1.Tony Iommi
2.Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield
3.Angus & Malcolm Young
4.Randy Rhoads
5.Eddie Van Halen
6.Jimmy Page
7.Dimebag Darrell
8.Zakk Wylde
9.Adam Jones
10.Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman
-----------------------------
11.Dave Murray & Adrian Smith
12.Jimi Hendrix
13.Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing
14.Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley
15.Slash
16.Ritchie Blackmore
17.Yngwie Malmsteen
18.Joe Perry & Brad Whitford
19.Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman
20.Chuck Schuldiner
-----------------------------
21.Brian May
22.Michael Schenker
23.Nigel Tufnel
24.Jeff Beck
25.Tom Morello
26.James "Munky" Shaffer & Brian "Head" Welch
27.John Petrucci
28.Kim Thayil
29.Vivian Campbell
30.Daron Malakian
-------------------------------
31.Scott Ian
32.Tom G. Warrior
33.Chris DeGarmo & Michael Wilton
34.CC Deville
35.Marten Hagstrom & Fredrik Thordendal
36.Alex Lifeson
37.Paul Gilbert
38.Jerry Cantrell
39.Mantas
40.Jason Becker
------------------------------
41.Phil Collen & Steve Clark
42.Mikael Akerfeldt & Peter Lindgren
43."Fast" Eddie Clarke
44.Nuno Bettencourt
45.Warren DeMartini
46.Mick Mars
47.George Lynch
48.Ted Nugent
49.Jake E. Lee
50.Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth
------------------------------
51.Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth
52.Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson
53.Steve Vai
54.Reb Beach
55.Trey Azagthoth
56.John Sykes
57.Hank Shermann & Michael Denner
58.Richie Sambora
59.Jon Donais & Matt Bachand
60.Stephen Carpenter
------------------------------
61.Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson
62.Brian Tatler
63.John Christ
64.Scott "Wino" Weinrich
65.Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman
66.Tommy Victor
67.Leslie West
68.Vernon Reid
69.Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce
70.Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad
------------------------------
71.Jim Matheos
72.Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt
73.Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser
74.Michael Amott
75.Robert Fripp
76.Andre Olbrich
77.Joe Satriani
78.Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch
79.Ty Tabor
80.Mark Morton & Will Adler
----------------------------
81.Dino Cazares
82.Pete Townshend
83.Jon Schaffer
84.Timo Tolkki
85.Neil Young
86.Abbath Doom Occulta
87.Kai Hansen
88.Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid
89.Leigh Stephens
90.Jim Martin
---------------------------
91.Michael Romeo
92.Bill Steer
93.Piggy
94.Tony Bourge
95.Sammy Hagar
96.Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho
97.Akira Takasaki
98.Michael Angelo
99.John Kay & Michael Monarch
100.Nick Bowcott

Nigel Tufnel
why is a fictional character listed in this list.

Nice to see Nigel Tufnel in the list... at least for his trademark solos.

I pretty much agree with the people in the top 10 but I would have them in a completely different order. I am a long time Pantera fan so Dimebag Darrell is my #1 pick followed closely by Randy Rhoads at #2 and Zakk Wylde at #3.

I know it is only a couple of spots but Tom Morello over John Petrucci? I know TM can do some crazy shit with a guitar but JP could play him under a table and not break a sweat while doing it.

Yeah we were talking about this on the RacerX band forums. C.C. deVille over Paul Gilbert? That's just wrong. I love 'em both but C.C.'s not even in the same galaxy as Gilbert.

I whole-heartedly agree with the number one choice. But I'm not sure how many of those guitar players are actually "metal"...

George Lynch and Nuno Bettencourt should be a whole lot higher and Eddie Van Halen should be #1.

I sure hope that list is printed out of order, if not, then it is pure s**t.


For Christ's sake!!!! They have Nigel Tufnel ranked higher than Jeff Beck!! I love the Spinal Tap movie, but this guy shouldn't be on a list like this. I am shocked this list came from a guitar mag. Did the fans vote on this? This list looks more like a popularity contest, than a list praising guitarists for thier talent. I like most everyone on the list, but they are way out of order in rank of talent.

Wow...crazy list (as they always are).

Nigel and CC higher than everyone below them. I guess going to '11' does work. As for CC....I have seen him play and he was never any good....he flat out could not keep it together - must have been f'd up a lot....not really sure what he was like on record though...so maybe he was better in the studio.

Nuno and Reb Beach...again...do not get any respect.

Some others I do not know...must be from recent bands.

I remember these list from 20 years ago when EVH was always #1.

They are definitely popularity contests....wonder if Iommi as #1 a result from Ozzy's huge popularity in the last few years.

Am I the only who really likes this list? Sure a lot of them aren't very metal but it's a decent list. I'm having a hard time coming up with somebody who should be on the list and isn't. It's refreshing to finally see a list of guitarists where Hendrix isn't #1.

And for those people pissed off that Nigel Tufnel is on the list, did you ever see him in concert? Simply amazing. It's hard for me to listen to Smell The Glove now without all those insane solos.

as a guitarist myself I can honestly say that its a decent list, Jeff Beck isn't a metal guitarist by the way.

I would of liked to seen Zakk a little higher but thats how it goes, he definatly smokes Hammett and Shetfield

Randy Rhoads and Cliff Burton: partners in martyrdom.

82. Pete Townsend

Who?

cleary they struggled finding 100 "metal" guitarists, cuz last time I knew there is no metal in Neil Young!!!!!!

I agree with a lot of the entries, but not the order.

I also feel that Eddie Van Halen is the most overrated guitar player ever and doesn't belong in the top ten. Everything he did sounded exactly the same imo.

Glad to see guys like Adam Jones, Het/Hammett, and Cantrell on the list.

i would have put Marten Hagstrom and Fredrik Thordendal in the top ten. but i also don't have much exposure to a wide variety of metal.

#10, 11, 20

#26 sorry guys, but

must be a popularity contest.

I agree, especially considering who's #27

If Jeff Beck is on this list....and Neil Young....where the hell is Stevie Ray Vaughan...or Clapton??? Neither are metal, but neither is Beck or Young and a few others on the list. Am I the only one that thinks they should be on here given some of the other selections?

Steve Vai is ranked oh so horribly low...it's all popularity.

AND WHERE THE HELL IS PAGE HAMILTON????

Frankly, I think Ace Frehley saw his better days back in the 70's. I can remember him screwing up his solos on the 96 reunion tour However Paul Stanley has been consistantly great and underrated for many years. He's noa solo shredder but he has some great licks and he sounds great on acoustic.

Well, I believe anyone can play like Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield
style.
Now Eddie Van Halen or Jimmy PAge, Jimmi Hendrix is another story.
So this list looks like a A.F.I type list.

Ummm have you ever tried playing Metallica's old stuff. That stuff is really complicated to play.

Pretty good list but where are Anders Bjorler (At the Gates), Devin Townsend, Max Cavalera and Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), David Knudson (Botch), Ben Wienman and Brian Benoit (Dillinger Escape Plan), and Buckethead?

I was glad to see Jerry Cantrell on that list, I always liked his work with Alice in Chains and his solo stuff is great too.