MGK Voted Best Heavy Metal Guitarist of All Time by MTV

MGK aka Machine Gun Kelly has been named the greatest heavy metal guitarist of all time. The  staff of MTV, Metal Up Yer A$$ Magazine, Rolling Stone, Broadway World and Popular Mechanics all teamed up to compile the ultimate list of heavy metal guitarists. 

Why?

Metal fans all over the world were outraged when the list dropped. Grown men were crying and walking into traffic. Burly men in denim and leather were seen wandering around shopping malls muttering to themselves. A man wearing leather arm spike was on his knees outside of Guitar Center screaming “Why” over and over. 

MGK Heavy Metal Guitarist

The list of the top 100 heavy metal guitarists angered, shocked and dismayed many metal fans because MGK was at the top of the list. He beat out Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi, Dimebag Darrell, Randy Rhoads, Jimmy Page, Slash and 99 of the greatest metal guitar gods of all time.

Machine Gun Kelly (MGK) for those that don’t know is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is noted for his genre duality across alternative rock with hip hop. That sounds fancy. He was born Colson Baker to missionary parents. Young Colson spent his formative years in exotic locales such as Egypt, Morocco, Germany and Chicago. 

Informer

The first three rappers that got MGK into hip hop were Vanilla Ice, Snow and 3rd Bass. After listening to Snow’s, “Informer” from the album 12 Inches of Snow (1993), he knew rap was the game for him. “It changed my life man” said MGK. “Informer is like the rap world’s Stairway to Heaven.”

MGK got into listening to Heavy Metal in 2019 when he starred as Tommy Lee in The Dirt. He then took up the guitar last year when Vince Neil showed him how to play a ‘D’ Chord. Since then he has also mastered the ‘C’ and ‘G’ chord. Some were happy with the list. MGK fan Chad Gomez stated, “I love MGK man, he shreds on guitar bro. Those old time Heavy Metal guitarists aren’t worthy of holding MGK’s jock strap. Stop living in the past man. MGK is the future of music. He is the new Kurt Cobain.”

The List:

01. MGK (Machine Gun Kelly)

02. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH)

03. Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)

04. Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield (METALLICA)

05. Angus & Malcolm Young (AC/DC)

06. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)

07. Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)

08. Dimebag Darrell (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN)

09. Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)

10. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER)

11-25

11. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN)

12. Jimi Hendrix

13. Glen Tipton & K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST)

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

15. Slash (GUNS N’ ROSES)

16. Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW)

17. Yngwie Malmsteen

18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)

19. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (MEGADETH)

20. Chuck Schuldiner (DEATH)

21. Brian May (QUEEN)

22. Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO)

23. Nigel Tufnel (SPINAL TAP)

24. Jeff Beck

25. Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)

26-50

26. Head & Munky (KORN)

27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)

28. Kim Thayil (SOUNDGARDEN)

29. Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD)

30. Daron Malakian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN)

31. Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)

32. Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST)

33. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (QUEENSRŸCHE)

34. C.C. Deville

35. Marten Hagström & Fredrik Thorndendal (MESHUGGAH)

36. Alex Lifeson (RUSH)

37. Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG, RACER X)

38. Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS)

39. Mantas (VENOM)

40. Jason Becker (DAVE LEE ROTH)

41. Phil Collen & Steve Clarke (DEF LEPPARD)

42. Mikael Åkerfeldt & Peter Lindgren (OPETH)

43. Fast Eddie Clarke (MOTÖRHEAD)

44. Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME)

45. Warren DeMartini (RATT)

46. Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE)

47. George Lynch (DOKKEN)

48. Ted Nugent

49. Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS)

50. Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth (SCORPIONS)

51-75

51. Oystein “Euronymous” Aarseth (MAYHEM)

52. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (THIN LIZZY)

53. Steve Vai (DAVE LEE ROTH)

54. Reb Beach (WINGER, DOKKEN)

55. Trey Azagthoth (MORBID ANGEL)

56. John Sykes (THIN LIZZY, BLUE MURDER)

57. Hank Shermann & Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE)

58. Adam Jones (TOOL)

59. Jon Donais & Matt Backhand (SHADOWS FALL)

60. Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)

61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)

62. Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD)

63. John Christ (DANZIG)

64. Scott “Wino” Weinrich (THE OBSESSED)

65. Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman (C.O.C.)

66. Tommy Victor (PRONG)

67. Leslie West (MOUNTAIN)

68. Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR)

69. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (ALICE COOPER)

70. Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad (IN FLAMES)

71. Jim Matheos (FATES WARNING)

72. Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt (EXODUS)

73. Donald Buck Dharma Roeser (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT)

74. Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY)

75. Robert Fripp (KING CRIMSON)

76-100

76. Andre Olbrich (BLIND GUARDIAN)

77. Joe Satriani

78. Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch (TESLA)

79. Ty Tabor (KING’S X)

80. Mark Morton & Will Adler (LAMB OF GOD)

81. Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY)

82. Pete Townshend (THE WHO)

83. Jon Schaffer (ICED EARTH)

84. Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS)

85. Neil Young

86. Abbath Doom Occulta (IMMORTAL)

87. Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY)

88. Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid (ENTOMBED)

89. Leigh Stephens (BLUE CHEER)

90. Jim Martin (FAITH NO MORE)

91. Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X)

92. Bill Steer (CARCASS)

93. Piggy (VOIVOD)

94. Tony Bourge (BUDGIE)

95. Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN)

96. Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM)

97. Akira Takasaki (LOUDNESS)

98. Michael Angelo

99. John Kay & Michael Monarh (STEPPENWOLF)

100. Nick Bowcott (GRIM REAPER)

Related Stories: Police Called To Remove Vince Neil From All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet