Community Leaderboard

Greatest Guitarists Ranked

All 162 guitarists ranked by community vote. Cast your scores on the Vote page to influence the standings.

This is the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index. Ranked by a weighted score that balances each guitarist’s average rating with the number of votes received, so a single perfect vote cannot jump the line. The score shown is the raw average.

Rankings by genre: Blues · Classic Rock · Hard Rock · Heavy Metal · Shred · Jazz · Country · Punk and Alternative · Rock and Roll

Sort by:

  1. #1Jimi HendrixScore 71.5 · 4 votes
  2. #2Jimmy PageScore 77.0 · 1 vote
  3. #3Eddie Van HalenScore 79.5 · 4 votes
  4. #4PrinceScore 74.0 · 0 votes
  5. #5Eric ClaptonScore 73.0 · 0 votes
  6. #6Stevie Ray VaughanScore 77.0 · 1 vote
  7. #7Django ReinhardtScore 72.0 · 0 votes
  8. #8Pete TownshendScore 65.0 · 1 vote
  9. #9Dimebag DarrellScore 74.0 · 1 vote
  10. #10Jeff BeckScore 72.0 · 1 vote
  11. #11Brian MayScore 66.0 · 2 votes
  12. #12Chuck BerryScore 71.0 · 0 votes
  13. #13Frank ZappaScore 71.0 · 0 votes
  14. #14Mark KnopflerScore 71.0 · 0 votes
  15. #15Paco de LucíaScore 71.0 · 0 votes
  16. #16Wes MontgomeryScore 71.0 · 0 votes
  17. #17SlashScore 80.0 · 1 vote
  18. #18Duane AllmanScore 65.0 · 1 vote
  19. #19David GilmourScore 66.0 · 2 votes
  20. #20Joe SatrianiScore 70.0 · 2 votes
  21. #21John McLaughlinScore 70.0 · 0 votes
  22. #22Sister Rosetta TharpeScore 70.0 · 0 votes
  23. #23Carlos SantanaScore 59.0 · 1 vote
  24. #24Randy RhoadsScore 69.0 · 2 votes
  25. #25Tony IommiScore 67.0 · 2 votes
  26. #26Angus YoungScore 64.0 · 1 vote
  27. #27Al Di MeolaScore 69.0 · 0 votes
  28. #28B.B. KingScore 69.0 · 0 votes
  29. #29George HarrisonScore 69.0 · 0 votes
  30. #30John FruscianteScore 69.0 · 0 votes
  31. #31Muddy WatersScore 69.0 · 0 votes
  32. #32James HetfieldScore 65.0 · 1 vote
  33. #33Derek TrucksScore 76.0 · 1 vote
  34. #34Guthrie GovanScore 76.0 · 1 vote
  35. #35Nuno BettencourtScore 73.0 · 1 vote
  36. #36Albert LeeScore 70.5 · 2 votes
  37. #37Tom MorelloScore 68.0 · 1 vote
  38. #38Billy StringsScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  39. #39Buddy GuyScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  40. #40Chet AtkinsScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  41. #41Curtis MayfieldScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  42. #42Gary MooreScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  43. #43Jerry GarciaScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  44. #44Les PaulScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  45. #45Robert JohnsonScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  46. #46Rory GallagherScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  47. #47T-Bone WalkerScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  48. #48Tommy EmmanuelScore 68.0 · 0 votes
  49. #49George LynchScore 71.0 · 1 vote
  50. #50Kirk HammettScore 70.0 · 1 vote
  51. #51Paul GilbertScore 68.5 · 2 votes
  52. #52Eric JohnsonScore 68.0 · 1 vote
  53. #53Dave MustaineScore 67.0 · 1 vote
  54. #54Pat MethenyScore 67.0 · 1 vote
  55. #55Keith RichardsScore 63.0 · 1 vote
  56. #56Ritchie BlackmoreScore 64.0 · 1 vote
  57. #57Ace FrehleyScore 65.5 · 2 votes
  58. #58Joe PassScore 58.0 · 1 vote
  59. #59Charlie ChristianScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  60. #60Eric GalesScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  61. #61Joe WalshScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  62. #62Matt BellamyScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  63. #63Neil YoungScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  64. #64Nile RodgersScore 67.0 · 0 votes
  65. #65Stephen StillsScore 60.0 · 1 vote
  66. #66Steve VaiScore 60.0 · 1 vote
  67. #67Billy GibbonsScore 76.0 · 1 vote
  68. #68Robby KriegerScore 58.0 · 1 vote
  69. #69Nancy WilsonScore 52.0 · 1 vote
  70. #70Albert KingScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  71. #71Christone "Kingfish" IngramScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  72. #72Dickey BettsScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  73. #73Freddie KingScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  74. #74Jack WhiteScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  75. #75Jerry CantrellScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  76. #76John PetrucciScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  77. #77Johnny WinterScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  78. #78Jonny GreenwoodScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  79. #79Marcus KingScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  80. #80Neal SchonScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  81. #81Paul McCartneyScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  82. #82Richard ThompsonScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  83. #83Steve LukatherScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  84. #84Steve MorseScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  85. #85Zakk WyldeScore 66.0 · 0 votes
  86. #86Yngwie MalmsteenScore 75.0 · 1 vote
  87. #87Adrian SmithScore 53.5 · 2 votes
  88. #88Tim HensonScore 66.0 · 1 vote
  89. #89Allan HoldsworthScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  90. #90Andrés SegoviaScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  91. #91Annie Clark (St. Vincent)Score 65.0 · 0 votes
  92. #92BucketheadScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  93. #93Gary Clark Jr.Score 65.0 · 0 votes
  94. #94Glen CampbellScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  95. #95James BurtonScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  96. #96Joe PerryScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  97. #97John MayerScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  98. #98Johnny MarrScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  99. #99Lindsey BuckinghamScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  100. #100PliniScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  101. #101Steve CropperScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  102. #102Tosin AbasiScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  103. #103Warren HaynesScore 65.0 · 0 votes
  104. #104Kurt CobainScore 68.0 · 1 vote
  105. #105Marty FriedmanScore 68.0 · 1 vote
  106. #106The EdgeScore 68.0 · 1 vote
  107. #107Bo DiddleyScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  108. #108Chuck SchuldinerScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  109. #109Danny GattonScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  110. #110Eddie HazelScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  111. #111Glenn TiptonScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  112. #112Jake E. LeeScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  113. #113John Lee HookerScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  114. #114Molly TuttleScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  115. #115Peter GreenScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  116. #116Roy BuchananScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  117. #117Roy ClarkScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  118. #118Ry CooderScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  119. #119Scott LePageScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  120. #120Scotty MooreScore 64.0 · 0 votes
  121. #121Buddy HollyScore 80.0 · 1 vote
  122. #122Doc WatsonScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  123. #123Joe BonamassaScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  124. #124Joni MitchellScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  125. #125Matteo MancusoScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  126. #126Robert FrippScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  127. #127Steve HoweScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  128. #128Yvette YoungScore 63.0 · 0 votes
  129. #129Ty TaborScore 69.0 · 1 vote
  130. #130Alex LifesonScore 53.0 · 2 votes
  131. #131Bonnie RaittScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  132. #132Eliot FiskScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  133. #133Larry CarltonScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  134. #134Marcin PatrzalekScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  135. #135Mateus AsatoScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  136. #136Robbie RobertsonScore 62.0 · 0 votes
  137. #137Grace BowersScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  138. #138Ichika NitoScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  139. #139Jorma KaukonenScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  140. #140Leo KottkeScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  141. #141Mike BloomfieldScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  142. #142Sophie LloydScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  143. #143Spiro DussiasScore 61.0 · 0 votes
  144. #144Billie Joe ArmstrongScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  145. #145Billy CorganScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  146. #146Carl PerkinsScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  147. #147Dave DaviesScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  148. #148Igor PaspaljScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  149. #149Jake KiszkaScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  150. #150Joan JettScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  151. #151Link WrayScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  152. #152Mick TaylorScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  153. #153Robert CrayScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  154. #154Steve GainesScore 60.0 · 0 votes
  155. #155Andy SummersScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  156. #156Bert JanschScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  157. #157Erja LyytinenScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  158. #158Hank MarvinScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  159. #159Johnny RamoneScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  160. #160Vivian CampbellScore 59.0 · 0 votes
  161. #161Arianna PowellScore 58.0 · 0 votes
  162. #162Kim ThayilScore 56.0 · 0 votes

Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is ranked number one on the Greatest Guitar Player Fan Index?

Jimi Hendrix is currently number one of 162 guitarists, followed by Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen. The order updates live as fans vote.

How does Greatest Guitar Player rank guitarists?

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 guitarist?

Yes. Anyone can rate any of the 162 guitarists on eight attributes at greatestguitarplayer.com/vote. Every vote counts toward the overall Fan Index and the genre leaderboards.

Who are the greatest guitarists in each genre?

Greatest Guitar Player keeps separate fan leaderboards for blues, classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, shred, jazz, country, punk and alternative, and rock and roll. The current leaders include Eric Clapton in blues, Dimebag Darrell in heavy metal, Django Reinhardt in jazz and fusion and Albert Lee in country and roots. See every list at greatestguitarplayer.com/greatest-guitarists-by-genre.