Tony Iommi Named Best Metal Guitarist Ever

Tony Iommi has been named the greatest heavy metal guitarist of all time.

The list by Gibson credited the Black Sabbath guitarist as a leader of the metal movement.

Tony’s dark, distinct guitar textures in Black Sabbath helped spearhead the heavy metal movement. “Iron Man” and “Paranoid” boast some of the most memorable riffs of all time, with crushingly heavy choruses. His playing is immortalised through the generations of bands that have followed.”

Iommi was followed by Metallica’s Kirk Hammet and James Hetfield in joint second place, with Ozzy Osbourne’s late collaborator Randy Rhoads making it to third. “While other guitarists of the era emulated Eddie Van Halen, Rhoades stepped out on his own, incorporating classic music into his passages. His untimely death in a freak airplane accident in 1982 remains one of metal’s biggest heartbreaks”, said Gibson.

Here’s their full top 10 –

Gibson’s Greatest heavy metal guitarists:

1. Tony Iommi

2. Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield

3. Randy Rhoads

4. John Petrucci

5. Dimebag Darrell

6. Eddie Van Halen

7. Zakk Wylde

8. Adam Jones

9. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith

10. George Lynch

What do you think of the Gibson top 10? Is it good, or could you improve on it? Let us know in the comments.