Guitar World's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists Of All Time!

[Deadly Embrace]

GUITAR WORLD's 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists Of All Time

The March 2004 issue of Guitar World magazine includes a list of the 100 greatest heavy metal guitarists as selected by the magazine's staff. "This is not a list that ranks who can play the fastest or with the most taste, feeling or technique (although many players on our list have all of those arrows in their quiver)," the editors stress in the accompanying introduction. "It is, rather, a tribute to the great men who shit iron and piss stainless steel razor blades, and do it every time they plug into an amplifier."

Guitar World 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists Of All Time:

01. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH)
02. Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield (METALLICA)
03. Angus & Malcolm Young (AC/DC)
04. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
05. Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)
06. Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)
07. Dimebag Darrell (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN)
08. Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)
09. Adam Jones (TOOL)
10. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER)
11. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN)
12. Jimi Hendrix
13. Glen Tipton & K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST)
14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)
15. Slash (GUNS N' ROSES)
16. Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW)
17. Yngwie Malmsteen
18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)
19. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (MEGADETH)
20. Chuck Schuldiner (DEATH)
21. Brian May (QUEEN)
22. Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO)
23. Nigel Tufnel (SPINAL TAP)
24. Jeff Beck
25. Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)
26. Head & Munky (KORN)
27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)
28. Kim Thayil (SOUNDGARDEN)
29. Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD)
30. Daron Malakian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN)
31. Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)
32. Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST)
33. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE)
34. C.C. Deville
35. Marten Hagström & Fredrik Thorndendal (MESHUGGAH)
36. Alex Lifeson (RUSH)
37. Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG, RACER X)
38. Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS)
39. Mantas (VENOM)
40. Jason Becker (DAVE LEE ROTH)
41. Phil Collen & Steve Clarke (DEF LEPPARD)
42. Mikael Åkerfeldt & Peter Lindgren (OPETH)
43. Fast Eddie Clarke (MOTÖRHEAD)
44. Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME)
45. Warren DeMartini (RATT)
46. Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE)
47. George Lynch (DOKKEN)
48. Ted Nugent
49. Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS)
50. Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth (SCORPIONS)
51. Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth (MAYHEM)
52. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (THIN LIZZY)
53. Steve Vai (DAVE LEE ROTH)
54. Reb Beach (WINGER, DOKKEN)
55. Trey Azagthoth (MORBID ANGEL)
56. John Sykes (THIN LIZZY, BLUE MURDER)
57. Hank Shermann & Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE)
58. Richie Sambora (BON JOVI)
59. Jon Donais & Matt Backhand (SHADOWS FALL)
60. Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)
61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)
62. Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD)
63. John Christ (DANZIG)
64. Scott "Wino" Weinrich (THE OBSESSED)
65. Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman (C.O.C.)
66. Tommy Victor (PRONG)
67. Leslie West (MOUNTAIN)
68. Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR)
69. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (ALICE COOPER)
70. Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad (IN FLAMES)
71. Jim Matheos (FATES WARNING)
72. Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt (EXODUS)
73. Donald Buck Dharma Roeser (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT)
74. Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY)
75. Robert Fripp (KING CRIMSON)
76. Andre Olbrich (BLIND GUARDIAN)
77. Joe Satriani
78. Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch (TESLA)
79. Ty Tabor (KING'S X)
80. Mark Morton & Will Adler (LAMB OF GOD)
81. Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY)
82. Pete Townshend (THE WHO)
83. Jon Schaffer (ICED EARTH)
84. Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS)
85. Neil Young
86. Abbath Doom Occulta (IMMORTAL)
87. Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY)
88. Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid (ENTOMBED)
89. Leigh Stephens (BLUE CHEER)
90. Jim Martin (FAITH NO MORE)
91. Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X)
92. Bill Steer (CARCASS)
93. Piggy (VOIVOD)
94. Tony Bourge (BUDGIE)
95. Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN)
96. Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM)
97. Akira Takasaki (LOUDNESS)
98. Michael Angelo
99. John Kay & Michael Monarh (STEPPENWOLF)
100. Nick Bowcott (GRIM REAPER)


From BlabberMouth.Net

 

[hiddenlegions]

09. Adam Jones (TOOL)
20. Chuck Schuldiner (DEATH)



Tool over Death ??? Whatever


04. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
05. Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)




That's awesome , Randy Rhoads being that close to #1 rules. I'm sure everyone will see that entire list differently from the next person so it makes no sense to really argue but some of those are mind boggling.


61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)

There are about 30 people above them that should be below this guitar team.

 

[Super Mahrio]

oh my fucking god...NO JEFF LOOMIS? i am gonna kill someone...

 

[Lies and Perfidy]

No Loomis = boo.

The Slayer random-tapping duo above TIPTON AND MOTHERFUCKING DOWNING? Jon "GALLOP GALLOP GALLOP LEADS ARE FOR POSEURS!" Schaffer above Alexi Laiho? CC Deville above ANYBODY?

Bleargh.

 

[Super Mahrio]

LOL Reuben! no kidding!

 

[one man]

Alex and Eric on 61st place- that's a total fucking disgrace! Behind Korn, SOAD and Deftones? Give me a break! And Hetfield\Hammet on 2nd position. Isn't that a little too high? Anyway, seeing how much commercial shit is on this list, it's good that the testament guys were included at all

 

[Edgecrusher666]

what the fuck ....... it´s a disgrace that people like head & munky are even mentioned ...... and some have only recorded a few records and are seen as one of the best 100 guitarists ??? Shadow´s Fall ? Lamb Of God ? I mean, I like these bands but would never say their guitarists are among the best 100 of the whole rock business. This list sucks.

 

[Officer Nice]

Hetfield and Hammett are higher on the list than Jimmy fuckin Page?
Bull---shit.

Some of those guys dont even belong on the list.
That mag knows nothing of heavy metal.

 

[Stun]

I've never read a list like this from any mag ever that was close to reality. It's opinion, I know, but it's obvious that ppl are judging the bands along with the guitarists, instead of just the guitarist. I mean, it's so stupid that they count guitarists in the same band as one fucking person.

And I couldn't help but notice that Neil Young is more "heavy metal" than 'Abbath Doom Occulta'...

Oh... it also looks like Deftones' guitarist is more "metal" then Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson put together. I guess you learn something new everyday.

 

[stefan86]

Schuldiner at 20 and no Loomis? What is this shite?

Edit: And what the FUCK is Tolkki doing on the list?

 

[soulflypl]

No Loomis, No Murphy, No SteveS, Alex&Eric 61
- this list doesn't count for me

 

[Deadly Embrace]

60. Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)
61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)


Chuck Billy's Cousin over Testament.........

 

[Vic Rattlehead]

Well at least its better than their 100 greatest guitarists of all time or whatever from a few months ago. The list is still pretty fucking warped (Alex and Eric that low, what the fuck!), but at least it actually has some good people on the list this time.

Edit- I just noticed Nigel Tufnel is on there and beat out Scott Ian, what the shit?

 

[xAm_I_Evilx]

as was already said....this list may not be the best....but its about 100 times better than that shitty Rolling Stone list.....

 

[Larf03]

oh my fucking god...NO JEFF LOOMIS? i am gonna kill someone...

...No Jeff Waters either??? mmmmmm...
Flaky list!!!

 

[swissman]

This list is such a bunch of crap. There are many more that should be on there but aren't and not in the right order. Looks like they pulled some names out of their ass.

 

[MindInsane]

Fuckin' retarded list...Jeff and Kerry definitely should not be above Alex and Eric....they would be the first to admit that that is a load of shite!

 

[Steiner]

Korn has a guitarist?

 

[Reverand Joint Smoker]

No Calvert and Loccerio (sp)?

 

[Larf03]

Korn has a guitarist?