Spin's top #100 guitarist list. You will cringe.

[MatthewK]

Everyone should just stop doing these stupid lists. Lists can be useful, if I'm in the mood for a genre of music I'm not very familiar with I'll check some lists to see what albums are highly recommended, but for something as broad and vague as "100 Best Guitarists" all you can really accomplish is pissing people off.

[The Reverend]

Originally Posted by Jakke

And what is wrong with bitching? Just as they can make a list, it is our right to say if and why we do not agree with it. As a matter of fact, we are familiar with many of the entries on the list, and it is therefore we disagree with it.
And to your aptly added paranthesis, most groundbreaking guitarists have been guys, plain fact. We can't start quoting in women on a list based on individual merit. There are a few women who are on the top of the game, but not nearly as many as the guys are. Most of all, there have not been very many women who have broken new ground with the guitar.

An apt analogy would be complaining about how your oranges don't taste enough like apples.

This isn't a list of the guitarists with the best technique, or with the most influential songs. It's a list of people who found new ways to approach the instrument, and generally never get much credit. People on SSO and in the metal-guitar playing world constantly view virtuosity as the end-all be-all of guitar, when quite frankly we're the only ones that nerdy enough to care.

I'm also not sure SSO knows who most of those guitarists are, Jakke. Did you read the list? I have seen any threads about Tuareg musicians or guitarists from Mali recently.

[Jakke]

Originally Posted by The Reverend

An apt analogy would be complaining about how your oranges don't taste enough like apples.

This isn't a list of the guitarists with the best technique, or with the most influential songs. It's a list of people who found new ways to approach the instrument, and generally never get much credit. People on SSO and in the metal-guitar playing world constantly view virtuosity as the end-all be-all of guitar, when quite frankly we're the only ones that nerdy enough to care.

I'm also not sure SSO knows who most of those guitarists are, Jakke. Did you read the list? I have seen any threads about Tuareg musicians or guitarists from Mali recently.

But that is the problem about using "greatest" isn't it? Greatest implies most influential, best, or most famous. These people are neither, they are frankly choosen because they are obscure. I would have loved to see Joan Jet on the list, she if anyone have made women and girls start to play the guitar (as we got a jab for liking to many male musicians, apparently), but since she is massively influential, she is too popular for the hipsters at SPIN

Those african players where actually some of the few I did not recognize

[3074326]

The biggest problem with the list is that the first person they mention writes poppy dubstep.

It's fine to make different top lists, but making a list called "greatest guitarists" and putting someone who makes electronic music on there first is hilarious/absurd.

That alone makes this list a joke.

[celticelk]

Originally Posted by The Reverend

I'm also not sure SSO knows who most of those guitarists are, Jakke. Did you read the list? I have seen any threads about Tuareg musicians or guitarists from Mali recently.

Or African-American guitarists, apart from Tosin and maybe Hendrix. I was cheered to see how many black non-blues guitarists Spin had in their list, including some of my personal heroes (Sharrock, Reid, Morello).

[oompa]

Originally Posted by NeoTheMaggot

Funny because i saw that Skrillix was number 100 and instantly closed the page.

exactly what I did too let out a sigh and clicked the x in the corner.

Then went back to watch the top ten, didn't know half of them, saw kurt cobain, cried a little, saw sonic youth in first place and then I just went about my day.

[MartinMTL]

Really, all the metal guys will argue that there should be more metal guitarists, the blues guys will argue for more blues, etc. i think that the only ones getting the short end of the stick here are all the jazz musicians who would probably destroy everybody.

[revclay]

I thought the list was interesting to say the least, hahaha. At minimum, it's an opportunity to learn about some guitarists and music I had never heard of before. That and lists are great ways to drive traffic to a website. The more controversial a list is (especially for musicians), the more traffic they are likely to generate.

[The Norsemen]

Lol at this list. I get where they're coming from I guess.
They probably should have titled it "Top 100 Guitarists for Hipsters" or some other bullshit.
I've never been happy with a top 100 list so whatever.

I think its dumb as .... too but what did you expect?

[CD1221]

They say upfront it is an "alternative" viewpoint.


Plus, Kristin Hersh gets a mention. All good here.

[CrownofWorms]

At least Trey Azagtoth and Bill steer is on that list






SHOULD BE WAY HIGHER IN TERMS OF INFLUENCE AND SKILL



So Billy Corgan is better than both combined


And Jay Master Jay is better than Dimebag and Kerry King


another popularity contest

[GSingleton]

haha el kabong....yes.

[lava]

A silly list for sure, but I'm happy to see John Fahey get his due at number 3.

[Uncreative123]

Yeah, this IS sevenstring.org A place where the majority of people look up to virtuosos and aspire to be proficient at their instruments. So this list will be mocked accordingly. This isn't hipster.meme/iknewthembeforeeveryoneelse/youjustdontgetit.ienjoythesmellofmyownfarts. Who is anyone to say that this or any other list cannot be mocked? And to do so implies that we are somehow too stupid to understand it's intended goal, purpose, structure or reasoning?


How anybody can read this and not roll their eyes right out of their head is beyond me. This isn't even journalism:


"54 Euronymous (Mayhem) In the early '90s while Metallica were finding their groove and death metal's leading names were playing stiffly, Mayhem mainman Euronymous was in the basement of his Oslo record shop, applying corpse-paint makeup and pushing the limits of murk and melody — essentially inventing the way an entire generation plays black-metal guitar. Known for eschewing the chugga-chugga technique known as palm-muting, the axeman moved toward harsh, aggressive melodies that have more in common with Mahler than Megadeth. In the process, every chilly, agoraphobic black metaller from Watain down to Liturgy (not to mention dabblers like Sonic Youth and the Microphones) owes him a debt of gratitude. "


Euronymous, on par with Gustav Mahler. The one thing that comes to mind when I listen to old Mayhem- MELODY. Melody reminiscent of Mahler. Chugga Chugga paaaaaaaaaaaallllm muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute.

[Chromaticity]

Stopped reading after I saw "Skrillex".

[spawnofthesith]

Originally Posted by Lern2swim

Oh, for ....'s sake. I quit. Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?

READ THE ....ING CONTEXT OF THE LIST and stop failing to comprehend things beyond simply looking for the next thing to get your panties in a bunch about.

News flash guys: This is NOT serious business.

Even in the context spin set up for the list, it doesn't make much sense

[The Reverend]

Originally Posted by Uncreative123

Butthurt a bit?

I hate to take the typical hipster stance, but dude...

You just don't get it.

As you will see, our list embraces outsiders, trailblazers, outliers, and Eugene Chadbourne playing a rake. We don't worship "guitar gods," but prefer our axe-wielders to be resourceful, egalitarian, flawed, and human. We're not drawn to Olympic feats of fleet-fingered athletics, unless they're used for unique and exploratory ends.

Compared to Guitar World's lists or something, I thought this was mostly a well-made list. I didn't know the majority of the guitarists, and spent a lot of time on YouTube seeing what I thought of them. Some of the noise rockers and the really experimental guys turned me off, but some of it I really liked.

You guys are impossible. I remember that thread from last year bitching about Rolling Stone's list because it had all the same tired names we always see. You get something new, and you guys bitch just the same.

[flo]

They have missed almost ALL of the greatest guitarists!

I mean, where are Hendrix, Vai, Satriani, Petrucci, Mark Knopfler, Al di Meola? Any top 100 list is useless without them.

[piggins411]

Originally Posted by The Reverend

I hate to take the typical hipster stance, but dude...

You just don't get it.



Compared to Guitar World's lists or something, I thought this was mostly a well-made list. I didn't know the majority of the guitarists, and spent a lot of time on YouTube seeing what I thought of them. Some of the noise rockers and the really experimental guys turned me off, but some of it I really liked.

You guys are impossible. I remember that thread from last year bitching about Rolling Stone's list because it had all the same tired names we always see. You get something new, and you guys bitch just the same.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who liked it. As far as an alternative list goes, this is pretty spot on, maybe barring a couple of entries. I must say, reading the comments on the article on the actual page is hilarious. Apparently this is very serious business

[VBCheeseGrater]

Originally Posted by Jakke

And what is wrong with bitching? Just as they can make a list, it is our right to say if and why we do not agree with it. As a matter of fact, we are familiar with many of the entries on the list, and it is therefore we disagree with it.....

Lists are made to be discussed, else why make a list?? I agree its a good idea to check some of these guys out. That said, this list seems to be intentionally controversial. Case in point, there are people who don't play the guitar on the list.

[Grand Moff Tim]

The only thing more generic than most "Best Guitarists" lists is the bitching about them we see from guitarists every time someone publishes one .

Of course, some comments here have led me to believe this list isn't generic and might actually have some interesting new stuff for me to check out, so now I'm kinda looking forward to it once I get my laptop back from the repair center and can get on the internet somewhere besides at work, where youtube is blocked.

[Kodee_Kaos]

Why isn't Yo-Yo Ma on this list? He was like, the original neoclassical shredder, man.

[mattofvengeance]

[Scar Symmetry]

Originally Posted by Alpenglow

The dude from The Yeah Yeah Yeah's?
Is this some kind of sick joke?

But he is so awesome?

[USMarine75]

You may be sick of seeing Hendrix at #1, but a greatest guitarist list without him? No thanks. Trying to be different for the sake of being different is lame. FAIL.