Shinedown's Zach Myers Names His Top Five Rhythm Guitarists

Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers had some fun on X (formerly Twitter), telling everyone he is "up for any guitar debate," later revealing his personal ranking of the five best rhythm guitarists ever.

Zach Myers' Top Five Rhythm Guitarists

Last week, Myers sought to have some fun and start conversations centered around guitar players, opening the floor by stating that all guitar debates start with a declaration that late AC/DC legend Malcolm Young "is the greatest rhythm player in the history of all mankind."

It's a widely held take and Myers returned a couple of hours later with his ranking of the five best rhythm players, shouting out two rock guitarists, a pair of metal axemen and one punk six-stringer.

Sticking with consensus opinion, Myers slots in Angus Young's brother Malcolm at No. 1, followed by Metallica's James Hetfield. Brad Whitford, Joey Perry's guitar counterpart in Aerosmith, takes No. 3 with Ramones' Johnny Ramone in the fourth spot and Megadeth's Dave Mustaine occupying No. 5.

It's a mighty top five, but, of course, this is all about debate, which fans partook in, challenging Myers either on placement or exclusion.

Zach Myers Responds to Fans in Guitar Debate

Mustaine widely praised lead guitar prowess often overshadows just how brilliant of a rhythm player he is. One fan asked Myers what makes Hetfield "that much better" than Mustaine, wondering if it's about the "natural ability to riff."

Myers responds with "the right hand," referring to Hetfield's dominant picking hand and his mastery of the very physical technique of relentless down-picking.

Someone else wondered, "Where is Scott Ian?"

Myers, quick with a one-liner, shot back, "In Anthrax."

One fan asked Myers for his opinion on Hetfield's Metallica bandmate Kirk Hammett, who is often the target of a lot of criticism.

"He gets shit on way too much by phony guitar elitists," the Shinedown guitarist defends, "He's a great guitar player."

Late last year, Scott Ian, who is in Anthrax as we established earlier, stuck up for Hammett, branding him the most underrated rhythm guitarist in all of metal.

Dave Mustaine Thinks He Is One of the Best Rhythm Guitarists Ever Too

In 2017, the Megadeth leader revealed his top four rhythm guitarists in an interview with Rock Cellar Magazine, naming himself among the remaining trio of James Hetfield (Metallica), Malcolm Young (AC/DC) and Rudolf Schenker (Scorpions).

"No one else touches the four of us. We're the fantastic four," he said of the elite grouping.

About rhythm guitar in general, Mustaine contended that "a good band can be measured by its rhythm" and that rhythm guitar is "one of the main ingredients" in Megadeth's music. "The solos become so much more important because it's not just self-indulgent pig guitar playing all through the whole song," he assessed.