Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists

TockTockTock · 11-27-2010, 11:29 AM

Let's sort of settle this and see if this list is valid or not. Of course, it's not perfect but let us at least debate over if the top twenty is correct or not (100 of them seems like it would take a while). Here's the list:

1Jimi Hendrix
2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band
3 B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan
8 Ry Cooder
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones
17 Jack White of the White Stripes
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy
31 **** Dale
32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
35 John Fahey
36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's
37 Bo Diddley
38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
39 Brian May of Queen
40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival
41 Clarence White of the Byrds
42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson
43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic
44 Scotty Moore
45 Frank Zappa
46 Les Paul
47 T-Bone Walker
48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith
49 John McLaughlin
50 Pete Townshend
51 Paul Kossoff of Free
52 Lou Reed
53 Mickey Baker
54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane
55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple
56 Tom Verlaine of Television
57 Roy Buchanan
58 ****ey Betts
59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead
61 Ike Turner
62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band
63 Danny Gatton
64 Mick Ronson
65 Hubert Sumlin
66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour
67 Link Wray
68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape
69 Steve Howe of Yes
70 Eddie Van Halen
71 Lightnin' Hopkins
72 Joni Mitchell
73 Trey Anastasio of Phish
74 Johnny Winter
75 Adam Jones of Tool
76 Ali Farka Toure
77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat
78 Robbie Robertson of the Band
79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997)
80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids
81 Derek Trucks
82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd
83 Neil Young
84 Eddie Cochran
85 Randy Rhoads
86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
87 Joan Jett
88 Dave Davies of the Kinks
89 D. Boon of the Minutemen
90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper
91 Robby Krieger of the Doors
92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5
94 Bert Jansch
95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine
96 Angus Young of AC/DC
97 Robert Randolph
98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag
100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Let's get it at!

Dayvan Cowboy · 11-27-2010, 11:32 AM

Until I see Omar Rodriguez Lopez or Ian Williams here, I'm still going to say that Rolling Stone doesn't know crap about music.

they never knew anything.

TockTockTock · 11-27-2010, 11:32 AM

I'll start us off. I have trouble accepting SRV as number seven, Ry Cooder as number eight, and Jack White as number seventeen. I am also a bit confused in why Duane Allman is ahead of Robert Johnson. Regardless, I like all of these musicians (except Cooder), but I just don't see why they are where they are. I know these debates are everywhere on the internet, but let's try to make a decent one without insults. I also think that Django Reinhardt should be on there...

TockTockTock · 11-27-2010, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayvan Cowboy

Until I see Omar Rodriguez Lopez or Ian Williams here, I'm still going to say that Rolling Stone doesn't know crap about music.

they never knew anything.

This article was published before he appeared in the spotlight.

Dayvan Cowboy · 11-27-2010, 11:40 AM

The main problem with the list is that it isn't.... varied. it's always the same bands, same guitarists and no matter what, the top ten stays static. They should do a top ten for every genre, really.

Queen Boo · 11-27-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackPat

12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

Are you friggin' shittin' me? Most Nirvana songs have like 3 chords.
HAH, I bet if they made a lists for bassists, they'd include Sid Vicious too...

Dayvan Cowboy · 11-27-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVEMENT SAW

Are you friggin' shittin' me? Most Nirvana songs have like 3 chords.
HAH, I bet if they made a lists for bassists, they'd include Sid Vicious too...

I thought the same thing. they're mostly going by fame and that's what pisses me off about Rolling Stone.

TockTockTock · 11-27-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayvan Cowboy

The main problem with the list is that it isn't.... varied. it's always the same bands, same guitarists and no matter what, the top ten stays static. They should do a top ten for every genre, really.

I agree. That is why I said that Django Reinhardt should be on there. Personally, I think they went by influence, which is what annoys me because if they were going to do that, then they should say "Rolling Stone's Most Influential Guitarists." Really, if they were going to put "greatest" then put musicians who created complex compositions, like Bert Jansch (who's # 94) or Tom Verlaine of Television.

Queen Boo · 11-27-2010, 11:55 AM

Don't get upset, its a mainstream music magazine. Its got some good political articles and profiles on artists *but its still a giant advert.
Just don't take Rolling Stone too seriously. I mean they gave the Black Eyed Pea's new album a positive review.....

*Yeah, I read it. I know. Its for old people and classic rock ***s. I'm sorry.
[COLOR]

clutnuckle · 11-27-2010, 11:58 AM

The appearance of Eric Clapton (especially at #4) is an immediate credibility crusher.

I'm sure they'll write another one of these in a decade, praising The Strokes for their innovative guitar work.

11-27-2010, 11:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists Let's sort of settle this and see if this list is valid or not. Of course, it's not perfect but let us at least debate over if the top twenty is correct or not (100 of them seems like it would take a while). Here's the list: 1Jimi Hendrix 2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band 3 B.B. King 4 Eric Clapton 5 Robert Johnson 6 Chuck Berry 7 Stevie Ray Vaughan 8 Ry Cooder 9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin 10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones 11Kirk Hammett of Metallica 12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana 13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead 14 Jeff Beck 15 Carlos Santana 16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones 17 Jack White of the White Stripes 18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers 19 Richard Thompson 20 James Burton 21 George Harrison 22 Mike Bloomfield 23 Warren Haynes 24 The Edge of U2 25 Freddy King 26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave 27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits 28 Stephen Stills 29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges 30 Buddy Guy 31 ** Dale 32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service 33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth 35 John Fahey 36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's 37 Bo Diddley 38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac 39 Brian May of Queen 40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival 41 Clarence White of the Byrds 42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson 43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic 44 Scotty Moore 45 Frank Zappa 46 Les Paul 47 T-Bone Walker 48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith 49 John McLaughlin 50 Pete Townshend 51 Paul Kossoff of Free 52 Lou Reed 53 Mickey Baker 54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane 55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple 56 Tom Verlaine of Television 57 Roy Buchanan 58 **ey Betts 59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead 61 Ike Turner 62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band 63 Danny Gatton 64 Mick Ronson 65 Hubert Sumlin 66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour 67 Link Wray 68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape 69 Steve Howe of Yes 70 Eddie Van Halen 71 Lightnin' Hopkins 72 Joni Mitchell 73 Trey Anastasio of Phish 74 Johnny Winter 75 Adam Jones of Tool 76 Ali Farka Toure 77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat 78 Robbie Robertson of the Band 79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997) 80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids 81 Derek Trucks 82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd 83 Neil Young 84 Eddie Cochran 85 Randy Rhoads 86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath 87 Joan Jett 88 Dave Davies of the Kinks 89 D. Boon of the Minutemen 90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper 91 Robby Krieger of the Doors 92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5 94 Bert Jansch 95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine 96 Angus Young of AC/DC 97 Robert Randolph 98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer 99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag 100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden Let's get it at!

11-27-2010, 11:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dayvan Cowboy Basscadet Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Antarctica Posts: 1,258	Until I see Omar Rodriguez Lopez or Ian Williams here, I'm still going to say that Rolling Stone doesn't know crap about music. they never knew anything.

11-27-2010, 11:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	I'll start us off. I have trouble accepting SRV as number seven, Ry Cooder as number eight, and Jack White as number seventeen. I am also a bit confused in why Duane Allman is ahead of Robert Johnson. Regardless, I like all of these musicians (except Cooder), but I just don't see why they are where they are. I know these debates are everywhere on the internet, but let's try to make a decent one without insults. I also think that Django Reinhardt should be on there...

11-27-2010, 11:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dayvan Cowboy Basscadet Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Antarctica Posts: 1,258	The main problem with the list is that it isn't.... varied. it's always the same bands, same guitarists and no matter what, the top ten stays static. They should do a top ten for every genre, really.

11-27-2010, 11:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
clutnuckle Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: -_-_-_-_~__~-~_-`_`-~_-`-~-~ Posts: 1,276	The appearance of Eric Clapton (especially at #4) is an immediate credibility crusher. I'm sure they'll write another one of these in a decade, praising The Strokes for their innovative guitar work.