Rolling Stone top 100 guitarists

Seems like they just did this, but interesting nonetheless.

I usually hate to nitpick these (ultimately meaningless) rankings, but regardless.

I'll have to find the actual list or type it out later, but among the things I noticed was that John Lennon was 11th (ridiculous) and Jack White was around 70th (even more ridiculous), just like two spots above Kurt Cobain, that well-known virtuoso.

 

Here is the top 10:

Rolling Stone’s top 10 guitarists of all time:

1. Jimi Hendrix

2. Eric Clapton

3. Jimmy Page

4. Keith Richards

5. Jeff Beck

6. B.B. King

7. Chuck Berry

8. Eddie Van Halen

9. Duane Allman

10. Pete Townshend

 

Pete Townshend was a horrible guitarist, comparatively.

 

I've always hated these lists made by Rolling Stone Magazine.

 

Saw an article on this a few days ago, but not the full list. They mentioned Townshend in the top 10, and I thought no effin way.

Great songwriter, great band, but not a great guitarist.

And while I can't offer any gripe with the top 3, Eddie Van Halen should be no worse than 4. Personally, I'd list him no. 1. He did things with a guitar that I had never heard before.

 

This is like Letterman complaining about year-end Top 10 lists.

 

I have problems with the demographics of that list, and I'm a boomer. Granted, popular music isn't as guitar-heavy as it once was (STFU, IJAG ;D), but there are excellent guitarists who aren't over 60.

 

Well, you're talking about the magazine that gave Mick Jagger's 2001 solo album five stars.

 

Fair point.

 

These lists are deliberate trolling. Kurt Cobain and Joni Mitchell yet no mention of Joe Satriani or Steve Vai.

Nice.

 

Duane Allman should be higher, probably third. Where is SRV?

 

Any list that does not have the following at or near the top is useless;

Steve Vai
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Joe Satriani
David Gilmour