Best Metal Riffmasters

The Top Ten
1 Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist, songwriter and producer. Best known as lead guitarist and founding member of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, he has been the band's sole continual member and primary composer. At age 17, he accidentally lost the fingertips of his middle and ring fingers on his right hand, and considered giving up music. His boss encouraged him to continue playing by playing a record of the jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt who became famous even though his fretting hand was limited due to an injury. He carried on and down tuned his guitar for easier playing, which helped give birth to heavy metal music.

I have a soft spot for this guy - he's not the fastest or most technical guitarist but I like his riffs.
It's really sad that Ozzy always gets more credits than Tony, provided that Tony is the master musician in this band. Ozzy is more of a showman than musician after all.

His solos might not be the best, but his riff is legend

2 Jeff Hanneman (Slayer) Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman was an American musician, best known as a founding member of the American thrash metal band Slayer.

His just as good at solos to by the way.

3 James Hetfield (Metallica) James Alan Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963. He is an American musician, singer and songwriter known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for the American heavy metal band Metallica.

Metallica would be nothing without his riffs.

4 Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of two bands, Pantera and Damageplan, alongside his brother, Vinnie Paul. Abbott died in 2004 after he was shot by a mentally unstable fan.

There just isn't anyone on the planet earth that can come even a little bit close to this master of guitar.

We love you Dimebag!

Nobody comes close to this riffmaster

Clear #1 winner!

5 Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own ...read more.
6 Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow) Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work in the hard rock/metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. He was ranked number 16 on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and number 50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2011. In 2016 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of original members of Deep Purple.

Not necessarily the heaviest riffs (no thrash, death metal) but the most unique ones. His riffs are also written with incredible inspiration and performed with unmatched passion.
He always finds the best way to communicate the mood of the song - he even used Arabic scales for the songs Stargazer (a song about Egypt) and Gates of Babylon to create that mystic oriental feel.

7 Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot) Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. He was killed in a plane crash.
8 Jeff Waters (Annihilator) Jeff Waters (born February 13, 1966) is a Canadian metal musician and founder of the metal band Annihilator. He's best known as the guitarist for Annihilator, appreciated for his fast riffs and solos. Waters is also the primary songwriter in the band. Very often he has taken on the role of lead singer, bass player, engineer and producer. He has owned Watersound Studios Inc. since 1994. At a young age he took some classical and jazz guitar lessons. Notable songs include Alison Hell, Human Insecticide, The Trend, Ultra-Motion, Detonation.

Complex, fast and melodic riffs. He's very accurate, including live. Flawless switches rhythm / lead.
Alison Hell is their most popular song and the riffs are awesome.
Schizos (Are Never Alone) Part I & II is a riff fest - an almost instrumental piece composed of crazy fast riffs.
I also love the riffs of: Human Insecticide, Phantasmagoria, Imperiled Eyes, Ultra-Motion, Sixes and Sevens, The Trend, King of the Kill.

YouTube this live version, performed 20 years after its studio version and you will get everything:
Annihilator | Phantasmagoria | Live At Masters Of Rock DVD anniafan

Very talented - can listen to his riffs any time.

9 Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest) Glenn Raymond Tipton is an English Grammy Award-winning guitar player and songwriter. He is most commonly known as the lead guitarist for English heavy metal band Judas Priest.
10 Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains.

I like all his riffs.

The Contenders
11 Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) Zakk Wylde is an American musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society.
12 Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth) Jon Ryan Schaffer is an American heavy metal musician. He is best known as the guitarist and last remaining original member of the Florida-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which he formed in 1985 under the name "Purgatory".

The King Of Gallops.
I do love his tight, galloping, thrashy and thundering riffs, yet melodic.
He's one the most accurate rhythm guitar players out there, even live. Terribly underrated. I would compare him with James Hetfield.

13 Chuck Schuldiner Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner (1967-2001) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known as the founder and vocalist, guitarist and bassist of the American heavy metal band Death. He is considered the most influential figure in Death Metal, with some publications referring to Chuck ...read more.
14 Charlie Benante
15 Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.
16 Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) Adrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Iron Maiden, for whom he writes songs and performs live backing vocals on some tracks.
17 Angus Young Angus McKinnon Young is an Australian guitarist of Scottish origin, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and sole constant member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. When performing live he does his own version of Chuck Berry's "duck walk" and has also spun on his side while still playing songs accurately.

I am pretty sure he isn't metal...

18 Pepper Keenan
19 Scott Ian (Anthrax) Scott Ian is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, backing and additional lead vocalist, and the only remaining original founding member of the thrash metal band Anthrax. He also writes the lyrics on all their albums.
20 Trey Azagthoth
21 Eddie Van Halen Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020) was a Dutch-American musician, songwriter, producer, and inventor. He was best known as the lead guitarist, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen.
22 Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, Carcass) Michael Amott is a British-born Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a former member of the grindcore band Carcass.
23 Terrance Hobbs
24 Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, ex-Helloween) Kai Michael Hansen is a heavy metal guitarist and vocalist. Hansen is the founder, lead guitarist, and vocalist of power metal band Gamma Ray. He is also the co-founder and former member of German metal band Helloween.
25 Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer) Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a guitarist, the bandleader, and the main songwriter for the American thrash metal band Exodus and is also a guitarist for the American thrash metal band Slayer.
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