Stryper frontman Michael Sweet recently criticized a list circulating online titled “The 25 Most Influential Guitarists of All Time,” sharing his thoughts in a post on Facebook. The list ranked Les Paul as No. 1, followed by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck, but placed Eddie Van Halen at No. 14 and completely omitted Journey’s Neal Schon.
Sweet expressed his disagreement with the rankings, questioning the placement of several legendary guitarists and the exclusion of others.
“I know it’s just a list and it’s all a matter of opinion, but how is Eddie Van Halen not in the top 5?” Sweet said. “And Randy Rhoads not in the top 10?”
He went on to point out several other notable musicians who were left off the list entirely.
“And Neal Schon, Michael Schenker, Scotty Moore, Robert Johnson, Link Wray and quite a few others not even on the list?” Sweet continued. “Come on now!”
The list continues to spark debate among rock and metal fans online.
Sweet’s reaction carries weight in the guitar community because of his long career in hard rock and Christian metal. Michael Harrison Sweet is an American musician who serves as the co-founder, principal songwriter, guitarist, and lead singer of the Christian metal band Stryper.
His band’s commercial reach helps explain why his opinion draws attention whenever he weighs in on guitar history. Stryper has sold more than 10 million albums and earned Grammy nominations across a career that spans more than four decades.
Sweet’s path to that platform began in Southern California during the early 1980s. He and his brother started a band called Roxx Regime as teenagers, and the moniker soon morphed into Stryper as the group became a fixture on the Sunset Strip.
Schon’s own place in guitar history is tied to a distinct lineage of influences that he has spoken about publicly. Jimi Hendrix was one of Schon’s primary influences, along with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and bluesmen such as B.B. King.
Schon applied those influences across a career that made him one of the most recognizable guitarists in arena rock. His melodic lead work with Journey helped define the band’s sound, and his phrasing has shaped generations of players — which is why fans often push back when he is left off broad historical rankings.
Sweet’s post ultimately adds to a familiar argument that follows nearly every “greatest guitarist” list. The results tend to reveal as much about the priorities of the people compiling them as they do about the actual history of the instrument.
