Welcome to our first-ever Greatest Guitarist poll, where 128 guitarists go head to head, round by round, in a bracketed format, all to crown your choice for the Greatest Guitarist of All Time.
We filled 124 of 128 slots with the names of a host of incredible guitarists (dead and living) — players chosen for their technical ability as well as their importance and creativity, not to mention how influential they've been. We asked you to vote in the final four names, which you did. Now the 128 slots are filled, and we're already well into Round 2.
You might come across one or two interesting style matchups in this poll, which may lead some of you to wonder, "How do you compare a shred guitarist to a blues guitarist?" Aside from how good a player is at his or her given style, here are some things to take into consideration:
• Influence: Who inspired more kids to beg their parents for a guitar for Christmas? Who inspired a wave of copycats?
• Chops/Versatility: Is the guitarist in question a one-trick pony or a master of many styles?
• Body of Work: Who had the more consistent career? Who has played on more classic albums?
• Creativity: Who pioneered new techniques? Who sounds the most radically different from what came before them?
You can check out full results via our regularly updated bracket here.
They shared the cover of the October 2010 issue of Guitar World, but now there's only room enough in town for one of them. Will Alexi Laiho or Zakk Wylde move on to Round 3? Vote now!
Readers Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time — Wylde Vs. LaihoTuesday's matchup saw Billy Gibbons (72.11%) defeat Joe Walsh (27.89%). View the full bracket.
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Zakk Wylde: Guitar Boot Camp (4/10/2013) Okay, maggots, fall in and let the supreme sergeant of shred, Zakk Wylde, show you how to be all you can be with his 100 percent brewtal guitar boot camp! In this classic Guitar World Berzerker Boot Camp lesson from 2004, Zakk tells the story... |
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Zakk Wylde's Book, 'Bringing Metal to the Children,' Coming to Paperback April 9 (3/8/2013) Zakk Wylde's book, Bringing Metal to the Children: The Complete Berzerker’s Guide to World Tour Domination, will be available in paperback April 9. In the book, the Black Label Society guitarist and longtime Ozzy Osbourne axeman shares what rea... |
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Zakk Wylde: my top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time (2/8/2013) Read more about Zakk Wylde: my top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time at MusicRadar.com |
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Zakk Wylde's Brewtality: Pentatonics — Connecting the Dots and Climbing the Neck (1/22/2013) In another entry from his classic Guitar World column, "Brewtality," Zakk Wylde shows you how to connect the dots and move up the neck while playing pentatonic patterns. Welcome to Brewtality No. 3. I’m writing this month’s installment while out... |
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Hole Notes: Zakk Wylde's "Unplugged" Riffs and Hybrid-Picked, Acoustic Shred (1/10/2013) As the Black Label Society’s leader (and Ozzy’s guitarist for more years than anyone else), Zakk Wylde has become infamous for his brew-tal riffage and lethal lead style. Remarkably, though, he also has a soul-stirring softer side. Numerous acou... |
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Guitar Legends: Learn Insider Tips from Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Derek Trucks and More (1/2/2013) In the new Guitar Legends: Play Like a Guitar Wizard, guitar legend Steve Vai checks in from Eastern Europe to provide some insider tips on becoming the ultimate guitar wizard. Other features include: Practicing Voodoo: So you want to play like ... |
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Interview: Zakk Wylde Discusses His Signature Edition Guitar Apprentice Instructional DVDs (11/1/2012) Zakk Wylde has long been known for his guitar pyrotechnics, signature look and over-the-top personality. Beneath all that, however, lies Zakk Wylde the die-hard guitar ambassador. Through his instructional videos, tab books and Guitar World col... |
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Interview: Zakk Wylde on becoming a guitar instructor on DVD (9/27/2012) Over the years, Zakk Wylde has been many things to many people: guitarist, songwriter, producer, actor, clothing designer, devoted husband and father – "Don't forget bed maker and dish washer," he adds with a laugh. And now we can add master gui... |
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Video: Zakk Wylde Announces Signature Edition Guitar Instruction DVDs (9/25/2012) Earlier today, Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde announced his new signature-edition guitar-instruction DVD series. The Zakk Wylde Signature Edition Guitar Apprentice will be available October 1 at Guitar Centers across the country. The se... |
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Zakk Wylde Set to Host Sports Talk Show on SiriusXM (8/22/2012) Earlier today, SiriusXM satellite radio announce that Black Label Society frontman and guitar hero Zakk Wylde will be hosting a weekly talk show centered on sports. Zakk will be joined by Ken Thomson for Wylde on Sports, which is set to debut Se... |
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Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time, Round 3 — Randy Rhoads Vs. Zakk Wylde (8/14/2012) Welcome to our first-ever Greatest Guitarist poll, where 128 guitarists go head to head, round by round, in a bracketed format, all to crown your choice for the Greatest Guitarist of All Time. We filled 124 of 128 slots with the names of a host ... |
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Zakk Wylde Names New Son 'Sabbath' (7/5/2012) From all of us at Guitar World, we'd like to wish riffmeister Zakk Wylde a hearty congratulations on welcoming his fourth child yesterday, July 4. The Independence-day baby has been named Sabbath Page Wielandt Wylde, which quite possibly packs m... |
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