The Greatest Classic Rock Guitarists of All Time

2024-10-10

The Rolling Stones.

While the greatest classic rock guitarists of all time often get praise and admiration, they also can get overshadowed by the metal guitarists of the 1980s – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via RCPMK

The greatest classic rock guitarists of all time helped influence generations of rock guitar players after them, creating a movement. But, while the greatest classic rock guitarists often get praise and admiration, they also can get overshadowed by the metal guitarists of the 1980s. Guys like Dimebag Darrell, Zach Wylde and Kirk Hammett are undoubtedly among finest guitarists of all time, but outside of the heavy metal genre, there are plenty of talented classic rock guitarists that perhaps didn’t shred but helped craft memorable songs. Here, we’re honoring five of the greatest classic rock guitarists of all time, in alphabetical order.

The Greatest Classic Rock Guitarists

Brian May

Brian May is nothing short of a guitar genius. Sure, Freddie Mercury was the voice and charisma of Queen, but Mercury never would have touched so many hearts with his voice without May’s incredible songwriting and guitar work. With Queen, May personally wrote 22 top 20 hits. Aside from all of his music making, he’s also a doctor of astrophysics. He suffered a minor stroke in September of 2024, but thankfully, he’s since recovered.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is widely considered the finest guitarist of his era and perhaps any era of music. His guitar playing was one-of-a-kind. He truly sang with the instrument. Speaking with Rolling Stone in an inerview in 1968, Hendrix said his early influences were everyone from Buddy Holly to Eddie Cochran to Muddy Waters to B.B. King. Waters, he said, was the very first guitarist he was “aware of.” Hendrix would go on to influence many, many guitarists after him.

Jimmy Page

Without Jimmy Page, many think there would never even be the classic rock guitar. His guitar work with Led Zeppelin really helped define the entire classic rock movement. He’s really nothing short of a virtuoso guitarist, and, of course, he is the founder of Led Zeppelin, so rock fans have plenty of reasons to thank Page. His early influences were Scooty Moore and James Burton, but later, Page was influenced by acoustic folk and players such as of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn,  as well as the blues sounds of Elmore James and B.B. King.

Keith Richards

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones created an entire movement of rock guitar. In general, the Rolling Stones are considered one of the greatest classic rock bands of all time. He’s simply a unique talent that only comes along once a generation, if you’re lucky. Along with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, Richards created some of the most memorable rock songs of all time. In addition to the Stones, he also releases some great solo music.

Slash

Some might say Slash is a metal guitarist, because of all his shredding and soloing, but he’s really more of a hard rock guitarist. After all, Guns N’ Roses is more rock than, say, Metallica. Either way, Slash is one of the greatest guitarists of all time, in any genre, but especially in classic rock. In addition to Guns N’ Roses, Slash has a solo band with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, and he also spent years in Velvet Revolver and Slash’s Snakepit.

Find Audio Ink Radio tally of the best classic rock bands of all time.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Features, Music, Rock

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