The greatest ever guitar legends

11 January 2020, 11:00 | Updated: 11 January 2020, 11:01

We celebrate some of the best ever axemen, plank spankers and fretboard noodlers...

1. Jimmy Page

   The legendary axeman with the equally legendary Led Zeppelin, Page was the natural successor to Hendrix as the ultimate showman guitarist, often using a violin bow to get an incredible sound. Greatest moment: the chugging riff to Whole Lotta Love.

   

   Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (Official Music Video)

2. Keith Richards

   The Human Riff that's powered The Rolling Stones since 1962. Greatest moment: The spellbinding intro to Jumpin' Jack Flash.

   

   The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash (1968) (stereo)

3. Brian May

   The Queen guitarist gets his trademark sound from the home-made Red Special that he plays, wringing all kinds of miraculous sounds out of it. Greatest moment: the gear change from hard rock power chords to the luscious, weeping final notes of Bohemian Rhapsody.

   

   Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (Official Video Remastered)

4. Jimi Hendrix

   The guvnor. The greatest guitarist in rock? Certainly the greatest left-handed guitarist (sorry Macca). Greatest moment: The fade-in, wah-wah intro of Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

   

   Jimi Hendrix 'Voodoo Child' (Slight Return)

5. Matt Bellamy

   The man who absorbs guitar solos from space for Muse. Greatest moment: All of Knights Of Cydonia.

   

   Muse - Knights Of Cydonia (Video)

6. Slash

   Or, Saul Hudson as he's known to his mum. The top-hatted, curly-haired guitar machine from Guns N'Roses and latterly Slash's Snakepit. Greatest moment: The opening riff of Sweet Child O'Mine.

   

   Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (Alternate Version)

7. Jack White

   Channelling the spirit of a great blues man, White is a one-man riff machine. Greatest moment: The relentless riffage of Black Math.

   

   The White Stripes - Black Math

8. Graham Coxon

   The six-string virtuoso of Blur, who carved a solo career from a series of unique solo albums. Greatest moment: The slamming riff to Song 2.

   

   Blur - Song 2

9. Johnny Marr

   The man behind the music of The Smiths and a thousand great riffs. Greatest moment: The opening chords of Bigmouth Strikes Again.

   

   The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again

10. John Squire

    The art and soul (sorry) of The Stone Roses. Likes painting, too. Greatest moment: The wah-wah freak-out of I Am The Resurrection.

    

    The Stone Roses - I am the Resurrection (audio only)

11. Noel Gallagher

    Not showy or flashy - just reliable and graceful. Greatest moment: The solo to Live Forever.

    

    Oasis - Live Forever - Official Video

12. Serge Pizzorno

    Kasabian's master of the strings. Greatest moment: The glam stomp of Shoot The Runner.

    

    Kasabian - Shoot The Runner (Safe Version)

13. Peter Buck

    R.E.M.'s guitarist, who inspired a thousand musical careers. Greatest moment: The confident swagger that introduces What's The Frequency Kenneth?

    

    R.E.M. - What's The Frequency, Kenneth? (Official Music Video)

14. Josh Homme

    The man that drives Queens Of The Stone Age towards rock awesomeness. Greatest moment: Guitar used as a blunt weapon in No One Knows.

    

    Queens Of The Stone Age - No One Knows (Official Music Video)

15. Billie Joe Armstrong

    The powerhouse behind Green Day. Greatest moment: The punk rock riffage of American Idiot.

    

    Green Day - American Idiot [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

16. Bernard Butler

    The teenage sensation gained fame with Suede, but left in 1994 to become a solo artist and guitarist for hire. Greatest moment: The glittering intro to Animal Nitrate.

    

    Suede - Animal Nitrate