Fan Leaderboard by Genre

Greatest Blues Guitarists

According to fans on Greatest Guitar Player, the top blues guitarists right now are Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Duane Allman. The full ranked list of 32 blues guitarists is below, updated live from the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index as votes come in.

Blues guitar is where most of modern guitar playing starts: bent notes, call and response, and tone that comes straight from the hands. This list covers the players who built the language in the Delta and Chicago and the ones who carried it into rock, soul and the modern era.

  1. 1Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonScore 73.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  2. 2Stevie Ray VaughanStevie Ray VaughanScore 77.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  3. 3Duane AllmanDuane AllmanScore 65.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  4. 4B.B. KingB.B. KingScore 69.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  5. 5Muddy WatersMuddy WatersScore 69.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  6. 6Derek TrucksDerek TrucksScore 76.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  7. 7Buddy GuyBuddy GuyScore 68.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  8. 8Robert JohnsonRobert JohnsonScore 68.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  9. 9Rory GallagherRory GallagherScore 68.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  10. 10T-Bone WalkerT-Bone WalkerScore 68.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  11. 11Eric GalesEric GalesScore 67.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  12. 12Billy GibbonsBilly GibbonsScore 76.0 · 1 fan voteProfile
  13. 13Albert KingAlbert KingScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  14. 14Christone "Kingfish" IngramChristone "Kingfish" IngramScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  15. 15Dickey BettsDickey BettsScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  16. 16Freddie KingFreddie KingScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  17. 17Johnny WinterJohnny WinterScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  18. 18Marcus KingMarcus KingScore 66.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  19. 19Gary Clark Jr.Gary Clark Jr.Score 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  20. 20John MayerJohn MayerScore 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  21. 21Warren HaynesWarren HaynesScore 65.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  22. 22John Lee HookerJohn Lee HookerScore 64.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  23. 23Peter GreenPeter GreenScore 64.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  24. 24Roy BuchananRoy BuchananScore 64.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  25. 25Joe BonamassaJoe BonamassaScore 63.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  26. 26Bonnie RaittBonnie RaittScore 62.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  27. 27Grace BowersGrace BowersScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  28. 28Jorma KaukonenJorma KaukonenScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  29. 29Mike BloomfieldMike BloomfieldScore 61.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  30. 30Mick TaylorMick TaylorScore 60.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  31. 31Robert CrayRobert CrayScore 60.0 · no fan votes yetProfile
  32. 32Erja LyytinenErja LyytinenScore 59.0 · no fan votes yetProfile

Disagree with the order? Rate any of these blues 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 blues guitarist of all time?

On the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index, Eric Clapton currently holds the top spot among blues guitarists, followed by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Duane Allman. The order updates live as fans vote.

How are these blues 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 blues guitarist?

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

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