# A question with no single answer Type "Who is the #1 guitarist of all time?" into Google, and you will start a war in the comments section of any forum. It is the most hotly debated topic in music history. Some people value pure technical shredding. Some value songwriting. Some value the ability to make a single note cry. Because music is entirely subjective art, not an Olympic sport, there is no objective metric to measure a "winner." Most historical rankings return to one name. ## Why Jimi Hendrix is often ranked first When publications such as *Rolling Stone* and *Guitar World* rank the greatest guitarists of all time, **Jimi Hendrix** often takes the number one spot. ### Why Hendrix? Hendrix expanded the sounds and techniques associated with electric guitar. He approached the instrument, effects and amplifier as one system. He manipulated feedback and distortion, popularised wah-wah and fuzz pedals, and combined rhythm and lead playing in a style rooted in R&B. He did this during a mainstream recording career that lasted barely four years. ## Other names in the conversation Other influential electric guitarists often appear near him on those lists: - **Eddie Van Halen:** He did to the 80s what Hendrix did to the 60s. He popularized two-handed tapping and built a tone ("The Brown Sound") that every rock guitarist has chased for forty years. - **Jimmy Page:** A major influence on heavy rock riffing and studio production through his work with Led Zeppelin. - **Stevie Ray Vaughan:** His aggressive sound and technique helped bring blues to a new audience in the 1980s. - **B.B. King:** Known for his vibrato and ability to give a single note a clear emotional weight. ## Why the ranking is not very useful Debating who the "best" guitarist is will not make you a better player. Beginners may ask this question because they want one player to study. Studying several players gives you a wider set of ideas. The greatest players drew from several influences and developed a recognisable sound. Stevie Ray Vaughan combined ideas from Albert King and Hendrix. Eddie Van Halen was trying to sound like Eric Clapton playing a distorted synthesizer. ### The guitarist worth studying The #1 guitarist of all time is **the one who makes you want to pick up the instrument and practice**. If John Mayer makes you want to learn chords, he is your #1. If James Hetfield makes you want to buy an amp and turn it to 10, he is your #1.

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