10 Levels Of Iconic Guitar Heroes (From Amateur To GOD-LEVEL)

🎸 Become my guitar student! 👉 / bradleyhallguitar

[@edwardbrown7284]

When Level 9 was up, I was confused as to why Guthrie wasn’t on there… then came Level 10 🤣🤣🤣

[@InfernosReaper]

Where else did you think he'd be?

[@MATCHLESS93]

Same, I was like "where's GG, maybe Bradley's unaware of him.." and then BAM.

[@valiantdiesel1332]

Dude same!

[@imamulniloy1841]

you can't put Allan Holdsworth in a level defined by numbers. You gotta use symbols from set theory.

[@kenjivann7238]

He gonn be a 10#, like one semitone over

[@ProgJester]

and at the same time, I was 14 when I heard both UK albums (2001) and I TOTALLY loved them. Just great songs there, technical or not, and those songs really caught my ear

[@gustavomezzovilla7248]

ℵ₀ level

[@reubennb2859]

For real. It's a shame that live clip of Looking Glass with a million or so views is the most widely known work of his online, when there's far more beautiful and technically dazzling music by him.

[@lamecasuelas2]

No! Prince Is the symbol! Allan Is an equation

[@kevintrout]

Chuck Shuldiner deserves a mention here. I'd place him in level 7 personally due to technical and compositional skills being top notch.

[@exodius6977]

Chuck was a fucking genius. R.I.P. 🤟

[@lordlyeti5169]

I think he deserves more like an 8 or above. He had a huge influence on trash and progressive death metal.

[@thomasrice9903]

Chuck 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@aursidus]

real.

[@user-xm5fo3bo3t]

He did have a creative mind and he created a lot of great music but technically he isnt up to par with people like dimebag and petrucci

[@screamingsheik2264]

I love how everyone in 9 and 10 are people nobody's ever heard of. A perfect example of how technical ability doesnt mean shit in rock music

[@evilotis01]

...or that writing songs that connect with people is more important than being able to rip out a 32nd-note solo in Db Lydian at a moment's notice

[@LeBozoBlames]

THIS Exactly mate, ...tried listening to them (9's and 10) it's all just a bunch of highly technical guitar playing you can't sing along with...would rather listen to the level 1 to 3 guys all day. Slash, Frusciante, Page, Hendrix All day! Tried listening to guys like (level 9) Per Nilsson (who's that??) or Elkund?? (who you?), it's boring shit, Bumblefoot and Shawn Lane are amazing technicians but they don't rock, purely intellectual technical guitar music that will amaze guitarists but not the people who just want to have fun and rock!...Listening to them is like solving Calculus while eating some hot chillis.😆 Also Kotzen should just be level 3 or 6 at best. He is waaay lower in terms of technical ability compared to those boring Level 9 savants and Level 10 Govan sounds some exotic "Elevator Music" you can chill, but not something you will sit down to listen. to be fair, actually devoted a day and listened to them all, only FEW on the upper levels (5 to 10) impressed me, most of them are just wankers (cough Cooley), they are all fast but only few really rock namely: Nuno, Dime, Petrucci, EVH and my NEW favorite among all the fast player, that Classical sounding and inspired Guitarist: Yngwie Malmsteen? (he should be level 9 IMHO)...cheers!

[@atlassolid5946]

@@LeBozoBlames did you listen to Derek Trucks play with bb king and john mayer? he's famed for making his guitar basically sing in that performance, and he was listed in Level 9

[@LeBozoBlames]

@@atlassolid5946 Yeah listened to him, He's great, just forgot to mention because I just based it on my recall, but yeah saw the clip you mentioned, its great, you can sing to his lines. probably a more "bluesy John Mayer" upgrade. Cheers mate!

[@Turquoise636]

@@LeBozoBlames Kotzen is as technically proficient as those dudes from level 9, listen to his solo on "Burn" by Mr. Big or "B Funk" .

[@KellyKachowski]

Frank zappa is way more than just a great improvisor. Bro composed some of the most technical and complicated musical pieces of the time and i feel like no one ever mentions him for those skills

[@Scruffy72]

The black pages, also playing with a young legend Steve Vai absolute quality.

[@JunkYardCardGuy]

For those uninitiated to Frank Zappa...I'd like to offer up the Joe's Garage album...along with ridiculous songs like Zombiewoof, Catholic Girls, Dynamo Hum and Baby, Don't Ya Want A Man Like Me. LOL.

[@juliussw9153]

zappa reinvented guitar improvisation the same way charlie parker and john coltrane reinvented sax improv. he was also the greatest rock band leader to have ever lived and he might have been the most compositionally gifted rock musician too (at least for his time). he is at the top of my list.

[@marcblum5348]

Frank Zappa was a classical composer making a living in the rock world.

[@waltherstolzing9719]

@@marcblum5348 That's how he described himself too so it's not a BS label attached to him. Zappa was my gateway into 20th Century modern(ist) music; so I'm forever grateful for that. Introduced me to Varese, Stravinsky, and Boulez. I then found my way into Schoenberg.

[@nickantonacci8280]

Frusciante and Page deserve more credit. They both have a great amount of technical skill as well as songwriting ability. Level 6 at the very least.

[@DakTirCue]

Came here to post the same.. I don't even like the RHCP, but Frusciantes "The Empyrean" album is really unique and inspirational guitar wise.. level 2 is laughable for both though ..agreed.

[@kirkwhammet9933]

Yeah, Frusciante should be level 3 while Page should be level 6 in the league of Slash and Satch "compositionally" although not technically.

[@newfoundmoralclarity]

Yeah, the placement of these two pretty much invalidates the list

[@ricksouza9299]

Bradley doesnt like Led that much I think. Keeps poking fun at they being plagiarists.

[@goodsound4756]

Page should be at least Level 4/5

[@evhaddict]

I'd put EVH and Hendrix in a special level, these 2 redefined what electric guitar is today. You also forgot Steve Lukather, the man who can play everything.

[@omega-nf5ku]

Jimmy hendrix was a good composer. Technically mediocre .. kirk hammet could easily outplay him Technically

[@reprintranch]

Same goes for Chuck Berry. Technical ability is something tons of people have. Hardly anyone achieves a level of influence that affects guitarists in almost every corner of popular music for generations, plus a "greatest hits" package that people continue loving after you shuffle off this mortal coil.

[@evhaddict]

@@omega-nf5ku but Jimi influenced a lot more people than Hammet. He made the guitar evolve, like EVH. That's why we call them game changers.

[@mixar4457]

i think you could easily put jimmy page in the same category as those two as well

[@brittneyking4284]

@@mixar4457too sloppy

[@robertsmith262]

Dave Mustaine is not just a rhythm guitarist. Dude literally sings while playing solos.

[@cotopaximusic]

"Sings"

[@Annon667]

@@cotopaximusic yes but also

[@robertsmith262]

@@cotopaximusic Yes

[@scifiordie]

And composed some of the best metal songs . I don’t care that the maker of this video is more knowledgable and much better at guitar than me his list is stupid

[@jordanbowen6136]

thank you !!!!

[@andrewpappas9311]

While I do understand George Harrison being Level 1 (He was my first major influence and his playing always served the song), I’d put him in Level 2 because he was an incredible songwriter and did a lot of cool stuff on sitar with The Beatles on songs like Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) and Within You Without You

[@theyabib3323]

completely agree

[@andrewpappas9311]

@@BradleyHallGuitar Yeah, especially considering he was in a band with two guys who would become one of the greatest songwriting teams (Lennon/McCartney) but he still did compose a lot of great parts later on in his career on stuff like Here Comes The Sun and stuff like that, but I was still happy seeing him on here. Great vid as always, man

[@mattcraig2545]

@@BradleyHallGuitar Here Comes the Sun...

[@htesreyzaw6114]

@@andrewpappas9311 if you ever listen too his solo stuff I would say he's on the same level as John and Paul.

[@andrewpappas9311]

@@htesreyzaw6114 Yeah, his solo material is great as well. I'd say that's when he really shone more as a songwriter considering a lot of it was written while in The Beatles and they also did a recording of All Things Must Pass in the Get Back documentary, which I thought was a really cool addition

[@carljthatsme94]

I was expecting some dumb takes for laughs but this is spot on. Govan gets his own level, dude is baffling.

[@sm1le396]

There were a few

[@PRSer]

These kinds of lists and rankings are ultimately completely pointless but are really fun to talk about. The guitarists mentioned in this video will be ranked differently by different people. I did enjoy it so please do more!

[@Illbebacc]

Dude, page had amazing skill and improvised every solo he played live.

[@dylanhighwood7458]

Page most certainly did not have amazing skill 😂

[@Illbebacc]

@@dylanhighwood7458 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZ65gn58hcqriM0 There's nothing you can say to change my mind now knowing this happened.

[@metalboy5150]

@@dylanhighwood7458 I disagree. Page most definitely had the skill, he was just sloppy as fuck because he was fucked up all the time. The "Heartbreaker" solo is a prime example of what would have been an absolutely jaw-dropping solo (and was, in fact, at the time), if it weren't so fucking sloppy. Just the timing on his runs is all over the place because his picking and fretting are so out of sync with each other. But then again, the whole "it's not good if it's not super fucking precise" frame of mind didn't really exist as much back then. "It's rock and roll, that's good enough!"

[@fleurogura8485]

improvised

[@ss_avsmt]

@@dylanhighwood7458 Ah yes, Jimmy definitely found himself in a stressful situation when he was composing Stairway, "should I add a shred solo in between so that random youtube commentators would call me skilled?"

[@YoushouldNOW221]

I feel like Alex Lifeson should have been somewhere on this list. That guy is a Beast

[@masongregory278]

Absolutely. Alex is such a brilliant guitarist. From his magical solo in La Villa Strangiato to the chord driven lead in Afterimage. His playing always suits the music. I think some of his best work are in the songs he is not at the front of. Between The Wheels, Mystic Rhythms, Mission. I mean, the solo in Limelight is just a man caught in the moment and really playing from the heart.

[@spencerrodgers513]

💯 Alex will forever be my GOAT. (Very biased Rush fan here). So many good ones, don't forget about his mind numbing shredding solo in Natural Science

[@insanemtl5890]

Level 7

[@Geoff_24]

He's the guy I was kinda waiting to see too

[@matheuswagner5198]

@@masongregory278 Alex Lifeson is a guitarist that plays for the band, not the band plays for him. Respect.

[@jacobcolley9805]

Legends like Dimebag Darrell and Alexi Laiho both in level 7 with sick techniques and sick songwriting is definitely the best way to describe them for sure. R.I.P both Dimebag and Alexi

[@rexrocker1268]

I don’t even know some of these guitar players, but I think Dimebag deserves level seven. But Prince being level three? I don’t know about that. I think he’s up there with Dimebag at least close.

[@npanic628]

@@BradleyHallGuitar eeeeeeeehhh JARI FREAKING MAENPAA???? Arguably the best composer and neoclassical shredder in the entirety of extreme metal, ever...

[@krod4278]

@@rexrocker1268 in what terms?

[@rexrocker1268]

@@krod4278 Prince was ridiculously skilled. Massively underrated in my opinion. But it’s just my opinion, opinions are like buttholes, we all have them and they all stink.

[@badsekt0r1121]

@@npanic628 Jari is good but doesn't hold a candle to Laiho. Like, not even close.

[@ravirr513]

Guthrie Govan is incredible and he doesn't seem to be that well known this side of the pond. Super cool seeing him get the props he deserves

[@timhuider299]

For me, Mark Knopfler is the absolute GOAT. He has a unique way of playing, incredibly good timing and he can put a lot of emotion in his songs

[@Cestariarts]

What does GOAT mean?

[@timhuider299]

@@Cestariarts Greatest Of All Time

[@Cestariarts]

@@timhuider299 omg I would never have guessed haha thanks

[@PancakeMcSquizzles]

Also, where is Tom Morello on the list?

[@ooffythekoala235]

He actually put Jimmy freaking Page in level 2

[@gympieenthusiast1150]

i was suprised he was put that high, jimmy page is not a good guitarist. but he mode a bucket load of money from it.

[@timg2727]

Jimmy Page is nothing special as a guitarist.

[@m3mefeo_]

JOHN FKN FRUSCIANTE.

[@probablylarsulrich5654]

Yes

[@cahesolo9267]

​@@gympieenthusiast1150go play heartbreaker first solo

[@jimmyn7t]

if you are a true fan of buckethead you can tell that he CAN write and not only write but compose some of the most unique, touching and numerous in variety and genre songs. he can write melodic, fast and shreddy, ambient, hell even blues/jazz

[@5v4al]

Seriously!!! He needs to listen to more Buckethead songs, there’s much more than Jordan and Soothsayer. Bucket has hundreds of well crafted tracks with incredible compositions and writing. Level 3?!?! Laughable. I stopped watching the video and went straight to the comments. Glad I’m not the only that noticed the BS.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

It’s ok, being a Buckethead fan is a big commitment because of his big discography. At least we know the truth

[@kennyvangheluwe5343]

Totally agree

[@leerobbo92]

@The Hearshot Kid That's what makes him special though, in a way. Very few artists have ever exposed themselves and their creative process in the way that he has. You don't hear Tim Henson's bad days: you only get the ultra polished, ultra refined, "best of" music from him that's gone through several re-writes. With Buckethead you get the bad days too, and I think that adds value to the filler in his discog, personally. As for the Tim Henson comment... Tim plays one style of music, it's heavily rehearsed and refined, it's fucking great, and he's perfected it. Bucket plays everything from avant-garde jazz (Thanatopsis, for instance) to ambient (Electric Tears) to metal to rock to everything inbetween. Very few could ever do that to the level he does. Tim simply couldn't compose or improv over something like Nostrum or Axiology, he's just not wired that way, nor does he improv much from what I've seen. Bucket has all the technique to play Polyphia though. I'd argue that makes Bucket the better "musician".

[@cotopaximusic]

@The Hearshot Kid Tim Henson can't write anything interesting and just jerks himself off on the guitar. Massive yawn

[@edvweirdo6885]

buckethead is such underrated, no need to go through over 300 albums to see that he had skill such as he had beautiful and memorable riffs and solos

[@justinwallace4688]

I have so much respect for Iommi. Not only did he make some of the most iconic riffs, but he continued guitar after losing his fingertips and still god tier

[@g0ing1nsane]

Surprised Jeff Loomis and Jason Becker aren’t on level 9, they’re the 1st to names that come to my mind in that category

[@siddharthmall]

I'm an advocate of GG but Jason is love. And I believe that had Jason been playing today, he would've been the only guitarist who could match Govan skillwise.

[@leerobbo92]

@@siddharthmall I think he'd have a mainstream reach that Guthrie doesn't have, too. His ear and compositional skills are really special. Triumphant Hearts is an astonishingly beautiful album, Hold On To Love brought a tear to my eye on a first listen. I love Guthrie's stuff, but it's clear that he's at his best when he's reined in a little (e.g. Regret #9), and it's clear that he has absolutely no desire to do that. Jason didn't need reining in to focus his music and make something truly special.

[@kenjicarlos8402]

Yeah jason only had until his early to mid 20s, and yet he stands toe-to-toe with almost everyone in history

[@esatgursoy7076]

I expected Vai to be there in like 9 dude is a genius and he can still keep up with new music unlike many others

[@conorkelly666]

Tony Iommi invented a whole genre.

[@jans1982]

Vai would fit better in #7, imo

[@hundredpercentmetal]

Vai would be lower than satriani, seeing as how satch taught him. But satriani is too low in this list

[@FacePomagranate]

@@hundredpercentmetal Being taught by someone doesn't make you lesser than them. Vai's great because he put in a ton of work himself; Satriani's lessons would have just been a good head start.

[@pawelbrzosko]

I was also puzzled by Vai’s absence from this list. He was taught technique by Satriani, but he learned music from Zappa. IMHO level 8 since he,s an incredible player AND a great composer, waaay better than Satch who just shreds.

[@guitarrock58]

I would put Gary Moore as his own category as the absolute guitar god, he makes the guitar sound exactly like you would imagine it in your dreams, the purest form of emotion.

[@fa7al596]

Jimmi page level 2 but slash level 6.i mean srsly?atleast they recognised tonny iommi. He was such a genius.

[@uroboric]

slash has a lot more good and recognizable solos in my opinion

[@RabidJack]

At level 9 I was wondering why I hadn't seen Guthrie in the list yet. Then level 10 hit me and I was satisfied.

[@plasmakitten4261]

I feel like this is highkey slander of Jimmy Page. He was shredding on a level with any average modern metal guitarist, in a time when pretty much none of the modern guitar techniques used in fast playing were invented yet. No economy picking, no sweeping, no tapping even! (Yes, I know sweeping and tapping kind of existed but like... not really, not in rock guitar and not in the way they're used now.) And yet the guy could absolutely knock your socks off with any of his solos. Just listen to Zep 1 and compare it to any other guitar album from 1969. The dude was like a decade ahead of his time. There is no one from the pre-EVH era save for Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Blackmore, and maybe Fripp who compares.

[@rohanjoshi107]

Exactly

[@garnetbezanson1404]

I've always found Page to be a much better acoustic player then electric.

[@Droops24]

I have to respectfully, yet wholeheartedly disagree with this entire post. Jan Akkerman, Michael Schenker, and Richie Blackmore were all IMO more impressive/skilled than Page and way ahead of their time as well. The fact that you didn't even mention them as notable (pre EVH) guitarists is a travesty in itself.

[@plasmakitten4261]

@@Droops24 I consider Schenker post EVH as his most impressive work appeared after Van Halen 1. And frankly, while Schenker is great, he's no Jimmy Page. Akkerman I'm not familiar with; sorry about that. As for Blackmore, I honestly forgot he was a 70's guy and not an 80's guy, my mistake.

[@Droops24]

@@plasmakitten4261 it's all good, we all have our opinions and guitar heros. Def check out Akkerman. Rated best guitarist in 73' . He plays differently than Page but, and a bit more jazz heavy (especially after he left Focus). He has improve chops, fast playing, sweeping, volume swells: very dynamic player. I would suggest listing to "Hocus Pocus" and "Hamburger Concerto" for starters.👍

[@donovanrobinson5811]

I actually think buckethead and tosin abasi are great, unique, and creative writers of music beyond their technical skill

[@TheSteinbitt]

Physical education is a good song, and the only good song Tosin ever wrote. Buckethead is can’t listen to at all.

[@Rikarthru]

@@TheSteinbitt tell me you dont play guitar without telling me😂

[@TheSteinbitt]

@@Rikarthru I play guitar though, just don’t think they’re good songwriters.

[@samuelzullig3501]

Dave Mustaine is above KH not only in terms of technique, but also Lead playing and compositional skills imo.

[@Pit_Lord]

Lol wut

[@mattcroy1885]

@@Pit_Lord what he means is that the weirdo from Metallica is a child compared to Mustaine when it comes to technical ability and creativity. And he is 100% correct. I'm now disappointed, because I'm barely at Zappa and if b Hall claims otherwise then his credibility will definitely be diminished in my eyes.

[@mattcroy1885]

Ok. No wah mentioned. Still... Oh, he's a lvl six. F#ck that. Compositional genius my ass.

[@joshuas8779]

@@mattcroy1885 Lars is the genius in Metallica. He is always working to make the music more innovative and progressive! By adding tempo changes every bar and often crashing on beats that don't make sense to us non smarts, he rises above the rest of the Metallica members in technical ability and songwriting ability.

[@metalboy5150]

@@joshuas8779 Oh, yay, someone else talking shit about Lars Ulrich. How original. Tell me, where do you get your ideas? Nobody ever talks about him!

[@chameleon-dream-band-official]

Glad it's not just me who sees GG as a once-in-a-lifetime guitarist. And glad about the Allan Holdsworth mention. A legend that definitely inspired GG for sure (4 notes per string, chromatic playing, etc.). Nice list 👍

[@spidey9556]

Big relief for me also..

[@benjaminhutchison9806]

Jimmy Page at level 2.... you're just fucking around now...

[@David-mw3sb]

Allans music is stunningly beautiful. It takes years to get into it properly. Keep going its worth it.

[@MetalheadNation]

Thank you! I probably came across his music first in 2018 or so, when I was in high school. I’d revisit it every few months or so between then and my freshman year of college, around 2021. One day around that time, it “clicked”, and since then he’s been my absolute favorite guitarist. I’m so happy and thankful that I stuck with it early instead of disregarding him. He’s genuinely on a whole different level, and I think Steve Vai said it best when he said about Allan Holdsworth, “Allan doesn’t okay emotionally, he’s plays connected, which is deeper than emotionally. To be connected to the creative impulse of the universe” or something along those lines.😁

[@WaxedSeed]

Love that you included Derek Trucks in this list. Man's one of the best guitarists I've ever heard and is, without a doubt, a master on par with the greats and legends

[@kinjaldas225]

Hetfield should honestly be bumped up to 6. Not just a tight rhythm player, but excellent songwriting too.

[@Kylora2112]

Hetfield is the God of Not-shred. When he takes a solo, it's PERFECT. When he riffs, it's PERFECT. And the dude has the best downpicking ever.

[@Roberto-nn6kb]

Its shame that Kirk is higher xd

[@FredCracklin]

Mustaine is similar in both respects and plays lead about a third of the time as well (which should give him some extra credit), but check out who they share the level with and it's one of the levels that is the most fun to listen to, so shared company trumps numerical level.

[@wingsoficarus1139]

I disagree with Tosin Abasi's placement. He's not just a shredder, I feel like Brad forgot that he's literally known for writing some of the most technical shit there is (in terms of timing, not just speed). Shame that he seems to be praising people more for catchy shit. Not to mention the fact that I feel like he definitely revolutionized the extended range form of guitars

[@devourplays3884]

@@FredCracklin Personally speaking, I don’t think Mustaine is that great of a soloist. Songwriting and rhythm is definitely his forte. That said, he has some great solos.

[@wheel4732]

Level 8: "The pioneers, people who made most of the best guitarists today!" Also level 8: Tim Henson

[@MichaelHess8]

Lol. I thought page should be in 8 given the criteria but maybe I overate him?

[@szavamaczika1952]

I expected Tosim to be here honestly, i am super surprised

[@josealejandrogarciarojas2218]

I'm kinda conflicted here. He's surely an innovator. But such as Hendrix? No way. Tosin should definitely go there independently of Henson being in the same category or not.

[@gewittervonwahrheit5032]

Henson belongs at level 4 - shredders who can’t write a decent song

[@dim0nad605]

Hmm, i think that Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen must to be on one level with Jimmy Page, Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker. All of them are geniuses which influenced millions and millions of guitarists and changed the music.

[@acutchin]

THIS.

[@-guitarhero]

in what universe is slash on the same level as joe satch and rhoads

[@GroweverydayOriginal]

Every time I see Alexi I get teary eyed. He was such an impact on my teen years. Now that I am all grown up and haggard it just breaks my heart to no longer have him around.

[@MetalJody1990]

Yeah... :'|

[@shuruff904]

Damn....I first heard him through a friend that loved COB. (I just couldn't get into the garbage synthetic piano riffs that sounded like they were from a 1992 IBM running pro tools) he was awesome and unfortunately, I drink daily and will die a similar death. Doctors won't give me the medicine I need (valium) to stop, so fuxk it

[@Ihatemyusernamemore]

He was iconic

[@GravesoftheInnocent]

Lol. The comments. You can never please everyone in lists like this but I thought given your categories that this was well done and thought out.

[@mgcuniverse9037]

Frank Zappa being on level 2 or 3 is ridiculous And Slash being higher than him is even more ridiculous

[@tromboneman4517]

I think Tosin Abasi’s songwriting has gotten so much better over the years. AAL’s most recent album has really awesome songs front to back.

[@slartybartfast1112]

Came here to say something similar. I love AAL. Tosin and Javier Reyes write some killer tracks. I would say for their type of music they are my favorite “songwriters”

[@abdurrahmanzulfikry9202]

Was waiting for either Fripp, Lifeson, or Lukather. I'll take it as "they belong in level 11"

[@dougieboxell6505]

And Angus in level 12

[@djake3713]

Vai in level 12 also

[@mattcroy1885]

KH better than Marty too. As a comp genius. Insulted by the quick auto lvl four for a 'simple' rhythm guitarist -- who solos and sings and has at least 8 great albums. God damn it. Bradley was batting near .1000 until this video.

[@roele2413]

all I can say is that you've got so much balls to put this out here haha

[@TheFrambler]

The crazy thing is I can't see anyone in the comments disagreeing with Guthrie being number 1! All hail the god

[@ianstotts8853]

The problem with this is it’s grouping so many styles and eras into one tier list. David Guilmore does not shred or even do many riffs, but his ability as a musician is far greater than most on this list. He uses his guitar in a unique way. Through his sprawling psycadelic compositions, his guitar becomes a chameleon. It’s hard to grasp all the weird shit he does with it (aided by Richard’s keyboard of corse.) his melody writing and playing is also the best in the world. And yes- then there’s the solos…

[@veiddimaddur8354]

My man really needs to look into Bucketheads back catalogue more. BH is far more than a shredder.

[@deletiontrap]

Indeed.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

He’s definitely tier 7

[@nissenilsson9158]

Buckethead can not be at level 5, he has written so many beautiful songs if you look past the shredding he is famous for. The albums Colma and Electric tears are great examples. Level 3 is also a very underrated skill.

[@DMusic_96]

I agree, one needs to look at his entire catalogue and not just the selected pieces.

[@holliswilliams8426]

He listened to one song by Buckethead and it wasn't metal enough for him, so he moved on. It's just like a high school art teacher commenting on how good master artists are and ranking them.

[@ianleonard3264]

Dude has fucking 300 albums

[@bluepedalsrock9271]

This whole list is kinda off in my opinion. Usually I find myself saying “fair enough” with these kinds of things, but I just kept seeing guitarists miscategorized again and again and again. It got to the point where I was certain an indication of tongue in cheek would be placed at the end.

[@Bingejamin]

@@BradleyHallGuitar I understand not wanting to wade through 400+ albums, but there are a lot of hidden gems that aren’t like Jordan, Soothsayer or Nottingham Lace. Would definitely recommend “Hold Me Forever” if you haven’t checked that out yet

[@danielschenker9874]

Dude. How is this list so accurate. Completely agree with basically everything said in this video. You have superb taste and analysis, my friend :)

[@ariat3381]

Falsch.

[@whatthefail1254]

Frusciante on Level 2😂😂😂😂 you almost got me

[@ZMsoloman5000]

Brian May is more of a compositional guy than Jimmy Page? Idk man… Rain Song is one of the most beautiful sounding songs ever put together and I can’t say there’s a single Queen song that even comes close

[@bilkywaygalaxy]

I love Page but if you listen to some of Brian’s work on It’s Late, Great King Rat, Innuendo, The Hitman, or Dead on Time… he’s damn good

[@noello9740]

Nah, Brian May is a better composer, no doubt

[@reprintranch]

Yeah, let's not forget how Queen was accused of ripping off dozens of other musicians and... Oh, wait...

[@weisswurschtliebhaber12]

Definitly a nice list with interesting categories but i really think Jimmy Page should be with the Pioneers. He had such an impact on so many players and after Led Zeppelin I the guitarworld was completly changed. But thats just my opinion.

[@Kylora2112]

I don't think Jimmy Page was doing anything out of the ordinary compared to his contemporaries; he was just great at creating music in the studio. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Ritchie Blackmore were far more important pioneers that all came from the same scene. Page is great, but he's not even the best guitarist to come out of The Yardbirds.

[@mattjns]

@@Kylora2112 Should’ve probably had a riff-master category. Page would stand very high in that category.

[@weisswurschtliebhaber12]

@@Kylora2112 then we agree that he should have included them to.

[@KellyKachowski]

Cant be a pioneer if the majority of your work is ripped off 🤷‍♂️

[@3days2retirement]

I Agree my friend.

[@99Gara99]

I imagine famous guitar players watching this waiting anxiously for their name to come, until the video reaches the end without mentioning them :/

[@sketmetal]

I love how Malcolm is Scott Ian's hero and both are GREAT rhythm guitarrists

[@readymade83]

I had read an interview years ago with EVH and how he loved Alan Holdsworth, pretty much made EVH want to learn how to tap. Glad he made this video.

[@grandarchon6969]

A level 10 nominee... Jeff Loomis. Incredible rhythm, incredible melody. Shredding, song writing, technique, near encyclopedic knowledge of other players, songs, theory, etc. I'd put him up there. He's a guy that never really "popped' into the zeitgeist with any of his bands, or solo work, and I feel like he deserves more recognition than he gets. When I talk to other players and bring him up, it's always "who?" or once in a long while someone has heard of Nevermore. But once people give him a listen they all say how great he is, instantly recognize him as top tier.

[@counterflare]

YES. He is a revolutionary player. The one who actually popularised sweep picking and the seventh string and whose playing influenced near to all the modern metal writers. And I would also mention Michael Amott. Yes he is not a shredder, yes he doesn't do much technically. But his playing makes me tear apart both with inhuman happiness and heavy tears every single time. He is the god of melody.

[@-Gatsu]

His perpetual burn cover is amazing

[@mattjns]

@@-Gatsu Speaking of Perpetual Burn…….*cough cough. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jans1982]

But I think he's mostly a metal guitarrist. GG is simply a monster

[@nicolascarbone9390]

@@counterflare Michael Amott is a great player! Anda I think he can shred

[@costasa2401]

Don't like art being categorised especially so by limiting to technical ability. But can agree at least to one point- Allan is above and beyond categories.

[@MetalheadNation]

Yes! Allan Holdsworth is an enigma of music, and an absolute artistic genius that is throughly under appreciated by the majority of music listeners. There seems to be an upward trend of people finding his music (in large part thanks to the internet and videos like these), and it’s amazing to see many people in their teens and 20’s (like myself) fall in love with his music, influencing a whole new generation of musicians. 😁

[@awguitarroom8033]

Buckethead does not lack in the song writing department lol. That hurt my soul Bradley. Big B has some of the most beautiful and melodic and memorable songs I've ever heard.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

Agree

[@shindig9343]

dude i freaked out when i saw buckethead on the 5th position

[@triplej8666]

buckethead is nearly unlistenable bro his music is awful

[@awguitarroom8033]

@@triplej8666 you've clearly never listened to his stuff. The guy has like 600 albums. He can melt your face and make you cry.

[@simons.2281]

I found your channel just a couple of days ago and I have to say that I've NEVER laughed so hard watching KZbin. Your 5 min challenges, in a nutshell and how xx sound to people who hate them are spot on and hilarious!

[@rafaelasecco5204]

yeah, this happened to me too, this is the really BEST channel on the intere WORLD. Simon, you have found the best videos for life

[@d.minor_dissonance]

Ummm... I think Chuck Schuldiner deserves a spot here, Comment what level he should be at 👀

[@SigmaGroupLeader1]

7

[@panicoestatico9260]

He don't like Death (the band).

[@Playerthegamer21]

The fact that Synyster Gates isn't on this list shocks me.

[@SimGShred]

Surprised Steve Vai didn't make the list, I'd put him in at least level 8

[@giacomogalli2448]

Even though I would consider Abasi a composer above average

[@muenchhausenmusic]

@@BradleyHallGuitar I agree about AAL, except for their song Physical education. That prominent lead guitar line is so cheeky and catchy, stroke of genious imo

[@KellyKachowski]

@@BradleyHallGuitar bro basically invented thumping and is miles above the others in his category for songwriting plus his riffs are far more memorable for one reason or another than like the majority of prog music. I reckon he should be at least 7 if not 8

[@Korawitbeam12]

Me on Level -5: **Playing Pentatonic Scale Solo**

[@Metalwheel]

Lol

[@ASCII_68]

All of the mentioned Guitarists have done so. Me too. Keep on playing and have fun. (imo you might be better than -5 - lol . A -5 dont know how to hold and tune a guitar. i gues you are on same level than me -3)

[@Korawitbeam12]

@@ASCII_68 lmfao maybe I’m the same as you

[@Korawitbeam12]

But you are right tho, I keep playing pentatonic solos after some song practice so I won’t get bored

[@hoogachoga]

Respect on the Derek Trucks shoutout. Cool to see that even a metalhead like yourself recognizes he's a genius with that slide guitar

[@johanbothma8031]

Very well- considered list! While I realize it's not comprehensive, I feel both Steve Vai and Jason Becker should have been on here, as I would be interested to see where you place them, respectively. For me at least, JB should be level 9

[@FacePomagranate]

Frank Zappa not in the compositional genius category? Also, I'd probably put Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page in the same level

[@saltedcod3533]

IMO, the difference between Iommi and Page, is that Page is boring. Nevertheless, two geniuses.

[@juanmora6808]

@@saltedcod3533 dont worry its ok to be wrong

[@satanicaleve]

Zappa should be way higher on the list. Putting him at 3 means you don't know anything about the man

[@russlund2507]

@@satanicaleve Ex-fucking-actly!

[@valenb2839]

​@@juanmora6808 xddd

[@buttscarlton1830]

John Frusciante shouldve been in level 3 because in almost all their live shows he improvises most solos

[@EnterJustice]

Agreed. Frusciante at level 2 is a bit of a slap in the face... He's an inspiration to many. If someone says "Kurt Cobain is my inspiration" you think "this dude bought his first guitar yesterday". If they say "Frusciante is my inspiration" it would make as much sense as naming John Mayer, I feel.

[@WheresCloudy]

Yeah I mean, I can play a Bodom solo, but fuck that 'can't stop' riff is hard to play like John does

[@Monkeypole]

Nah, Frusciante is super overrated

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@EnterJustice Personally I've been playing since '98 and Cobain has been a more consistent influence than pretty much anyone else I can name. The only folks who come close are Tom G Warrior, Kurt Ballou or Will Killingsworth but I didn't know any of them when I started as a kid. For someone with limited technical ability Cobain's playing still has a lot to analyze and learn from. Lots of people who can widdly-widdly in circles around him are still far less skilled at expressing emotion with the instrument.

[@CoreReactorMusic]

@@Monkeypole as a huge RHCP and frusciante fan, I agree

[@heHefuny]

You forgot to mention level 11, the people who are talented beyond human comprehension, aka Lil Wayne and DJ Khaled

[@antonioeasypiano]

Where are Carlos Santana, Ritchie Blackmore, Mark Knopfler, Mick Box, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Fripp and many more??????? 😮😮😮

[@euphoriam4020]

There is no way Kirk Hammet is above Dave Mustaine and that's coming from someone who prefers Metallica.

[@erikpro3860]

Kirk is was at 3 but because he is a nice guy they bumped him up but knocked dave asstain cause he was being a douche and cant shut up about a topic for 30 years

[@nemesis8626]

He's not above James either and barely composes anything compared to James which makes it hilarious that Kirk is in the master composer category, Kirk is great though and gets too much hate, have to say that

[@euphoriam4020]

@@nemesis8626 no Mustaine is definitely above James.

[@Jay___________________]

imo buckethead should defineitly be at level 7

[@Johnnysmithy24]

I agree

[@Theprophet3928]

Brian May wrote The Prophet's Song, nuff said.

[@augs008]

Angus Young, Ritchie Blackmore, Micheal Romeo, Steve Vai, Zakk wilde, Stevie Ray Von, and many other were left out. I’m deeply upset now.

[@therealmrfishpaste]

Interesting that Gilmour, Page, Prince are not considered to have 'sick compositional skills'

[@therealmrfishpaste]

@@BradleyHallGuitar Mr Hall!...you sir, are a legend of the night and of the day....

[@ss_avsmt]

They ARE actually considered to have sick compositional skills. Some people are not aware about it.

[@godwinbssdd]

Brah… you seriously need to listen to some more Buckethead. Soothsayer and Jordan are no where near his greatest songs, he has such an immense library I guess it’s just to much for the algorithm to handle lol

[@Johnnysmithy24]

Imo he shines a lot more in the calm soothing compositions, than the shreddy ones. Which is probably not Bradley’s cup of tea

[@splitsnatcher]

Level 11: Technical Death Metal Guitarists

[@wesleylakemusic]

I'm so glad you put Shawn Lane on this list! Everybody needs to listen to Shawn, definitely one of my most favourite guitarists ever...

[@zenlandzipline]

Shawn is in my top 3. He was a true savant. But guess who wasn’t included in this video? A guy that even Shawn was influenced by: Eric Johnson.

[@wesleylakemusic]

@@zenlandzipline Totally agree! Eric is an amazing guitarist an all round musician. His improv and chordal melodies and harmonies are unmatched

[@Frodojack]

I wonder where jazz fusion guitar genius Al DiMeola would fit in on your list. He's a master of multiple styles, can do great songwriting, and has been very influential. Same for Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather.

[@CorbCorbin]

It’s a dumb video. He clearly has a bias for Metal. I mean the guys in the top 5 levels, compared to the bottom show that. The number of guys from 80’s hair metal music alone, made this a joke.

[@wingsoficarus1139]

@@CorbCorbin I'm still pissed that he put Tosin so low. He's judging it more on how much he likes their songs rather than the actual difficulty or insanity of the song I feel like. Plus, I feel like tosin will for sure fit into categories like pioneers since he (in my opinion) revolutionized the standard range section of guitars. Not to mention how he can play like any genre. Sure, he may not be the best at improv (if you've seen the videos) but you can't deny that he is a brilliant song writer. Another example is John Browne(from monuments) who wasn't even in the video! Sure he doesn't shred but you can't deny his song writing skills. Just look at a guitar playthrough video from him

[@bloatmax4420]

@@wingsoficarus1139 it's just a fun little video, I agree with everything you've said, but I wouldn't take it too seriously lol Browne is a fucking animal

[@thejoker-go3fh]

Pat metheny also he is my fav guitarist

[@fnub]

Let's not leave out Chet n Lenny RIP

[@singlelit0]

i was anxious to see allan holdsworth in the list and i was about to cry until THE MENTION OF ALLAN HOLDSWORTH :DD

[@ewanwhite4644]

Ace Frehley is awesome. Dude makes his guitar smoke and fire rockets 😂

[@AFryingPan]

Did I miss seeing Steve Vai on the list? I would imagine he's somewhere at or above Joe

[@nemesis8626]

Above joe, pretty sure Joe taught him what he knows

[@TheStell231]

Frusciante should be much higher on this list. He is not only wrote many iconic easy-to-play riffs, but also have a really good technique and improvisation skills. Just check his life performances

[@ELEJOTAJE]

The frusciante worshippers often don't have a fucking clue about guitar. He's a mediocre pentatonic noodler.

[@Lochlann13]

I was waiting for David Gilmour to still be playing the single note he's been holding for eternity

[@fnub]

yes!!🍻

[@davidhanton1634]

Paul Gilbert can easily keep up with the shaggy hair! An all-rounder that can serve every genre!

[@Altropos]

Tobin Abasi in level 6 is crazy if you are talking about reinventing how people play the guitar. He invented some techniques that everyone uses now. I'd put him in level 8 at least but probably even level 9, sauvant.

[@MsSuperBMX]

he cannot improvise and his song writing isnt as memorable

[@jaycue7641]

At level 2 I saw Jimmy Page and John Frusciante!!! I was like Whaaaa!????

[@xwolfofficial4244]

Nobody talking about how tosin abasi got put in level 5 despite literally inventing a new style of riffing (thumping)

[@josealejandrogarciarojas2218]

And creating an entirely new harmonic conception within metal

[@attilahun8541]

Shawn Lane,Jason Becker and John Petrucci are above all..They are more than Godly .. in all categories ( IMO) .. ✌🏽

[@jaycue7641]

Great call putting Derek Trucks in the spooky virtuoso category. I swear I never heard somebody play slide guitar like him. It quite literally gives the chills.

[@spat8658]

I dont think david gilmour deserves to be that low on the list, played the best live solo ever

[@user-O_06660_O]

Guthrie Govan looks IDENTICAL to young Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

[@johnpacino4491]

In my humble opinion Tosin and Buckethead are deffo not lacking on the writing side... they might not be for everyone but i still remember when I first heared their songs more than a decade ago and they live rent free in my head still! 🙌

[@thorstenw6079]

Blackmore is overlooked, but it seems a very common thing to overlook him (and Deep Purple / Rainbow) in general in those kinds of lists (yes, I know that you only say "INCLUDE"). Otherwise, the list is absolutely spot on. :-)

[@ASCII_68]

Hi Bradley. In my opinion Buckethead is ranked way too low. Composing 3k+ tunes of different genres should put him in front of KRK H. Bucketheads riffs are stellar, acurate and fast. BH Guitar sound is unique and he invented specialized picking technique too. Just my opinion.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

@@BradleyHallGuitar If output was all that mattered you'd have Viper up there. Everyone knows his instrumental shred album You'll Cowards Don't Even Play Guitar.

[@a_lonely_guitarist3359]

Jason Becker should've been mentioned here as well

[@CliffemallNOVA]

Jimi Hendrix and Dimebag for fucking life man

[@Dickiboy]

Why does everyone just focus on technique when it comes to Buckethead? He has an amazing, if not the best songwriting ability amongst guitar players with 350+ albums and he successfully keeps bringing new original things with every album, he has a ton of songs focused solely on improvisation and expresing yourself through guitar. For me personally what makes Buckethead stand out is not he's insane technique but he's creativity feeling and love for the music.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

Fully agree. He should be either level 7 or 9

[@darkages9507]

@@Johnnysmithy24 He is a 9. Paul Gilbert should also be there.

[@AmericanNationalist852]

Glenn Tipton And Dave Murray deserve to be on this list before Kirk "The Whammy" Hammett imo

[@walkawaycat431]

I agree. 🤘🤘

[@Michal-je1hx]

Glenn Tipton is my guitar God

[@shuruff904]

Shit...Jimmy Paige is much better and technical than Kirk wtf

[@walkawaycat431]

@Eliza Page And Dave Mustaine should be higher than Kirk Hammett, most of the leads Kirk plays (not well) are Dave's anyway. Dave plays leads and rhythm.

[@walkawaycat431]

@Eliza Page Yes. Thank you. ❤️

[@cryptaronincheese]

Putting Frusciante in only 2 is a travesty. His usual style is simplistic and soulful but he's proven he *can* write more technical solos and he often improvises instead of playing the studio versions of his solos

[@CaptainMahone07]

Fantastic list !!! Great job here Bradley !

[@giacomom1275]

Sick goosebumps when I saw Lahio. Perfect categorization of this legend, he's always been a pure compositive genius and my biggest inspiration ever.