Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Drums Week 25
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Guitar Amps
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Artist news
  • Drums
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Santana on Beck
  • Friday, I'm in Love
  • Knopfler's 4-note secret
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Electric Guitars Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
Brent Hinds plays a bespoke ESP offset live in Mexico as he performs with Mastodon in 2022.
Artists “My mind’s the most cosmic place I could ever visit. All I have to do is zone out and play the guitar, and before you know it, I’ve visited places unheard of”: Remembering Brent Hinds, the maverick who trampled metal guitar underfoot with Mastodon
Brian May and Freddie Mercury in 1980
Artists “I have none of that high-speed technical skill of a Steve Vai or a Joe Satriani”: How Brian May plays off instinct
John McLaughlin
Artists “I don’t have many guitar players’ albums on my iPhone, but Jeff is there”: John McLaughlin on the magic of Jeff Beck
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Otoha holds a blue Fender Strat in a staged setting with neon pink and blue lights overhead.
Artists IDLES, Wet Leg and Sam Fender all graduated from the Fender Next programme – meet its Class of 2025
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $500/£500 in 2025: Affordable electrics
Rob Halford in the Breaking The Law video
Artists “The smashing glass, the police sirens — it’s telling a story with sound”: In a Beatles house, a metal classic was born
Drummers Listen to 11 isolated drum tracks from rock's drumming legends
Spira S-450 TPP
Electric Guitars "Up there as one of the better value for money metal guitars that you can currently buy": Spira S-450 TPP review
Gibson Tony Iommi Humbucker: the all-new humbucker, a reissue of its first-ever signature pickup.
Artists Gibson goes back to the beginning with reissue of its first-ever signature pickup for Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi
James Hetfield
Artists “I spent six months listening only to AC/DC”: How Metallica created their 30 million selling monster hit
Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde onstage in 1989. Both shirtless, Wylde takes a drink as he holds his bulleseye Les Paul Custom.
Artists “We were doing that riff and cracking up laughing the whole time”: Zakk Wylde on how a “joke” riff won Ozzy Osbourne his first ever Grammy
A guitar VST running in Kontakt player on a computer
Plugins Best guitar VSTs 2025: Get the best simulated guitar tones for your next production
Electronic drum set pioneers: Neil Peart
Electronic Drums 11 trailblazing players who raised the bar for electronic and hybrid drumming
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

The 20 Greatest Metal Guitarists Ever

News
By Matthew Parker last updated 14 August 2020

As voted by you, the TG reader

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah)

Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah)

Over 68,000 of you voted and the results of our Greatest Metal Guitarist Ever Poll are now in. There are a few surprises in here to say the least, but the public have spoken and, in this case at least, the public gets what the public wants!

  • Embrace the heavy with our guide to the best metal guitars

Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah)

Proportion of vote: 0.48%

Essential listening: 'Bleed'

Next: Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind) >>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 1 of 20
Page 1 of 20
Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind)

Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind)

Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind)

Proportion of vote: 0.51%

Essential listening: 'Let Me Hear You Scream'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 2 of 20
Page 2 of 20
Kerry King (Slayer)

Kerry King (Slayer)

Kerry King (Slayer)

Proportion of vote: 0.66%

Essential listening: 'Raining Blood'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 3 of 20
Page 3 of 20
Marty Friedman (Megadeth)

Marty Friedman (Megadeth)

Marty Friedman (Megadeth)

Proportion of vote: 1.41%

Essential listening: 'Hangar 18'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 4 of 20
Page 4 of 20
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)

Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)

Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine)

Proportion of vote: 1.44%

Essential listening: 'Killing In The Name'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 5 of 20
Page 5 of 20
Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass)

Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass)

Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass)

Proportion of vote: 1.52%

Essential listening: 'Nemesis'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 6 of 20
Page 6 of 20
Yngwie Malmsteen

Yngwie Malmsteen

Yngwie Malmsteen

Proportion of vote: 1.81%

Essential listening: 'Far Beyond The Sun'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 7 of 20
Page 7 of 20
Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne)

Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne)

Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne)

Proportion of vote: 2.14%

Essential listening: 'Miracle Man'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 8 of 20
Page 8 of 20
Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)

Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)

Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)

Proportion of vote: 2.26%

Essential listening: 'The Trooper'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 9 of 20
Page 9 of 20
Daron Malakian (System Of A Down)

Daron Malakian (System Of A Down)

Daron Malakian (System Of A Down)

Proportion of vote: 2.43%

Essential listening: 'Toxicity'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 10 of 20
Page 10 of 20
Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)

Proportion of vote: 2.77%

Essential listening: 'Crazy Train'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 11 of 20
Page 11 of 20
Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)

Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)

Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)

Proportion of vote: 3.77%

Essential listening: 'Painkiller'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 12 of 20
Page 12 of 20
Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)

Proportion of vote: 4.13%

Essential listening: 'Iron Man', 'War Pigs', 'Paranoid'... We could go on...

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 13 of 20
Page 13 of 20
James Hetfield (Metallica)

James Hetfield (Metallica)

James Hetfield (Metallica)

Proportion of vote: 4.16%

Essential listening: 'Enter Sandman'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 14 of 20
Page 14 of 20
Mikael kerfeldt (Opeth)

Mikael kerfeldt (Opeth)

Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)

Proportion of vote: 4.59%

Essential listening: 'Porcelain Heart'

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 15 of 20
Page 15 of 20
Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)

Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)

Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)

Proportion of vote: 5.90%Link

Essential listening: 'Walk'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 16 of 20
Page 16 of 20
Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge)

Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge)

Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge)

Proportion of vote: 7.26%

Essential listening: 'Blackbird'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 17 of 20
Page 17 of 20
Mick Thomson (Slipknot)

Mick Thomson (Slipknot)

Mick Thomson (Slipknot)

Proportion of vote: 10.11%

Essential listening: 'Spit It Out'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 18 of 20
Page 18 of 20
John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

Proportion of vote: 20.94%

Essential listening: 'Pull Me Under'

>

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 19 of 20
Page 19 of 20
Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom)

Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom)

Alexi Laiho (Children Of Bodom)

Proportion of vote: 21.73%

Essential listening: 'Needled 24/7'

For those of you not in the know, in celebration of our forthcoming new-look magazine, TG asked our readers and MusicRadar visitors to vote for their favourite player from a shortlist of 20 metal guitarists. It was a closely fought battle… click through to see the final order and hear them in action.

The new-look Total Guitar magazine goes on sale 18 March and with an extra 32 pages it’s our biggest ever issue! The first issue is a thrash special, celebrating 1986 – the year that thrash broke – featuring Metallica’s ‘Master Of Puppets’, Slayer’s ‘Reign In Blood’ and Megadeth’s ‘Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?’

Page 20 of 20
Page 20 of 20
TOPICS
metallica tony-iommi
Categories
Guitars
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker

Matt is a freelance journalist who has spent the last decade interviewing musicians for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.

Read more
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
Brent Hinds plays a bespoke ESP offset live in Mexico as he performs with Mastodon in 2022.
“My mind’s the most cosmic place I could ever visit. All I have to do is zone out and play the guitar, and before you know it, I’ve visited places unheard of”: Remembering Brent Hinds, the maverick who trampled metal guitar underfoot with Mastodon
Brian May and Freddie Mercury in 1980
“I have none of that high-speed technical skill of a Steve Vai or a Joe Satriani”: How Brian May plays off instinct
John McLaughlin
“I don’t have many guitar players’ albums on my iPhone, but Jeff is there”: John McLaughlin on the magic of Jeff Beck
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Otoha holds a blue Fender Strat in a staged setting with neon pink and blue lights overhead.
IDLES, Wet Leg and Sam Fender all graduated from the Fender Next programme – meet its Class of 2025
Latest in Guitarists
Gene Simmons at the funeral of Chuck Berry
“Without Chuck Berry there wouldn't have been The Beatles or Stones”: Gene Simmons' eulogy for a rock ’n’ roll legend
Don Felder plays his iconic white Gibson doubleneck electric guitar onstage. Note the double jack: that mod is crucial when playing Hotel California, which he surely is in this picture.
Don Felder on why he had to mod his white Gibson doubleneck to play the Eagles’ biggest hit – and how he got the idea from Chet Atkins
Marek "Ashok" Šmerda wears corpsepaint that makes him look a little like Hellraiser's Pinhead as he performs live with Cradle of Filth.
Cradle of Filth guitarist Ashok fired mid-tour, days after keyboardist wife quits citing low pay and “toxic” atmosphere
Rick Rubin .
"He made so many of those songs better with just one little nudge”: Daron Malakian on Rick Rubin
Third Man Hardware x Black Mountain Roto-Echo: the roller wheel equipped delay pedal is a compact and performance-friendly stompbox that's available in black or limited edition white. Jack White has used it onstage and in the studio during the sessions for No Name.
Jack White’s Third Man teams up with Black Mountain for the Roto-Echo, a delay controllable by foot
Gibson Tony Iommi Humbucker: the all-new humbucker, a reissue of its first-ever signature pickup.
Gibson goes back to the beginning with reissue of its first-ever signature pickup for Black Sabbath icon Tony Iommi
Latest in News
Sebastian Bach performs on Day 1 of the Heavy Montreal festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 6, 2016 in Montreal, Canada
“I could kick 'em right in the balls”: Ex-Skid Row man goes on a rant about Youtube armchair critics
Composer John Williams
“I never liked film music very much”: World famous film composer makes startling admission
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Here are the best Labor Day sales for musicians from across the internet
Josh Freese performs onstage with The Vandals during day 1 of Warped Tour at Shoreline Waterfront on July 26, 2025
“It wasn’t music that I really resonated with”: Josh Freese lifts the lid on his exit from the Foo Fighters
Boss PX-1 Plugout FX: the white compact series pedal has blue knobs, digital display, and is a platform for 16 digitally modelled Boss effects, one of which is available at a time.
A compact series stompbox you can turn into any one of 16 classic Boss effects? Meet the Plugout FX
Zak Starkey and Axl Rose composite
“C’mon bro... It could generate $2M for teen cancer”: Zak Starkey pleads with Axl Rose to give the go-ahead for charity cover of Bolan classic

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...