Who are Rock & Roll’s greatest shredders?
These are the riff-slinging, solo-searing legends who didn’t just play guitar—they rewrote the rules of rock and roll.
Eddie Van Halen at the New Haven Coliseum, September 10, 1978, taken by Carl Lender.
1950s
Most talented: Chuck Berry
Iconic Track(s): “Johnny B. Goode”
Honorable Mention: Chet Atkins—A master of fingerstyle guitar, Atkins' sophisticated playing elevated country music.
Most impactful/influential: Chuck Berry
Honorable Mention: Link Wray—Known for his pioneering use of distortion, Wray’s raw, primal sound reshaped the landscape of rock guitar.
Chuck Berry was the progenitor of rock and roll—before there was the Beatles, or the Stones, or the Who, there was Berry. This is the one decade where I don’t think the most talented or influential rock guitarist is even a question. There’s a few other influential figures in the 50s (like Link Wray and Buddy Holly), but nobody shaped the evolution of rock guitar like Berry did. Elvis changed popular music, but was more a showman than a guitarist—unlike Berry, who mastered it all. Compared to the surgical shredders of today, Berry’s style might seem frenetic and sloppy, but it’s trailblazing, soulful, and he did it first. His playing was a wild, joyous eruption of riffs and rhythms, blending bluesy bends with a dynamic energy that could ignite a crowd. Berry wielded his Gibson like a wizard, conjuring those iconic double-stop licks and duck-walking across stages with a flair that was as much musical genius as it was pure charisma.
1960s
Most talented: Jimi Hendrix
Honorable Mention: Duane Allman—A virtuoso slide guitarist, Allman’s soulful playing in the Allman Brothers Band redefined Southern rock and blues. It hurts my heart to not put Duane Allman on top of either of these categories, but he’ll have to settle for second place, R.I.P. Skydog.
Iconic Track(s): Duane Allman: “Layla” (for Eric Clapton), “Blue Sky," “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed” (At Fillmore East)
Most impactful/influential: Jimi Hendrix
Iconic Track(s): “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," “Little Wing," “Star Spangled Banner” (live at Woodstock 1969)
Honorable Mention: Carlos Santana—Fusing Latin rhythms with rock, Santana’s distinctive guitar tone became a key part of the psychedelic rock movement.
If Chuck Berry was the father of rock and roll guitar, Jimi Hendrix was the prince who was promised. The Seattle native reimagined what was possible on the electric guitar. With fuzz and feedback cranked up to eleven, he attacked the fretboard with a virtuosic ferocity never before seen, influencing pretty much every guitarist to follow after him. Trust me, listen to his entire performance from Woodstock.
1970s
Most talented: David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Iconic Track(s): “Comfortably Numb,” “Have a Cigar,” “Time”
Honorable Mention: Eric Clapton—Revered for his emotional playing and technical skill, Clapton’s career spans multiple genres, influencing generations of guitarists.
It’s tough to not put Jimmy Page in this spot as well, but David Gilmour’s superior feel and precision playing live (compared to Page’s often sloppy live playing) puts him just over the top. Gilmour’s playing was so melodic and expressive that even if he didn’t blow you away with his speed or flash (which he could), he would bring you to tears with buttery blues phrasing and immaculate effects-infused tone. Simply, he is a master of doing exactly enough to suit the song perfectly. Clapton comes up just short again despite being both incredibly influential and a phenomenal talent. He unfortunately comes off as a bit too vanilla and lacks enough feel by comparison to put him on top.
Most impactful/influential: Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Iconic Track(s): “Black Dog," “Kashmir," “Whole Lotta Love”
Honorable Mention: Eric Clapton
Jimmy Page’s sonic wizardry and inventive riffs transformed the 70s. He was the driving force behind maybe the greatest rock band of the 1970s, and that’s after he was one of Britain’s most renowned studio musicians and played in the Yardbirds with fellow legend Jeff Beck. Page has been criticized at times for messy live performances and though may not be as technically proficient as the guitar heroes to come, there’s no denying his talent and songwriting ability that shaped rock and roll.
1980s
Most talented: Stevie Ray Vaughan—possibly the most impressive guitarist I’ve ever seen.
Iconic Track(s): “Texas Flood," “Scuttle Buttin’," “Pride and Joy”
Honorable Mention: Randy Rhoads—His innovative guitar solos and technical prowess with Ozzy Osbourne helped molded the sound of 80s heavy metal.
This might be a hot take, but I’m willing to plant my flag on Stevie Ray Vaughan being the best guitarist on this entire list. Vaughan had it all—mind-bending, lightning-fast technical prowess (even better live); limitless swagger and superb feel; and unique, powerful, punch-you-in-the-face fat tone that people have been trying to replicate for decades. Take “Texas Flood”—those blistering bends and that thick, gritty sound hit like a sledgehammer, with live versions stretching into wild, soul-drenched improvisations that prove he wasn’t just playing, he was unleashing. SRV single-handedly brought blues back into the spotlight after the hard rock-heavy 80s seemingly passed it by, reviving it with an energized and badass kick it so desperately needed.
Most impactful/influential: Eddie Van Halen
Iconic Track(s): “Eruption," “Hot for Teacher," “Mean Street”
Honorable Mention: Mark Knopfler—The Dire Straits guitarist is known for his clean, fingerpicking style and subtle yet impactful strumming, shaping the sound of 80s rock.
Stevie Ray will always be #1 to me, but for the 1980s, Eddie Van Halen was THE guitar hero. If Hendrix was the one who revolutionized the electric guitar, Van Halen transformed it. He gave birth to the world of shredding with his signature two-handed tapping technique, supersonic fingers, and was one of the few to have mastered playing lead and rhythm guitar simultaneously. All his technical prowess doesn’t even account for the influence Eddie had in guitar tone and engineering. Nobody raced up and down the fretboard with such animated, unadulterated joy like Eddie did, and it showed in every facet of his work.
1990s
Most talented: John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Iconic Track: “Snow (Hey Oh)," “Under the Bridge," “Wet Sand”
Honorable Mention: John Petrucci—Dream Theater’s lead guitarist, Petrucci is renowned for his masterful playing and complex compositions in progressive metal.
When it comes to pure skill—the 90s is a tricky decade for the evolution of guitar; your pick truly depends on your personal taste. For the metalheads, it’s Dream Theater’s John Petrucci or Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell, for those still riding the 80s hard rock wave it’s Slash, and for the contrarians it’s Eric Johnson. But the most well-rounded and universally skilled (yet criminally underrated) 90s guitarist is Frusciante. At a time where the “guitar hero” was somewhat falling out of fashion, Frusciante arrived like a breath of fresh air, seamlessly able to combine heavy funk and blues-inspired riffs with catchy, killer solos on a chart-topping pop groove.
Most impactful/influential: Kurt Cobain
Iconic Track(s): “Smells Like Teen Spirit," “Breed," “The Man Who Sold the World” (MTV Unplugged)
Honorable Mention: Billy Corgan—As the frontman of Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan crafted a unique, atmospheric guitar sound that dictated the 90s alternative rock scene.
With all due respect to Billy Corgan, John Petrucci, and anyone else, Cobain owned the 90s music scene. Even with his tragic death in 1994, Cobain WAS Grunge personified. His sound was a thundering and dissonant storm of power chords, certainly not the flashiest but forever remembered through his songwriting and raw ferocity. Cobain’s guitar solos were basic compared to the defining influences of decades past, but, like other 90s guitar greats, was a master of crafting whatever the song demanded melodically. You may not be amazed by Cobain’s technical ability on the strings, but his guitar hooks were a masterclass in songwriting and the way he played with feel remains second to none. A hero to always remember.
2000s
Most talented: Derek Trucks
Iconic Track(s): “Midnight in Harlem”
Honorable Mention: Joe Satriani—A modern-day maestro known for his technical brilliance and melodic sensibility, Satriani’s instrumental guitar compositions have set a standard for modern shredding and instrumental rock.
The 2000s is also a mixed bag as mainstream music became less and less guitar-centric, aside from the pop-punk wave led by the likes of Green Day and My Chemical Romance. Though he certainly doesn’t garner as much attention as they did back in the 60s and 70s, Derek Trucks is certainly the heir to the Duane Allman slide guitar throne. As the nephew of Allman Brothers Band drummer Butch Trucks, Derek performed live with the band from the age of 19; he has the once-in-a-generation blues chops to look the part. Trucks’s deeply soulful and expressive style is unparalleled, gliding over the strings in a lyrical, almost meditative way, taking slide guitar playing to new heights and assuring the old guard that the blues is in good hands.
Most impactful/influential: John Mayer
Iconic Track(s): “Neon," “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room," “Edge of Desire”
Honorable Mention: Jack White—As the mastermind behind The White Stripes, White revitalized garage rock with his raw, minimalist playing and rebellious, genre-defying approach to guitar, influencing countless artists in the 2000s.
Mayer is a strange case as far as influence goes, because his style cuts in two very distinct directions. Many of his most popular hits cater to a far more pop-friendly audience, with his influence stretching to current day pop titans like Ed Sheeran. But that isn’t where his guitar chops really lie. Hidden in Mayer’s deep cuts and his time with Dead & Company is a phenomenal live performer with a bluesy fingerstyle repertoire and masterful technique that often blurs the line between guitar and bass. His tremendous versatility and technically proficient yet accessible and acoustic-friendly playstyle proves that rock is not dead after all.
2010s
Most talented: Tosin Abasi
Iconic Track(s): “CAFO," “On Impulse," “Tempting Time”
Honorable Mention: Plini—An innovative guitarist, Plini’s progressive metal style blends melodic phrasing with complex rhythms, earning him a dedicated following.
As the driving force behind Animals as Leaders, Tosin Abasi's fusion of progressive metal, jazz, and classical elements is like nothing else. His mastery of complex time signatures, mind-blowing fretboard tapping, and ferociously clean legato make him stand out as a pioneer of the modern era. Though he might not have the same commercial sway as some more mainstream guitarists, Abasi's influence in the progressive and metal communities has been profound.
Most impactful/influential: Gary Clark Jr
Iconic Track(s): “This Land," “Grinder," “When My Train Pulls In”
Honorable Mention: Joe Bonamassa—A powerhouse in modern blues rock, Bonamassa’s impeccable technique and emotional playing have garnered global acclaim.
At a time where rock and roll was gasping for air on the popular music scene, Gary Clark Jr. breathed new life into the genre, combining the blues of old with soul, R&B, funk, and hip-hop. Clark brought energy back to the guitar in dynamic stage presence and virtuosic yet raw style, bridging the gap between the old school blues purists and the politically conscious artists of today. If rock and roll is to stand the test of time it must grow and adapt, and Clark’s powerfully versatile sound is the standard bearer.
2020s
Most talented: Yvette Young
Iconic Track(s): “firebird," “farewell," “Sprout” (with Ichika Nito)
Honorable Mention: Tim Henson—As the guitarist for Polyphia, Henson blends complex rhythms with modern techniques, creating a fresh, novel voice in instrumental rock.
One might consider Yvette Young as more of a pianist than guitarist from the way she glides down the fretboard, with her stunning fingerstyle technique full of serenely melodic and mystical phrasing. Young’s genius composing ability and spidery, lightning-quick fingers, coupled with her unparalleled classical touch, harkens back to legendary tappers like Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. What sets her apart from the prototypical modern shredders or moody prog math rockers is the elegance and profoundly emotional elements Young brings to the table, showing that there is indeed soul in the guitar even now.
Most impactful/influential: Too soon to tell!
edited by Amishi Gupta.