I can see how people could argue that the Edge is/isn't a top 10 guitar player. But to dismiss U2 as a band that isn't even "good", means you're on crack.

I can admit Hendrix, Van Halen, Rhoads, Page, Stevie Ray, Clapton, etc...are ALL greats even if I don't LOVE them or put them in MY top 10. But to dismiss the greatness that is U2....

The Edge isn't even a top 10 guitar player in Jersey

I'll be perfectly honest--I consider myself a Beatles fan, but never knew this. That's why I asked about framework--I thought you were comparing Clapton playing Harrison's notes to The Edge's melodies having influence from other sources and that didn't wash, but if Clapton created the guitar work in WMGGW, then I'll admit after 32 years on the planet to being impressed. I love that song and, though it doesn't work at the same emotional depths that most of U2's catalog does for me (to be frank, most of The Beatles work doesn't; I've always thought of them as a band that appeals more to the head, what with their expert musical craftsmanship, and U2 as a band that appeals mostly to the heart, what with their naked passion and force), it does stir feeling, so I'll finally concede that in Clapton's favor. However, if that (composition of a section of a song, not even one song entire) remains his one claim to justified fame in my book after nearly 40 subsequent years, then you'll pardon if I still think of him as the single most overrated musician in rock history.

Uh-greed.

Honestly, none--I feel he's in a class by himself. But as far as the next highest tier of guitar players, I'd go with Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Vernon Reid, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmie Page, Lindsey Buckingham, Chuck Berry, and Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead (as far as the ones that come immediately to mind). Perhaps Kurt Cobain, but my opinion on that is inclined to vary from day to day...

He may may the top 100.

I can see the connection between most of those guitarists to The Edge in the way they approach the instrument, namely Prince and the Radiohead gang. There's some overlap in what guitarists are appealing, just not on our extremes

Just a couple of thoughts here...

1. Is someone suggesting (stating?) that Eric Clapton played guitar (or at least the solo) for the song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on the original "White Album" recording? I ask out of sheer curiousity, as I'm somewhat of a Beatles fan, but certainly not avid...although I'm working on it. I checked my "White Album" liner notes (there aren't any really...just listing who wrote the songs: While My Guitar...Harrison). I didn't see anything in the whole album inlay to suggest that Clapton had anything to do with the song/album.

2. I think in some capacity, it's virtually impossible for anyone to make a best of list if they consider one thing to be absolutely KEY above all else. Some folks think of technical prowess as key, some think classical training, some think evoking emotions are important. For someone to consider "emotional response" to be key and to dismiss technical capability is to ignore an important aspect in overall guitar capability. That's why I'd agree with the one poster who suggested that the only ones who may be "qualified" to rate true "best of" lists are those who do it...ratings by group of peers if you will.

3. When it comes to emotional response (which I love from music/lyrics etc), it's a VERY subjective thing. While I, like others, enjoy U2's music and The Edge's contributions, some of their songs evoke emotion, and others don't. For me, I find Pink Floyd more "emotional" for me...I enjoy Steve Vai and find his slower songs to be very emotional, and probably have emotional reactions to these artists more often and more consistently than I do for U2. So for me and my opinion alone, I find Steve Vai to be a far better guitar player than The Edge. I'm sure there are others who agree with that. I'm sure there are those who totally disagree.

Hell, I'm just glad there's so many different styles and innovators and whatnot out there. That way, we've got choice! So thumbs up to The Edge, thumbs up to Vai...thumbs up to all the music/musicians out there who have ever gotten an emotional response out of me.

Hmmmm, I like The Edge, but I don't think he is top 10 material. However, what I find really sad is that there has been a lot of great guitarists mentioned, and I am the first to bring up Santana. In a thread of great guitar players, he should be there. Hopefully just an oversight by everyone

This is certainly true, but I think you misread me a bit--let's be honest; no guitar player is going to be successful at eliciting an emotional response if he doesn't already have a laudable grasp of technical capability. For me, what separates Edge from the other greats is that he consistently utilizes his command of technique to elicit raw emotions (some exultant, others pained) whereas all the other guitarists mentioned, while admittedly having their random emotional moments, tend to utilize their command of technique to highlight, well, their command of technique.

Clapton is uncredited on the album but definitely played lead on the song.

I'm truly suprised how few people knew clapton was the guitarist on 'my guitar gently weeps'. Not to bash harrison by any means, but I've heard more than once someone say that hearing that song was the only reason they thought harrison could really play. Like he was holding up all of that soloing ability for just one song. Then i correct them :P Anyway, I don't want that comment taken as anti-harrison, he was a great musician.

I really like U2, but I couldn't put him anywhere near top ten. There are a lot more than 10 better just in country music alone including Junior Brown. If you have never heard him you should check him out even if you don't like country music. A few names not mentioned here are Robin Trower, Ted Nugent, Zakk Wylde, Jonny Lang, Vivian Campbell, and George Lynch. I'm not saying that any of these are the best ever, just a few of the many besides others mention already that I think are better than The Edge.

top 10 is a little crowded to put "the edge" into guitar god status. don't get me wrong, i love u2 but i don't even think he's in the top 25.

Filmmaker: sorry...didn't mean to misinterpret etc. I should actually add that of course, in addition to not ignoring/eliminating technical prowess you also cannot eliminate the emotional response category as well. I guess I'd say that someone with technical skill will still elicit emotion often forgoing what one friend of mine refers to as "noodling" on the guitar (ie: cramming lots of notes)...for some folks, that display of technical know how is what will evoke the emotional response!

cungar- thanks...I think I semi knew that he was the soloist on that song, only because of having recently purchased/seen Concert for George...and I think at some point in the "theatrical version" that it was mentioned that it was a gathering and recognizing of several people who contributed to George's/Beatles' music but were never credited because back in those days, you couldn't mention an artist from a different label.

If you were calling it top 10 MVP's(like they do in sports) then for sure the Edge is in the top 10 but "best" is a different story.

Exactly my thoughts.
The influence that The Edge has had on modern guitarists is huge. That's not to be dismissed.

Questions like this are very loaded. I believe that when it comes to music it's really hard to make a greatest of all time list. It's simply just too subjective to each persons taste. There is ofcourse that short list of guitar gods that are just a step above the rest. Guys like Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Clapton just to name a few. Thos guys are considered the cream of the crop because they had that intangable element of being one with a guitar. Now can you really put The Edge on the same step as them? I think not. He'll be lucky to be in the top 500. Two guys that come to mind that I think could play circles around him are Price and John Mayer. Prince is not known for his guitar playing skills but when I saw him live I was blown away at how good he was. And since I have seen John Mayer play live a few times and listened to a couple bootlegs, the man can play. If anyone gets a chance to listen to one of his blues only shows you will see what I mean. But thats just my opinion I could be wrong.

Phil Keaggy.

I agree, on both guys. I think the reason John Mayer and Prince's guitar skills are generally underrated is because they don't show off on their studio work. Sure, John Mayer is known as a guitarist, but mostly for being one of them feel-good acoustic strummers which are a dime a dozen. Prince is known for just his awesome composition and funky riffing. But both, live, are amazing lead (and rhythm) guitarists. They use restraint marvellously on album so their chops don't take away from the song.

That being said, I've never been a big U2 fan so I've never seen or heard the Edge live, so it might be the same situation with him - maybe he's not showing us everything he's got...

I'm not a big fan of John Mayer's music, but I can also attest to his skills. I saw him on Austin City Limits doing some SRV covers, backed by none other than Double Trouble themselves, Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon. EXCELLENT performance!

Agreed with the comments on both Prince and Mayer. Its really amazing how good Prince actually is at the guitar considering that's not what he's known for, and same for Mayer. I saw him jam with clapton, bb king, jimmy vaughn, and buddy guy. The mere fact that he could keep up with this group says a TON, although he was of course shown up. But the fact that he really is so musically inclined, tells me he'll be around for a long time. I wouldn't be at all suprised to see him change the type of music he plays as time goes on, to stay relevant, and because he has the skill to. Personally, I'll be glad if he does change, because I really dislike what he does as of now.

I love U2, don't see The Edge as a top 10 guy. I personally think in terms of stirring emotion, O'Brien and Greenwood of Radiohead shit on him. IMO, Hendrix, Clapton, Rhoades, Paige, Reid, The-Artist-Currently-Known-As-Prince, Van Halen, Hammet, Vai, and the un-mentioned Allen Collins and Slash are ahead of Edgy here. Greenwood too.

But that's me. This is a very opinionated question here, as others have pointed out. I respect all your opinions, I just feel like The Edge is a big part of a well oiled machine. Pull him out and the machine explodes, but he might too.

Since everyone's mentioning favorite guitarists here, I'll add another rock guitarist who was technically more accomplished than Edge: RORY GALLAGHER.

And, if you're judging Edge by his influence, how about the great BILLY GIBBONS of ZZ Top? He has influenced a couple of generations of air guitarists. What redblooded male (or female) hasn't accidentally swerved into another lane because they were too busy "playing" along with a ZZ Top song on their car radio? I remember reading an article about Gibbons once in a guitar magazine in which the reviewer opined that Gibbons' economic playing style was responsible for his not receiving as much recognition for his playing...but that was what the reviewer found most impressive: not a wasted note. Compare that to flashmasters Joe Satriana, Steve Vai, Yngvie Malmsteen, etc....lots of style but often little substance. Of course, comparing different playing styles is apples & oranges...would be hard to compare Cobain to Django, for instance.

I still think of Edge as an excellent guitarist who has helped to define the sound of a great rock band...similar to what PETER BUCK did for REM. However, I wouldn't pay to go see either as a solo performer.

I'd say yes if you break it up into type of guitars. I'm sorry, but I don't think you can come up with ten well-known players of the electric guitar than Edge. I just remember when I was young and Achtung Baby was out, I ran to my grandmother and said, "Listen to this." This is an Old World woman who knows maybe 5 words of English and knows at most 15 American rock songs. She listened and smiled.

So I guess it would be fairer to split into electric guitar, classical/acoustic, and blues guitar. I'm not a guitarist, so I don't even know if that's an accurate "break down".

I'd personally be wary of any list that didn't at least include Robert Johnson, Son House, and/or T. Bone Walker.