Here is a list of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.  A prerequisite for making this list is that the guitarist must have played for an awesome band.  For example: Joe Satriani is a sick guitarist that produced virtuosic guitar albums; however Chickenfoot is not that awesome.  Same type of thinking goes with Steve Vai; Vai’s best work was not with David Lee Roth.

The guitarists listed below are an invaluable resource to their respective bands and have inspired millions of people worldwide to pick up a guitar for the first time.

Here are the Top 20 Guitarists of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal:

1.  Jimmy Paige (Led Zeppelin)

2.  Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)

3.  Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

4.  John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

5.  Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

6.  Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)

7.  Angus Young (AC/DC)

8.  Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple/Rainbow)

9.  Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big)

10.  Kirk Hammett (Metallica)

11.  Brian May (Queen)

12.  Joe Perry (Aerosmith)

13.  Slash (Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver)

14.  Kerry King/Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)

15.  Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society/Ozzy Osbourne)

16.  George Lynch (Dokken)

17.  Dave Murray/Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

18.  Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold)

19.  Ted Nugent (Ted Nugent)

20.  Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains)