51 Guitarists Rolling Stone MISSED on their 250 Greatest Guitarists List 

I think I suggested Tony Macalpine, Bill Frisell, Michael Hedges and Andrés Segovia on the original video - well, one is better than none! Some more names: Mike Keneally, Alex de Grassi.

I’m thinking of john 5

Wot about Paul Kossof?

Andy Timmons

Bill Nelson

Was gunna post this if I didn’t see this, thanks for commenting. Totally agree!

Pretty egregious oversight. Agreed a million times over.

Bothers me that Tyler includes RU-vidrs and professors from his college that nobody knows about and doesn't include one of the GOATs of both technique and innovation. He invented his own harmonic language (like chord scales, wtf), and played things few can copy since he had mammoth hands but a soft touch. Holdsworth, Shawn Lane, Yngwie, and Jason Becker are the "aliens" of guitar, in my opinion. So many have tried to copy them but there's always something missing. There are the modern "aliens" like Govan, Asato, Mancuso, Graham, but Holdsworth is one of the forefathers.

I mean, if you're gonna pit a load of other shred nerds on, you might aswell put the guy who can out shred all of them

agree holdsworth was the best.

Alex was actually #58 on the Rolling Stone list. I think he's top ten but I can live with their placement of him, seeing as they missed Alan Holdsworth entirely , etc

@@C_Melvyn_James Felt the same way, lol. On the original top 100 list he was like 98 or 99, so seeing so many from that list fall in great numbers while he moved up by almost double was nice to see, considering the history with RS and Rush.

In Guitar Worlds readers poll he was ranked 3rd so ya Rolling Stone is lowballing him just like they did with the band.

rose on the list. has he improved that much? shows how stupid their lists are. @@Joseph-vl4uk

@@MsBenlane Not so much improved, but they received input from people who actually know a thing or two about guitars and guitarists for this go around whereas the first list looks like it was made from a couple degenerate beat writers, although this list still sucks. Can't depend on rolling stone to put out content displaying quality musical knowledge. Just a bunch of pretentious people interested in voicing their ignorant stances and critiques on things they act like they know a lot about, but in fact know very little.

You can easily skip 50 guitar players in the snobbish RS list, but there are thousants fenomenal guitarists in this world.

thousands. phenomenal. @@addickkelders2265

Of the ones you mentioned, I would put particular emphasis on Holdsworth, Clark, Campbell and Frampton. And maybe add Tommy Tedesco also.

How could he (or RS) miss Michael Schenker, just to name one, or Felder... Allan Holdsworth too, even if i'm not into his style of music, he's been legendary like forever and in a league of his own.

I agree, Phil Keaggy needs to be on these lists. Someone should do a Rick Beato-style "What makes this guitar player great", starting with Phil. Just listen to one of his earliest records, The Master and the Musician. Virtuoso guitar playing, great tones, amazing melodies, and tremendous range of styles - classical to hard rock.

He’s better than 75% of the people on the RS 250 list. And a super nice guy.

I remember I the ‘80’s and ‘90’s Steve was Guitar Player magazine’s guitarist of the year like six years in a row…

Whenever I come to this discussion somewhere Steve is the first name I mention. His exclusion is unbelievable to me. When I first heard Steve in the Dixie Dregs I kinda forgot about every other guitar player he blew me away. He for me was that player I never thought I'd hear. He became the most important guitar player to me. I'm really blown away that he wasn't included on that list !!

I cannot believe Steve Morse and AllanHoldswprth were not top of mind for Tyler’s list. Very surprising.

Yeah, he belong to the gallery of the greats of Guitar Player . In fact he was too good for too many years for the best player so they shelfed him there. Very nice guy, too. I met him in a guitar clinic in a very small town in Finland (Ikaalinen, he really was there!) in 1990 and he was so nice to amateur players and politely answer all the questions. And also showed his amazing guitar playing.

H.E.R. made the list, so Marcus King should be on it too.

Marcus King, Philip Sayce, Ritchie Kotzen.

BRIAN SETZER!!!! Seriously, so underrated.

Phil Keaggy is one of those guys that is always on those lists of "your favorite guitarist's favorite guitarists".

​@@harveycooke9181not underated. Just under recognized.

Yeah Jerry is very underrated, on a technical level he's 10x better than Kurt Cobain ever was

He's on there. I found a few that are in the 250 and some are sniping that they aren't. Not saying the list is any good really - Ty Tabor isn't and Liz Phair is, even though she was terrible live. Peter Green is in the 250, and his name keeps coming up. There are some folks out there that think Rolling Stone did it this way in order that people would start talking about the magazine again, so I guess it worked?

​@ajmoore2201 I like Kurt too but I agree with you Jerry is way better 100%

He is on there, thank goodness

Peter Green is on the 250 list.

@@mad_cat_1st 😬oops

Jeff Kollman is the guitarist for Cosmosquad.. amazing player

I know! I love Marcus Kings music

Not really but close.

Came for this comment and was not disappointed. 🤘

@@KenGust I never got Dave Matthews and never will.

Relatedly, I'd argue Tool fans are the Dave fans of metal.

No just no, I vomited in my mouth a bit

Same with Steve Wariner. Christ, he was one of Chet Atkins' certified guitar players.

And Keith Urban made the list😂

Look up the video of Brad Paisley and Tommy Emmanuel.

Such a classy player, smooth as butter, tasteful, traditional and understated, but my god he's a beautiful player.

Saw them this past summer. Buck is still great at 75 .

Yup. He’s awesome.

Absolutely!!!!

Supercool phrasing, his solos on Buck's Boogie, I Ain't Got You, 7 Screaming Dizbusters etc. have a swing that has almost completely disappeared from contemporary shredding "technique"

🧡%1000

I just recently learned of Terry. And I’m old. He was freaking absolutely amazing!

He was a beast. I’m a man …I burnt that album to shreds.

Yes, I wondered if I'd missed their entry on Terry Kath; apparently not. They've got Jimi Hendrix at number one, yet Hendrix himself thought Terry Kath might be better than he was. And yet - not even in their top 250!

I don’t like any of his projects at all, not a fan, but he’s damn sure a good guitar player, no denying that. And very influential for sure

Bro, how can you not feature the best guitarist of the decade by Guitar World Magazine...

@@Bardish that’s what I’m screaming, but rolling stone is bout like cosmo as far as music goes

And he sings Sinatra. Dude is truly an artist.

@@nickfrito I agree. Rs is about as rock n roll as the Washington post

Right on

Couldn't agree more I was literally gobsmacked that Chuck wasn't on there. Imo he's the greatest metal musician of all time period And Symbolic imo is the greatest album of all time along with Steely Dan's "Aja"

All these were considered and are the reasons he's not on the list.

@davidgilman5207 have you actually listened to Death? From album Human to Chucks final (and imo his best,)work which was Control Denied,it's some of the greatest metal ever crafted this side of Megadeth(where there are quite a few similarities) not only that it is a very interesting story of one guys perseverance (I'm punny) to create a style of music that we still don't really have an equivalent ,one listen to Control Denied and it's easy to come to the conclusion that we were robbed of the next great band of the 21st century,and a record that Chuck Shuldinger worked on from his death bed to leave A mark and that he did leave,you don't have to like it but any musician that takes a few to listen to any of the albums beginning with Human ,if they are any kind of musician will sure as hell respect it .some of the finest players, especially drummers , Sean Reinert was the key by bringing jazz elements into the with his only appearance in the band but arguably it's most important on Human, after that legendary Gene Hoagland came in and expanded on Sean's infusion of unique time signatures and then after that another legend Richard Christie toed the line three magnificent drummers right in a row and joined one the great fretless bass playing monsters in Steve Digiorgio ,one of my heroes and with an appearance from guys like Andy LaRocque put out some fantastic material, but the guy who put it all together in one of the most unique sounding bands ever was Chuck and his aggress yet at times soulful playing,most get turned off by his vocals but the music itself is so damn good you learn to love it, besides the last album he got singer and the was brilliant, si if you haven't just give it a listen,it's good stuff, peace

@@danzemacabre8899 couldn't have said it better myself

Agree 100%!! My personal #1.

GOD. DAMN. RIGHT.

Great call! I mentioned him in a message I sent a couple days ago, as well. He is just insanely talented on so many levels: riff and song writing, lead playing that may be a Platonic ideal, in its perfect mix of chops/technique, rhythmic confidence and creativity, and phrasing/note selection. Plus, he gets fantastic tones, always (incredibly, some of his best were on the bands first four albums, back in the late 80's/early 90's, a notable era for weak, over processed sounds). And, he's even a talented singer. I met him after a show several years back, and he was also just the nicest, most approachable guy. In every sense, Ty Tabor deserves a ton more recognition. And, seriously, folks, if you have ANY interest in prog metal, and you've never heard "Gretchen Goes to Nebraska" and "Out of the Silent Planet," at a minimum, you NEED to check them out. Actually, be sure to also hear "Moanjam" and "We Were Born to Be Loved," at least, from their "Faith Hope Love" album, as well. On the former, Tabor takes a four minute solo of outrageous creativity and technique, at a super fast tempo. It has to be heard to be believed. And the latter tune features group interplay from the trio that seems genuinely telepathic in the hairpin accent shifts and time changes that they throw in, all through the last quarter of the song. If I hadn't seen them perform it live, I truly wouldn't believe that they could perform it, outside of the studio. What a great band, and what an unheralded giant of a guitarist!

Hell yeah! Ty Tabor. My all-time fave from my all-time favorite band King's X.

For sure

100%

Matt Bellamy should be on the list.

I would add Glenn Campbell also. He was the main guitar player for The Wrecking Crew and for decades was one of the best session guitarists in America.

🙌

YES

!!!

@@Zayphar!!!

And, of course Terry Kath!

100% I'd listened to muse for a while before realizing just how technically amazing he is, while still having an amazing voice and being an amazing songwriter. Ridiculous talent, reminds me of Thom Yorke.

he is only known for studio session work. Don't know if that counts.

Charon is the crewman of the rowboat which carries the souls of sinners across the river Styx to Hell... if you believe that?, then I've got a gigantic arched steel & concrete bridge to sell you in Sydney going for a bargain price. Charon allegedly uses a paddle or oar in his rowboat, a rower yes, a sailor not - is good ol' Charon. (A typically pathetic minor correction & fact I know I'm pedantic person but I can't help my rampant OCD. if any part of this comment upsets or offends anyone or you then Free-Call 1800-EAT-MY-SHIT to complain.) Oh, btw, how on Earth have they missed Tyler Larson from this top 500 list? Tyler Larsen is the undisputed king of... no, he is the undisputed queen of Neo-Egotist-Schlock-Suckcock-Rock from the list. Anybody knows this for a fact!?. Mate, Tyler you are such a name-dropping wanker it's just so grotesque. Tyler Larson deserved to be on this top 500 list - since it's all wrong missing many greats & basically sux so bad? Really, with such an outcry over this shitty list, how Tyler missed out would have broken this egotistical brat inside a bit?.. I hope so anyhow, really how did Tyler miss out being on the list, PRS guitars btw have a disgusting bland 'generic' tone. Peace, respect & have a great day too to you @mrbaris0. 🎸@Didyabringyabongalong Station,🪃Central Queensland,🤘Australia🦘

No idea who that is.

Latvala was better than Alexi tbh

​@@powbobsGuitarist for "Children of Bodom" from Finland.

...do you feel like we do???

no glen campbell? thats insane. and roy? and lee? rick and peter? and the original guitar hero rock star windmiller, steve marriott?

Wes Montgomery was on R.S list ,,think he was 50 or there abouts,,

DeLeo was mentioned several times in the comments of the previous video. He is well appreciated among the community, and definitely should have recieved consideration as a nominee.

Adam Jones was a huge omission, not only on RS's list but in many of the reaction videos and comment threads.

Michael Schenker is probably the greatest living and actively performing guitarist today.

100 percent@@raisinsawdust

MSG's first THREE are great, with the third, Assault Attack, being right up there with the first one. It also has Graham Bonnet on vocals and he delivers with non-stop Dio quality screaming/singing the whole time (what an insane voice). The songs on Assault Attack are phenomenal, even their radio hit on the album, Dancer, which is damn catchy and has a ripping solo. Funny thing about this album, I've been a Schenker fan since 86 when I first heard Force It, and never checked out this album until 30 years later. So weird, I guess I thought it was a live album all that time and assumed it would just be songs I've already heard before. Anyway, checked it out and was blown away. What a treat, Schenker from back in the day heard for the first time in 2016. And yeah, totally agree with you. The guy's phasing and note choices are right up there with the greats, and perhaps even with the great classical composers. His solos are so natural and so vocal, amazing stuff. A true musician.

Just listen to UFO’s Obsession album

@raisinsawdust a guitar players album, for sure. Pack it Up and Go, You Don't Fool Me, One More for The Rodeo, are lick heavy songs that kick ass. The anthemic solo of Only You Can Rock Me, and beautiful solo from Born to Lose. Absolutely, the whole album is wicked good!

Played the Top Gun theme, iconic.

Great addition to the list. Not only a great player, but I could listen to interviews of Steve Stevens all day.

Yes, I agree.

He had some absolute scorching instrumental trio albums awhile back: Bozzio Levin Stevens - check em out!

No,, Vic Flick wasnt on R.S list ,,,only played on some of the greatest songs of the 60's ...another session legend Tommy Tedesco. did make cut in R.S. and havent heard him mentioned on any feedback forum,,,and as someone else mentioned ,,where was Nigel Tufnel???

You get Richie Blackmore's approval to take over Deep Purple and influence Jeff Beck so much he changes his style. You definitely deserve to be on the list.

Damn straight - and I think Private Eyes is an even better Tommy Bolin album.

Tommy Bolin . Dorado Schmitt . Oscar Aleman . Segovia .T-Bone...

I'm a huge Deep Purple fan and Come Taste the Band is one of my favoerite records- really solid playing

Saw Tool live yesterday!! (for the 3rd time)... I love Adam's sound and what he brings to a song but I don't know if he is amongst the 250 best... (Tool is my favourite band BTW!) Danny Carey is probably in the top 10 drummers though...

Of these, the only one that is a certain list member would be Tommy Tedesco. Some of the others I've never heard(that's my bad). Some are a bit genre specific(i.e. Hooker, Rush), so not really GOAT list nominees.

Kessel is on the original Smokey Joe's Cafe (Robins/Coasters). That would get my vote right there.

Yes.

I got to see Leo many years ago and he is a Master. Between songs, he'd change tunings while talking to the audience...plus none of his stuff sounds alike. Hard to do when you're mostly an instrumentalist.

I have been saying the same thing for a while. Nonmusicians still seem to think they are the be all, end all to music journalism. When I say that they haven’t been reliable for a while now people seem to be surprised. I agree with you 100%

Fr😂

They also own RnR Hall of Fame right?

That's a fact homie. Rolling Stone is a fkn woke joke nowadays.

As is the Magazine

Him and issei noro from casiopea would make my list over most of them. Dudes are absolute shredders

Whoa, didn't even notice that Kath wasn't included. Yeah, that's criminal. Agreed on Homme....very original, and has probably done more for rock as a whole than about anyone else in the past two decades.

@@theAreaMan You're never gonna please everyone with a list like that. There will always be people left off, and people ranked too high or too low. Like the guys from Queens and several others.

Josh homme, the king at singing/playing odd shit that sounds killer. A lot of those Queens songs are kinda difficult to sing and play at the same time, it's great tho

Agreed, and such a unique voice. Nobody sounds like him.

George didn't establish himself or have his sound until the 80s

George shreds, should be on any list like this

Agree. Warren DeMartini as well.

I believe Tosin was on the rolling stone list, albeit absurdly low.

And who is Vinnie Moore sitting in for with UFO? A guy who influenced him and more modern guitarists than most of the list combined: Michael Schenker.

Tosin was on the RS list that's why he's not on this video bro.

Exactly! Is put Chris Stapleton on here as well. His stuff isn't the most technically difficult, but his guitar work serves his songs better than 95% of musicians.

And Vince Gill too.

Straight up though, he’s one of my favorite guitarists

No doubt my friend. You should hear Russ when he's just f%ckin' around in his comfort zone jammin' at home or practice. My buddy Mike use to jam with Russ for awhile & some of the stuff I'd hear them come up with was crazy. When they let loose shredding, forgetaboutit. I'd sit there listening like WTF, slow your roll MFer's damn! I was spoiled growing up & jammed with a lot of kick-azz guitarist's in local club/bar bands. Who are well respected in the music industry yet unknown to most in society even though they hear them practically everyday. For instance like Russ AKA "Satchel" my buddy Mike Szuter is also very good friends with Paul Gilbert & plays with Paul off & on his Japan tours. Other pal's like Frank Romano is a session/touring guitarist who's recorded with Justin Timberlake & Usher to J-Lo & Beyonce & Rob Thomas's touring guitarist. Paul Sidoti is Taylor Swift's guitar player. My buddy Mark Reis who's also a kick-azz guitarist took more of the backseat in music as Joe Walsh's guitar tech for the past 25+ years. Tom Bukovac AKA "Uncle Larry" is one of the most sought after Nashville session & touring guitarist's. Buk has played on over 1,300 albums & toured with everyone from Tom Petty & John Fogerty to Vince Gill & Faith Hill. Shhh!! Don't be a tattletale, but what makes Buk the best to me out of the bunch of my bud's is. As busy as he gets at work, he still finds time to pay it forward. By giving free lessons, education & tips & tricks on guitar, different gear & an inside look of what it's really like to be a pro in the music business day to day. Remembering people who helped him & where he came from in order to get to the big stage, so to inspire & help others guitar players coming up in music. Which is what it's all about & cool AF in my book when he doesn't have to do sh!t really. "You're My Boy, Buk!" 😂😜🤣 ++Peace & Rock n' Roll 4 Your Soul My Friends++ 🤘😎🤘

All great players but especially Allan Holdsworth.

@@MercyBlastTV Not only are/were they great, they are/were influential, too!

@@agavalence Totally!

Fyi... Randy Rhodes #21... Adrian/ Murray # 83

Adrian smith and Randy both made the list

I'd enjoy discussing this with you.

Steve Rothery is the reason I started playing guitar 40 years ago.

Yeah, no doubt, while providing vocals!

Hell yeah!

Akerfeldt was my #1 snub. They used to have him and Lindgren on the list as a duo but removed them for some reason. Probably to add more women.

One million votes for Mike

All great but I'd leave off Frampton who albeit is good but not in the same league as the rest of those players who are all so melodic and skillful. Kudos for the inclusion of Dave Gregory!

Michael Hedges and Steve Tibbetts!!

@@justaguy2365 Yes forgot about Michael Hedges. He’s practically the godfather of that style. I’m not familiar with Steve but I’ll check him out

I want Andy Mckee's song 'Into the Ocean' to be the soundtrack to my life.

Love Michael Hedges 👍

Definitely! Preston Reed too.

When I heard how bad Rolling Stones list was I immediately went there to see if he was on there because nobody was mentioning that he wasn’t on there. Crazy how overlooked he is considering he had some of the most well put together riffs across 7 great albums

no so much underrated but under promoted as Frank puts it., see my comment above

I agree!! I love his playing he's the main reason I am so into incubus !!!

There's not one Incubus song I don't find interesting - and thats due Mike, who just drips with imagination and creativity, always playing FOR the song! Great acoustic player, as well! Killer mention, nice work!🎸🎸🎸🎸

bourbon?......what about a Dewar's whisky, the clues in the name ffs

And I am very happy they included Jerry Reed, but no Roy Clark?!?? He would have been an ultimate metal shredder if it had been invented in time for him to play. His rendition of Malaguena is unbelievable.

He should be top 10.

yes he should...............................stupid lists@@mjeh1

I remember seeing Kaki play, I detuned every acoustic I owned and did nothing but slap my guitar for like a year. This was the same time I was listening to Keller Williams and bought my first looper and couldn't stop playing trumpet noises with my mouth. Then Andy McKee came on the scene and made Kaki look like me... I miss 2000

Yup, just look for Billy Corgan Guitar Solo 1985 and you can see an 18-year-old Billy shredding on a Les Paul!

Fingerstyle guitarists seem to be getting short shrift on these lists. Not sure why, since they basically operate as the whole band.

​@@ron88303 It's a shame that fingerstyle gets overlooked. I admire the stuff McKee and Gomm can do - even though I don't really follow their stuff. Many guitarists seem to be influenced by their style and know who they are.