10 Guitarists Who Inspired The Sound Of Modern Rock & Metal Music

It has now been two years since the world lost Eddie Van Halen, who sadly passed away on 6 October 2020 after a long battle with cancer. But the legacy of the virtuoso guitarist will forever live on, as his inspirational playing was ground-breaking and inspired a whole generation of rock musicians.

Eddie became a household name when Van Halen, the band he created with his brother Alex (drums) and singer David Lee Roth, released their self-titled debut album in 1978. Eddie’s guitar playing on the record was unlike anything anyone had heard before. His tone, speed and technique of ‘tapping’ created a unique style that raised eyebrows at the time, specifically on the instrumental track, Eruption, which was a perfect execution of his extraordinary playing.

He would go on to amaze his peers throughout his career as Van Halen would go on to release a string of successful rock albums. And there are a number of other guitarists who have also made their own significant impact on the sound of modern rock and metal.

With that in mind, then here are some of those key players.

As the founding guitarist of Guns N' Roses, Slash found fame when the band's first album, Appetite For Destruction, dropped in 1987 and sky rocketed the group to monumental success. Born from the sleazy sunset strip of the LA hard rock scene, GNR's notorious frontman Axl Rose may have been the focal point of the band, but it was the playing of Slash and his individual style that also became central to the act's image.

Slash’s bluesy rock-influenced melodies and leads were instantly recognisable, and quite simply for a time in the late '80s and early '90s, Slash was the most famous guitar player on the planet. Michael Jackson even brought him in to record a number of guitar parts on his 1991 album Dangerous, and in the same year Guns N' Roses released their Use Your Illusion albums, becoming the biggest stadium rock band of the era. Later Slash would leave Guns N' Roses after falling out with Axl, recording his debut solo album It’s Five O Clock Somewhere as Slash’s Snakepit in 1995.

From 2002 – 2008, Slash formed and played in Velvet Revolver with ex-Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, before linking up with Alter Bridge singer Myles Kennedy in 2009, who he continues to make music with today. And against all odds in 2016, Slash and Rose patched up their differences as he once again linked up with Guns N' Roses, with the legendary act nostalgically touring huge arenas together ever since.