The 10 biggest guitar personalities in the world today
10. Alain Johannes
After receiving over 50,000 votes across 11 categories, this year's Total Guitar readers' polls were fiercely competitive. Now, the results have been tallied, and we're ready to announce what you voted the finest gear and guitarists of 2015.
These are the players who keep us entertained, whether that's through snappy soundbites in the press or insightful – and often hilarious – videos. This is who had you enthralled this year, starting with…
Alain Johannes
First thing's first: Alain Johannes is a badass player and, clearly, a lovely fellow. Both of these are prized assets in a world full of ego-driven guitarists, and they mean Alain makes both an insightful interviewer and an adept jammer.
We highly recommend spending some time in his company.
9. Matt Sweeney
The hipster’s choice, Noisey’s guitarist-in-residence has spoken to them all, from Keith Richards to Josh Homme, and man, does he do a good job of it.
But where most mere mortals would be awed to be in the presence of such masters, he casually probes them for all sorts of fascinating insight and even holds his own in the occasional jam.
8. Noel Gallagher
There is no better interview subject alive. The former Oasis chief turned solo sensation is a journalist’s dream: erudite, full of road-worn wisdom and stand-up level funny, he’s the last of a dying breed: the effortlessly charismatic rock star.
A relentless source of weapons-grade quotes, he gives the best copy out there and loves doing it.
7. Andy Martin
There’s a lot to be said for being a friendly, well-informed and clean-cut young chap. Andy Martin knows his onions, and is a great source of handy little technical titbits into the bargain.
He's a reliably solid player, but it’s his accessible approach that makes him incredibly watchable.
6. Dave Mustaine
Not everybody likes Dave – least of all his guitar tech, we'd wager. It’s not surprising really, given his long and storied history of saying the wrong thing, acting up and generally being a bit of a nuisance, but there’s no denying the man has something people respond to.
A social media maverick and a legend of all things metal - whether you like it or not.
5. Daniel Steinhardt and Mick Taylor
For pure guitar geekery, you’d be hard-pushed to find a pair of more passionate and enthusiastic presenters than Dan and Mick.
As you might expect from the former editor of Guitarist, Taylor’s nerd-outs are really quite spectacular, and TheGigRig's Steinhardt is the perfect counterpoint. Oh, and both can play more than a little bit.
4. Jared Dines
Nobody mines the breathtakingly stupid things that come out of the mouths of musicians quite like Jared.
His ‘Things guitarists say’ videos are, frankly, hilarious (and uncomfortably close to home at times), but there’s more to Dines than that: he also mercilessly ribs bass players, singers, drummers and metal in general – usually while slyly demonstrating enviable chops.
3. Rob Scallon
Whether he’s going viral playing Slayer on a banjo, rocking out in inappropriate places or writing songs that use every fret, Rob Scallon is an endlessly watchable source of guitar-based hilarity.
His greatest trick is smashing talent and humour together better than any other YouTuber out there. He may very well be an actual genius.
2. Dave Grohl
Not only is Dave Grohl the certified Nicest Man In Rock, he’s also a trooper.
The music industry is full to bursting with divas and dickheads, but not even a broken leg could stop the Foo Fighters’ glorious leader from rocking the eff out. 2015 was the year Grohl moved from legend to a figure straight out of ancient rock mythology.
1. Rob Chapman
Is anybody surprised that Chappers topped this list? The Monkey Lord is the king of all things guitar on YouTube, a social media master, a guitar builder for the people, and the single most irrepressible, engaging and downright proactive guitar personality out there.
Congrats, Mr Chapman - well earned, sir.