Top 10 Best Guitarists of the 2000s

Here is the list of the best guitarist in the first decade of the new millennium (2000). A count based on Internet voting by others.
The Top Ten
1 Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll, known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music.

Nobody but him can completely make solos like him off the spot. He plays alone and still makes his songs sound better than others

What!? This guy is damn better than the top three

Guy is a bot and can play anything.

2 Synyster Gates Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band Avenged Sevenfold.

How the heck is John Mayer ranked above Synyster Gates? Have any of you heard his solos in Avenged Sevenfold's songs? His best one is definitely in Afterlife, followed closely by Welcome to the Family (but all of his solos are good. ) My favorite thing about his guitar playing is that he comes up with song ideas and then challenges himself to figure out how to play them. Bet the rest of these people on this list don't do that.

Really? Jack White above both BucketHead and Synyster Gates? Absolutely absurd. While I can't argue against John Mayer because is an insane Guitarist, Synyster Gates is a professionally strained classical guitarist and BucketHead is just prolific in every way. Even Dave Mustaine said BucketHead has more talent than he and Slash combined. MUCH more.

3 John Mayer John Clayton Mayer is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but disenrolled and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with Clay Cook. Together, they formed a short-lived two-man band called Lo-Fi Masters.

Undoubtedly the greatest guitar player to come out of the 2000's and even possibly one of the best active guitar player to this day. You can not only see it in the skill and structure of his composition but by the emotional intonation that he plays with. Any track that he touches Carries his unique style and tone that is immediately identifiable, whether it be from his bending of notes or the tone and balance he sets his instrument at.

One of the best guitarists I've ever seen hands down. I mean the guy plays at the Clapton crossroads festival every year and is always one of the feature acts. Don't believe me. Check out his solo for "Wait Until Tomorrow" by Hendrix off of Where the Light is live in los angeles or from the same concert the song "Neon" which is one of the most impressive acoustic sets I've had he pleasure of seeing. If those don't do it for you check out his version of "Voodoo Child" live at the Red Rocks amphitheater.

4 Matthew Bellamy Matthew James "Matt" Bellamy is an English musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. He is most famous for being the main vocalist in alternative rock band "Muse".

He deserves a higher position. Plug in baby and unnatural selection are amazing.

Really? Where is he? He should easily be in the top 5, if not 3.

Ever heard of "Reapers" and "Animals" solos?

5 Jack White John Anthony "Jack" White is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo The White Stripes, but has also had success in other bands and as a solo artist.

The best thing to happen to music, constant alternations which hold attention and bore even less sometimes than Metallica. Which phases and strikes this dumbfounded. Good going to both artists, just saying...perfect timing with Jack White in the least it feels.

The dude unlike many this past decade, tried something dofferent as opposed to just plugging in his guitar and playing very loud.

Easy decision; I really don't feel like I need to form an argument for this.

6 John Frusciante John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, producer and composer.He is best known for his time with the Funk Rock California based band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was also part of the Mars Volta, Swahili Blonde, Ataxia and more.

Kind of ridiculous to have this kind of talent this low on a list where a guitar player was in his prime and considered the best. Obviously don't know what a true guitar player consists of and what they achieved. I've seen the chili peppers live about 8 times and 5 of those were with Frusciante, and let me tell you something, this guy is unbelievable. The man has the best improvisations I have ever seen, and his playing is so pure to his soul. Each note he plays, means something. I've seen many other guitar players live and the only other person who comes close to Frusciante live, is either Eddie Van Halen or Jimi himself, but other than that, I have never seen anyone come close to being what Frusciante is. Not saying he's the best, but he was definitely the best in the 2000's. Just watch Slane Castle 2003, Milan 2006, and La Cigale 2006, and you'll see what I am saying

7 Jonny Greenwood Jonathan Richard Guy, professionally known as Johnny Greenwood, is an English musician and composer mostly known for his role as the one of the lead guitarists and the main keyboardist of the English alternative rock band Radiohead.

The best guitarist of our times and he can play whatever he wants. He has a unique style of playing in strange and alternative climates and difficult chords and his style has given a big part of Radiohead's music identity. I'm a guitarist myself and in Jonny Greenwood's face (I'd rather say his fingers) I recognise a guitar master.

Very experimental playing, very weird for some, but actually pretty good.

8 Jonny Buckland

Maybe the most tasteful guitarist of the last decade. Really knows how to use restraint, but then sometimes wail. He plays exactly what any given Coldplay song needs to be perfect.

The greatest guitarist of the 2000's, no doubt. His guitar riffs are melodic and digs deep into the soul. Perfect.

9 Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who is best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and guitarist of the punk rock band Green Day, which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt. He's also in side-project groups such as The Network, Foxboro HotTubs, Pinhead Gunpowder,... read more

I would say Billie Joe's hay day as a guitarist was early 90s with Kerplunk and 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (The Judge's Daughter is the best punk guitar solo of all time). Most people who dog on Billie Joe, particularly his guitar skills have never listened to pre Dookie material, or even pre American idiot. He's focused a lot more on lyrics and message within his songs within the new millennium, but he still can turn the most simple chord progressions into the most memorable pieces of punk. And can still kick out a machine-gun powered solo. Listen to Restless Heart Syndrome, Let Yourself Go, and Amanda.

10 Chris Shiflett

He's amazing guitar playing in best of you, stacked actors, bridge every song theve written! Just so amazing, I don't know another guitarist that does everything that well!

The Contenders
11 Joe Bonamassa Joe Bonamassa is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. When he was only 12 years old, Bonamassa opened for B.B. King. He was born 8th May 1977. He is known to be one of the greatest blues guitarists ever.

Fantastic riff writer and blues guitarist. He is a little too self promoting with the pins and mugs and such, but I love his music. I think he should be much higher on this list.

Fantastic guitarist, even when he young he should have been on this list, the face of modern blues.

Joe bonamassa should be above jack white...

12 Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme (born May 17, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. He is the founder and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, in which he sings, plays guitar, as well as occasionally playing piano, drums, and bass. He also serves... read more

It's absurd that Josh is ranked this low. He is a genius writer and there's not a single person that can solo like him.

13 Daron Malakian Daron Vartan Malakian is an Armenian–American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He's best known as the main songwriter, guitarist, and co-vocalist for Armenian/American rock band System of a Down. After System of a Down's hiatus in 2006 he began to release music through... read more
14 Mark Tremonti Mark Thomas Tremonti is an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge.

Wow. This is just sad... Has any one even heard his riffs from creed and alter bridge? And even his speed metal thrashing on his solo album. Tremonti is the best metal guitarist of our time, think about it who else would your be? Sysnter? Possibly... This is heartbreaking that he's last.

His solos in Blackbird(2007), One Day Remains(2004), and Full Circle(2009) are amazing! His shredding power and amazing music-making Ability with Creed and Alter Bridge at least qualifies him to be top 5! People should listen to Creed and Alter Bridge more!

15 Omar Rodriguez Lopez

At The Drive In started this young lads career in the mid 1990's and paved the guitar sounds of The Mars Volta. Omar was great long before the year of 2000. All great players on this list though.

16 Ray Toro Raymond "Ray" Toro is an American musician who served as lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band My Chemical Romance until their split in 2013.

Not many people give him a lot of credit, mostly because he was part of My Chem (in my opinoin, a great and the best (creatively speaking) band of the 2000s. Along with Frank Iero, Ray is an excellent guitarist. If you want to hear him shred, check out songs like Dead! (which Toro has a amazing guitar solo on). I would suggest you listen to the albums the Black Parade and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, where Toro really shines!

17 Mark Morton

He should be in top 3... He's one of the greatest guitarists of 2000s decade... If you don't belive, listen to his work in laid to rest, walk with me in hell, omerta, now you've got something to die for, black label, etc... Hell I can't name of all of them...

Damn! He should be in the top 3... Actually at number 1... His works are great and everyone knows it... Then what is he doing in no.27... Mark, go straight to number 1

18 Ed O'Brien Edward John "Ed" O'Brien is an English guitarist and member of the alternative rock band Radiohead. He makes extensive use of effects units to create atmospheric sounds and textures, and also provides backing vocals.
19 Nick Valensi

Listen to Reptilia, Modern Age and Under Cover of Darkness solos and you'll know he is the most rock n roll influenced guitarist of the last decade and a half.

20 Tosin Abasi Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide "Tosin" Abasi (born January 7, 1983), is a Nigerian American musician, best known as the founder and lead guitarist of the instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders. Before founding Animals as Leaders, he was the guitarist for the technical metalcore band Reflux... read more
21 David The Edge Howell Evans
22 Dan Auerbach Daniel Quine "Dan" Auerbach is an American musician and record producer best known as the guitarist and vocalist for The Black Keys, a blues rock band from Akron, Ohio.

Love him. He's absolutely fantastic. He's part of the black keys, which is an awesome band as well. Just keeps improving

23 Tom Morello Thomas Morello is an American musician, singer-songwriter and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave.

The dude is sick. He can play like no other. His riffs drill into your mind and blow your eardrums. The man redefined whata guitar is capable of and led rockinto a new era. He ranked #3 on top 90's guitarist, so he should have a place on this list.

24 Slash Saul Hudson, known professionally as Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
25 Herman Li Herman Li is a Hong Kong-born, British Chinese musician, record producer, and lead guitarist for the British Power-Metal band Dragonforce.
8Load More
PSearch List