Courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine. This list is a couple of years old, but still pretty interesting.
Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"
A few observations on this list:
1) In general, jazz guitarists should be ranked higher than blues and rock guitarist, with a few exceptions. My contention is based on the fact that jazz guitarists generally have a much more profound knowledge of theory.
2) Tommy Emmanuel is #1, by far. Tommy Emmanuel has gone exclusively acoustic in the last two decades, but his ability, precision, and spontaneous improvisation is not of this planet.
2) Jimi Hendrix at #1: I would say #2
3) Stevie Ray Vaughan at #7: should be top 4.
4) Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) is NOT in the top 20. Sorry to all the angst-filled teens from the early to mid 90s. His licks are not that hard to learn. Jerry Cantrell (Alice n' Chains) and Kim Thayill (Soundgarden) were both better.
5) Eddie Van Halen and Trey Anastasio (Phish) should be ranked in the top 50.
6) Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) should be in the top 20.
7) Notable exceptions from the list:
- -John Mayer is NO WHERE. John Mayer went from "very good" to "elite" in the last few
years. I would put him in the top 50 aafgt least. - -Kenny Wayne Shephard is not here either. I am actually not a huge fan of his music, but I think anyone who has been compared critically to Stevie Ray Vaughan deserves a spot.
- -Slash (Guns N Roses). Think of the 20 most memorable licks on guitar in the last 25 years and I guarantee you that Slash has played 5 or 6 of them. Sweet Child of Mine? Welcome to the Jungle? Paradise City? I rest my case.
- -No Chet Atkins or Merle Travis? the pioneers of fingerstyle should be here.
- -I would have included Ben Harper on this list, simply for his use of the Wessenborn slide guitars. I can understand why the rankers disagree too.
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