10 Best Classic Rock Guitarists Of The '70s
1. Brian May - Queen
Since the '70s were the golden age of rock and roll, how do you distill the essence of guitar down to a single player? It's not an easy decision to make, with every other guitarist proving themselves to be positioned amongst the greatest of all time. However, if you want to really find the cream of the crop, you need a one of a kind player... and it might be better if it comes from royalty.
Despite the ongoing theatrics of Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury, the real essence of the group's sound was always Brian May, who crafted some of the most infectious riffs and melodic lines of the modern age. Just like all of Queen's music, doing the standard rock and roll lead never sat well with May, leading him to create multiple harmonic versions of every one of his solos, which led to guitar symphonies on tracks like Killer Queen and Keep Yourself Alive.
Even when May wasn't the primary focus behind his guitar, his songwriting left an indelible mark on Queen's legacy, with him coming up with the stomp beat of We Will Rock You and the bluesy riffs of Sweet Lady. As opposed to being the next logical progression of an old genre, Brian May is one of those unique guitar players who nods to the past and points toward the future every time he plays.