RS Top 250 Guitar Players Ever

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tikited said:
Eric Clapton at #35. That is all I need to know about this list.
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DrunkDons said:
No kidding. Plus George Harrison at 31? Prince at 14?
Absolutely ridiculous that Mark Knopfler isn't even in the top 75?????
Also, John Mayer at 31 is completely disrespectful to arguably the best modern day guitarist.

If you thought this list was bad, go look at their best albums of all time list...spoiler, it's even worse.
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After looking at the list again, while I would have Clapton higher, I'm not as offended and it's not at egregious as I originally thought.

For starters, as far as playing ability alone I think he's arguably only the 3rd best Yardbird behind Jimmy Page & Jeff Beck. Others that are better in that aspect are Hendrix, BB King, Buddy Guy, Prince and for my money Stevie Ray Vaughan. Robert Johnson & Chuck Berry were also trail blazers and have no issue with ranking them ahead of EC.

So strict guitar playing he's border line Top 10.

Now add this criteria:

We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game changing albums, not just impressive playing.

For me that easily places artists like Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards & Neil Young ahead of Slow Hand and several more. I would have a hard time putting him in the Top 20. I would give an edge to Pete Townsend too who was ranked just behind Clapton at #37.

Does Clapton have even 1 game changing full album? 461 Ocean Boulevard maybe, but even as a fan I find myself really only listening to his Crossroads Box Set.

Just ahead of him in the 30s are Jerry Garcia, Brian May, Jack White & George Harrison. I really have zero problem with putting him behind all those dudes considering how influential & proficient they are respectively.
 

There are no wrong answers...we like what we like:

1. Jimi (Hendrix Experience)
2. Eddie (Van Halen)
3. Jimmy Page (Zeppelin)
4. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
5. Tom Morello (Rage/Audioslave)
6. Adam Jones (Tool)
7. Randy Rhoads (Ozzy)
8. Kerry King (Slayer)
9. Slash (GNR)
10. Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
 

Ope3 said:
After looking at the list again, while I would have Clapton higher, I'm not as offended and it's not at egregious as I originally thought.

For starters, as far as playing ability alone I think he's arguably only the 3rd best Yardbird behind Jimmy Page & Jeff Beck. Others that are better in that aspect are Hendrix, BB King, Buddy Guy, Prince and for my money Stevie Ray Vaughan. Robert Johnson & Chuck Berry were also trail blazers and have no issue with ranking them ahead of EC.

So strict guitar playing he's border line Top 10.

Now add this criteria:

We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game changing albums, not just impressive playing.

For me that easily places artists like Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards & Neil Young ahead of Slow Hand and several more. I would have a hard time putting him in the Top 20. I would give an edge to Pete Townsend too who was ranked just behind Clapton at #37.

Does Clapton have even 1 game changing full album? 461 Ocean Boulevard maybe, but even as a fan I find myself really only listening to his Crossroads Box Set.

Just ahead of him in the 30s are Jerry Garcia, Brian May, Jack White & George Harrison. I really have zero problem with putting him behind all those dudes considering how influential & proficient they are respectively.
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Rolling Stone had Clapton number two or three the last time they did this. Now in the 30's? The explanation was Covid views.

I still consider him one of the most important players ever. He did everything before the 80's even hit and still was able to remain relevant into the late 90's.

Derek and the Dominos was a masterpiece.
 
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to me, it's really difficult to rank people in different genres. Hard Rock - Blues - Jam Bands - Punk - Funk .......each genre requires guitar players to assume different roles. Pete Townsend in The Who doesn't do a lot of flashy solos. Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir in the Dead would play off each other for 10 or 20-minute jams. so which is "better?"

for me, the job of a guitar player is to do what the song requires. Townsend is doing what he needs to do, just as Jerry and Bob did that for the Dead.

is David Gilmour's work on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" better than Duane Allman's work on "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed?" I don't know and I really don't care. I'm just happy that both exist for me to enjoy.
 



tikited said:
Rolling Stone had Clapton number two or three the last time they did this. Now in the 30's? The explanation was Covid views.

I still consider him one of the most important players ever. He did everything before the 80's even hit and still was able to remain relevant into the late 90's.

Derek and the Dominos was a masterpiece.
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I never saw the previous list, maybe the criteria changed?

The COVID thing shouldn't be held against him, but I don't doubt it probably factored in the ranking itself, not just the comments in the article.

Honest question: If Hendrix is undoubtedly #1, would you rate Clapton ahead of the other Yardbird all timers, Page or Beck?

No wrong answer, but personally I wouldn't.
 

Ope3 said:
I never saw the previous list, maybe the criteria changed?

The COVID thing shouldn't be held against him, but I don't doubt it probably factored in the ranking itself, not just the comments in the article.

Honest question: If Hendrix is undoubtedly #1, would you rate Clapton ahead of the other Yardbird all timers, Page or Beck?

No wrong answer, but personally I wouldn't.
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All very close.

Clapton had the longest career by far and was the most versatile. Blues, psychedelic, Rock, country Rock, etc..

Page was in the best band of the three by far.

Beck was the best player but never had even close to the success as the other two.
 

Ope3 said:
I never saw the previous list, maybe the criteria changed?

The COVID thing shouldn't be held against him, but I don't doubt it probably factored in the ranking itself, not just the comments in the article.

Honest question: If Hendrix is undoubtedly #1, would you rate Clapton ahead of the other Yardbird all timers, Page or Beck?

No wrong answer, but personally I wouldn't.
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Very well reasoned. Basically splitting hairs, all uber talented. So is everyone in the Top 50.

The Edge at #47 also seems undervalued.

Fun reigniting the discussion, all on the basis posting a photo of #s 160 last night.

Speaking of the Deals specifically, watching them live for the first time in about 30 years, they do have the chops.

Even as a fan when I saw the list originally, I was sort of skeptical. I think of Kim as a bassist first from her Pixie tenure. Kelley was also pretty much a novice when they started the Breeders project, so that was my preconceived notion.

Totally buy it now.
 




tikited said:
Hot take. Duane Allman would have surpassed all of them if it wasn't for his early death.
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I don't think Duane (24 yrs old at death) could ever usurp Jimi, who was only 27 himself when he passed.

Another couple of decades of Stevie (35) would have been something thrilling. I really think he was just starting to scratch the surface.
 


Ope3 said:
I don't think Duane (24 yrs old at death) could ever usurp Jimi, who was only 27 himself when he passed.

Another couple of decades of Stevie (35) would have been something thrilling. I really think he was just starting to scratch the surface.
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I feel like Jimi would have disappeared from the scene at some point. Or maybe turned to jazz or strictly the blues. I doubt he would have stuck with the rock scene for very long. Just my thoughts.
 



#134 in action tonight at Third Man Records-The Blue Room in Nashville.

Bob Mould

IMG_20241015_210930336~2.jpg
 
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#63 in action earlier this evening at The Fitzgerald in St Paul.

Richard Thompson

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At age 75, he still has it both electric and acoustic. He also referenced #134 whose photo is directly above this post.
 
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Django Reinhardt at 70 is criminal.

The omission of Terry Kath should be enough to shut down RS for eternity. He died at only 31.

“Around that time in the late ’60s, Chicago played a few shows with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Like pretty much everyone who came to see the band perform, Hendrix was mesmerised by Kath’s guitar playing, going so far as to claim that he thought the Chicago guitarist played six strings better than he did, naming Kath the “best guitarist in the universe”. High praise indeed.”

faroutmagazine.co.uk

The only guitarist Jimi Hendrix called the “best in the universe”

Dead at just 31, Terry Kath of Chicago left a stunning legacy in his wake. Even Jimi Hendrix went so far as to name him the greatest in "the universe."
faroutmagazine.co.uk faroutmagazine.co.uk

I am no big fan of the band Chicago, but he was amazing.

 

Unregistered User said:
Django Reinhardt at 70 is criminal.

The omission of Terry Kath should be enough to shut down RS for eternity. He died at only 31.

“Around that time in the late ’60s, Chicago played a few shows with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Like pretty much everyone who came to see the band perform, Hendrix was mesmerised by Kath’s guitar playing, going so far as to claim that he thought the Chicago guitarist played six strings better than he did, naming Kath the “best guitarist in the universe”. High praise indeed.”

faroutmagazine.co.uk

The only guitarist Jimi Hendrix called the “best in the universe”

Dead at just 31, Terry Kath of Chicago left a stunning legacy in his wake. Even Jimi Hendrix went so far as to name him the greatest in "the universe."
faroutmagazine.co.uk faroutmagazine.co.uk

I am no big fan of the band Chicago, but he was amazing.

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Terry was great. Another example of why the list is a joke.
 

on Chicago's first album, "Chicago Transit Authority," there is a track titled "Free Form Guitar." it's basically a guitar solo by Terry Kath that runs almost 7 minutes long - and it's nuts.

Kath gave Chicago some real rock-n-roll chops. the band changed after Kath died in what has been termed an accidental shooting (he was fooling around with a gun and shot himself in the head - apparently didn't think the gun was loaded).

without Kath, Chicago turned into a MOR group with Peter Cetera doing a lot of ballads. But their first 3 studio albums are really solid.
 

Ope3 said:
#115 in action earlier tonight in Omaha, NE with Wilco.

Nels Cline
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#115 in action earlier tonight in St. Paul with Wilco on the pedal steel.

Nels Cline

IMG_20241213_201404958~2.jpg
 
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Ope3 said:
#115 in action earlier tonight in St. Paul with Wilco on the pedal steel.

Nels Cline
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#115 again in action earlier tonight for Wilco Show 2.

Nels Cline

IMG_20241214_202345217~2.jpg
 
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During Covid I learned how to pay the chorus to redbone’s come and get your love. I didn’t do it well but it was fun.
 


Ope3 said:
#115 again in action earlier tonight for Wilco Show 2.

Nels Cline
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Three-peat Wilco weekend for#115. What a pleasure, got to enjoy him play around 100 completely different songs for 8+ hours.

Nels Cline

IMG_20241215_203640786~2.jpg

It was epically epic.
 
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