10 Best Hard Rock Guitarists Of All Time

At the beginning of the '70s, hard rock still didn't really know what it wanted to be. As opposed to the meaty music of later decades, the start of rock's edge was a little bit bluesy, a little bit psychedelic, without much of an identity to call its own. It wasn't until Tony Iommi came along with Black Sabbath that we officially got a healthy dose of what something heavy could sound like.

Though bands like the Doors had hinted at some darkness in the previous decade, Iommi's single note melodies were enough to fill any sonic space, sending shivers down the backs of future metalheads who needed something heavier than the Rolling Stones.

While the blues tradition was still ingrained in his playing, Iommi quickly became known as the master of the guitar riff, putting together some of the most demented melodies underneath Ozzy Osbourne's tortured vocal performances.

Even though Sabbath has weathered through many different iterations in their time, the dark sound never changes because Iommi IS Black Sabbath. Just one casual look at his back catalog is a treasure trove of greatness, from the opening strains of Iron Man to the absolute horrorshow he paints on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Led Zeppelin may have been looked at as rock and roll saviors in their time, but Tony Iommi was the one who pioneered the devilish rock and roll we all know and love today.