10 Greatest Hard Rock Guitarists Of The '80s

Most of the ‘80s hard rock scene was centered around virtuosos. Whether you were rooted in glam metal or were a student of thrash, there was always a certain level of expertise that was expected out of everyone trying to pick up a guitar. It could often get cold and calculated, but Steve Vai was the one guitarist keeping the shred scene alive.

Throughout his career, Vai has built up quite the rap sheet, working with such hard rock luminaries as Whitesnake and David Lee Roth, but he was always more than just a glam rocker. Before rising to prominence, Vai was a student of Frank Zappa, who taught him to explore every aspect of his instrument. Once ditching the glam rock cliches, Vai moved onto his solo career, where he created some of the most diverse instrumental albums of all time.

For as much as he gets put on lists of super shredders, Vai has a great amount of emotion in his playing and continues to expand upon his playing style to the present day. Instead of just achieving legend status and settling into a groove, Vai has never lost his passion for music and is still trying to take the guitar to the next level. Anytime you feel like virtuosos are nothing but soulless flashiness, throw on “For the Love of God” and be amazed.