Greatest Guitarists
Community Leaderboard

Ranked by the fans

Sorted by net votes (upvotes minus downvotes). Movement indicators show how community sentiment compares to the editorial ranking.

Total net votes
1,590,700
Biggest riser
Kurt Cobain+58 places
Biggest faller
Kenny Burrell-46 places
Rank
Guitarist
Votes
🥇
Jimi Hendrix
Rock/Blues1960sEditorial #1
+47,100
🥈
Stevie Ray Vaughan5
Blues/Rock1980sEditorial #7
+44,700
🥉
Jimmy Page
Rock1970sEditorial #3
+43,000
#4
David Gilmour4
Rock1970sEditorial #8
+42,400
#5
Eddie Van Halen4
Rock/Metal1980sEditorial #9
+40,000
#6
Eric Clapton4
Blues/Rock1960sEditorial #2
+39,200
#7
Chuck Berry3
RockPre-1960sEditorial #4
+37,700
#8
Tony Iommi2
Metal1970sEditorial #10
+37,700
#9
B.B. King4
Blues1960sEditorial #5
+36,700
#10
Robert Johnson4
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #6
+30,700
#11
Slash9
Rock/Metal1980sEditorial #20
+30,400
#12
Angus Young11
Rock/Metal1970sEditorial #23
+28,900
#13
Carlos Santana1
Rock1970sEditorial #12
+28,000
#14
Keith Richards3
Rock1960sEditorial #11
+27,800
#15
Jeff Beck2
Rock/Jazz1960sEditorial #13
+27,400
#16
Mark Knopfler5
Rock1980sEditorial #21
+26,700
#17
Duane Allman2
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #15
+25,800
#18
John Mayer4
Blues/Rock2000s+Editorial #22
+22,600
#19
Pete Townshend5
Rock1960sEditorial #14
+22,200
#20
Django Reinhardt3
JazzPre-1960sEditorial #17
+21,800
#21
Les Paul2
JazzPre-1960sEditorial #19
+20,500
#22
Dimebag Darrell41
Metal1990sEditorial #63
+20,200
#23
Randy Rhoads41
Metal1980sEditorial #64
+20,000
#24
Chet Atkins8
CountryPre-1960sEditorial #16
+19,100
#25
Wes Montgomery7
Jazz1960sEditorial #18
+18,400
#26
Tom Morello34
Rock/Metal1990sEditorial #60
+18,400
#27
John Frusciante35
Rock1990sEditorial #62
+17,300
#28
Kurt Cobain58
Rock1990sEditorial #86
+16,800
#29
Buddy Holly5
RockPre-1960sEditorial #24
+16,700
#30
Albert King5
Blues1960sEditorial #25
+15,800
#31
Steve Vai35
Rock/Metal1980sEditorial #66
+15,800
#32
Neil Young27
Rock1970sEditorial #59
+15,600
#33
Jack White28
Blues/Rock2000s+Editorial #61
+15,400
#34
James Hetfield35
Metal1980sEditorial #69
+15,400
#35
Rory Gallagher46
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #81
+15,400
#36
Kirk Hammett32
Metal1980sEditorial #68
+15,200
#37
Muddy Waters9
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #28
+15,000
#38
Joe Satriani29
Rock/Metal1980sEditorial #67
+15,000
#39
Buddy Guy7
Blues1960sEditorial #32
+14,100
#40
Sister Rosetta Tharpe53
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #93
+14,100
#41
Gary Moore39
Blues/Rock1980sEditorial #80
+13,900
#42
Guthrie Govan29
Rock2000s+Editorial #71
+13,800
#43
Freddie King17
Blues1960sEditorial #26
+13,700
#44
T-Bone Walker17
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #27
+13,400
#45
John Lee Hooker15
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #30
+12,800
#46
Derek Trucks32
Blues/Rock2000s+Editorial #78
+12,700
#47
Frank Zappa2
Experimental1970sEditorial #45
+12,600
#48
Joni Mitchell10
Rock1970sEditorial #58
+12,600
#49
Yngwie Malmsteen16
Metal1980sEditorial #65
+12,600
#50
Howlin' Wolf21
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #29
+12,400
#51
Gary Clark Jr.40
Blues/Rock2000s+Editorial #91
+12,400
#52
Bonnie Raitt43
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #95
+12,300
#53
Peter Green30
Blues/Rock1960sEditorial #83
+12,200
#54
John McLaughlin8
Jazz1970sEditorial #46
+11,800
#55
Nile Rodgers1
Funk/Soul1970sEditorial #56
+11,800
#56
Tommy Emmanuel44
Country2000s+Editorial #100
+11,700
#57
Johnny Winter20
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #37
+11,500
#58
Ry Cooder24
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #34
+11,100
#59
Al Di Meola12
Jazz1970sEditorial #47
+11,100
#60
Albert Collins29
Blues1960sEditorial #31
+10,800
#61
Robin Trower21
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #82
+10,800
#62
Steve Howe21
Rock1970sEditorial #41
+10,700
#63
St. Vincent27
Rock2000s+Editorial #90
+10,600
#64
Elmore James31
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #33
+10,500
#65
Pat Metheny17
Jazz1980sEditorial #48
+10,400
#66
Johnny Ramone19
Rock1970sEditorial #85
+10,400
#67
Curtis Mayfield10
Funk/Soul1960sEditorial #57
+10,300
#68
Tosin Abasi4
Metal2000s+Editorial #72
+10,300
#69
Steve Hackett27
Rock1970sEditorial #42
+10,200
#70
Warren Haynes9
Blues/Rock1990sEditorial #79
+10,000
#71
Dickey Betts35
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #36
+9,900
#72
Lowell George37
Rock1970sEditorial #35
+9,400
#73
Danny Gatton33
Rock1980sEditorial #40
+9,300
#74
Joe Pass25
Jazz1970sEditorial #49
+9,300
#75
Plini2
Rock2000s+Editorial #73
+9,200
#76
Brittany Howard16
Funk/Soul2000s+Editorial #92
+9,200
#77
Alvin Lee7
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #84
+9,100
#78
Memphis Minnie16
BluesPre-1960sEditorial #94
+9,000
#79
Lita Ford17
Metal1980sEditorial #96
+9,000
#80
Mike Bloomfield42
Blues/Rock1960sEditorial #38
+8,800
#81
Robert Fripp38
Experimental1970sEditorial #43
+8,800
#82
Roy Buchanan43
Blues/Rock1970sEditorial #39
+8,600
#83
Kim Thayil4
Rock1990sEditorial #87
+8,600
#84
Larry Carlton31
Jazz1970sEditorial #53
+8,500
#85
Steve Lukather30
Rock1980sEditorial #55
+8,500
#86
Nita Strauss13
Metal2000s+Editorial #99
+8,300
#87
Adrian Belew43
Experimental1980sEditorial #44
+8,100
#88
Robben Ford13
Blues1980sEditorial #75
+8,000
#89
Orianthi9
Rock2000s+Editorial #98
+7,900
#90
J Mascis2
Rock1990sEditorial #88
+7,800
#91
Tal Farlow41
JazzPre-1960sEditorial #50
+7,500
#92
Lee Ritenour38
Jazz1970sEditorial #54
+7,200
#93
Larry Coryell17
Jazz1970sEditorial #76
+7,200
#94
Grant Green43
Jazz1960sEditorial #51
+7,100
#95
Jennifer Batten2
Rock1980sEditorial #97
+7,100
#96
Tony MacAlpine26
Metal1980sEditorial #70
+7,000
#97
Thurston Moore8
Experimental1990sEditorial #89
+6,900
#98
Kenny Burrell46
Jazz1960sEditorial #52
+6,800
#99
Andy Timmons25
Rock1990sEditorial #74
+6,800
#100
Sonny Sharrock23
Experimental1970sEditorial #77
+5,400

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Greatest Guitarists

The definitive community-ranked list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. Built by fans. Ranked by the world.

How Rankings Work

The top 100 is editorially curated based on influence, innovation, and legacy. Community votes reflect fan sentiment and can influence future revisions. Submissions with 50+ upvotes are reviewed for inclusion.

© 2026 Greatest Guitarists. Built by fans. Ranked by the world.

Rankings are editorial. Votes are community sentiment.