Let’s be honest. Whenever a magazine drops a "best of" list, it’s basically an invitation for a bar fight. But when the Rolling Stones top guitarists of all time list hit the stands recently, the internet didn't just argue—it kind of melted down. People were genuinely shocked.
Look, we all know the usual suspects. Jimi Hendrix is the perennial king. Eric Clapton is "God." Jimmy Page built the house of hard rock. But the 2023 update of this legendary list took a massive detour from the 2011 version. It wasn't just a reshuffle; it was a total identity crisis for the publication. They moved away from the "old white guys with Marshall stacks" vibe and tried to embrace something broader.
It’s messy. It’s controversial. And honestly? It’s probably more accurate to how music actually works today, even if it leaves some classic rock purists screaming into their record collections.
The Hendrix Supremacy and the Top 10 Shuffle
Jimi Hendrix still sits at number one. Obviously. If they moved him, the magazine would probably have to shut down. Hendrix isn't just a guitarist; he’s the person who figured out that the electric guitar wasn't just a louder acoustic, but a completely different beast capable of sounding like a dive-bombing plane or a choir of angels.
But look past Jimi.
The 2023 Rolling Stones top guitarists of all time list put Chuck Berry at number two. That’s a statement. It’s the editors saying, "Hey, technique is cool, but if you didn't invent the vocabulary, you don't get the silver medal." Jimmy Page followed at three, with Keith Richards and Jeff Beck rounding out the top five.
Wait. Where’s Eddie Van Halen?
He’s at number four. This was a huge jump. In previous iterations, EVH was often relegated to the "shredder" category, but the world has finally realized that the man was a pop genius who just happened to play the guitar like an alien. He changed the physical way people held the instrument. If you go to a Guitar Center today, you’re still hearing the ripples of "Eruption," for better or worse.
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The Sister Rosetta Tharpe Factor
This is where things get interesting. One of the biggest shifts in the modern ranking was the elevation of Sister Rosetta Tharpe to number six. A lot of casual fans went, "Who?"
That’s exactly the point.
Tharpe was playing distorted, biting electric blues-rock in the 1930s and 40s—well before Elvis or Chuck Berry were household names. Seeing her jump into the top ten wasn't just "woke" editing; it was a historical correction. If you listen to her 1944 hit "Strange Things Happening Every Day," you can hear the DNA of every rock riff ever written. It’s gritty. It’s loud. It’s fundamentally rock and roll.
Why Technical Skill Isn't Everything Anymore
The biggest complaint about the Rolling Stones top guitarists of all time is usually: "But [Insert Name] can play faster than [Insert Name]!"
Rolling Stone has never cared about speed. If they did, Yngwie Malmsteen would be in the top ten. He isn't. Neither is Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. This list rewards influence and songwriting.
Take Kurt Cobain. He’s on the list (number 88 in the new version). Is he a "better" guitarist than a studio pro who can play jazz fusion in 7/8 time? Technically, no. But Kurt’s three-chord progressions changed the entire trajectory of the 90s. He made the guitar feel accessible again. He prioritized the "crunch" and the emotion over the scale.
Then you have Nile Rodgers. The man is a human hit machine. His "chucking" rhythm style is the heartbeat of disco and funk. Including him (he’s way up there at number seven now) shows that the magazine is finally acknowledging that rhythm guitar is just as vital as the flashy solo. Without Nile, you don't have "Le Freak." You don't have "Get Lucky." You don't have half of the pop hits of the last forty years.
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The Snubs That Hurt
You can’t talk about this list without mentioning who got left behind.
- Joe Bonamassa: The guy sells out arenas and is a walking encyclopedia of tone. He’s nowhere to be found.
- Neal Schon: The Journey legend has some of the most melodic solos in history. Ignored.
- Derek Trucks: While he is on the list, many feel he’s ranked way too low for someone who is arguably the greatest slide player living today.
The reality is that these lists are subjective. They’re meant to be provocative. Rolling Stone wants you to tweet angrily about why Slash (number 105) is ranked lower than Joni Mitchell (number 9).
Actually, let's talk about Joni. Putting her in the top ten was a massive swing. Most people think of her as a folk singer. But if you talk to actual pros—people like Pat Metheny—they’ll tell you her use of alternate tunings is some of the most complex, brilliant guitar work ever recorded. She didn't play "standard" guitar; she invented her own language. That’s the kind of "expert" nuance the new list tries to highlight.
How to Actually Use This List
Don't treat the Rolling Stones top guitarists of all time as a definitive Bible. It’s a discovery tool.
If you see a name you don’t recognize, like Elizabeth Cotten (number 15), don’t get mad that she’s above your favorite metal god. Go listen to her. She was a left-handed player who played a right-handed guitar upside down, picking the bass lines with her fingers and the melody with her thumb. It’s called "Cotten picking," and it’s beautiful.
The value of these rankings isn't the number next to the name. It’s the rabbit hole it sends you down.
Modern Icons Making the Cut
The list also started recognizing that guitar isn't dead—it just sounds different. St. Vincent (Annie Clark) is on there. Tosin Abasi from Animals as Leaders made the cut, representing the "prog-metal" side of things. H.E.R. is in there because she’s bringing the "guitar hero" vibe back to R&B.
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It’s easy to be a curmudgeon and say, "They don't make 'em like they used to." And sure, nobody is ever going to be another Duane Allman. But the instrument is evolving. The 2023 list reflects a world where the guitar is a tool for texture and atmosphere, not just a phallic symbol for a twenty-minute solo in a stadium.
The Bottom Line on the Rankings
The Rolling Stones top guitarists of all time list is always going to be a snapshot of a moment. In 2011, that moment was obsessed with the 60s and 70s. In 2023 and beyond, the moment is about diversity, historical correction, and "vibes."
Is Prince (number 14) better than David Gilmour (number 28)? Depends on if you want a funk explosion or a soaring, psychedelic journey through a Pink Floyd track.
There is no "better." There is only "different."
If you want to dive deeper into these legends, start by looking at the specific gear they used. Tone isn't just in the fingers; it's in the weird combinations of pedals and amps. Research the "Woman Tone" of Eric Clapton or the "Brown Sound" of Van Halen. That’s where the real education begins.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Listen to the "Big Three" Transitions: Compare Jimi Hendrix’s "Voodoo Child" with Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s "Up Above My Head" and Joni Mitchell’s "Coyote." You’ll see the massive range of what the magazine considers "top tier" playing.
- Check the Credits: Next time you hear a song you like, look up the session guitarist. Often, the people who actually played on the hits aren't the ones on the magazine covers.
- Experiment with Tunings: If you play, try a Joni Mitchell open tuning (like Open D: D-A-D-F#-A-D). It will fundamentally change how you view the fretboard and might help you understand why she’s ranked so high.
- Track the Evolution: Watch live footage of Jeff Beck from the 60s versus his later work in the 2000s. He was one of the few who never stopped getting better, which is why he’s a staple in every version of this list.
The debate will never end, and that's kind of the point. As long as people are arguing about who the greatest is, the guitar is still the most relevant instrument in the world.