12 Greatest Ever Hard Rock Solo Artists

In the grand scheme of things, Jimi Hendrix might not seem as hard rock as the legions of artists that have come since the 60's. On the other hand, if Hendrix hadn't graced us with his sonic presence, the entire concept of hard rock may not have existed.

From the first time you heard him play, Hendrix was the ultimate guitar hero, with a tone and style that blended clean beauty with raw aggression. While some songs like "The Wind Cries Mary" might sound a bit tame by hard rock standards, all it takes is one listen to "Purple Haze" to see what Hendrix was really capable of. Across his discography, Hendrix seemed to be in absolute harmony with his instrument, as he used it to create sounds and styles that many didn't even think were possible.

The tunes may sound soft these days, but any hard rock band that has come after has taken a few cues from Hendrix's catalog. Though it may not be apparent on first listen, Hendrix's direct influence can be found everywhere from Uli Jon Roth of the Scorpions to Metallica's Kirk Hammett, who has identified himself as one of Hendrix's many superfans. We may not have had Hendrix for long, but what we did get from him rewrote the handbook on how rock music could be constructed.