Queen guitarist Brian May has shared his admiration for Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, praising his unique approach to guitar playing and describing his work as “some of the greatest guitar music of all time.”
During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, May discussed his reaction to being named the greatest guitarist of all time in a poll. Rather than taking the ranking too seriously, he explained that guitar playing is something that cannot easily be measured or compared.
“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,” May said. He added that being placed at the top of the list was still a lovely feeling.
When discussing some of his favourite guitarists, May mentioned legendary musicians such as Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. However, he also took the opportunity to highlight the lasting influence of Kurt Cobain.
“I don’t think any guitarist should feel like they have anything to prove. 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 explained.
For May, Cobain’s greatness was never about technical perfection or showing off complicated guitar skills. Instead, it was about emotion, creativity and the ability to communicate something meaningful through music.
He continued: “So it’s not about technique. It’s about what you put into it and what you feel and how that feeling gets across in your guitar playing.”
May’s comments highlight an important part of Cobain’s musical legacy. Despite his relatively straightforward guitar techniques, the Nirvana frontman helped redefine alternative rock through powerful riffs, memorable melodies and his distinctive ability to move between quiet vulnerability and explosive distortion.
His influence continues to remind generations of guitarists that great music isn’t necessarily about technical complexity. Sometimes, what matters most is the feeling behind the music.