Thunderface
Senior Member
Rolling Stone sought to select the top 100 guitarists by utilizing a panel of guitar players and siginificant others, making a ranking of players based more on signficance and influence rather than just popularity.
Guitar World let their readers decide in a head-to-head tournament type format which basically boils down to a popularity contest and the luck of the draw on who you happen to be facing in what round.
For matters of brevity, and to open things up for discussion, here are the respective top ten lists:
Rolling Stone (rank in Guitar World poll)
1. Jimi Hendrix (6th, lost to Brian May in 6th round)
2. Eric Clapton (28th, lost to Stevie Ray Vaughan in 3rd round)
3. Jimmy Page (6th, lost to Brian May in 5th round)
4. Keith Richards (40th, lost to David Gilmour in 2nd round)
5. Jeff Beck (39th, lost to Brian May in 2nd round)
6. B.B. King (55th, lost to Eric Clapton in 2nd round)
7. Chuck Berry (44th, lost to Angus Young in the 2nd round)
8. Eddie Van Halen (winner, def. Jake E. Lee, Michael Schenker, Slash, Randy Rhoades, Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson and Brian May)
9. Duane Allman (15th, lost to Stevie Ray Vaughn in 4th round)
10. Pete Townshend (65th, lost to Keith Richards in the second round)
Guitar World (rank in Rolling Stone poll)
1. Eddie Valen (8th)
2. Brian May (27th)
3. Alex Lifeson (99th)
4. Jimi Hendrix (1st)
5. Joe Satriani (not ranked)
6. Jimmy Page (3rd)
7. Tony Iommi (25th)
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan (12th)
9. Dimebag Darrell (92nd)
10. Steve Vai (not ranked)
Just goes to show that significance and influence are much different than popularity among a certain segment of people.
And here's a list of some of the notable guitarists who were in Rolling Stone's Top 100 list that weren't even included in the Guitar World reader's tournament -- Bo Diddley, Johnny Ramone, Scotty Moore, Ry Cooder, Prince, The Edge, Steve Cropper, Mick Ronson, Link Wray, Muddy Waters, Johnny Marr, John Lennon, Albert Collins, Peter Green, Robbie Robertson, Duane Eddy, Kurt Cobain, Dick Dale, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Bonnie Raitt, Dave Davies, Paul Simon, Peter Buck and Steve Jones.
Guitar World let their readers decide in a head-to-head tournament type format which basically boils down to a popularity contest and the luck of the draw on who you happen to be facing in what round.
For matters of brevity, and to open things up for discussion, here are the respective top ten lists:
Rolling Stone (rank in Guitar World poll)
1. Jimi Hendrix (6th, lost to Brian May in 6th round)
2. Eric Clapton (28th, lost to Stevie Ray Vaughan in 3rd round)
3. Jimmy Page (6th, lost to Brian May in 5th round)
4. Keith Richards (40th, lost to David Gilmour in 2nd round)
5. Jeff Beck (39th, lost to Brian May in 2nd round)
6. B.B. King (55th, lost to Eric Clapton in 2nd round)
7. Chuck Berry (44th, lost to Angus Young in the 2nd round)
8. Eddie Van Halen (winner, def. Jake E. Lee, Michael Schenker, Slash, Randy Rhoades, Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson and Brian May)
9. Duane Allman (15th, lost to Stevie Ray Vaughn in 4th round)
10. Pete Townshend (65th, lost to Keith Richards in the second round)
Guitar World (rank in Rolling Stone poll)
1. Eddie Valen (8th)
2. Brian May (27th)
3. Alex Lifeson (99th)
4. Jimi Hendrix (1st)
5. Joe Satriani (not ranked)
6. Jimmy Page (3rd)
7. Tony Iommi (25th)
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan (12th)
9. Dimebag Darrell (92nd)
10. Steve Vai (not ranked)
Just goes to show that significance and influence are much different than popularity among a certain segment of people.
And here's a list of some of the notable guitarists who were in Rolling Stone's Top 100 list that weren't even included in the Guitar World reader's tournament -- Bo Diddley, Johnny Ramone, Scotty Moore, Ry Cooder, Prince, The Edge, Steve Cropper, Mick Ronson, Link Wray, Muddy Waters, Johnny Marr, John Lennon, Albert Collins, Peter Green, Robbie Robertson, Duane Eddy, Kurt Cobain, Dick Dale, Joni Mitchell, Willie Nelson, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Bonnie Raitt, Dave Davies, Paul Simon, Peter Buck and Steve Jones.