Top 5 ’80s Hard Rock Guitar Duos

There’s strength in numbers — if you need proof, just look at our picks for the top five ’80s hard rock guitar duos.

The ’80s were a decade rooted in technical guitar wizardry. Guitar heroes such as Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and George Lynch became icons of hard rock and metal with their logic-defying solos and charismatic stage presence.

But not every hard rock band from the ’80s wanted or needed a singular guitar hero. Sometimes, their sound called for two.

That’s where the following bands come in.

Some of these guitar duos adhered more strictly to a lead-rhythm dichotomy, while others switched roles frequently and fluidly. Either way, they all supported each other and harnessed their skills to create monster riffs, blazing solos and larger-than-life hooks.

Even though the guitarists on this list could all play plenty fast, they weren’t just trying to mimic shredders like Van Halen. The extra musicality and opportunity offered by a two-guitar setup might have liberated them from that pressure.

The variety of playing styles also enriched the sound of the bands. Ratt guitarist Warren DeMartini, who appears on this list, described the difference between his playing style and that of his bandmate, the late Robbin Crosby.

“I have more of a schooled style. It’s really fast, whereas Rob is more of a listening [player],” DeMartini told Talking Guitar. “When he listens to a guitarist, he doesn’t really listen for the technique or the technical part of it. I think he listens for more of the feel. So I’d say Robbin is more of a slower feel player and I’m more of a faster, ‘If it ain’t fast it ain’t got class’ kind of guy.”

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Keep in mind that our list only includes guitarists from bands who debuted in the ’80s. That means no Aerosmith, AC/DC, KISS, et al., even though they all massively influenced ’80s hard rock and made strong records of their own during the decade.

Read on to see the top five ’80s hard rock guitar duos.