10 Best Grunge Guitarists

The Replacements were the most beautiful mess from the first time they picked up guitars. Even when the band went through transitionary periods, the slapshot delivery of Paul Westerberg was always a highlight of every track. Little did he know that he was laying the groundwork for the future of rock.

For as much lip service as the Replacements got from the bands of Seattle, Westerberg’s approach is from the more rootsy side of rock than anything else. Many forget that some of the first major tours the Replacements did was opening up for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. However, there was always a punkish attitude coming from Westerberg, who made his six-string shriek and sing in equal measure.

When talking about the precursors of grunge, Westerberg may be the purest antecedent of the genre, with songs that are insanely catchy while being sonically frayed. Given his rap sheet, it makes sense that he was included on the classic Singles soundtrack along with bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Every band in the ‘80s may have been focused on sounding heavy, but Westerberg combined the hardcore crunch of punk and metal with the delicate sounds of someone like R.E.M to make the signature grunge noise.