Go to any list of greatest guitarists of all time, and you’re going to see Eddie Van Halen. There’s a pretty good chance he’ll be up near the top if not in the number one spot. His big, bright smile, undeniable chops, and fun guitar design elements have made him an icon in the guitar world specifically, but also in the music world as a whole.
He was one of the co-founders of the wonderful band Van Halen, which was born in 1972, and they’ve released more than ten albums, each one featuring Eddie Van Halen and his brother Alex. The debate still rages: David Lee Roth or Sammy Hagar?
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones
As the lead singer of, and one of the founding members of, The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger's spot in rock history is assured. We could list hits like “Paint It Black” and “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” until we're blue in the face, and they have as many awards as you can count.
Jagger joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. His unprecedented career has also seen him get into the UK Music Hall of Fame with the rest of the Stones, and he's even been made a knight – Sir Mick Jagger. He earned it in 2003 after decades of musical achievement.
Mick Jagger Today
With an estimated net worth of $360 million, Mick Jagger has been described as one of the popular and influential rock and rollers the music world has yet to produce. He, with the Stones or through his solo career, has had millions of record sales worldwide, and he has plenty of other ventures. He's known in the tabloids as a man who keeps getting married, even though the marriages don't tend to hold out for very long.
The most famous of his relationships was with American model and actress Jerry Hall. Currently, he is married to Melanie Hamrick, and the two have two children together.
Eddie Van Halen Today
There's no understating how big Eddie Van Halen's influence was in the rock and roll world. In 2012 he was voted as number one in a “Guitar World” magazine reader's poll for “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” That very same year, Eddie underwent surgery that forced him to delay a tour by six whole months as he recovered.
During his lifetime, Eddie donated more than seventy-five guitars to The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, which provides guitars to young musicians who can't afford them. Sadly, Eddie died in 2020 due to complications from a stroke, and his son Wolfgang, a member of the band once he was old enough, announced there was no Van Halen with Eddie.
Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath
He was one of the most controversial and outrageous rock performers of all time. From his legendary substance use to the time he bit off a bat's head (he didn't know it was a real bat), he garnered both international condemnation and international acclaim thanks to his writing and singing talents.
Thanks to the success of Black Sabbath, Ozzy was able to start a solo career marked with hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” but his career has always been marked with a few too many trips to rehab.