List of lead guitarists
The following is a list of significant lead guitarists, arranged in ascending alphabetical order of their last name.
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A
- Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band, Derek and the Dominos)
- Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio)
- Jan Akkerman (Focus)
- Trey Anastasio (Phish)
- Ace Andres (The X-15s)
- Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
- Bryce Avary (The Rocket Summer)
B
- Aaron Barrett (Reel Big Fish)
- Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd)
- Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds )
- Matthew Bellamy (Muse)
- Chuck Berry
- Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band )
- Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
- James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers)
- Creed Bratton (The Grass Roots)
- Peter Buck ( R.E.M)
- Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
- Jonny Buckland (Coldplay)
- Vinny Burns (Ten)
C
- Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's)
- Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard)
- Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)
- Nic Cester (Jet)
- John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Dinosaurs)
- Eric Clapton
- Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
- Albert Collins
- Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
- Graham Coxon (Blur)
- Robert Cray
- Rivers Cuomo (Weezer)
D
- Dick Dale
- Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
- Dave Davies (The Kinks)
- Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)
- Dave Mustaine (Metallica)
- Dave Mustaine (Panic)
- Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche)
- Brad Delson (Linkin Park)
- Rick Derringer (The McCoys, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter)
- K.K. Downing (Judas Priest)
- Billy Duffy (The Cult)
E
F
- Tim Farriss (INXS)
- Don Felder (Eagles)
- Dave Felton (Mushroomhead)
- Aaron Fink (Breaking Benjamin)
- Glenn Frey Eagles
- Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon)
- Jon Foreman (Switchfoot)
- Ace Frehley (KISS)
- Peter Frampton (Humble Pie)
- Marty Friedman (Megadeth)
- Robert Fripp (King Crimson)
- John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
G
- Gus G. (Dream Evil, Firewind, Nightrage)
- Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
- Rory Gallagher
- Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead )
- Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold)
- Lee Gaze (Lostprophets)
- Janick Gers (Iron Maiden)
- Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
- David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
- Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big)
- Craig Goldy (Giuffria, Dio)
- Gary Green (Gentle Giant)
- Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac )
- Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
H
- Steve Hackett (Genesis)
- Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
- Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes)
- Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)
- George Harrison (The Beatles)
- Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule)
- Jimi Hendrix
- Dave Hill (Slade)
- Gary Hoey
- Matt Hoopes (Relient K)
- Steve Howe (Yes, Asia)
I
J
- Matthias Jabs (Scorpions)
- Eric Johnson
- Adam Jones (Tool)
- Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones)
- Danny Jones (McFly)
- Mick Jones (The Clash)
- Mick Jones (Foreigner, Spooky Tooth)
- [[Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
K
- Alexander Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)
- Ben Kasica (Skillet)
- Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
- David Kennedy (Angels and Airwaves)
- Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Strawberry Alarm Clock)
- Kerry King (Slayer)
- Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
- Paul Kossoff (Free)
- Robby Krieger (The Doors)
- Richard Z. Kruspe (Rammstein)
- Bruce Kulick (KISS)
L
- Bernie LaBarge (David Clayton-Thomas)
- Ronni Le Tekro (TNT)
- Andy LaRocque (King Diamond)
- Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom)
- Roope Latvala (Children of Bodom, Sinergy)
- Alvin Lee (Ten Years After)
- Alex Lifeson (Rush)
- Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol)
- Nils Lofgren (E Street Band)
- George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob)
M
- Benji Madden (Good Charlotte)
- Seamus McMahon Big Tom And The Mainliners
- Tim Mahoney (311)
- Daron Malakian (System of a Down)
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Johnny Marr (The Smiths)
- Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe)
- Hank B. Marvin (The Shadows)
- J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr)
- Hideto Matsumoto (X Japan)
- Tak Matsumoto (B'z )
- Brian May (Queen)
- Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)
- Jimmy McCulloch (Wings, Thunderclap Newman, Stone the Crows, Small Faces, The Dukes)
- John McLaughlin (Shakti)
- Tara McLeod (Kittie)
- Richard McNamara (Embrace)
- Tim Mills (Iced Earth)
- Ronnie Montrose (Gamma)
- Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy )
- Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave)
- Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, Deep Purple)
- Ian Moss (Cold Chisel)
- Cameron Muncey (Jet)
- Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)
- Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)
N
O
P
- Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, The Firm)
- Ryan Peake (Nickelback)
- Axel Rudi Pell
- Luther Perkins (Johnny Cash)
- Joe Perry (Aerosmith, The Joe Perry Project)
- Vicki Peterson (The Bangles)
- John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment)
- Sergio Pizzorno (Kasabian)
- Jade Puget (AFI)
R
- Mick Ralphs (Bad Company, Mott the Hoople)
- Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne)
- Chris Risola (Steelheart)
- Robbie Robertson (The Band)
- Mick Ronson (David Bowie)
- Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
- Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
S
- Dave Sabo (Skid Row)
- Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
- Karl Sanders (Nile)
- Carlos Santana
- Joey Santiago (Pixies)
- Joe Satriani
- Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO)
- Neal Schon (Journey)
- Keith Scott (Bryan Adams)
- Brian Setzer (The Stray Cats)
- Hank Shermann (Mercyful Fate)
- Charlie Simpson (Fightstar, Busted)
- Alex Skolnick (Testament, Trans Siberian Orchestra)
- Slash (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver)
- Snail's Pace Slim (The Hamsters)
- Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
- Robert Smith (The Cure)
- Bruce Springsteen (E Street Band)
- John Squire (The Stone Roses, The Seahorses)
- Leigh Stephens (Blue Cheer, Sister Ray)
- Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)
- Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order)
T
- Mick Taylor (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers)
- Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
- Mick Thomson (Slipknot)
- Richard Thompson
- Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers)
- Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)
- Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance)
- Pete Townshend (The Who)
- Joe Trohman (Fall Out Boy)
- Robin Trower (Procol Harum)
- Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers Band)
V
- Steve Vai
- Nick Valensi (The Strokes)
- Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's)
- Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
- Steve Van Zandt (E Street Band)
- Stevie Ray Vaughan
W
- Joe Walsh (James Gang, Eagles)
- Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman (The Offspring)
- Leslie West (Mountain)
- Nick Wheeler (The All-American Rejects)
- Johnny Winter
- Ron Wood (The Faces)
- Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society)
Y
- Angus Young (AC/DC)
- James Young (Styx)
- Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)