Gods of the Six-String: Top 10 Rock Guitarists of the 1970s
The 1970s was a golden era for the electric guitar. As arena rock, heavy metal, progressive rock, and fusion emerged, guitar players broke away from simple blues-based riffs to pioneer massive walls of sound, lightning-fast solos, and groundbreaking atmospheric textures.
Here is a countdown of the 10 greatest rock guitarists who defined the 1970s:
10. Ritchie Blackmore(Deep Purple / Rainbow)
Key Style: Neoclassical Hard Rock / Speed Metal
Signature Tracks:"Smoke on the Water", "Highway Star", "Stargazer"
Why He’s Great: Blackmore bridged the gap between classic blues-rock and European classical music. By blending baroque scales with heavy distortion, he effectively laid the groundwork for modern heavy metal and neoclassical shred guitar.
9. Tony Iommi(Black Sabbath)
Key Style: Heavy Metal Riff Master
Signature Tracks:"Paranoid", "Iron Man", "War Pigs"
Why He’s Great: The undisputed godfather of heavy metal riffs. After losing the tips of two fingers in an industrial accident, Iommi detuned his guitar to ease string tension—accidentally creating the thick, ominous, ultra-heavy tone that birthed doom metal, thrash, and hard rock.
8. Carlos Santana(Santana)
Key Style: Latin Rock / Fusion
Signature Tracks:"Oye Como Va", "Black Magic Woman", "Europa"
Why He’s Great: Santana introduced Latin percussion, salsa rhythms, and jazz phrasing to mainstream rock. His sustained, vocal-like lead tones and soulful note choice made his sound instantly recognizable across the globe.
7. Brian May(Queen)
Key Style: Orchestral Hard Rock
Signature Tracks:"Bohemian Rhapsody", "Brighton Rock", "Tie Your Mother Down"
Why He’s Great: Playing his home-built "Red Special" guitar with a British sixpence coin for a pick, May was a master of guitar harmonization and studio arrangement. He treated the electric guitar like an entire brass or string orchestra.
6. Alex Lifeson(Rush)
Key Style: Progressive Rock / Power Trio Textures
Signature Tracks:"2112", "La Villa Strangiato", "Closer to the Heart"
Why He’s Great: Operating inside a three-piece band alongside virtuosic bassist Geddy Lee and legendary drummer Neil Peart, Lifeson developed a unique style using complex suspended chords, extended voicings, and sweeping arpeggios to fill massive sonic space.
5. Jeff Beck(Jeff Beck Group / Solo)
Key Style: Jazz Fusion / Experimental Rock
Signature Tracks:"Cause We've Ended as Lovers", "Freeway Jam", "Led Boots"
Why He’s Great: A true "guitarist's guitarist," Beck spent the 1970s shifting away from standard blues-rock toward jaw-dropping jazz-rock fusion. His precise control of the Stratocaster's whammy bar and volume knob gave his instrument an almost human singing voice.
4. David Gilmour(Pink Floyd)
Key Style: Atmospheric Progressive / Blues-Rock
Signature Tracks:"Comfortably Numb", "Time", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"
Why He’s Great: Gilmour proved that feeling, tone, and note selection outweigh sheer speed every time. His solos on 1970s masterpieces like The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are masterclasses in pitch bending, sustain, and emotional resonance.
3. Eddie Van Halen(Van Halen)
Key Style: Virtuosic Hard Rock / Two-Hand Tapping
Signature Tracks:"Eruption", "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love", "Running with the Devil"
Why He’s Great: Bursting onto the scene with Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut, Eddie completely revolutionized the instrument. Popularizing finger-tapping, artificial harmonics, and custom "Frankenstrat" modifications, he ushered in a brand-new era of rock guitar mechanics.
2. Jimi Hendrix(The Jimi Hendrix Experience / Band of Gypsys)
Key Style: Psychedelic Blues-Rock
Signature Tracks:"Machine Gun", "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", "Little Wing"
Why He’s Great: Though his life was tragically cut short in late 1970, Hendrix's work at the turn of the decade fundamentally shifted what was thought possible on an electric guitar. His revolutionary use of feedback, wah-wah, and raw sonic expression continues to influence every generation that follows.
1. Jimmy Page(Led Zeppelin)
Key Style: Hard Rock / Blues / Folk Architecture
Signature Tracks:"Stairway to Heaven", "Achilles Last Stand", "Kashmir"
Why He’s Great: As Led Zeppelin's guitarist, songwriter, and producer, Jimmy Page built the sonic foundation of 1970s rock music. Whether laying down monolithic heavy riffs, playing acoustic folk, or bowing his Gibson Les Paul with a violin bow, Page was the ultimate architect of the decade's guitar sound.
