List of lead guitarists

The following is a list of significant lead guitarists, arranged in ascending alphabetical order of their last name. For rhythm guitarists see list of rhythm guitarists. Only add names here if the person has their own article on Wikipedia, please. Anything else will be removed.

CompactTOC8Expand list|date=August 2008

A

* "Dimebag Darrell" Abbott (Pantera, Damageplan)
* Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World)
* Marcus Adoro (The Eraserheads)
* Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)
* Jan Akkerman (Focus)
* Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio)
* Paul Allender (Cradle of Filth)
* Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band, Derek and the Dominoes)
* Quinn Allman (The Used)
* Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy, Armageddon)
* Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass)
* Trey Anastasio (Phish)
* Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
* Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy, Transplants)
* DJ Ashba ()
* Ron Asheton (The Stooges)
* Bryce Avary (The Rocket Summer)
* Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)

B

* Ayub Bachchu (Love Runs Blind)
* Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive)
* Rob Baker (The Tragically Hip, Stripper's Union)
* Terry Balsamo (Evanescence)
* Perry Bamonte (The Cure)
* Carl Barat (The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things)
* Aaron Barrett (Reel Big Fish)
* Rob Barrett (Cannibal Corpse)
* Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd)
* Michael Angelo Batio
* Reb Beach (Winger,Dokken,Whitesnake)
* Norman Beaker
* Corey Beaulieu (Trivium)
* Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds)
* Jason Becker (David Lee Roth, Cacophony)
* Franny Beecher (Bill Haley & His Comets)
* Andy Bell (Ride, Hurricane #1, Oasis)
* Matthew Bellamy (Muse)
* Chuck Berry
* Nuno Bettencourt
* Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band)
* Simon Binks (Australian Crawl)
* Anders Björler (At the Gates)
* Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
* Doug Blair (W.A.S.P.)
* Marc Bolan (T. Rex)
* Joe Bonamassa
* D. Boon (Minutemen)
* Wes Borland (Limp Bizkit, Black Light Burns)
* Johnny Borrell (Razorlight)
* James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers)
* Vito Bratta (White Lion)
* Creed Bratton (The Grass Roots)
* Chris Broderick (Megadeth, Nevermore, Jag Panzer)
* Devin Bronson
* Roy Buchanan
* Peter Buck (R.E.M)
* Buckethead
* Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
* Jonny Buckland (Coldplay)
* Vinny Burns (Ten)
* John Butler (The John Butler Trio)
* Roddy Byers (The Specials)

C

* Ernie C (Body Count)
* Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's)
* Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
* Phil Campbell (Motörhead)
* Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard)
* Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)
* Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)
* Danny Cedrone (Bill Haley & His Comets; "Rock Around the Clock")
* Nic Cester (Jet)
* Ross Childress (Collective Soul)
* Charlie Christian
* John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Dinosaurs)
* Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, Cream)
* Steve Clark (Def Leppard)
* "Fast Eddie" Clarke (Motörhead)
* Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
* Phil Collen (Def Leppard)
* Albert Collins
* Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
* John Corabi (Ratt)
* Graham Coxon (Blur)
* Doc Coyle (God Forbid)
* Robert Cray
* J.D. Cronise (The Sword)
* Steve Cropper (Booker T. & The MG's)
* Robbin Crosby (Ratt)
* Rivers Cuomo (Weezer)

D

* Dick Dale
* Dave Davies (The Kinks)
* Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche)
* Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots)
* Tom Delonge (Blink-182, Box Car Racer, Angels & Airwaves)
* Brad Delson (Linkin Park)
* Warren DeMartini (Ratt)
* Phil Demmel (Machine Head)
* Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate)
* Rick Derringer (The McCoys, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter)
* C.C. Deville (Poison)
* Al Di Meola (Go)
* Buck Dharma (Blue Öyster Cult)
* Ian D'Sa (Billy Talent)
* Dan Donegan (Disturbed)
* K.K. Downing (Judas Priest)
* Dr. Know (Bad Brains)
* Ol Drake (Evile)
* Glen Drover (King Diamond, Megadeth, Eidolon)
* Billy Duffy (The Cult)
* Bob Dylan

E

* Elliot Easton (The Cars)
* The Edge (U2)
* Nokie Edwards (The Ventures)
* Klaus Eichstadt (Ugly Kid Joe)
* Mike Einziger (Incubus)
* Stefan Elmgren (HammerFall)

F

* Tim Farriss (INXS)
* Don Felder (Eagles)
* Dave Felton (Mushroomhead)
* Aaron Fink (Breaking Benjamin)
* Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House, Finn Brothers)
* Roger Fisher (Heart)
* Robb Flynn (Machine Head)
* John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
* Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon)
* Jon Foreman (Switchfoot)
* Dave Fortman (Ugly Kid Joe)
* Peter Frampton (Humble Pie)
* Ace Frehley (KISS)
* Glenn Frey (Eagles)
* Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony)
* Robert Fripp (King Crimson)
* John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
* Koichi Fukuda (Static-X)
* Jim Fuller (Surfaris)

G

* Gus G. (Dream Evil, Firewind, Nightrage)
* Steve Gaines (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
* Galder (Dimmu Borgir)
* Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
* Rory Gallagher
* Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead )
* Synyster Gates (Avenged Sevenfold, Pinkly Smooth)
* Lee Gaze (Lostprophets)
* Janick Gers (Iron Maiden)
* Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)
* Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory)
* Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big)
* David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
* Greg Ginn (Black Flag)
* Craig Goldy (Giuffria, Dio)
* Matt Good (From First to Last)
* Myles Goodwyn (April Wine)
* Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy, 21 Guns)
* Gary Green (Gentle Giant)
* Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac)
* Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
* Joe Guese (The Click Five)
* Buddy Guy

H

* Steve Hackett (Genesis)
* Ollie Halsall (Patto, Tempest)
* Kirk Hammett (Metallica, Exodus)
* Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes)
* Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)
* Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray)
* George Harrison (The Beatles, Traveling Wilburys)
* Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule)
* Matt Heafy (Trivium)
* Jimi Hendrix
* Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks, Bad Religion)
* Dave Hill (Slade)
* Brent Hinds (Mastodon)
* Nick Hipa (As I Lay Dying)
* Hisashi (Glay)
* Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation)
* Gary Hoey
* Allan Holdsworth
* Buddy Holly
* Gary Holt (Exodus)
* Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss)
* John Lee Hooker
* Matt Hoopes (Relient K)
* Tomoyasu Hotei (Boøwy, Complex)
* Steve Howe (Yes, Asia)
* Jon Hume (Evermore)
* Rick Hunolt (Exodus)

I

* Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
* Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers)

J

* Matthias Jabs (Scorpions)
* Dan Jacobs (Atreyu)
* John 5
* Eric Johnson
* Lonnie Johnson
* Kevin Jonas (Jonas Brothers)
* Adam Jones (Tool)
* Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones)
* Danny Jones (McFly)
* Mick Jones (The Clash)
* Mick Jones (Foreigner, Spooky Tooth)
* Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)

K

* Alexander Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)
* Ben Kasica (Skillet)
* Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
* Tom Kaulitz (Tokio Hotel)
* Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group)
* Tom Keifer (Cinderella)
* Ken (L'Arc-en-Ciel)
* David Kennedy (Angels & Airwaves)
* David Keuning (The Killers)
* Albert King
* B.B. King
* Ben King (The Yardbirds)
* Ed King (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Strawberry Alarm Clock)
* Kerry King (Slayer)
* Andreas Kisser (Sepultura)
* Antti Kokko (Kalmah)
* Joel Kosche (Collective Soul)
* Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
* Joel Kosche (Collective Soul)
* Paul Kossoff (Free)
* Richie Kotzen
* Robby Krieger (The Doors)
* Richard Z. Kruspe (Rammstein)
* Bruce Kulick (KISS)
* Kirk Hammett (Metallica)

L

* Bernie LaBarge (David Clayton-Thomas)
* Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom)
* Larry LaLonde (Possessed, Primus)
* Jonny Lang
* Andy LaRocque (King Diamond)
* Roope Latvala (Children of Bodom, Sinergy)
* John Lawler (The Fratellis)
* Ronni Le Tekro (TNT)
* Bernie Leadon (The Eagles)
* Alvin Lee (Ten Years After)
* Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne)
* John Lennon (The Beatles)
* Herman Li (Dragonforce)
* Alex Lifeson (Rush)
* Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol)
* Peter Lindgren (Opeth)
* Russell Lissack (Bloc Party)
* Nils Lofgren (E Street Band)
* Karl Logan (Manowar)
* Jeff Loomis (Nevermore)
* Jens Ludwig (Edguy)
* George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob)

M

* John-Angus MacDonald (The Trews)
* Lonnie Mack
* Stuart MacLeod (Eskimo Joe)
* Benji Madden (Good Charlotte)
* Tim Mahoney (311)
* Daron Malakian (System of a Down)
* Yngwie Malmsteen
* Mantas (Venom)
* Kee Marcello (Europe)
* Johnny Marr (The Smiths)
* Steve Marriott (Small Faces), (Humble Pie)
* Mick Mars (Mötley Crüe)
* Jim Martin (Faith No More)
* Hank B. Marvin (The Shadows)
* J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr)
* Hideto Matsumoto (X Japan)
* Tak Matsumoto (B'z)
* Brian May (Queen)
* Nick McCabe (The Verve)
* George McCorkle (Marshall Tucker Band)
* Mike McCready (Pearl Jam)
* Jimmy McCulloch (Wings, Thunderclap Newman, Stone the Crows, Small Faces, The Dukes)
* Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub)
* John McLaughlin (Shakti)
* Tara McLeod (Kittie)
* Richard McNamara (Embrace)
* Timothy McTague (Underøath)
* Tomo Milicevic (30 Seconds to Mars)
* Tim Mills (Iced Earth)
* Brian Molko (Placebo)
* Ronnie Montrose (Gamma)
* Ben Moody (Evanescence)
* Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy)
* Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth)
* Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave)
* Dave Morrissey (Celtic Legacy)
* Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse Band, Deep Purple)
* Mark Morton (Lamb of God)
* Ian Moss (Cold Chisel)
* Cameron Muncey (Jet)
* James Murphy
* Dave Murray (Iron Maiden)
* Dave Mustaine (Metallica, Megadeth)
* Gary Myrick (Havana 3am)
* Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)

N

* Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers)
* Keith Nelson (Buckcherry)
* Craig Nicholls (The Vines)
* Graeme Nicholls (We Be the Echo, Voorhees)
* Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick)
* John Norum (Europe)
* Ted Nugent (Ted Nugent, Amboy Dukes)

O

* Jus Oborn (Electric Wizard)
* Pat O'Brien (Cannibal Corpse)
* André Olbrich (Blind Guardian)

P

* Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin, The Yardbirds, The Firm)
* Michael "Padge" Paget (Bullet for My Valentine)
* Mark Parry (The Manvils)
* Ryan Peake (Nickelback)
* Axel Rudi Pell
* Luther Perkins (Johnny Cash)
* Joe Perry (Aerosmith, The Joe Perry Project)
* Vicki Peterson (The Bangles)
* John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment)
* C. J. Pierce (Drowning Pool)
* Matt Pike (Sleep, High on Fire)
* Sergio Pizzorno (Kasabian)
* Chris Poland (Megadeth)
* Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)
* Jade Puget (AFI)

R

* Roddy Radiation (The Specials)
* Mick Ralphs (Bad Company, Mott the Hoople)
* Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
* Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
* Django Reinhardt
* Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne)
* Keith Richards (Rolling Stones)
* Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray)
* Michael Ricketts
* Chris Risola (Steelheart)
* Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy, Motörhead)
* Robbie Robertson (The Band)
* Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (Mars Volta)
* Tony Rombola (Godsmack)
* Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
* Mick Ronson (David Bowie)
* Jim Root (Slipknot, Stone Sour)
* Ryan Ross (Panic! at the Disco)
* Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
* Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
* Uli Jon Roth
* Erik Rutan (Morbid Angel, Hate Eternal)
* Johnny Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls)

* Dave "The Snake" Sabo (Skid Row)
* Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi)
* Karl Sanders (Nile)
* Carlos Santana (Santana)
* Joey Santiago (Pixies)
* Ralph Santolla
* Joe Satriani
* Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth)
* Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO, Michael Schenker Group)
* Neal Schon (Journey)
* Jeff Schroeder (The Smashing Pumpkins)
* Chuck Schuldiner (Death, Control Denied)
* Keith Scott (Bryan Adams)
* Brian Setzer (The Stray Cats)
* James "Munky" Shaffer (Korn)
* Todd Sharpville
* Justin Shekoski (Saosin)
* Hank Shermann (Mercyful Fate)
* Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine)
* Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters)
* Charlie Simpson (Fightstar, Busted)
* Alex Skolnick (Testament, Trans Siberian Orchestra)
* Slash (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver)
* Martin Slattery (The Mescaleros)
* ‎Snail's Pace Slim (The Hamsters)
* Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
* Robert Smith (The Cure)
* Bruce Springsteen (E Street Band)
* Billy Squier
* Muhammed Suiçmez (Necrophagist)
* John Squire (The Stone Roses, The Seahorses)
* Mark St. John (KISS)
* Bill Steer (Carcass)
* Leigh Stephens (Blue Cheer, Sister Ray)
* Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria)
* Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)
* Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan)
* Barry Stock (Three Days Grace)
* Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother)
* Sugizo (Luna Sea, S.K.I.N.)
* Sek Loso (Loso)
* Andy Summers (The Police)
* Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order)
* Red Symons (Skyhooks)

T

* Ty Tabor (King's X)
* Akira Takasaki (Loudness)
* Brian Tatler (Diamond Head)
* Mick Taylor (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, The Rolling Stones)
* Tommy Thayer (Black 'N' Blue, KISS)
* Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
* Hughie Thomasson (The Outlaws)
* Mick Thomson (Slipknot)
* Porl Thompson (The Cure)
* Richard Thompson
* Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah)
* Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers)
* Andy Timmons (Danger Danger)
* Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)
* Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius)
* Simon Tong (The Verve, The Shining, The Good, the Bad & the Queen)
* Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance)
* Sam Totman (Dragonforce)
* Pete Townshend (The Who)
* Mark Tremonti (Alter Bridge)
* Greg Tribbett (Mudvayne, Hellyeah)
* Joe Trohman (Fall Out Boy)
* Robin Trower (Procol Harum)
* Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers Band)
* Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys)

U

*Chris Urbanowicz (Editors)

V

* Steve Vai
* Nick Valensi (The Strokes)
* James Valentine (Maroon 5)
* Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's)
* Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
* Steve Van Zandt (E Street Band)
* Stevie Ray Vaughan
* Suzanne Vega
* Vinnie Vincent (KISS)
* Emppu Vuorinen (Nightwish)

W

* Christopher Walla (Death Cab for Cutie)
* Joe Walsh (James Gang, Eagles)
* Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman (The Offspring)
* Jeff Waters (Annihilator)
* Muddy Waters
* Ben Weinman (Dillinger Escape Plan)
* Brian "Head" Welch (Korn)
* Leslie West (Mountain)
* Nick Wheeler (The All-American Rejects)
* Andrew White (Kaiser Chiefs)
* Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs)
* Jason White (Green Day, Foxboro Hot Tubs)
* Brad Whitford (Aerosmith)
* Sickie Wifebeater (The Mentors)
* Carl Wilson (The Beach Boys)
* Nancy Wilson (Heart)
* Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree)
* Michael Wilton (Queensrÿche)
* Johnny Winter
* Link Wray
* Ron Wood (The Faces, The Rolling Stones)
* Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society)

Y

* Angus Young (AC/DC)
* James Young (Styx)
* Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)

Z

* Frank Zappa
* Vadim Zilberstein (Earth, Wind, & Fire)