10 Most Underrated Rock Guitarists Of All Time

Most people tend to think of the shred lords when it comes to phenomenal guitar players. For those uninitiated, the fact that you can even play a million notes per second is enough to put you down as a guitar legend, right? Well, in Johnny Marr's case, there's a bit more to it than that.

Instead of the face-melting solos you would find on something like an Yngwie record, Marr's approach to guitar is more song-oriented, instead playing to the melody rather than just shredding for the hell of it. Across every one of the Smith's albums, Marr has shown himself to be a connoisseur of guitar taste, whether he's picking through the chords in something like This Charming Man or making a pure tapestry of sound like the delay opening of How Soon Is Now?.

Above all else, Marr has remained a man who is as focused on what he does today as he was when he was in his prime. Always looking to reach out for new textures, Marr's focus has led to him dipping his toes into other acts like Modest Mouse and Noel Gallagher's solo band, where he provides some of the greatest lead breaks of the modern age. While you can hear the work in the playing of other guitar players, Marr's symbiotic relationship with his guitar feels like it's second nature nearly every time he shows up on record.