hence, a key inspiration for many punkers and beyond. “Trash.”
6. Johnny Marr
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead (1986)
The Smiths – Hatful Of Hollow (1984)
The Smiths – Meat Is Murder (1985)
No matter how annoying and cloying Morrissey could be (though he did have his moments of hilarious wit), Marr was the spoonful of sugar that made it all go down. Despite their conflicts near the end, hindsight shows that it’s too bad they didn’t stick it out for at least a couple more albums, because all of Marr’s journeyman work with other bands after The Smiths didn’t really amount to much. “This Charming Man.”
7. Robin Trower
Robin Trower – Bridge Of Sighs (1974)
Robin Trower – Twice Removed From Yesterday (1973)
Robin Trower – For Earth Below (1975)
A SoT fave, Trower did fine work with Procol Harum, but he was more in the background behind Gary Brooker’s vocals and Matthew Fisher’s prominent organ. When he left the band in 1971, it’s like he tossed his glasses and put on his cape to reveal himself as a guitar god and worthy successor of Hendrix. “Day of the Eagle.”
8. Paul Kossoff
Free – Free (1969)
Free – Tons Of Sobs (1969)
Free – Heartbreaker (1973)
A truly underrated guitar hero. Aside from that one hit single which shall not be named, Free were overshadowed by contemporaries Led Zeppelin, as Kossoff’s playing was far more understaed than Jimmy Page’s. But other musicians (most famously Lynyrd Skynyrd) knew that’s what made him so brilliant, unobtrusively supporting the song rather than showboating. The band had a run of six consistently great albums, which is about as good as one could expect from even the very best bands. Nevertheless, we lost Kossoff to his drug demons way too soon. “Broad Daylight.”
9. Adrian Borland
The Sound – From The Lions Mouth (1981)
The Sound – Jeopardy (1980)
The Sound – All Fall Down (1982)
Some obscure bands the rush of the thrill is to finally hear them after chasing their hard to find records down. When I finally found the first two Sound albums in used record shops in 1989, I featured them heavily on my post-punk radio show, Fester’s Bucket O’ Nasties, and they’ve remained on heavy rotation ever since, thanks to Borland’s great songs and even better guitar heroics unmatched by anyone in his genre other than the couple others I have in my top 10. If I could have mailed a batch of records back in time to myself at the age of 13, The Sound would be at the top of the list. My life would have been better for it. The Sound came to a halt in 1988 after five albums, due to Borland’s mental health issues. He maintained a big following in the Netherlands and released five more solo albums. There’s a movie and a book about him, so I’m not alone in my appreciation. “Heyday.”
10. James Williamson
The Stooges – Raw Power (1973)
The Stooges – I’m Sick of You! (1977)
Even more so than Ron Asheton’s simple but powerful proto-punk chords, Iggy was lucky to find Williamson, who could match the level of chaos and violence in his lyrics and performances. Three years before punk broke, harder and nastier than any proto-metal, few knew what to make of it, and despite the support of Bowie and MainMan management, Raw Power only tickled the ass-end of the charts at #183. But apparently it made it to those who needed it. “Search and Destroy.”
11. Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground (1969)
The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat (1968)
One of the most underrated guitarists, while Reed wasn’t a technical wizard, his unique Ostrich tuning and approach to riffs and melodies, completely devoid of blues influences that would tie him to the past, ultimately made him one of the most influential guitarists with direct links to punk, post-punk, noise rock and jangle pop. “What Goes On.”
12. J. Mascis
Dinosaur Jr. – You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
Dinosaur Jr. – Bug (1988)
Dinosaur Jr. – Where You Been (1993)
I wasn’t initially going to have J. in my top 13, but the more I think about the soulful, skull-crushing solos on the second Dinosaur album (the Jr. was added after the initial release), the more I realize he belongs here, at least as my personal favorite. His tones, riffs and solos achieve perfection at least several times on any given album, including his solo albums. “The Lung.”
13. Alex Lifeson
Rush – Moving Pictures (1981)
Rush – Hemispheres (1978)
Rush – Grace Under Pressure (1984)
More than ELO, Queen, and even Led Zeppelin, it’s Alex Lifeson who really got me first paying attention to guitar playing as a kid. His toolbox evolved over his career, and even when Grace Under Pressure retained many of the synths acquired for Signals, he was still a riff-ridin’ guitar hero. “Spirit of the Radio.”
14. Andy Summers
The Police – Ghost In The Machine (1981)
The Police – Regatta de Blanc (1979)
The Police – Outlandos D’Amour (1978)
With someone coming from a jazz fusion background, you’d expect some overplaying and noodling. But Summers became a pioneer of restraint, painting impressionistic brushstokes of sounds that colored the unique pop reggae rhythms of his two bandmates. “Walking on the Moon.”
15. Robert Fripp
King Crimson – Red (1974)
King Crimson – Discipline (1981)
King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969)
One of the ultimate guitar talents who’s restless creativity rarely repeated itself. Case in point the three albums I highlighted are from three very different eras of King Crimson, each with a unique sound. He also guested on dozens of albums (Van der Graaf Generator, Brian Eno, David Bowie, Blondie, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian), and had The League of Gentlemen and solo albums. “21st Century Schizoid Man.”
16. Eddie Hazel
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (1971)
Funkadelic – Funkadelic (1970)
Funkadelic – Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow (1970)
Eddie also played with Parliament, and his first solo album, Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs (1977) is also well worth checking out. But nothing touches his work on the first three classic, dark n’ moody, down n’ dirty Funkadelic albums. “Maggot Brain.”
17. Phil Manzanera
Roxy Music – Roxy Music (1972)
Quiet Sun – Mainstream (1975)
Phil Manzanera – Diamond Head (1975)
The London born guitarist grew up in Cuba, Hawaii and Venezuela, bringing Latin and other influences into his playing, which started in the psychedelic era with Pooh and the Ostrich feather in 1966, eventually renamed Quiet Sun. His playing with Roxy Music embedded some subtly avant-garde and prog elements into the band, and he would go on to collaborate with John Wetton and Robert Wyatt, helped out old bandmate Brian Eno on his solo albums. “Virginia Plain.”
18. Mick Ronson
David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)
David Bowie – Hunky Dory (1971)
Mick Ronson – Slaughter on 10th Avenue (1974)
In a way, it’s a shame that Ronson’s talents are only tied to the overwhelming star power of essentially a solo artist in David Bowie. He’s been more of a hired gun, working with Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople and many others, rather than having been part of a band that he could take equal billing with a co-songwriter. His secret weapon is bonus talents in string arrangements and production. “Ziggy Stardust.”
19. Dave Davies
The Kinks – Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) (1969)
The Kinks – The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
The Kinks – Something Else (1967)
With the more bucolic directions they took, people forget what a guitar hero Dave was in the early days. “You Really Got Me.”
20. Billy F. Gibbons
ZZ Top – Tres Hombres (1973)
ZZ Top – Tejas (976)
ZZ Top – Deguello (1979)
He brought a tight, rhythmic playing into the power trio format that incorporated funk, the blues and hard Southern Rock in a way that sounded like no one else. “Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings.”
21. Rick Nielson
Cheap Trick – Cheap Trick (1977)
Cheap Trick – Heaven Tonight (1978)
Cheap Trick – In Color (1977)
The mastermind behind Cheap Trick took a pilgrimage to London in 1979 to see favorites like Love Sculpture (with guitarist Dave Edmunds) and The Move. After replacing Todd Rundgren in Nazz in 1970, he processed his crash course of highly educational era in rock to become one of the greatest, if understated guitar heroes of the 70s, letting the pretty boys take the spotlight while he acted as the engine churning out and endless supply of post-glam, proto-metal and power pop riffs. I met a guy who helped manage one of the warehouses that stores just a portion of his hundreds of guitars. Dude should open a guitar museum in Rockford. “He’s a Whore.”
22. Pete Buck
R.E.M. – Murmur (1983)
R.E.M. – Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
R.E.M. – Reckoning (1984)
I originally had Hank Marvin of the Shadows in this slot, but while he was a huge influence on guitarists I like, I’ve listened to Pete Buck way more through my life. I hear direct tributes to Buck all the time, as he took influences from the Byrds and CBGBs era Television and created his own sound as distinct as Johnny Marr’s. “Pretty Persuasion.”
23. Marc Bolan
T. Rex – Electric Warrior (1971)
T. Rex – The Slider (1972)
T. Rex – T. Rex (1970)
Marc Bolan produced more economical, catchy riffs in the early 70s than just about anyone, a career-long tribute to Chuck Berry in a sense. “Mambo Sun.”
24. Colin Newman
Wire – 154 (1979)
Wire – Pink Flag (1977)
Wire – Chairs Missing (1978)
Such a unique player, rethinking what can be done with economy and brevity, while still having roots in punk and prog. Later albums in the 80s and 00s are pretty interesting too, lately he’s delved in post-industrial sounds along the line of Killing Joke. “Outdoor Miner.”
25. Keith Levene
Public Image Ltd. – Metal Box/Second Edition (1979)
Public Image Ltd. – The Flowers Of Romance (1981)
Public Image Ltd. – Public Image: First Issue (1978)
It’s ironic in hindsight, as much as punk was positioned as in opposition to prog, Johnny Rotten/Lydon was a big Van Der Graaf Generator fan, and P.i.L’s guitarist Keith Levene roadied for Yes, and was clearly a fan. Levene took the adventurous spirit of players like Robert Fripp and created a startlingly new toolbox of sounds that resembled post-industrial screeches and scraping metal, but made them endlessly listenable with their own kind of cold beauty. “Swan Lake.”
26. Bernard Sumner
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Joy Division – Closer (1980)
New Order – Movement/1981-1982 EP (1981)
Sumner may have been overshadowed by Ian Curtis and Peter Hook in Joy Division, but even later on when New Order were full on electropop, his tone and style were instantly recognizable, and a massive influence on many other guitar players. “Procession.”
27. Billy Zoom
X – Los Angeles (1980)
X – Under The Big Black Sun (1982)
X – Wild Gift (1981)
L.A. punkers X had a secret weapon that no one else had in their scene — an experienced axeman with true blue chops, who had been performing rockabilly with his own band and The Alligators since the early 70s. His riffs are at least half of the formula of what made X rise to the top of the scene and beyond. “The World’s a Mess It’s in My Kiss.”
28. Will Sergeant
Echo & the Bunnymen – Crocodiles (1980)
Echo & the Bunnymen – Heaven Up Here (1981)
Echo & the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain (1984)
The perfect guitarist for Echo’s style of psychedelic post-punk, he comes up with imaginative shapes that unobtrusively serve the songs rather than just shoehorning solos that dangle like appendages. An often underrated guitarist. “Do it Clean.”
29. Mary Timony
Helium – The Magic City (1997)
Helium – The Dirt of Luck (1995)
Ex Hex – It’s Real (2019)
Those who knew Mary Timony’s work and saw her perform with Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag, Ex Hex and solo, knew she was one of the very best guitarists around. She only got better in Helium, and while some of her solo work isn’t super guitarcentric, her most recent band Ex Hex has some beautifully executed guitar parts. Mary Timony – “Rockman.”
30. Greg Sage
Wipers – Youth Of America 1981)
Wipers – Is This Real? (1980)
Wipers – Over The Edge (1983)
From 1978-1983, this Portland band influenced a ton of American post-punk and post-hardcore guitar players. Greg Sage carried on with many more albums after moving to Phoenix, wrapping up in 1999. He still remains an underrated, underground player, despite Kurt Cobain giving him props. “Youth of America.” Not about the solos, but the droning chugs and tones!
Guitar Teams
- Scott Gorham/Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy)
- Tom Verlaine/Richard Lloyd (Television)
- Dave Murray/Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
- Angus & Malcolm Young (AC/DC)
- Bill Million/Glenn Mercer (The Feelies)
- Andy Powell/Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash)
- Reg Smithies/Dave Fielding (The Chameleons)
- Arthur Lee, Brian MacLean and Johnny Echols (Love)
- Gary Duncan/John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service)
- Corin Tucker/Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney)
Ian MacKaye/Guy Picciotto (Fugazi)
Steve Wynn/Karl Precoda (The Dream Syndicate)
Rick Rizzo/Baird Figi (Eleventh Dream Day)
Dough Martsch/Brett Netson/Jim Roth (Built To Spill)
Mike Scalzi/John Cobbett (The Lord Weird Slough Feg)
Steve Brooks/Juan Montoya (Floor, Torche)
Magnus Pelander/John Hoyles (Witchcraft)
Brent Hinds/Bill Kelliher (Mastodon)
21st Century
Ssome of them started before then, but continued to do great original work in the past, uh, quarter century.
- Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures)
- Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
- Nicholas DiSalvo (Elder)
- Matt Pike (Sleep, High On Fire)
- Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand)
- Stefan Koglek (Colour Haze)
- John Baizley (Baroness)
- Reine Fiske (Dungen, The Amazing, Fire! Orchestra, Elephant9, Motorpsycho)
- Cory Hanson (Wand, Meatbodies)
- Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift)
Liam Magill (Syd Arthur)
Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
Annie Clark (St. Vincent)
Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)
James Petralli (White Denim)
The Rest of the Best
Acknowledging the supremacy of Hendrix, Page, Beck, Blackmore, Prince, Mayfield, Howe, Hackett, Van Halen, no one could measure up to their well rounded talent. Also have to acknowledge all the pre and early rock pioneers (Charlie Christian, T-Bone Walker, Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Chuck Berry, Hank Marvin, Dick Dale, Link Wray, Scotty Moore, Buddy Holly). These are the ones most meaningful to my own personal listening habits.
Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, MSG)
Fred “Sonic” Smith (MC5)
Dave Edmunds (Love Sculpture, Rockpile, solo)
John Kimbrough (Walt Mink, Teen Judge)
Stephen Fellows (The Comsat Angels)
Hank Marvin (The Shadows)
Roger Miller (Mission Of Burma)
Billy Duffy (Theatre of Hate, The Cult)
Buzz “King Buzzo” Osborne (Melvins)
Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins)
Rick McCollum (The Afghan Whigs)
Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard)
Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar)
Steve Albini (Big Black, Shellac)
Sooyoung Park (Bitch Magnet, Seam)
Polly Jean Harvey (PJ Harvey)
Ash Bowie (Polvo)
Scott Kelly (Neurosis):
April 2, 2026
Fester’s Lucky 13: 1986
February 27, 2026
Fester’s Lucky 13: 1976
