Keith Richards 4?

I dunno...

This list is an absolute joke. Stevie Ray Vaughn should be #2, and David Gilmour and Frank Zappa should be in the top 10.

Oh, it's Rolling Stone. Of course it's a joke.

In his brief four-year reign as a superstar, Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since. Hendrix was a master at coaxing all manner of unforeseen sonics from his instrument, often with innovative amplification experiments that produced astral-quality feedback and roaring distortion. His frequent hurricane blasts of noise and dazzling showmanship -- he could and would play behind his back and with his teeth and set his guitar on fire -- has sometimes obscured his considerable gifts as a songwriter, singer, and master of a gamut of blues, R&B, and rock styles. Richie Unterberger

Fair enough subby.

Born the day Jimi died. Same country too. I have negfinity times the amount of his talent. Even dead he's better at guitar (and the lady's) as me.

/Can only play Rock Band so so too.

wiseolddude: In his brief four-year reign as a superstar, Jimi Hendrix expanded the vocabulary of the electric rock guitar more than anyone before or since.

And that is a fact. Rock guitar as we know it is indelibly stamped with his fingerprints, almost everywhere you look.

Is it blasphemy that I think the Derek and the Dominos cover of 'Little Wing' is a lot better than Jimi's original?

Link (new window)

I like Hendrix and all, but Clapton kills it on this.

Eric Clapton before Keith Richards? NOT EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS.

Sure, maybe, MAYBE, Eric is a better soloist, but so what. Keith had the tunes. And the tunes are EVERYTHING


/#1 is well deserved

I dont have to look at this to know that kurt cobain is in the top 20 and dave knudsen and j robbins are not mentioned

I hear that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables.
I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars

bulldg4life: Keith Richards 4?

I dunno...

Clapton at 2? His 2 big hits are covers and the best bits of Layla aren't his.

24 for Angus Young, 25 for Tony Iommi, 32 Prince, 36 Randy Rhoads...
WHAT THE HELL?!!?
87 for James Hetfield 92 for Dimebag, Alex Lifeson 98...

No Yngwie F***ing Malmsteen , no George Lynch, no Joe Satriani, no Metal other than Hets and Dimebag...

Prince better than Alex? Better than Randy Rhoads... Have you listened to Crazy Train? (nevermind Dee)

List is dead to me.

Lists like these are very subjective and you could argue that any one of those guys belong at the top.
No one can be THE greatest. In what context? Raw talent? Songwriting? Speed? Phrasing? You could go on and on.
All that matters is if you dig the music and............Wait, WTF is Derek Trucks doing at #16???

Duane Allman is at least 5 spots too low.

whatshisname: bulldg4life: Keith Richards 4?

I dunno...

Clapton at 2? His 2 big hits are covers and the best bits of Layla aren't his.

This. I never quite got the whole "Clapton is God" thing

Mugato: You can't quantify something like this. No one plays the blues like BB King and no one can play arpeggios like Yngwie Malmsteen. So how do you put a number on it?

Well for starters, one of those guys plays with soul, the other masturbates his guitar furiously

Alex Lifeson 98? LOL way to keep the Rush hate alive there RS

Kurt Cobain better be in the top 10.

/I'm just saying

babysealclubber: whither_apophis: Alex Lifeson 98? LOL way to keep the Rush hate alive there RS

Yeah, it is a joke. Lifeson is underrated and such a great guy. Keith Richards in all honestly is NOT a good lead player. Great riff writer, yes. But watch them live, he is nothing special. Same goes for Pete Townshend.

But where is your guitar solo going if your riff is boring? That is why Keith is 4, and should be 2. Same goes with Townshend

Mugato: HappyHarryHardOn: Mugato: You can't quantify something like this. No one plays the blues like BB King and no one can play arpeggios like Yngwie Malmsteen. So how do you put a number on it?

Well for starters, one of those guys plays with soul, the other masturbates his guitar furiously

And who is better at what they do?

I get what you're saying. Comparing Django to Keith, is like comparing apples and oranges. So, in essence, it's another masturbatory list we really should be ignoring right now...

plus, it's Rolling Stone, for christ sake...

babysealclubber: HappyHarryHardOn: But where is your guitar solo going if your riff is boring? That is why Keith is 4, and should be 2. Same goes with Townshend

That doesn't make you a better player. I already conceded those two are great riff writers. But better players? No effing way. The fact that so many are above Chet Atkins show what a joke RS is.

Yeah. Id' want a list of BEST ROCK RIFF WRITERS. Now, that would be specific enough. Then another list of best, actual, best guitar players...

babysealclubber: HappyHarryHardOn: But where is your guitar solo going if your riff is boring? That is why Keith is 4, and should be 2. Same goes with Townshend

That doesn't make you a better player. I already conceded those two are great riff writers. But better players? No effing way. The fact that so many are above Chet Atkins show what a joke RS is.

Strictly in terms of playing ability - I've always felt like rock guitar (and this list is pretty much rock only) wasn't anywhere near the top of the list in terms of difficulty. Popularity, sure, but difficulty? No way.

Classical guitar, for example, seems to demand a much higher standard of playing ability.

no Johnny Winters love?

John Petrucci.

the biggest redneck here: Duane Allman is at least 5 spots too low.

i love you.