The following is a list of significant lead guitarists, arranged in alphabetical order by last name. For rhythm guitarists see list of rhythm guitarists.
A
Tosin Abasi (Animals As Leaders) "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (Pantera, Damageplan, Rebel Meets Rebel) John Abercrombie Ryan Adams (The Cardinals) Marcus Adoro (Eraserheads) Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) Fredrik Åkesson (Arch Enemy, Opeth) Jan Akkerman (Focus) Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio) Johnny Alegre Art Alexakis (Everclear) Paul Allender (Cradle of Filth) Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers Band) Lee Altus (Exodus, Heathen) Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon) Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy, Armageddon, Dark Tranquillity) Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass) Trey Anastasio (Phish) Al Anderson (Bob Marley and the Wailers) Emma Anderson (Lush) Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney) Apostolis Anthimos (SBB) Daniel Antonsson (Dimension Zero, Soilwork) Redouane Aouameur Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day, Pinhead Gunpowder) Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy, Transplants, Rancid) Rob Arnold (Chimaira) DJ Ashba (Sixx:A.M., Guns N' Roses) Ron Asheton (The Stooges) Chet Atkins Berton Averre (The Knack)
B
Ayub Bachchu (Love Runs Blind) Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman–Turner Overdrive) Dave Bainbridge (Iona) Dave Baksh (Sum 41, Brown Brigade) Russ Ballard (Argent) Terry Balsamo (Evanescence) Perry Bamonte (The Cure) Peter Banks (Yes, Flash) Carl Barat (The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things) Marcelo Barbosa (Angra) Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd) Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo) Tyler Bates (Marilyn Manson) Michael Angelo Batio Reb Beach (Winger, Dokken, Whitesnake) Norman Beaker Corey Beaulieu (Trivium) Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, Beck, Bogert & Appice) Jason Becker (David Lee Roth, Cacophony) Franny Beecher (Bill Haley & His Comets) Adrian Belew Andy Bell (Ride, Hurricane #1, Oasis, Beady Eye) Carl Bell (Fuel) Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy) Matt Bellamy (Muse) George Benson Chuck Berry Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme, Rihanna) Dickey Betts (The Allman Brothers Band) Jason Bieler (Saigon Kick) Simon Binks (Australian Crawl) Jón Þór Birgisson (Sigur Rós) Anders Björler (At the Gates, The Haunted) Ira Black (Vio-lence) Frank Blackfire (Kreator, Sodom) Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night) Doug Blair (W.A.S.P.) Nate Blasdell (I Set My Friends on Fire) Mike Bloomfield Marc Bolan (T. Rex) Tommy Bolin (Zephyr, The James Gang, Deep Purple) Joe Bonamassa Marc Bonilla (Keith Emerson) D. Boon (Minutemen) Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit, Black Light Burns) Johnny Borrell (Razorlight) Carlton Bost (Orgy) Mick Box (Uriah Heep) James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers) Vito Bratta (White Lion) Creed Bratton (The Grass Roots) Chris Broderick (Megadeth, Nevermore, Jag Panzer) Devin Bronson Joel Bogen (Toyah) Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney) Ben Bruce (Asking Alexandria) Roy Buchanan Peter Buck (R.E.M.) Rob Buck (10,000 Maniacs) Buckethead (Praxis, Guns N' Roses, C2B3) Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) Jonny Buckland (Coldplay) Bumblefoot (Guns N' Roses) Vinny Burns (Ten) James Burton John Butler (The John Butler Trio) Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper) Roddy Byers (The Specials)
C
Ernie C (Body Count) Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's) Al Caiola Randy California (Spirit) Toy Caldwell (The Marshall Tucker Band), Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) Phil Campbell (Motörhead) Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard) Mike Campese Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) Captain Sensible (The Damned) Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) Perfecto de Castro (Rivermaya) Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot) Danny Cedrone (Bill Haley & His Comets) Gustavo Cerati (Soda Stereo) Nic Cester (Jet) Ross Childress (Collective Soul) Charlie Christian John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Dinosaurs) Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominos) Gary Clark Jr. Steve Clark (Def Leppard) "Fast" Eddie Clarke (Motörhead) Dave "Clem" Clempson (Colosseum, Humble Pie) Michael Clifford (5 Seconds of Summer) Nels Cline (Nels Cline Trio, The Nels Cline Singers, Banyan, Wilco) Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) Phil Collen (Def Leppard) Albert Collins Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Nathan Connolly (Snow Patrol) Ry Cooder Kyle Cook (Matchbox Twenty) Rusty Cooley John Corabi (Ratt) Lanny Cordola (Giuffria, House of Lords, Magdalen) Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins) Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers) Graham Coxon (Blur) Robert Cray Paul Crook (Anthrax, Sebastian Bach, Meat Loaf, Marya Roxx) Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.'s) Robbin Crosby (Ratt) Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.)
D
Denis D'Amour (Voivod) Dick Dale Brody Dalle (The Distillers, Spinnerette) Adam "Nergal" Darski (Behemoth) Dave Davies (The Kinks) Mahyar Dean (Angband) Paul Dean (Loverboy) Gene Deer Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche) Isaac Delahaye (Epica) Tiago Della Vega Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) Tom DeLonge (Blink-182, Box Car Racer, Angels & Airwaves) Brad Delson (Linkin Park) Warren DeMartini (Ratt) Leonard Dembo Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Vio-lence) Britt "Lightning" Denaro (Vixen) Rick Derringer (The McCoys, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter) C.C. DeVille (Poison) Don Devore (Amazing Baby) Buck Dharma (Blue Öyster Cult) Al Di Meola (Go) Bo Diddley Carl Dixon Ian D'Sa (Billy Talent) Dave Dobbyn (Th' Dudes, DD Smash) Joe Dolce Dan Donegan (Disturbed) Abbath Doom Occulta (Immortal, I) Dr. Know (Bad Brains) OL Drake (Evile) Jake Dreyer (Iced Earth) Oscar Dronjak (Ceremonial Oath) Glen Drover (King Diamond, Megadeth, Eidolon) Billy Duffy (The Cult) Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (Venom) Bob Dylan Teddy Diaz (The Dawn) Perf De Castro (Rivermaya)
E
Ronnie Earl Elliot Easton (The Cars) Duane Eddy The Edge (U2) Lu Edmonds (Public Image Limited) Nokie Edwards (The Ventures) Mike Einziger (Incubus) Tripp Eisen (Dope, Static-X) Tinsley Ellis Stefan Elmgren (HammerFall) Matt Embree (The Sound Of Animals Fighting, Rx Bandits) Tommy Emmanuel Rik Emmett (Triumph) Niklas Engelin Thomas Erak (The Fall Of Troy) Eric Erlandson (Hole, RRIICCEE) Kevin Eubanks (The Tonight Show Band) Mike Elgar (Rivermaya)
F
Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad) Tim Farriss (INXS) Josh Farro (Paramore) Don Felder (The Eagles) Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House, Finn Brothers) Roger Fisher (Heart) Vic Flick (John Barry Seven) John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) Lita Ford (The Runaways) Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) Dave Fortman (Ugly Kid Joe) Oz Fox (Stryper) Peter Frampton (Humble Pie) Bruce Franklin (Trouble) Lars Frederiksen (Rancid) Ace Frehley (Kiss) Glenn Frey (The Eagles) Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony) Robert Fripp (King Crimson) Fred Frith Bill Frisell John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) Vim Fuego (Bad News) Koichi Fukuda (Static-X) Jim Fuller (Surfaris)
G
Gus G. (Dream Evil, Firewind, Nightrage, Ozzy Osbourne) Steve Gaines (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Galder (Dimmu Borgir) Noel Gallagher (Oasis) Rory Gallagher Anthony Gallo (Suicidal Tendencies) Cliff Gallup Frank Gambale (Chick Corea Elektric Band) Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) Roopam Garg Kyle Gass (Tenacious D) Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold, Pinkly Smooth) J. Geils Björn Gelotte (In Flames) Rocky George (Cro-Mags, Suicidal Tendencies) Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) Sascha Gerstner (Helloween, ex-Freedom Call) Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big) Vince Gill Brad Gillis (Night Ranger, Ozzy Osbourne) David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Greg Ginn (Black Flag) Hamish Glencross (My Dying Bride) Craig Goldy (Giuffria, Dio, Rough Cutt) Matt Good (From First to Last) Myles Goodwyn (April Wine) Pier Gonella (Mastercastle-Necrodeath) Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy, 21 Guns) Guthrie Govan (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson) The Great Kat Gary Green (Gentle Giant) Grant Green Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) Brian Greenway (April Wine, Mashmakhan) Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile) Luther Grosvenor (Spooky Tooth, Mott the Hoople) Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns, Brides of Destruction, Contraband) Buddy Guy
H
Steve Hackett (Genesis) Merle Haggard Danielle Haim (Haim) Ollie Halsall (Patto, Tempest) Kirk Hammett (Exodus, Metallica) Albert Hammond, Jr. (The Strokes) Jeff Hanneman (Slayer) Kai Hansen (Helloween, Gamma Ray) Randy Hansen Blake Harnage (VersaEmerge) George Harrison (The Beatles, Traveling Wilburys) PJ Harvey Juliana Hatfield Dan Hawkins (The Darkness, Stone Gods) Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) Pete Haycock (Climax Blues Band) Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule) Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) Eddie Hazel (Parliament-Funkadelic) Jeff Healey Helmuth Jimi Hendrix Leon Hendrix Jimmy Herring (Widespread Panic) Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks, Bad Religion) Tony Hicks (The Hollies) hide (X Japan) Dave Hill (Slade) Brent Hinds (Mastodon) Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss) Hisashi (Glay) Hizaki (Versailles, Jupiter) Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation) Gary Hoey Wolf Hoffmann (Accept) Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) Randy Holden Allan Holdsworth Buddy Holly Esa Holopainen (Amorphis) Gary Holt (Exodus) Jason Hook (Five Finger Death Punch) John Lee Hooker Matt Hoopes (Relient K) Jerry Horton (Papa Roach) Tomoyasu Hotei (Boøwy, Complex) Jimmy Hotz Rowland S. Howard Steve Howe (Yes, Asia) Bill Hudson (Cellador, Power Quest) Jon Hume (Evermore) Charlie Hunter
I
Chris Impellitteri Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell) Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers) Poison Ivy (The Cramps) Izzy Stradlin (Guns N' Roses) Kenneth Ilagan (The Dawn)
J Matthias Jabs (Scorpions) Ramon Jacinto Tito Jackson (The Jackson 5) Jakko M. Jakszyk Colin James Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Blotted Science) John 5 Bob Johnson (Steeleye Span) Eric Johnson Kelly Johnson (Girlschool) Lonnie Johnson Wilko Johnson (Dr Feelgood) Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) Kevin Jonas (Jonas Brothers) Adam Jones (Tool) Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones) Danny Jones (McFly) Mick Jones (The Clash) Mick Jones (Foreigner, Spooky Tooth) Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) Stanley Jordan Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots)
K
Kapil Srivastava Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) Terry Kath (Chicago) Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group) Phil Keaggy (Glass Harp) Tom Keifer (Cinderella) Tim Kelly (Slaughter) Ken (L'Arc-en-Ciel) Alan Kendall (The Bee Gees) Myles Kennedy (The Mayfield Four) Albert King B. B. King Ben King (The Yardbirds) Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Strawberry Alarm Clock) Kerry King (Slayer) Danny Kirwan (Fleetwood Mac) Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers) Bob Klose (Pink Floyd) Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) Kaan Korad Joel Kosche (Collective Soul) Paul Kossoff (Free) Richie Kotzen Ivan Kral Rocky Kramer Wayne Kramer (MC5) Robby Krieger (The Doors) Richard Kruspe (Rammstein) Tad Kubler Jan Kuehnemund (Vixen) Bruce Kulick (Kiss)
L
Bernie LaBarge (David Clayton-Thomas) Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom, Bodom After Midnight) Greg Lake (Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson) Larry LaLonde (Possessed, Primus) Sonny Landreth Shawn Lane Jonny Lang Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) Andrew Latimer (Camel) Ronni Le Tekrø (TNT) Bernie Leadon (The Eagles) Alvin Lee (Ten Years After) Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne, Badlands) Duke Levine Herman Li (DragonForce) Alex Lifeson (Rush) Jani Liimatainen (Sonata Arctica, Altaria) Peter Lindgren (Opeth) Rudy Linka Lori Linstruth James Litherland (Colosseum, Mogul Thrash) Kerry Livgren (Kansas) Glenn Ljungström (In Flames, HammerFall) Nils Lofgren (E Street Band) Karl Logan (Manowar) Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore) César "Vampiro" López (Maná, Azul Violeta, Jaguares) Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth, Angra)