In a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Queen guitarist Brian May humbly addressed being named the greatest guitarist of all time—while also taking a moment to honor another influential musician: Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain.
Discussing the fan poll that ranked him at the top, May responded with humility and perspective:
“I take everything like that with a pinch of salt, really, ’cause you can’t say who’s best. The nice thing about guitar playing is that everybody’s different. You can’t really rank people.”
While flattered by the recognition, May emphasized that true greatness in guitar playing isn’t about technical prowess—it’s about emotional expression. He highlighted Cobain as a powerful example of that philosophy.
“Kurt Cobain is a great example. There’s not a lot of technical stuff there, and he didn’t work that hard at being technical, and yet he gives us a legacy of some of the greatest guitar music of all time.”
May’s list of personal guitar heroes includes legends like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix, but his admiration for Cobain stood out. He noted that Cobain’s raw, emotional style left an indelible mark on rock history—proof that passion can outweigh precision.
“It’s not about technique,” May concluded. “It’s about what you put into it and how that feeling gets across in your guitar playing.”
In a world that often idolizes technical skill, May’s comments serve as a heartfelt reminder that music’s true magic lies in emotion, authenticity, and soul.
