The guitar is arguably the most important part of rock music and by extension, it could be said the guitarist is the most important part of a band.
The likes of Hendrix, Clapton, Slash and Eddie Van Halen often steal the headlines for their unquestionable brilliance. But I wanted to shine a light on the unsung guitar heroes and rank the 10 most underrated guitarists in rock.
10 Most Underrated Rock Guitarists
10. Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler is most famous for being the Dire Straits lead singer, but he was also the lead and occasional rhythm guitarist for the group. He’s a fingerstyle guitarist which means he opts against using a handheld pick. This style helps Mark play several elements simultaneously and was a big factor in the band’s success as a swingy, blues rock group.
The band’s 1985 album Brothers In Arms is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Knopflers roots rock style mixed with his ability to play as evocatively as he does surely hooked in more fans than anything else. Classic Rock magazine described his playing as a “breath of clean air amid the lumbering rock dinosaurs.”
9. Myles Kennedy
You’re most likely to recognise Myles Kennedy as the frontman for alt metal/post-grunge outfit Alter Bridge. But he’s so much more than that, he was the mastermind behind the classic “Metalingus” and a co-lead in the utterly fantastic heavy metal guitar anthem “Blackbird.”
It is however, easy to see why he is so underrated. His fellow bandmate Mark Tremonti takes a lot of the guitar-based accolades for the band. Even in Myles’ newest band he’s overshadowed by arguably the greatest guitarist in history, Slash.
Now you could look at that and say he’s not even the main guitar guy in either of his most successful projects. Or you could think a little longer and realise he’s played understudy to Mark Tremonti and Slash. I’m not sure about you but I would certainly trust the judgement of those two over my own.
8. Billie Joe Armstrong
Another frontman/lead guitarist enters the list at number 8 as we explore just how good Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong is. Just think back to the mid-90s and early 2000s. This band was everywhere playing multiple different styles and BJA was the lead for all of it.
The alt rock power chords of “American Idiot,” the relentless barrage of punk rock, acoustic ballads, staggering solos. There’s not much Billie hasn’t successfully put his hand to when it comes to fronting one of the most successful bands of the 90s/00s.
7. Kim Thayil
It’s not that people don’t rate Kim Thayil; he gets overshadowed by his grunge era peers. It’s not difficult to get caught up in Nirvana and their early 90s mastery, but Kim and his band Soundgarden were always at the top with them as the “big four”. It could also be said that Pat Smear was a victim of this as the fourth member of Nirvana’s three piece, but I digress.
To the majority of people Soundgarden are likely just that band with the iconic vocals but Kim’s playing style was a cornerstone of the band and the era. His riffing played a hand in the “Seattle Sound” becoming mainstream and that’s not something to be scoffed at.
Of course, Chris Cornell will forever take the plaudits when it comes to fans, critics and everyone in between but do not sleep on Kim. His work is millions of people’s childhood.
6. Paul McCartney
Calling Paul McCartney underrated feels very strange. But in this context he definitely is. Naturally, he’s recognised as a bass player thanks to his time in The Beatles but he was writing and playing guitar parts throughout the bands history.
He continued after the split too with his band The Wings and his solo work. Whether it’s acoustic work in “Blackbird” or the majority of “Helter Skelter,” he played almost everything on the Wings album Band On The Run.
Sure, he’s not outrageously technical and he doesn’t hold a candle to the Eddie Van Halen’s of the world, but not everyone has to be EVH. He keeps it simple and that makes his guitar work even more iconic. Paul McCartney is without a doubt one of the greatest musicians in history, but you shouldn’t just confine him to vocals and bass.
5. Kurt Cobain
Much like McCartney previously, it feels strange listing Kurt Cobain as underrated but he had audiences in his hands so often that they didn’t realise the guitar was in his grasp too. I’m caught in two minds as I write this; do I try and explain to you just what Kurt could do with a guitar. Or do I just list all the huge hits he played guitar on and let you reach this conclusion yourself? Well, I’m going to do both.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come As You Are,” “Something In The Way,” “School,” “Heart-Shaped Box,” “All Apologies” and “You Know You’re Right.” This man managed to bless our ears with the vocals of a lifetime AND some of the greatest riffs of all time simultaneously.
Anybody who’s ever picked up a guitar has tried to play one of Kurt’s riffs. Even then, when played incorrectly by hamfisted oiks like myself, they all still hold up. His work is timeless and has already proved that as we surpass the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s final studio album.
4. Orianthi
There’s a large chance you don’t recognise this name; that’ll change shortly. Orianthi is an Australian guitarist who started out as a touring guitarist for some of music’s biggest stars. She was set to tour with Michael Jackson for his This Is It concert series. She has since toured with Alice Cooper and Michael Bolton. She’s also acted as a special guest for basically anyone you can think of from Carrie Underwood to Carlos Santana and John Mayer.
Her talent doesn’t end with just playing other people’s songs though. She has released five studio albums as a solo artist and written some of the greatest riffs and face-melting shredding parts you can hear in music.
For new listeners, I would suggest checking out “Suffocated,” “Where Did Your Heart Go” and “Impulsive.” She even released an album with another underrated guitarist, who we’ll get to shortly, which I would also highly recommend.
Honourable Mentions
It was such a struggle to make this list just ten so, before we get on to the top three, here’s some more for you:
- Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins)
- Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
- Carl Barât (The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things)
- Alex Lifeson (Rush)
- Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters)
- Satchel (Steel Panther)
- John Notto (Dirty Honey)
- Dan & Justin Hawkins (The Darkness)
- Keith Urban
3. Steve Clark
The birth of hair metal flooded the scene with outstanding musicians all trying to emulate the guitar heroes that came before them. Of all the bands that burst onto the scene in the 80s, Def Leppard has no doubt become one of the most iconic. Though Phil Collen was the lead, Steve Clark’s influence is felt throughout the band’s history.
Some of the biggest albums of that era were smothered in his intricate, perfectionist technique. Pyromania and Hysteria are jam packed with some of the most era-defining hair metal songs of all time. Unfortunately, his untimely passing in 1991 means we never got to see how he would transition to the pop-rock and grunge styles the band have adopted most recently.
2. Richie Sambora
Most people wouldn’t even be able to confidently tell me what band Richie Sambora was a part of for nearly 30 years. Though he wasn’t a founding member of the band, he joined 80s glam metal behemoths Bon Jovi before the release of their debut album. His songwriting relationship with frontman Jon Bon Jovi generated some of the most recognizable songs ever.
Even without the band he has released three fantastic solo albums, all of which exhibiting another part of his playing. Whether it be jazz, soulful blues or hard rock solos, Richie can do it and to a world class standard. He even partnered with number four entry Orianthi to release a bluesy pop-rock album Radio Free America.
1. Prince
There’s not an instrument in the world Prince couldn’t play and he basically mastered all of them from the bongos to the Polymoog. With all that in mind it’s easy to forget he was the guitarist too. He was on a par with Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix when he played, just look at his Superbowl performance, or his cameo at George Harrison’s Hall of Fame Induction.
His solo work in the studio was simply unmatched too, the technique and evocative nature of the solos in Purple Rain will never diminish in greatness.
He released 39 studio albums before his death in 2016 and still managed to craft something impeccable on each one. There are not enough superlatives in the dictionary to suitably portray his playing, so I urge you to find out for yourself. Just type “Prince Live” into YouTube and let the algorithm do the rest.