Slash is the preeminent hard-rock guitarist of his generation. Steeped equally in classic rock and metal, the Guns N' Roses shredder cultivated a style that contrasts venomous riffage with exquisite melodic runs, and GnR's harrowing ballad “Sweet Child O' Mine” is a testament to how his piercing lyricism often plays the starring role. Slash is also highly adaptable: With Velvet Revolver in the ‘00s, he relied on a leaner, more rhythmic approach influenced by alt-rock, while his solo work incorporates touches of acoustic blues, acid rock and alt-metal the way a painter uses colours for shading.