Fan Leaderboard by Genre

Greatest Shred and Virtuoso Guitarists

According to fans on Greatest Guitar Player, the top shred and virtuoso guitarists right now are Joe Satriani, Nuno Bettencourt and Paul Gilbert. The full ranked list of 19 shred and virtuoso guitarists is below, updated live from the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index as votes come in.

Shred and virtuoso players treat the guitar as a technical frontier, with sweep picking, tapping, legato and speed pushed as far as they go. This list covers the pioneers and the modern players who keep raising the bar.

  1. 1Joe SatrianiJoe SatrianiScore 70.0 · 2 fan votesProfile
  2. 2Nuno BettencourtNuno BettencourtScore 73.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  3. 3Paul GilbertPaul GilbertScore 68.5 · 2 fan votesProfile
  4. 4Eric JohnsonEric JohnsonScore 68.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  5. 5Steve VaiSteve VaiScore 60.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  6. 6John PetrucciJohn PetrucciScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  7. 7Steve MorseSteve MorseScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  8. 8Yngwie MalmsteenYngwie MalmsteenScore 75.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  9. 9Tim HensonTim HensonScore 66.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  10. 10BucketheadBucketheadScore 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  11. 11PliniPliniScore 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  12. 12Tosin AbasiTosin AbasiScore 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  13. 13Scott LePageScore 64.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  14. 14Yvette YoungYvette YoungScore 63.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  15. 15Marcin PatrzalekMarcin PatrzalekScore 62.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  16. 16Ichika NitoScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  17. 17Sophie LloydSophie LloydScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  18. 18Spiro DussiasScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  19. 19Igor PaspaljScore 60.0 · no fan votes yetProfile

Disagree with the order? Rate any of these shred and virtuoso guitarists on 8 attributes at greatestguitarplayer.com/vote. Every vote moves the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the greatest shred and virtuoso guitarist of all time?

On the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index, Joe Satriani currently holds the top spot among shred and virtuoso guitarists, followed by Nuno Bettencourt and Paul Gilbert. The order updates live as fans vote.

How are these shred and virtuoso guitarists ranked?

Fans rate each guitarist from 0 to 10 on eight attributes: innovation, performance, speed, soul, rhythm, lead guitar, songwriting and coolness. The order uses a weighted score that balances each guitarist's average rating with the number of votes, so a single perfect vote cannot jump the line. Guitarists without fan votes yet are placed by an editorial score.

Can I vote for my favorite shred and virtuoso guitarist?

Yes. Anyone can rate guitarists at greatestguitarplayer.com/vote, and every vote counts toward both this shred and virtuoso list and the overall Greatest Guitar Player rankings.

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