Kirk Hammett: Kirk Hammett, a student of Joe Satriani, is the lead guitarist for Metallica. Known for his fast solos and frequent use of the wah-wah pedal, his guitar style is deeply rooted in heavy metal and thrash. He primarily plays an ESP guitar, such as the ESP KH-2. Notable tracks include “Fade to Black,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Enter Sandman.”

Kurt Cobain: Kurt Cobain was the lead singer and guitarist for Nirvana and is considered the voice of the grunge movement of the early ’90s. His guitar style blends elements of punk and alternative rock. He often played a Fender Mustang or Fender Jaguar. Major hits include “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Lithium,” and “Come As You Are.”

Mark Knopfler: Mark Knopfler is a Scottish guitarist and singer, best known for Dire Straits. His playing style combines rock, folk, and blues with a distinctive fingerpicking technique. He typically plays a Gibson Les Paul or Mark Knopfler Signature Stratocaster. Notable songs include “Sultans of Swing,” “Money for Nothing,” and “Brothers in Arms.”

Neil Young: Neil Young is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. His guitar style ranges from folk and rock to country and experimental. He often plays a Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster. Key tracks include “Heart of Gold,” “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and “Harvest Moon.”

Paul Gilbert: Paul Gilbert is an American instrumental rock guitarist known for his work with Mr. Big and his successful solo career. His playing style includes fast, precise riffs and technical prowess. He plays a Ibanez Paul Gilbert Signature guitar. Major hits include “To Be with You” and “Scarified.”

Ritchie Blackmore: Ritchie Blackmore is a British guitarist known for his work with Deep Purple and Rainbow. His style incorporates hard rock with neoclassical influences. He primarily plays a Fender Stratocaster. Notable songs include “Smoke on the Water,” “Highway Star,” and “Stargazer.”

Robert Johnson: Robert Johnson is a legendary American blues artist known for his profound influence on the genre. Despite his brief career, his guitar work remains iconic. He played a Gibson L-1 guitar. Well-known tracks include “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Cross Road Blues,” and “Hellhound on My Trail.”

Slash: Saul Hudson, known as Slash, is a British-American guitarist famous for his work with Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s Snakepit, and Velvet Revolver. His style features a distinctive, powerful sound, often using a Gibson Les Paul Standard. Hits include “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “November Rain,” and “Paradise City.”

Steve Morse: Steve Morse is an American composer and guitarist known for his work with Dixie Dregs, the Steve Morse Band, and Deep Purple. His style spans various genres, including rock, jazz, and classical. He typically plays a Music Man Steve Morse Signature guitar. Notable tracks include “Tumeni Notes,” “Stressfest,” and “General Lee.”

Steve Vai: Steven Siro Vai is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer who has sold more than 15 million albums. He began his career with Frank Zappa and has released solo albums like “Passion and Warfare.” His guitar work is known for its technical complexity and use of the Ibanez JEM guitar. Famous songs include “For the Love of God,” “Liberty,” and “Bad Horsie.”

Stevie Ray Vaughan: Stephen Ray Vaughan, known as Stevie Ray Vaughan, was an American guitarist and singer recognized for his blues guitar mastery. His playing is often compared to Jimi Hendrix, though he is noted for his technical precision. He frequently played a Fender Stratocaster. Notable tracks include “Texas Flood,” “Pride and Joy,” and “Little Wing.”

The Edge: David Howell Evans, known as The Edge, is the guitarist for U2. His playing style features a distinctive use of delay and echo effects, often creating a layered, atmospheric sound. He primarily plays a Gibson Explorer and Fender Stratocaster. Hits include “One,” “With or Without You,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

Nile Rodgers: Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American funk and disco guitarist and producer. He is the lead guitarist and co-founder of Chic. His style is characterized by rhythm-driven guitar work and use of the Fender Stratocaster. Major hits include “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” and “Get Lucky.”

Tom Morello: Tom Morello is an American guitarist known for his work with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. His innovative playing style includes unique sound effects and techniques. He often plays a Fender Soul Power Stratocaster. Notable songs include “Killing in the Name,” “Bulls on Parade,” and “Guerrilla Radio.”

Tony Iommi: Tony Iommi is a British guitarist known for his work with Black Sabbath. His heavy, doom-laden style and use of the Gibson SG are iconic. Hits include “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” and “War Pigs.”

Yngwie Malmsteen: Lars Johan Yngwie Lannerbäck, known as Yngwie Malmsteen, is a Swedish guitarist famous for his neo-classical metal style. His playing includes fast picking and arpeggios, often using a Fender Stratocaster with scalloped frets. Key tracks include “Far Beyond the Sun,” “Black Star,” and “Icarus’ Dream Suite.”

John Petrucci: John Petrucci is an American metal guitarist known for his work with Dream Theater. His playing features intricate solos and technical precision. He often plays Music Man John Petrucci Signature guitars. Notable songs include “Pull Me Under,” “Metropolis—Part I,” and “The Dance of Eternity.”

Richie Sambora: Richie Sambora is an American guitarist and singer known for his work with Bon Jovi. His guitar style includes a blend of rock and blues, often using a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul. Major hits include “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.”

Dave Grohl: Dave Grohl is an American musician who gained fame as the drummer for Nirvana and as the frontman of Foo Fighters. His guitar style is characterized by powerful riffs and energetic performances. He often plays a Gibson DG-335 and Fender Telecaster. Notable songs include “Everlong,” “The Pretender,” and “Best of You.”

Andy Summers: Andy Summers is a British musician known for his work with The Police. His guitar style blends rock with jazz and new wave influences. He often played a Gibson ES-335. Notable songs include “Every Breath You Take,” “Roxanne,” and “Message in a Bottle.”

Steve Lukather: Steve “Luke” Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, arranger, and producer known for his work with Toto and as a session musician on over 1500 albums. His style encompasses rock, pop, and jazz influences, often using a Toto Signature Model guitar. Key tracks include “Africa,” “Hold the Line,” and “I Won’t Hold You Back.”

Prince: Prince Rogers Nelson, known simply as Prince, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is celebrated for pioneering the Minneapolis sound, blending rock, R&B, funk, and more. He played various instruments, including a Hohner Madcat guitar. Notable songs include “Purple Rain,” “Kiss,” and “1999.”

Josh Homme: Joshua Michael “Josh” Homme is an American musician and producer, known for his role as the frontman and guitarist of Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures. His style mixes rock, stoner rock, and desert rock, often using a Gibson Explorer. Key tracks include “No One Knows,” “Go With the Flow,” and “Little Sister.”

Jennifer Batten: Jennifer Batten is an American guitarist known for her session work and solo career. She played lead and rhythm guitar on Michael Jackson’s tours and is known for her technical proficiency. She often used a B.C. Rich guitar. Notable works include her contributions to Michael Jackson’s “Bad” and “Dangerous” albums.

Matthew Bellamy: Matthew James “Matt” Bellamy is the frontman of the British rock band Muse. His guitar playing incorporates elements of experimental rock and is known for his use of effects and a Manson MB-1 guitar. Key tracks include “Hysteria,” “Starlight,” and “Knights of Cydonia.”

Pete Townshend: Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend is an English rock guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with The Who. His style is influential in rock history, and he often played a Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster. Notable songs include “My Generation,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” and “Baba O’Riley.”

Billy Gibbons: Billy Gibbons is an American guitarist and vocalist for ZZ Top. Known for his blues-rock style, he uses a variety of guitars, including a Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird and Gibson Les Paul. He famously uses a Mexican peso as a pick. Key tracks include “La Grange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”

Jim Root, born October 2, 1971, is a key guitarist for Slipknot and Stone Sour. Known for his heavy, detuned riffs and aggressive style, he plays custom Fender Jim Root Telecasters and uses Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amps. Root’s technical proficiency and powerful sound define tracks like “Duality” and “Before I Forget.”

Tim Henson is a guitarist for the progressive metal band Polyphia. Renowned for his intricate, modern playing style, Henson combines technical precision with diverse influences. He often plays Ibanez guitars and utilizes innovative techniques, heard in songs like “G.O.A.T.” and “40oz.”

Wes Montgomery: Wes Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist known for his unique thumb-picking technique and use of octaves. He played a Gibson L-5 and his innovative style influenced many jazz guitarists. Notable albums include The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery and Smokin’ at the Half Note.

Pat Metheny: Pat Metheny is an American jazz guitarist known for his versatile style, which blends jazz with elements of rock, folk, and Latin music. He often plays a Pat Metheny Signature guitar and has received numerous Grammy Awards. Key albums include Bright Size Life and Secret Story.

John Scofield: John Scofield is an American jazz guitarist recognized for his fusion of jazz with funk and blues. He often plays a Gibson ES-335 and has worked with a variety of jazz and rock musicians. Notable albums include A Go Go and Shinola.

Jim Hall: Jim Hall was an American jazz guitarist known for his sophisticated and subtle approach to jazz guitar. He played a variety of guitars, including a Gibson ES-175. His influential work includes albums like Undercurrent (with Bill Evans) and Concierto.