3. Randy Rhoads
When it comes to Rhoads, it’s always about what could have been. The guitar virtuoso died in a senseless plane crash in 1982, at age 25. A co-founder of the band that would become Quiet Riot, Rhoads, however, earned international notoriety playing lead guitar at the beginning of Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career. Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz (1980) record would become the defining moment of Rhoads’ legacy. Songs like “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley” and “Steal Away (The Night)” are just a few examples of Rhoads’ excellence.