50 best guitarists in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2024)

Where does Eddie Van Halen, seen here playing asignature EVH Wolfgang guitar, rank among the all-time greats? (Matt Bruck)

Troy L. Smith, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's the instrument most associated with rock and roll. It's also one of the handful of things on Earth that's undeniably cool as hell.

The guitar has been the centerpiece of music since the early days, from acoustic-driven folk and blues to British rock and heavy metal. And one place to celebrate the best axe men of all time is, not surprisingly, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

For this list, we only considered guitarists that have been INDUCTED into the Rock Hall. That rules out players whose bands aren't quite eligible yet (Tom Morello, Jonny Greenwood, Jack White, etc.) and snubs like Link Wray, Robert Fripp of King Crimsons, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.

We present our picks for the 50 greatest guitarists among the Rock Hall's inductees based on influence, skill, musicality and showmanship. Judge us if you must.

Val Wimer

50. T-Bone Walker

There isn’t a guitarist on this list that wasn’t influenced by T-Bone Walker. Simply put, the art of the guitar solo didn’t exist before him.

Best riff: "Mean Old World"

Matt Sayles

49. Mike McCready

Pearl Jam has been one of the most consistent bands of the past 25 years. Its backbone is McCready’s guitar playing. A clear disciple of Mike Bloomfield, McCready can (and has) take any Pearl Jam track and elevate it to soaring heights.

Best riff: The solo on "Alive" is one of the all time greats.

48. Curtis Mayfield

With roots in Chicago sound, Mayfield stood out from the pack with six-string playing that was downright mesmerizing. His fusion of funk and soul can still be heard in some of the best guitar bands of today.

Best riff: "Move on Up"

Peter Morrison

47. Joe Walsh

Walsh joining the Eagles completely reshaped the band, giving them an edge that wasn’t there before. And while he’s most identified with the Eagles, go back to James Gang and Barnstorm to hear some of his most inventive material.

Best riff: It's a tie between James Gang's"Funk #49" and Walsh's work with Don Felder on "Hotel California."

46. Bonnie Raitt

Women are often underrepresented when it comes to listing the great guitar players of all time (We admit this list is guilty of it as well). Raitt is one of the few who routinely gets credit for her slide guitar playing, which compliments her brilliant songwriting ability.

Best riff: "Love me Like a Man"

Claude Paris

45. Nile Rodgers

With his primary band Chic often being associated with the disco era, it’s easy to forget just how magical Nile Rodgers’ guitar work was. There’s a reason his riffs have been sampled time and time again.

Best riff: "Good Times"

44. John Frusciante

To realize Frusciante’s impact on Red Hot Chili Peppers after he joined the band, all you have to do is listen to the band’s landmark album “Blood Sugar Sex Magik.” His first run with RHCP lasted just four years, but it was magical. It’s worth noting he returned for what many consider the Chili Peppers’ second best album “Californication.”

Best riff: Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Under the Bridge"

43. Muddy Waters

While Jimi Hendrix re-invented the guitar sound, he was influenced by his predecessors. The chief among them was Muddy Waters, whose style was the bridge between Delta blues and rock music.

Best riff: "Rollin' Stone"

42. Peter Green

For mainstream music fans, Green might be one of the lesser known members of Fleetwood Mac. But before leaving the band, Green became an essential part of the British blues movement. Few players ever had better tone.

Greatest riff: "The Supernatural"

Jeff Daly

41. Nancy Wilson

Wilson could deliver stadium guitar work that would hold its own with the big bands of the 1970s and 1980s. No wonder Heart drew comparisons to Led Zeppelin.

Best riff:"Crazy On You," a song remarkable for both its acoustic and electric guitar work.

Robb Cohen

40. Neal Schon

Perhaps the most underrated guitarist on this list, Schon showcased his skill long before he became the leader of Journey. This is a guy who held his own in Santana. Schon became known for his melodic riffs that would aid some of the catchiest songs of all time.

Best riff: Journey's"Stone In Love" is a blistering showcase.

Chris Pizzello

39. Neil Young

Young has never been a master technician on guitar. But he plays with emotion that has come to define some of his best songs. If guitar parts were measured in passion (maybe they should be), Young would be higher up on this list.

Best riff: "Like a Hurricane"

Raven Records

38. Mike Bloomfield

Rolling Stone once called Mike Bloomfield the world’s greatest forgotten guitar hero. Bloomfield was essential to bringing blues to suburban audience through his amazing work with Paul Butterfield Blues Band as well as Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited.”

Best riff: Al Kooper & Mike Bloomfield's "Albert's Shuffle"

Barry Thumma

37. Chet Atkins

Atkins was one of the most influential instrumentalists of all time. Not only did he master the guitar, but also the banjo, fiddle and ukulele. He was also the mastermind behind the Nashville sound that made country music what it is.

Best riff:"Yakety Axe." The name says it all.

Sony Legacy

36. Robert Johnson

It’s said that Johnson once made a pact with Satan in order to obtain his guitar playing skills. Whether you buy that or not, he’s without a doubt one of the most influential musicians of all time. Everyone from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan and Peter Green was influenced by Johnson’s pioneering of blues.

Best riff:"Kind Hearted Woman Blues." Johnson's first recording is still something to marvel at.

Eagle Rock Entertainment

35. Ritchie Blackmore

As a member of both Deep Purple and Rainbow, Blackmore is responsible for some of the most iconic heavy metal guitar riffs of all time. And even if he only ever played on Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water,” he’d have an argument for this list.

Best riff: "Smoke on the Water"

34. Jerry Garcia

There may never have been a better improvisational guitarist than Jerry Garcia, a trait needed when you’re performing live with The Grateful Dead. When Garcia played a solo, it was as part of a unit that perfected the art of trading off sounds in a live setting. It was amazing to watch.

Best riff: "Bertha"

33. The Edge

The Edge doesn’t play a lot of notes. But the ones he does, he plays the heck out of. During the 1980s, The Edge’s guitar playing became revolutionary and inventive, elevating U2’s sound.

Best riff: U2 - "I Will Follow"

32. Slash

Has anything in music ever been cooler than Slash with a guitar? You want to hate him, but it’s hard to, considering how memorable his solos are. Just remember that the opening riff in “Sweet Child O’ Mine” began as something Slash was fooling around with during practice.

Best riff:"November Rain" might be Axl Rose's magnum opus, but Slash's guitar (and epic solo) is the driving force.

Jan Pitman

31. Angus Young

Young drew criticism for the simplicity of his guitar work and AC/DC’s songs. But they didn’t have to be complex when the sounds were so powerful. For the most part, Young was delivering forceful blues in hard format, borrowing from the likes of Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker.

Best riff: What else but "Back In Black?"

Jae C. Hong

30. Billy Gibbons

Where many guitarists changed their styles heading into the 1980s, Billy Gibbons remained true to his Texas roots. Sure, you remember ZZ Top’s 1980s hits. But Gibbons earned respect in the music world long before that, opening for the likes of Jimi Hendrix in earlier bands.

Best riff: ZZ Top's "La Grange"

29. Eddie Hazel

George Clinton would be the first to tell you Hazel was the masterful force behind just about every hit tune he created, starting with The Parliaments during the late 1960s. By the time they became Funkadelic, Hazel’s work was bordering on transcendent. Just listen to the stunning “Super Stupid” from "Maggot Brain" (You might want to sit down first).

Best riff: "Super Stupid."

Jeff Christensen

28. Bo Diddley

Keith Richards once famously said he stole everything he did from Chuck Berry. But he also stole a lot from Bo Diddley. The man known as “The Originator” got his title because his guitar style became the go-to for a rock and roll format that was transitioning from the blues. Whether you were a funk band, punk rock outfit or perfecting the blues, Diddley was the place to start.

Best riff:"Mona" is the song many British rock bands gravitated towards.

Mark Humphrey

27. James Burton

The list of legends James Burton played with is staggering: Elvis, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, so on and so on. As the hottest session player of the 1960s, Burton helped establish what guitar rock was in the States.

Best riff: Burton's solo on Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou" is one of the most influential pieces of music of the 1960s.

Kirk West

26. Dickey Betts

Playing alongside Duane Allman will certainly get you overlooked at times. But make no mistake, few could play better than Dickey Betts. His guitar work soared on some of the Allman Brothers Band’s best songs and his partnership with Duane transformed the art of dual guitars.

Best riff: Betts wrote The Allman Brothers Band's epic instrumental"Jessica," which he played using only two fingers on the left hand.

Andrew Harnik

25. Steve Cropper

As the guitarist for Stax Records house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Cropper played behind everyone from Otis Redding and Johnnie Taylor to Sam & Dave. In fact, it was Cropper’s playing that made various soul hits appealing to British bands like The Beatles would cover them early in the career.

Best riff: You'll recognize it as soon as you hear it...Booker T & the MG's - "Green Onions"

24. Scotty Moore

There are a lot of memorable guitar parts on Elvis Presley’s huge hits and most of them are played by Scotty Moore. The legendary guitarist and engineer was essential to Presley’s famed Sun Records recordings of the 1950s.

Best riff:"Hound Dog" or"Heartbreak Hotel." Neither will do you wrong.

23. George Harrison

Harrison rarely dazzled. He was more the backbone of the Beatles sound, rather than the standout part of it. But few artists in history could write or play a precise guitar part like Harrison. He was as innovative as they get and his band’s music showed it.

Best riff: You're probably thinking "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." But that's actually a standout for session player Eric Clapton. Harrison shines more with his melodic tones on "Here Comes the Sun."

Nousha Salimi

22. Kirk Hammett

The power of a Hammett guitar solo was enough to destroy you, as it often did. It didn’t matter if he was going the thrash route on Metallica’s early stuff or seemingly setting the world on fire with some of the band’s most well-known tunes.

Best riff: The solo on"One" is a tour de force.

21. Frank Zappa

Believe it or not, Zappa is often underrated as a guitarist. He was a true genius with some of the more soulful guitar playing you’ll ever here. And while he could compose with the best of them, Zappa could hold his own from an improvisation standpoint. His collection of solos is on par with the all-time greats.

Best riff: "Black Napkins" would lay the blueprint for 1980s metal guitar.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fa

20. Freddie King

Many a great guitarist tried to copy Freddie King, because his form of the blues were just so raw. His solos sounded different than anything else around, inspiring the likes of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. He died somewhat young, but King’s impact has lasted forever.

Best riff: "I Love the Woman"

Associated Booking Corp

19. Albert King

If you think Jimi Hendrix got familiar with the blues all by his lonesome, you’d be wrong. He borrowed a lot from Albert King, who took the genre and made it into an electric wonderland. Like Hendrix, King played with his own unique style that would inspire thousands of guitarists to come.

Best riff: No matter what version of this you hear (there's one with Stevie Ray Vaughan), "Overall Junction" oozes cool.

Richard Drew

18. Les Paul

The man who invented the most iconic guitar of all time certainly knew how to play the heck out it. Les Paul’s influence is undeniable, crafting guitar driven pop hits in the 1940s and 1950s that would inspire some of the greatest musicians of all time.

Best riff: "How High the Moon"

Sean Dempsey

17. Brian May

When you think of Queen, you think of Freddie Mercury (and rightfully so). But it’s Brian May’s ambition and daring guitar playing that has defined the band since the onset. His collection of memorable guitar parts are all over the map. While you can easily recall “Bohemian Rhapsody,” that should only be the starting point.

Best riff: "Keep Yourself Alive"

Chris Pizzello

16. Keith Richards

Richards didn’t need a solo to wow you (Though he could certainly deliver one). His guitar parts and melodies on the most legendary Rolling Stones songs were enough to stun. Obviously, he copied Chuck Berry. But don’t sell Richards short. His was the work of a true superstar, with notes that would become part of you upon hearing them.

Best riff: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." And with one three-note riff, a legend was born.

Chris O'Mears

15. Prince

If there’s a guitarist in history that could match Jimi Hendrix in terms of showmanship it may have been Prince. He was a true performer who, when he wanted to, could make quite the case for being the best guitarist alive on tracks like “I’m Yours,” “U Got the Look” and “When Doves Cry.”

Best riff: "Purple Rain" is the best guitar ballad ever created.

Kathy Willens

14. Carlos Santana

Everything about Carlos Santana’s playing seems larger than life. Much of that has to do with his mix of influences, as he blended Latin sounds with thrilling blues. As was once said on an episode of “Freaks and Geeks,” Santana was so good they named the band after the guitarist.

Best riff: "Oye Como Va"

Amy Harris

13. Tony Iommi

And so it was written -- The foundation of true heavy metal would be created on the injured fingers of Tony Iommi. There’s a reason Black Sabbath’s riffs still pack a wallop and it’s all Iommi, who made you feel every sound to your core. Every metal guitarist who came after copied him because they had no other choice.

Best riff: Lots to choose from, but "Iron Man" is iconic.

12. David Gilmour

Pink Floyd’s music had a dream like quality to it. So maybe it was Gilmour’s destiny to wake you up with his astonishing solos. When you think of inventive guitarists who came after (See: The Edge), they got that from Gilmour, who could wow you with stunning echo effects.

Best riff: "Comfortably Numb"

Gary Stewart

11. Pete Townshend

When you think of the most iconic images of people playing guitars, Pete Townshend has quite a few of them. Whether he was doing his trademark windmill or shattering a guitar after a performance, Townshend put his entire body into playing and the music was epic as a result. His work could be simple or some of the most complex stuff you’d ever here. Either way, you couldn’t get it out of your head.

Best riff: The acoustic and electric combination of "Pinball Wizard" is hard to beat.

James A. Finley

10. Chuck Berry

There’s no single guitarist more responsible for the defined sound of rock and roll than Chuck Berry. He mastered it all and influenced everyone by doing so. Countless musicians latched on to everything about Berry, from his musicianship to his stage presence. Even the most accomplished of guitar players, the likes of Keith Richards, Jeff Beck and Neil Young, were turned into fanboys around Berry. He was the godfather of rock and roll.

Best riff: "Johnny B. Goode"

Marty Lederhandler

9. Stevie Ray Vaughan

In retrospect, it’s kind of crazy to think that it took so long for Stevie Ray Vaughan to make it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Any guy that can cover a Hendrix song and make it his own is a true guitar god. Having reinvented Texas blues, you could take SVR’s entire “Texas Flood” album and use it to teach classes on how to play the instrument. And he may be the most influential guitarist on today’s crop of great players, from Gary Clark Jr. to John Mayer.

Best riff: "Texas Flood"

Julie Jacobson

8. Buddy Guy

Forget the fact that he influenced more artists on the top-10 in this list than anyone else. Buddy Guy’s true legendary status can be shown in how much other great guitarists were intimidated to get on stage with him. He was (and still is) that good, because he never wasted a note.

Best riff: "Born to Play Guitar." Does any track sum it up better?

Harry Scull Jr.

7. B.B. King

Influenced by the likes of Robert Johnson and T-Bone Walker, B.B. King more than lived up to the legend of those who impacted him as a guitar player. He could bend a string to make you feel it, while crafting blues that came in short bursts of magic. Few could play with King’s level of emotion, which made him a favorite for future generations.

Best riff: "The Thrill Is Gone"

6. Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck on guitar was super human. His technique was as great as anyone who has ever touched the instrument. But it was in the live setting where he could merge that ability with serious passion and emotion. And he had the ability to take classics and make them his own, most notably Willie Dixon’s “I Ain’t Superstitious,” which finds Beck’s guitar punching you in the gut on repeat.

Best riff: "Beck's Bolero"

Veronica Farley

5. Jimmy Page

There are those who will tell you that Jimmy Page is a thief. He allegedly stole some of Led Zeppelin’s biggest songs and guitar parts from other bands. But damn if he ain’t the greatest thief in music history. Zeppelin became the biggest band in the world on the strength of Page’s riffs: From the way “Dazed and Confused” shifts and bends to the sex appeal of “Whole Lotta Love” to the way “When the Levee Breaks” sounds like the end of the world is coming.

Best riff: There's "Black Dog," "Kashmir" and "Communication Breakdown." But how can you not go with the solo on "Stairway to Heaven."

Ron Frehm

4. Eric Clapton

Unlike most of the other players on this list, Clapton has hits that don’t necessarily have anything to do with his guitar skills. But don’t ever forget how amazing he was on the instrument. From Cream and Derek and the Dominos to his amazing stuff with the John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, there’s a musicality that’s unmatched. He’s as versatile as it gets.

Best riff: A lot to choose from, but "Crossroads" feels like his ultimate tune.

3. Duane Allman

Eric Clapton said of Duane Allman that he never heard better rock guitar playing. Clapton may be right. Duane’s slide guitar defies logic, as one of the most powerful instruments in the history of music. He all but consumes Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla” and nearly demolishes Boz Scaggs’ “Loan Me a Dime.” Of course, it’s the Allman Brothers Band’s work you remember most, including the flawless masterpiece that is “Statesboro Blues.”

Best riff: If you want to try something you maybe haven't heard, check out Allman's brilliant session work on Wilson Pickett's cover of "Hey Jude."

Ric Francis

2. Eddie Van Halen

He’s a wizard whose tricks and flashy play never overwhelmed a single song he played on. Eddie Van Halen’s career is full of trademark riffs that most guitarists would beg to have, like the unforgettable solo on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” But Van Halen was innovative to the point where he became the most influential guitarist of his era, popularizing two-handed tapping on “Eruption” and bringing echo tricks into the mainstream on “Cathedral.”

Best riff: "Eruption"

Troy L. Smith, Cleveland.com

Honorable Mentions

• Mick Taylor
• Joe Perry
• Steve Howe
• Stephen Stills
• Alex Lifeson
• Ernie Isley
• John Fogerty
• Kurt Cobain
• John Lee Hooker
• Carl Perkins

Before we get to No.1 (which is pretty obvious), we wanted to point out how hard this list was to make by mentioning guitarists that narrowly missed out. From pioneers and legends like Carl Perkins and John Lee Hooker to the likes of Kurt Cobain, Alex Lifeson and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, who would have been No.51.

1. Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix had it all, from the ability to write hit songs to the technical skills on guitar (playing a right-handed instrument left-handed) to an unmatched sense of showmanship. He took blues from their roots and gave future guitarists a blueprint for how to make the instrument soar in a new era. Like Michelangelo with art or Chopin on piano, Hendrix’s ability seemed touched down from heaven. And it was all made perfectly clear right from the start on “Purple Haze.”

Best riff: "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)." If you don't think it's the greatest guitar riff of all time, you're probably just lying to yourself.