The 11 Most Overrated Guitarists of All Time, According to 500+ Guitarists
We asked 500+ guitarists who they think is the most overrated guitarist of all time.
Annnnddd, you probably guessed it, but we’ve never seen a comment section go more nuclear.
Some pollers took the question as an invitation to finally say what they’ve been holding in for 30 years, some refused to play, saying “there’s no such thing as overrated” or “music isn’t a competition.”
But once the dust settled, eleven names came up more than anyone else. These are the eleven most overrated guitarists of all time, according to other guitarists.
NOTE: These are not our opinions. These are the results of a poll we conducted. We know that music is subjective and talent comes in different forms.
But hundreds of guitarists answered the question, so we’re reporting what they said. Don’t shoot the messenger 😂
1. Eric Clapton
This answer wasn’t close. Clapton was the runaway winner of this poll by a wider margin than any guitarist won any other poll I’ve ever run.
The comments were consistent saying things like: “Mechanical and soulless.” “Good in Cream, boring solo.” “Was God from ’65 to ’69. Mommy-rock for the 55 years since.”
The defense, when it came, was weak. People mostly conceded he was great in Cream and then left the conversation.
Overall, pollers had strong opinions on a strong-opinion topic.
2. Jimi Hendrix
This is the one that’s going to make people very mad, but it came up. A lot.
The argument was that Jimi was groundbreaking, influential, and important, but not the best. And not even the best in his era.
We received input like:
- “He was an innovator, not a technician.”
- “Influential, sure. Greatest? Not even close.”
The defenders showed up hard, which is what you’d expect with Hendrix. But the fact that Hendrix landed second on this list at all tells you something about how this generation of guitarists feels about the canon.
3. The Edge
The U2 guitarist gets named on every overrated-guitarist list ever made, so this was not a surprise.
And of course, it’s never that he’s a bad guitarist, but that he plays four notes and a delay pedal, and somehow that turned into a 40-year career as one of the most-praised guitarists of his generation.
It’s not really a fair complaint because writing iconic parts is its own skill. But for a guitarist crowd looking at technical ability, The Edge is always going to land on this list.
4. Slash
A lot of guitarists love Slash, but a lot more apparently think he’s overrated.
The complaint here is image versus playing. People said things like, “Good player, but his legend status has been more about image and effective marketing than chops.” and “If you took the hat and the cigarette away, would anyone care?”
The opening of Sweet Child o’ Mine is one of the most famous guitar parts in rock history, and we can’t forget that. But the “Slash is overrated” comments were plentiful in this poll, which is how he ended up #4.
5. Kirk Hammett
Metallica’s lead guitarist took an absolute beating in our poll. He had as many mentions as Clapton in some threads of the conversation.
The argument is that he’s the lead guitarist for the biggest metal band of all time, but he doesn’t deserve to be. People mentioned the wah-pedal abuse, pentatonic scale running, leaning on James Hetfield’s songwriting, etc. Plus the rumor (true or not) that Dave Mustaine wrote a lot of the early Metallica leads that Kirk got credit for.
The thread is still arguing about this, so it was obviously a touchy subject.
6. Tom Morello
Often spelled “Moronello” in the comments, which immediately tells you what some people think 😬
Critics say if you took away the gimmicks, the playing underneath wouldn’t be much. He’s known for unconventional sounds, scratching, whammy bar tricks, and effects.
The defenders point out that the gimmicks ARE the playing, and that he created a whole genre of guitar approach that didn’t exist before Rage Against the Machine. Both can be true.. but what do you think?
7. Jimmy Page
This one came as a surprise to me as a Jimmy Page fan, but it came up consistently. Many people agreed that he was great in the studio, but sloppy live.
Interestingly enough, several commenters who clearly love Zeppelin still picked Page as overrated. People said things like, “Watch any Zeppelin bootleg from the late 70s. Some of it is unbelievable. Some of it is unlistenable.” or “Great riffs. Shite on the axe.”
That feels harsh, but if the crowd is saying it, we have to report it.
8. Eddie Van Halen
Including EVH on this list will make a lot of people throw their phone across the room, but he easily made the list.
The argument against EVH is that the eruption of his style spawned a whole generation of imitators that ruined rock guitar. We’re talking about things like the tapping, speed, and spotlight-on-the-soloist mentality.
Everyone can agree he was talented. But that wasn’t what people were coming for.
The defense was furious and immediate, as expected.
9. Carlos Santana
What could people not love about Carlos Santana you might ask? Well.. people believe he had the same riffs forever.
It’s hard to argue because if you compare a Santana solo from 1969 to a Santana solo from 2019, you will recognize the player instantly. Some people see that as a signature player while others see it as a guitar player that hasn’t developed.
10. Jeff Beck
A very surprising entry to us, but it came up specifically and repeatedly.
The complaint about Beck was substance versus showmanship. People said things like:
- “People were more impressed with feedback noises than music.”
- “He made weird sounds and called it innovation.”
The defense was strong here too. Again, to be expected considering it’s JEFF BECK.
11. Kurt Cobain
This one almost didn’t make the list, but squeezed out the number 11 spot.
Everyone agreed that Cobain was a great songwriter, a generational frontman, and a cultural icon. But he was not a great guitarist. The praise he gets for “his playing” is usually praise for his songwriting and his sound choices. His actual playing was basic and simple.
One commenter put it well: “Bob Dylan was never considered great at guitar. Kurt was never considered a guitar genius. So it’s tough to say either one is overrated, when they were never really highly rated guitarists.”
We think the above poller was spot on.
The Final Note
Eric Clapton has written more iconic songs than 99% of the guitarists who ever lived. Jimi Hendrix changed what the instrument could do. The Edge created a sound that defined a generation. Slash wrote some of the most famous solos in rock history. Kirk Hammett has been in the biggest metal band on earth for 40 years.
If you can do any of those things, you’re probably not overrated. You’re maybe just doing something different than what some other guitarists wish you were doing.
