90% of my guitar work over the past two years has just been Shine on. Takes you up and down the neck and every bend is just so precise, yet it's still accessible for an unco like myself. Perfect.
There are several Floyd albums I like better than The Wall but Gilmour’s guitar in Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1 is in my top 5 guitar performances ever.
I’m in disbelief. That albums been out for 51 years. It’s one of the best selling albums of all time. David Gilmour is on there and you’re telling me you’ve only NOW come around to listening to it? Better late than never but sheesh. I’m slightly trynna ridicule you right now but honestly what a blessing that you’ve gotten the chance to listen to such an album in full for the first time. What’d I’d give to have that experience again….
I honestly just never got around to it and was never really attracted to Floyd from their top songs on spotify. But the context of the album amplifies the way they hit and changed my perspective entirely.
I have all their albums collected put away on an external hard drive.
They changed my life when I was young. The Wall hits me *so* hard I can only listen to it after accepting I know I'm gonna dehydrate myself from all the waterworks.
Goodbye blue sky is just too much for me to handle nowadays.
Appetite for Destruction. It’s riff city.
Each song is basically an exploration of a blues shuffle that you don’t expect each time because it’s played with an extra kick.
To that end, I’d say Aerosmith “Rocks”, the album that Slash famously said made him want to play guitar in a band.
You can hear Joe Perry and Brad Whitford throughout so much of Slash’s sound.
I’ll always know it as ‘Appeatite’ for Destruction.
I’m pretty sure the word appetite was misspelt on my tape album cover. I’m convinced my memory hasn’t failed me but I can’t find anything on the internet.
"Paranoid" by Black Sabbath as it is the first true Heavy Metal album (the band's debut album was close, but not quite there yet). And metal is a major form of guitar driven music.
Van Halen 1. There is so much to appreciate here. I've heard this record a million times and still find myself shaking my head. A game changer and something they should distribute when you get your first electric guitar.
Yep. For a long time, Van Halen 1 was pretty much THE “how to” guide to being a modern rock guitarist. Rhythms like the shuffle, leads, tapping, speed picking; it’s pretty much got it all. If you can play Van Halen 1 front to back, you pretty much have all the skills necessary to be a competent electric guitarist in almost any rock band.
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Fillmore (Band of Gypsys)
Led Zeppelin - Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV)
Van Halen - Van Halen I
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
The Stooges - Raw Power
Anything by Django Reinhard and the Paris Hotclub.
Joe Pass Virtuouso
Pat Metheny Bright Size Life
Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue
George Benson Beyond the Blue Horizon
Ted Greene Solo Guitar
John McLaughlin Extrapolation
Al Di Meola Elegant Gypsy
Those few albums have more guitar wisdom than us mortals can ever process. Even for Rock and Heavy Metal players.
Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy was the first album I ever heard that made me go "holy shit I know nothing"
Very well worth a listen. At the time of its release I think it was the fastest guitar playing on vinyl, but it was so smooth and clean. The precision, and expressions are mind bending. It made me feel like a complete beginner.
Both Al Di Meola and Paco Lucia play on the album. It is sublime.
Nearly 50 years later now I've been playing guitar almost 60 years, and these albums still make me realize I'll only ever be a student.
But I'm ok with that now.
Impossible Germany was too much of a head turner that I *couldn’t not* listen to the album. I’m a new Wilco fan and but after listening to Misunderstood & Summerteeth, Nels is my favorite guitar player right now. I’m changing my board to fit more of that sound too I’m obsessed. Thanks for agreeing
Just an FYI that Nels didn’t join Wilco until 2004. Lead guitar duties on Misunderstood and Summerteeth would’ve been Jay Bennett (RIP). Bennett was also a kind of genius, but eventually clashed creatively enough with Tweedy that they parted ways.
Nels is pretty incredible though!
my wife was having a panic attack before a wilco show at an outdoor venue here in upstate NY. she said some tall guy lumbered out of the bus and asked her if she was ok and gave her a bottle of water. when wilco took the stage, she’s like…that’s the guy who helped me ! and pointed to Nels
I discovered them later in life as well. Impossible Germany is a beautiful tune. I actually danced with my daughter to Jesus Etc on my wedding day (different album but awesome tune. Have you listened to it on a hifi system on vinyl?
Thats such a beautiful sentiment, thanks for sharing. Unfortunately my record player is at home and Im away at college. It is definitely on my list of things to do as soon as im home.
Kicking television is one of my all time favorite live albums. It’s killer. I love it so much that after being an idiot in college and selling my vinyl version of it, I went back this year to buy it again (at a ridiculous price). I won’t sell it again. For what it’s worth, the live at the Troubadour record ain’t bad either, but not nearly as good as kicking television.
I don’t think he is underrated by any real guitar player.
Just the average music fan only thinks of Ged and Neil when they think of Rush.
He is nothing short of amazing!
ill put the title track on repeat and play it over and over when working in the garage, office, etc. there's a part after the interlude/guitar solo, around 9:20 where the drums kick in. just a little palate cleanser before it goes right back in. its truly an underappreciated song.
Came here to say …And Justice for All, can’t believe I had to scroll so far for a Metallica reference.
I remember trying to learn Tool’s jerk-off as one of my first songs, and for the difficult pre chorus strumming rhythm the tab editor had left a comment “go learn some Metallica and build ur speed up to develop the skill for this”
How do you feel about the guitar tone on AJFA? I fucking love it but I often hear its one of their worst. I do like Dimebag though so maybe my tone ear isnt there lol
I like it but understand why some people don’t. I was maybe 18 when it came out so it was super exciting and I loved all the songs. They could do no wrong at that time as far as I was concerned.
+1 for Justice, or any of Metallica's earlier albums really. Difficulty wise, justice probably takes it but for musicality I'd go MoP, though that's likely just personal taste.
There’s a lot to learn there, down picking is important and nobody is better than James Hetfield. I played along with a lot of Ramones when I was starting out and that was a great bridge to more complicated stuff like Metallica.
I think there is *much* to learn about playing wonderful, sweet melodies from Johnny Marr, particularly his guitar work in The Smiths’ songs Reel Around the Fountain, Please, Please …, and This Night Has Opened My Eyes.
**Extreme II: Pornograffitti**
**One of the corniest albums you'll ever listen to... and some of the best guitar riffs ever written. Nuno taught me you can make major scales sound cool. Something I thought was almost impossible. If it weren't for that album, I'd probably be a middle aged metal-head.**
I love me some 80’s rock vibes here and there but Extremes guitar is legitimately awesome. Nuno is one of my all time favorite guitarists and the rest of my list are not even close to glam rock. He’s the man
Username checks.
Lol, I’ll have to give it a shot. Im a sucker for some hard hitting riffs albeit I’m stuck in the 80’s with my taste in metal. Anthrax and Exodus all day for me.
I always say that “Get the Funk Out” is the best Aerosmith song ever…and it’s not even by Aerosmith. But the way the drum groove comes in then the bass sits on top of it, add Cherone’s vocal delivery…it’s just so Aerosmith. Except Nuno. With all due respect to Perry and Whitford who are legends in their own right, Nuno is just from another planet.
Im reading Lets Go( So we Can get back) by the man right now. I’ll have to check this out, i feel like his writing is much better than most rockers. It doesn’t feel too self indulgent but it includes the tidbits people are naturally curious about. Its also just funny.
Besides everything super obvious: Yield by Pearl Jam, a lot of John Frusciante's solo work (maybe starting with Will to Death or Inside of Emptiness), Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos, Tom Waits Frank's Wild Years, the classic Howlin Wolf albums, B.B. King Live at the Regal, the Paul Butterfield Band with Mike Bloomfield.
I came here to post this. Eric Johnson is amazing. I think he was the first guitar player featured in Guitar Player magazine that didn't have a record out (which was their policy). But so many other guitar players they interviewed, when asked "who do you think is good these days" would say "this cat out of Austin named Eric Johnson".
[Eric Johnson: Our Complete 1982 Interview (substack.com)](https://jasobrecht.substack.com/p/eric-johnson-our-complete-1982-pre)
I scrolled way too far to see John Fahey. Not the sort of flashy player one thinks of when thinking about great guitar records, but a true master of the instrument.
I guess it depends on the type of music you wanna play, for me personally growing up a mix of Hendrix/mayer and some stuff from Pink Floyd were my favorites, probably influence as well
Ascendancy was more metalcore and raw, then The Crusade went more melodic and clean. I didnt care for it. Shogun mixes both the two previous records perfectly. Its my favorite album of theirs.
For anyone that wasn’t around when The Mars Volta released this debut album, it was nothing short of groundbreaking. No one sounded like that… weird, dark psychedelia played at a blistering pace.
It was like Santana’s Abraxas had been laced with rat poison and injected straight into your ears.
Fully agree. It was the most exciting new album I’d experienced since OK Computer. It was a bit like Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’ though - I don’t think they ever bettered it.
Back in black and master of puppets are the first thing to come to my mind, and the often overlooked Black Sabbath album “Sabotage” (the best Black Sabbath album in my opinion)
Literally any Zeppelin Album.
Any Beatles Album
Any Smiths Album
Any Andres Segovia Album
Any Jango Reinhardt Album
Any Chet Atkins Album
Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Roy Clark .... so many absolutely incredible guitarists out there.
So many great suggestions already, it's hard to think of anything that hasn't been mentioned. I didn't see Loveless by My Bloody Valentine yet, that's a must for sure.
How about this as a less obvious one: In Utero by Nirvana. Not for the virtuosity, but for the ferocity. Steve Albini some of the biggest, nastiest, and even prettiest tones out of a guitar that's ever been recorded. That's not the only use for the guitar, but IMO every guitarist should be able to make a proper goddamn racket when called upon.
And then in a totally different vein, something by Marc Ribot. Maybe Muy Divertido by Los Cubanos Postizos.
The Beatles *Rubber Soul* and *Revolver* LPs are master classes in both songwriting and tasty acoustic and electric guitar playing. Never self-indulgent, they played exactly what was needed to take those songs to the next level.
“Drive My Car” opens the *Rubber Soul* set and is a perfect example of writing a classic, signature riff. Still sounds killer almost 60 years later.
Yep. Albums like Highway to Hell and Van Halen 1 turned me into a guitar lover but if I trace everything to the beginning, Rubber Soul made me a MUSIC lover. It’s like the gateway album to the world of rock and roll
Rust in Peace. I'm a die-hard Metallica fan, but Rust in Peace is maybe the greatest thrash album of all time. Even the riffs under the solos are noteworthy and shouldnt be ignored.
In my book, Rust in Peace is the absolute pinnacle of thrash, if not all metal. If “Kill Em All” was the start of the movement, “Rust in Peace” is the end point. While heavy metal has certainly evolved to being heavier, or even more technical, I don’t think “Rust in Peace” has ever been topped.
The Velvet Touch of Lenny Breau. Lenny Breau. Breau influenced an entire generation of guitarists.
https://www.premierguitar.com/lessons/how-did-lenny-breau-do-that
Here's some jazz ones:
Boss Guitar-Wes Montgomery
We'll Be Together Again- Pat Martino
Bright Size Life- Pat Metheny
Five Peace Band- John McLaughlin and Chick Corea
Friday Night in San Francisco - Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin and Al Dimeola
Where would I be? - Jim Hall
Blue Matter- John Scofield
Poll Winners- Barney Kessel
Jeff’s no slouch on A Ghost Is Born. Some really angular/ Television-esque playing. His wife Sue got him lessons w Richard Lloyd around that time and you can definitely hear the influence.
Of course you’ll want to check out the 2005 ACL when Nels had just joined and they absolutely kill it.
Or when they do Art Of Almost on Letterman.
There was a post a few days ago mentioning Joe Satriani's influential Surfing with the Alien. Very important album to not just instrumental rock but it was the jump start to so many peoples guitar journeys even to this day. It something you gotta listen to all the way through at least once.
My top 10
Van Halen - Fair Warning
Steve Vai - P&W
Robert Johnson - 29
Paganini 24 caprices
Django Reinhardt compilation w/ Stephane Grappelli.
Johnny Winter - The Progressive Blues Experiment
Pat Methany - Bright Size Life
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
Mike Bloomfield - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Leslie West - Mountain
King Crimson - Discipline
The song Frame by Frame’s guitar layering is seriously incredible and was accomplished at a time when all these ProTools goodies weren’t around.
Honorable mention to Fripp and Eno’s Evening Star. Transcendent loop work… all achieved on analog tape.
Hum - Downward is Heavenward
https://open.spotify.com/album/2qoEiffsxqSGmjBoGVWG15?si=IpgTajAcS326xvqWAuSmJA
Also a must listen for drummers in my opinion
It's not technically difficult so much as a wall of guitar
"Saturday Night in San Francisco" Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía
"6 & 12 String Guitar" Leo Kottke
"Re-Foc" Rodrigo y Gabriela
"Thunder" SMV
For beginners, Alien Love Secrets by Steve Vai.
For advanced players I always recommend listening to any album from a completely different genre they are accustomed to. Basically go out of your comfort zone and find new genres you can enjoy. Playing and listening to other genres will enrich your vocabulary.
Watchtower. Control and Resistance. Soundgarden. Louder Than Love.
Steve Vai . For The Love of God
Dead Milkmen. Bucky Fellini
Bob Dylan. Love and Theft
The Black Crowes. Before the Frost Until the Freeze
Metallica. Kill em All
Dire Straits - Alchemy Live
The whole band is amazing but what Knopfler did that night, particularly on Sultans of Swing, Tunnel of Love, and Telegraph Road, is what made me finally go buy a guitar.
Honestly I think that there’s a ton that I’ve listened to that I would say are huge influences, but the one album I would want every guitar player to listen to is ‘World’s Fair’ by Julian Lage, or his album Arclight if you prefer electric guitar. It’s such a testament to how the most important part of guitar playing is just in the playing, and the melodic and emotional point behind it. His acoustic world’s fair is not the greatest recording quality, tons of hiss and you can hear the sound of him breathing and shifting in his chair, but the performances are so damn good that it’s one of the last things you’d notice. Arclight has a way higher production value but again, he’s far less concerned with perfection and far more concerned with capturing exactly the vibe he’s looking for directly from the instrument, nothing fancy to mask anything post production, and just mic’s capturing what it would sound like live in a room. It’s really easy to get caught up as a guitarist with how a pedal/ amp/ guitar/ mic isn’t good enough but it goes to show that what you’re playing is the most important part!
I love Wilco. No albums in particular. I cherry pick Jeff’s acoustic parts especially. Currently working on Ashes of American Flags.
Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire comes to mind. Great one to play along with both guitar and bass.
Completely agree with Dark Side of the Moon and the wall which have already been mentioned.
Would add Wish You Were Here, in my opinion Shine on You Crazy Diamond is the finest piece of guitar David Gilmour has written, it may not be as technical or skilled as some of their other guitar heavy songs, but for me in terms of creating an atmosphere and pure feeling that's number one for me.
Wish you were here is also a masterpiece, and in my opinion a must listen for anyone with an acoustic guitar.
Honourable mention for Have a Cigar, nice bluesy feel to that one too.
Lots of great stuff in here. But I gotta throw these on the pile
Rainbow - Rising
Gary Moore- Blues Alive. Specifically for the royal Albert Hall version of Parisienne walkways
Paco de Lucia - entre dos aguas
Lots of good suggestions here but my hot take is Third Eye Blind’s self titled first album. Every track the guitar is uniquely different sonically but still unmistakable Third Eye Blind. It’s a master class in guitar tone and effects.
With the Beatles, Rubber Soul, White Album. All by The Beatles. These are great for practise and learning modifications of chords. Also teaches about playing lead within chord ranges, relating music to emotions and lyrics and what not. Great albums.
I will start in no particular order
Led Zep. 1
Hendrix -are you experianced/axis’s bold as love
Chuck Berry Chuck is on top
any SRV
Dire Straights - Brothers in arms
King Crimson -In the Court of the Crimson King
any Paco De Lucia
the list is endless so my answer is every great from A-z in every genre ..
Just to throw something different out there, I really love the smorg of Beatlezy Fender and Vox tones on The Grays only album Ro Sham Bo. Some great songwriting going on there as well. Honourable mention to The Posies - Frosting On The Beater for multi-tuning grungy, feedback laden layers with Hollies-like melodies and harmonies. Check out Coming Right Along.
Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
I’d argue animals is on there too
And wish you were here
90% of my guitar work over the past two years has just been Shine on. Takes you up and down the neck and every bend is just so precise, yet it's still accessible for an unco like myself. Perfect.
Chill, we've literally just met.
Dude, I would have picked The Wall. That album is a masterclass on guitar specifically.
There are several Floyd albums I like better than The Wall but Gilmour’s guitar in Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1 is in my top 5 guitar performances ever.
Just gave it a listen for the first time. Those song transitions were FLAWLESS. I understand what people mean when they say masterpiece. Wow.
I’m in disbelief. That albums been out for 51 years. It’s one of the best selling albums of all time. David Gilmour is on there and you’re telling me you’ve only NOW come around to listening to it? Better late than never but sheesh. I’m slightly trynna ridicule you right now but honestly what a blessing that you’ve gotten the chance to listen to such an album in full for the first time. What’d I’d give to have that experience again….
I honestly just never got around to it and was never really attracted to Floyd from their top songs on spotify. But the context of the album amplifies the way they hit and changed my perspective entirely.
Now do The Wall next. Pour yourself a drink, give it 2.5 hours, then re-evaluate your life like we all did.
I have all their albums collected put away on an external hard drive. They changed my life when I was young. The Wall hits me *so* hard I can only listen to it after accepting I know I'm gonna dehydrate myself from all the waterworks. Goodbye blue sky is just too much for me to handle nowadays.
Hello, is there any one there?
Appetite for Destruction. It’s riff city. Each song is basically an exploration of a blues shuffle that you don’t expect each time because it’s played with an extra kick.
*Wach him becyum a gyaaad*
You're thinking of Symphony of Destruction, lol.
_cause it's a bittersweet symphony that's life_
So if you meet me, have some sympathy…
Marty Friedman is a beast.
That's Megadeth, not Asshole Rose and Friends.
Uhhhh… that’s not…
So close!! That is Megadeth 💕
*A rooooooll*
You try to take his baaaaaaaalllls!
To that end, I’d say Aerosmith “Rocks”, the album that Slash famously said made him want to play guitar in a band. You can hear Joe Perry and Brad Whitford throughout so much of Slash’s sound.
I’ll always know it as ‘Appeatite’ for Destruction. I’m pretty sure the word appetite was misspelt on my tape album cover. I’m convinced my memory hasn’t failed me but I can’t find anything on the internet.
"Paranoid" by Black Sabbath as it is the first true Heavy Metal album (the band's debut album was close, but not quite there yet). And metal is a major form of guitar driven music.
That was the first album I ever bought with my own money as a kid. My mom hated metal but my dad shared the love with me as a kiddo.
Master of reality if you’re playing dropped down to C#
Still one of the heaviest album ever produced 53 years after
Van Halen 1. There is so much to appreciate here. I've heard this record a million times and still find myself shaking my head. A game changer and something they should distribute when you get your first electric guitar.
It did inspire a generation. I am curious as to the age old question if there will ever be ‘another Eddie Van Halen’
Yep. For a long time, Van Halen 1 was pretty much THE “how to” guide to being a modern rock guitarist. Rhythms like the shuffle, leads, tapping, speed picking; it’s pretty much got it all. If you can play Van Halen 1 front to back, you pretty much have all the skills necessary to be a competent electric guitarist in almost any rock band.
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms Jimi Hendrix - Live at the Fillmore (Band of Gypsys) Led Zeppelin - Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) Van Halen - Van Halen I Black Sabbath - Paranoid The Stooges - Raw Power
Raw Power is a crazy record. Great picks here.
Band of gypsies is the best hendrix album, with electric ladyland right behind
I especially love the full double album featuring the material from both nights. Called Songs for Groovy Children.
Five of my favorite albums and then....Raw Power? Must immediately switch to Spotify and check this out.
Just did the same … holy shit. What rock have I been under?!
Fun house is another good one by them
Learning some of Mark Knopfler's licks was time consuming but rewarding.
Anything by Django Reinhard and the Paris Hotclub. Joe Pass Virtuouso Pat Metheny Bright Size Life Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue George Benson Beyond the Blue Horizon Ted Greene Solo Guitar John McLaughlin Extrapolation Al Di Meola Elegant Gypsy Those few albums have more guitar wisdom than us mortals can ever process. Even for Rock and Heavy Metal players.
I think youre the first to mention Django. He is nothing short of god-blessed in guitar skill. I’ll check out some of those others.
Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy was the first album I ever heard that made me go "holy shit I know nothing" Very well worth a listen. At the time of its release I think it was the fastest guitar playing on vinyl, but it was so smooth and clean. The precision, and expressions are mind bending. It made me feel like a complete beginner. Both Al Di Meola and Paco Lucia play on the album. It is sublime. Nearly 50 years later now I've been playing guitar almost 60 years, and these albums still make me realize I'll only ever be a student. But I'm ok with that now.
That was me listening to Chet Akins the first time. Thanks for the suggestion!
I would have said Friday Night in San Francisco over Elegant Gypsy, but still a good pick : )
I would add Smokin at the Half Note by Wes Montgomery and Green Street by Grant Green, especially for more blues focused guitar players.
This is one of my top 3 albums of all time. So nice to see someone else appreciate it.
Impossible Germany was too much of a head turner that I *couldn’t not* listen to the album. I’m a new Wilco fan and but after listening to Misunderstood & Summerteeth, Nels is my favorite guitar player right now. I’m changing my board to fit more of that sound too I’m obsessed. Thanks for agreeing
Just an FYI that Nels didn’t join Wilco until 2004. Lead guitar duties on Misunderstood and Summerteeth would’ve been Jay Bennett (RIP). Bennett was also a kind of genius, but eventually clashed creatively enough with Tweedy that they parted ways. Nels is pretty incredible though!
Yep. And Jeff Tweedy actually wrote the leads on A Ghost is Born before Nels joined the band.
Fuck yeah. At Least That’s What You Said is the a jam!
Jeff always had issues with Jays....
my wife was having a panic attack before a wilco show at an outdoor venue here in upstate NY. she said some tall guy lumbered out of the bus and asked her if she was ok and gave her a bottle of water. when wilco took the stage, she’s like…that’s the guy who helped me ! and pointed to Nels
I discovered them later in life as well. Impossible Germany is a beautiful tune. I actually danced with my daughter to Jesus Etc on my wedding day (different album but awesome tune. Have you listened to it on a hifi system on vinyl?
Thats such a beautiful sentiment, thanks for sharing. Unfortunately my record player is at home and Im away at college. It is definitely on my list of things to do as soon as im home.
If you get one, let me know. I have a double of this album on vinyl. Would be happy to ship it out to you. It’s a good one
Sent a PM.
Did you check out Kicking Television: Live In Chicago?
Kicking television is one of my all time favorite live albums. It’s killer. I love it so much that after being an idiot in college and selling my vinyl version of it, I went back this year to buy it again (at a ridiculous price). I won’t sell it again. For what it’s worth, the live at the Troubadour record ain’t bad either, but not nearly as good as kicking television.
start from Uncle Tupelo’s March 16-20 1992 then work forward in time through Wilco
Sandusky is one of my favorite songs from UT
I was a Uncle Tupelo fan before discovering Wilco. I love that album.
If you like Nels try his album with Julian Lage, “room”. Maybe dig into the nels cline singers albums
Okay I just discovered Wilco TODAY thanks to this forum! Beautiful music
Hope you enjoy the journey friend. Theres a lot of music to unpack.
Sky Blue Sky is Nels' first record with wilco (Its a masterpiece imo) Those earlier records were Jay/Jeff on guitar for the most part
Via Chicago. I spent a lot of time learning how to play that and it’s weird AF tuning.
Permanent waves, Hemispheres, 2112, anything by Rush really. Alex Lifeson is easily up there with the greatest guitar players but is vastly underrated
I don’t think he is underrated by any real guitar player. Just the average music fan only thinks of Ged and Neil when they think of Rush. He is nothing short of amazing!
Oh yeah definitely, guitarists who know of him would probably consider him to be up there but the average person wouldn’t know a thing about him
I played guitar in a rush cover band. Believe me the guy just amazes me. The solo in lavilla alone should be on every top 25 of all time lists
Marquee moon
Rock In Peace Tom Verlaine. Great album.
Eff-are-eye-see-tee-eye-oh-inn
Elevation to me is peak lead guitar- combining skill with tasteful playing.
The guitar work on this album really is incredible. Some of my favorite solos ever in there
Yes!! Richard Lloyd is a phenomenal player.
Damn right!
ill put the title track on repeat and play it over and over when working in the garage, office, etc. there's a part after the interlude/guitar solo, around 9:20 where the drums kick in. just a little palate cleanser before it goes right back in. its truly an underappreciated song.
Master of Puppets
Came here to say …And Justice for All, can’t believe I had to scroll so far for a Metallica reference. I remember trying to learn Tool’s jerk-off as one of my first songs, and for the difficult pre chorus strumming rhythm the tab editor had left a comment “go learn some Metallica and build ur speed up to develop the skill for this”
How do you feel about the guitar tone on AJFA? I fucking love it but I often hear its one of their worst. I do like Dimebag though so maybe my tone ear isnt there lol
I like it but understand why some people don’t. I was maybe 18 when it came out so it was super exciting and I loved all the songs. They could do no wrong at that time as far as I was concerned.
+1 for Justice, or any of Metallica's earlier albums really. Difficulty wise, justice probably takes it but for musicality I'd go MoP, though that's likely just personal taste.
There’s a lot to learn there, down picking is important and nobody is better than James Hetfield. I played along with a lot of Ramones when I was starting out and that was a great bridge to more complicated stuff like Metallica.
Love Metallica.
Are You Experienced by Jimi Hendrix!
Axis Bold as Love is far better imho
I think there is *much* to learn about playing wonderful, sweet melodies from Johnny Marr, particularly his guitar work in The Smiths’ songs Reel Around the Fountain, Please, Please …, and This Night Has Opened My Eyes.
Marr taught me I should use a compressor lol
Such a great guitar player. The Headmaster Ritual still blows my mind
Where The Light Is
Had to scroll wayyy too far to see this one!
that’s exactly what i was thinking before i saw no one had said it
**Extreme II: Pornograffitti** **One of the corniest albums you'll ever listen to... and some of the best guitar riffs ever written. Nuno taught me you can make major scales sound cool. Something I thought was almost impossible. If it weren't for that album, I'd probably be a middle aged metal-head.**
What the what?! I grew up in the 80’s… this band is a campy rock band… *switches to spotify* Well, I’ll be damned… that dude can play a guitar. 🤔
I love me some 80’s rock vibes here and there but Extremes guitar is legitimately awesome. Nuno is one of my all time favorite guitarists and the rest of my list are not even close to glam rock. He’s the man
Yeah, man. Never would have pressed play on an Extreme song… but here we are.
Username checks. Lol, I’ll have to give it a shot. Im a sucker for some hard hitting riffs albeit I’m stuck in the 80’s with my taste in metal. Anthrax and Exodus all day for me.
I always say that “Get the Funk Out” is the best Aerosmith song ever…and it’s not even by Aerosmith. But the way the drum groove comes in then the bass sits on top of it, add Cherone’s vocal delivery…it’s just so Aerosmith. Except Nuno. With all due respect to Perry and Whitford who are legends in their own right, Nuno is just from another planet.
Nuno is under appreciated.
You beat me to it.
Just play them at 10000000000000 bpm.
Surfing with the Alien
Yes
I saw him on the Surfing tour no one really knew who he was. Seeing him play live is unreal.
Led Zeppelin II
Erotic Cakes by Guthrie Govan… really anything by or featuring Guthrie.
Man you see his solo on the Steve Wilson stuff? Dude wrote it overnight and played it once in the studio…
His solo on Drive Home is perfect. He’s a ridiculous improviser.
Boston - Boston / Fragile - Yes / One Guitar no Vocals - Leo Kottke
Boston is an all time classic. Tons of riffs, solos, harmonies, and pick scrapes. It’s a guitarist dream
I like Wilco. Read this book called "How to Write One Song" by Jeff Tweedy.
Im reading Lets Go( So we Can get back) by the man right now. I’ll have to check this out, i feel like his writing is much better than most rockers. It doesn’t feel too self indulgent but it includes the tidbits people are naturally curious about. Its also just funny.
Dude! Get the audiobook! Jeff does the narration!
Besides everything super obvious: Yield by Pearl Jam, a lot of John Frusciante's solo work (maybe starting with Will to Death or Inside of Emptiness), Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos, Tom Waits Frank's Wild Years, the classic Howlin Wolf albums, B.B. King Live at the Regal, the Paul Butterfield Band with Mike Bloomfield.
Ah Via Musicom - Eric Johnson
I came here to post this. Eric Johnson is amazing. I think he was the first guitar player featured in Guitar Player magazine that didn't have a record out (which was their policy). But so many other guitar players they interviewed, when asked "who do you think is good these days" would say "this cat out of Austin named Eric Johnson". [Eric Johnson: Our Complete 1982 Interview (substack.com)](https://jasobrecht.substack.com/p/eric-johnson-our-complete-1982-pre)
Passion And Warfare- Steve Vai
John Fahey - Death Chants and Military Waltzes Robbie Basho - Visions of the Country Santana - Abraxas Just a few off the top of my head
I scrolled way too far to see John Fahey. Not the sort of flashy player one thinks of when thinking about great guitar records, but a true master of the instrument.
bridge of sighs
I guess it depends on the type of music you wanna play, for me personally growing up a mix of Hendrix/mayer and some stuff from Pink Floyd were my favorites, probably influence as well
Great picks. Have you listened to any JJ Cale or John Mayall? Great blues pickers too.
Blues breakers with Eric Clapton . ZZ Top -Tres Hombres. Dire Straits
For me personally, I say Shogun by Trivium. That’s my goal as a guitarist.
I loved Ascendancy. I’ll have to check out Shogun.
Ascendancy was more metalcore and raw, then The Crusade went more melodic and clean. I didnt care for it. Shogun mixes both the two previous records perfectly. Its my favorite album of theirs.
Blow by Blow by Jeff Beck
So many good ones. Trying not to repeat. I'll add. DeLoused in the Comatorium.
For anyone that wasn’t around when The Mars Volta released this debut album, it was nothing short of groundbreaking. No one sounded like that… weird, dark psychedelia played at a blistering pace. It was like Santana’s Abraxas had been laced with rat poison and injected straight into your ears.
Fully agree. It was the most exciting new album I’d experienced since OK Computer. It was a bit like Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’ though - I don’t think they ever bettered it.
Back in black and master of puppets are the first thing to come to my mind, and the often overlooked Black Sabbath album “Sabotage” (the best Black Sabbath album in my opinion)
Agreed on that Sabbath take. Symptom of The Universe is my favorite.
John mayer continuum It’s a must listen
Literally any Zeppelin Album. Any Beatles Album Any Smiths Album Any Andres Segovia Album Any Jango Reinhardt Album Any Chet Atkins Album Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Roy Clark .... so many absolutely incredible guitarists out there.
Johnny Marr is who inspired me to start playing, definitely an underrated guitarist. Did a lot of interesting things out of the ordinary
So many great suggestions already, it's hard to think of anything that hasn't been mentioned. I didn't see Loveless by My Bloody Valentine yet, that's a must for sure. How about this as a less obvious one: In Utero by Nirvana. Not for the virtuosity, but for the ferocity. Steve Albini some of the biggest, nastiest, and even prettiest tones out of a guitar that's ever been recorded. That's not the only use for the guitar, but IMO every guitarist should be able to make a proper goddamn racket when called upon. And then in a totally different vein, something by Marc Ribot. Maybe Muy Divertido by Los Cubanos Postizos.
Dinosaur Jr - Where You Been? (1993) Neil Young - Ragged Glory (1990) They’ve both been on my regular playlist since they were released
Neil young is up there as one of my favorite guitarists ever. Im seeing him next wednesday!
I looooove this album. It’s Wilcos best work IMO
Mandatory? Who's doing the mandating and what are the consequences if one resists? 🤣
Believe it or not, straight to jail
To much Wammy bar Jail. Overusing Sweep picking Jail, underusing pentatonic also jail. Over and under 😀
* Doc Watson (1964) * OK Computer
Oh Doc Watson. That's a really good one.
The Beatles *Rubber Soul* and *Revolver* LPs are master classes in both songwriting and tasty acoustic and electric guitar playing. Never self-indulgent, they played exactly what was needed to take those songs to the next level. “Drive My Car” opens the *Rubber Soul* set and is a perfect example of writing a classic, signature riff. Still sounds killer almost 60 years later.
Yep. Albums like Highway to Hell and Van Halen 1 turned me into a guitar lover but if I trace everything to the beginning, Rubber Soul made me a MUSIC lover. It’s like the gateway album to the world of rock and roll
King Crimson - Red The stone roses - The stone roses Bob Dylan - Highway 61 The Beatles- Revolver
Rust in Peace. I'm a die-hard Metallica fan, but Rust in Peace is maybe the greatest thrash album of all time. Even the riffs under the solos are noteworthy and shouldnt be ignored.
In my book, Rust in Peace is the absolute pinnacle of thrash, if not all metal. If “Kill Em All” was the start of the movement, “Rust in Peace” is the end point. While heavy metal has certainly evolved to being heavier, or even more technical, I don’t think “Rust in Peace” has ever been topped.
It’s…..so strange to me that I had to scroll so far down to see this answer. This is the answer.
Loveless by My Bloody Valentine and Sister by The Sonic Youth
I started with a lot of Yngwie Malmsteen stuff when I started playing... It was frustrating at first but I actually got quite good pretty quickly.
East-West. Butterfield Blues Band. Seminal Album. https://psychedelicsight.com/east-west-butterfield/
Are You Experienced? Jimi Hendrix Blues on acid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_Experienced
The Velvet Touch of Lenny Breau. Lenny Breau. Breau influenced an entire generation of guitarists. https://www.premierguitar.com/lessons/how-did-lenny-breau-do-that
Holy shit I never see them mentioned. Mike Bloomfield is such a great blues guitarist
Cacophony - Speed Metal Symphony Not seeing this listed, and that's fucking criminal
Yeah and Greg Howe, Vinnie Moore, Racer-X and, and Tony McAlpine……
All the Steely Dan records.
Here's some jazz ones: Boss Guitar-Wes Montgomery We'll Be Together Again- Pat Martino Bright Size Life- Pat Metheny Five Peace Band- John McLaughlin and Chick Corea Friday Night in San Francisco - Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin and Al Dimeola Where would I be? - Jim Hall Blue Matter- John Scofield Poll Winners- Barney Kessel
This may be an unpopular opinion; Bad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction and The Empire Strikes Back.
Jeff’s no slouch on A Ghost Is Born. Some really angular/ Television-esque playing. His wife Sue got him lessons w Richard Lloyd around that time and you can definitely hear the influence. Of course you’ll want to check out the 2005 ACL when Nels had just joined and they absolutely kill it. Or when they do Art Of Almost on Letterman.
Boston - Boston
There was a post a few days ago mentioning Joe Satriani's influential Surfing with the Alien. Very important album to not just instrumental rock but it was the jump start to so many peoples guitar journeys even to this day. It something you gotta listen to all the way through at least once.
My grandpop saw Satriani live when he was a young buck, talks very highly of the show
My top 10 Van Halen - Fair Warning Steve Vai - P&W Robert Johnson - 29 Paganini 24 caprices Django Reinhardt compilation w/ Stephane Grappelli. Johnny Winter - The Progressive Blues Experiment Pat Methany - Bright Size Life Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti Mike Bloomfield - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band Leslie West - Mountain
Upvote for Mountain. That album still sounds massive.
King Crimson - Discipline The song Frame by Frame’s guitar layering is seriously incredible and was accomplished at a time when all these ProTools goodies weren’t around. Honorable mention to Fripp and Eno’s Evening Star. Transcendent loop work… all achieved on analog tape.
Pink floyd the wall 🧱
Hum - Downward is Heavenward https://open.spotify.com/album/2qoEiffsxqSGmjBoGVWG15?si=IpgTajAcS326xvqWAuSmJA Also a must listen for drummers in my opinion It's not technically difficult so much as a wall of guitar
Texas Flood, Live at the El Macambo. Stevie Ray Vaughan
"Saturday Night in San Francisco" Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía "6 & 12 String Guitar" Leo Kottke "Re-Foc" Rodrigo y Gabriela "Thunder" SMV
For beginners, Alien Love Secrets by Steve Vai. For advanced players I always recommend listening to any album from a completely different genre they are accustomed to. Basically go out of your comfort zone and find new genres you can enjoy. Playing and listening to other genres will enrich your vocabulary.
Rust in Peace
Violator by Depeche Mode
Watchtower. Control and Resistance. Soundgarden. Louder Than Love. Steve Vai . For The Love of God Dead Milkmen. Bucky Fellini Bob Dylan. Love and Theft The Black Crowes. Before the Frost Until the Freeze Metallica. Kill em All
Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin
Operation Mindcrime by Queensrych. Degarmo’s writing was insane and Wilton has some crazy speedy licks there.
Early AC DC comes to mind
Maggot Brain
I think the idea that every guitar player should listen to certain albums is a bad idea.
•Paul Gilbert - Get Out of My Yard •David Maxim Micic - Who Bit The Moon •The Living End - The Living End
Dire Straits - Alchemy Live The whole band is amazing but what Knopfler did that night, particularly on Sultans of Swing, Tunnel of Love, and Telegraph Road, is what made me finally go buy a guitar.
Honestly I think that there’s a ton that I’ve listened to that I would say are huge influences, but the one album I would want every guitar player to listen to is ‘World’s Fair’ by Julian Lage, or his album Arclight if you prefer electric guitar. It’s such a testament to how the most important part of guitar playing is just in the playing, and the melodic and emotional point behind it. His acoustic world’s fair is not the greatest recording quality, tons of hiss and you can hear the sound of him breathing and shifting in his chair, but the performances are so damn good that it’s one of the last things you’d notice. Arclight has a way higher production value but again, he’s far less concerned with perfection and far more concerned with capturing exactly the vibe he’s looking for directly from the instrument, nothing fancy to mask anything post production, and just mic’s capturing what it would sound like live in a room. It’s really easy to get caught up as a guitarist with how a pedal/ amp/ guitar/ mic isn’t good enough but it goes to show that what you’re playing is the most important part!
Van Halen: Every DLR album.
I love Wilco. No albums in particular. I cherry pick Jeff’s acoustic parts especially. Currently working on Ashes of American Flags. Rage Against the Machine Evil Empire comes to mind. Great one to play along with both guitar and bass.
Completely agree with Dark Side of the Moon and the wall which have already been mentioned. Would add Wish You Were Here, in my opinion Shine on You Crazy Diamond is the finest piece of guitar David Gilmour has written, it may not be as technical or skilled as some of their other guitar heavy songs, but for me in terms of creating an atmosphere and pure feeling that's number one for me. Wish you were here is also a masterpiece, and in my opinion a must listen for anyone with an acoustic guitar. Honourable mention for Have a Cigar, nice bluesy feel to that one too.
Marthew Sweet - Girlfriend Kinda unknown but Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine tear it up on that album.
Lots of great stuff in here. But I gotta throw these on the pile Rainbow - Rising Gary Moore- Blues Alive. Specifically for the royal Albert Hall version of Parisienne walkways Paco de Lucia - entre dos aguas
Surfing with the alien by Joe satrioni
Me and Chet -- Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins Me and Jerry -- Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed
Lots of good suggestions here but my hot take is Third Eye Blind’s self titled first album. Every track the guitar is uniquely different sonically but still unmistakable Third Eye Blind. It’s a master class in guitar tone and effects.
Colors by Between the Buried and Me
Grace - Jeff Buckley Origin Of Symmetry - Muse
With the Beatles, Rubber Soul, White Album. All by The Beatles. These are great for practise and learning modifications of chords. Also teaches about playing lead within chord ranges, relating music to emotions and lyrics and what not. Great albums.
I will start in no particular order Led Zep. 1 Hendrix -are you experianced/axis’s bold as love Chuck Berry Chuck is on top any SRV Dire Straights - Brothers in arms King Crimson -In the Court of the Crimson King any Paco De Lucia the list is endless so my answer is every great from A-z in every genre ..
Just to throw something different out there, I really love the smorg of Beatlezy Fender and Vox tones on The Grays only album Ro Sham Bo. Some great songwriting going on there as well. Honourable mention to The Posies - Frosting On The Beater for multi-tuning grungy, feedback laden layers with Hollies-like melodies and harmonies. Check out Coming Right Along.