Newer guitarists I like

    

     I don't know about you. But I used to be all about guitar players. I used to love just listening to guitar stuff before I got heavily into jazz, and then I got super into horn players, mainly saxophonists. Anyways, here are some guitarists that I really like. They're all super famous but some of them just became famous through YouTube, which is the new highlight and place to be for musicians, but guitarists especially I noticed.
     First off, I really like this guy Nick Johnston. What makes him really cool is that he plays a Stratocaster, which most instrumental guitarists don't usually play. Usually they're playing super strats or something, especially shredders. But yeah, this guy writes instrumental tunes that have a shred and jazz fusion vibe. I believe he's made a big name for himself through YouTube. He's even worked with Paul Gilbert and Guthrie Govan on his solo albums! His original compositions have a kind old jazz kind of vibe to them. Although his style is more of a modern day pentatonic runner if you will.
     Another guy I really dig and just got into is Ola Englund, who I believe is from Sweden. He's worked in a lot of metal bands before but he didn't start getting attention until he started making YouTube videos of him playing. His style is mostly a modern metal style, kind of death-metal kind of playing. He does all that chugging stuff. I would say he excels more at playing riffs and rhythm guitar rather than playing solos and shredding. He would make an excellent session guitarist for metal. Although when he does get down to a solo, he is very melodic.
     Then there's Jeff Loomis. I heard of Jeff Loomis because I heard his solo album, Zero Order Phase on YouTube. And then I proceeded to watch every video I could find of him on there. This guy shreds. He's like the modern day Marty Friedman and Jason Becker, if anybody could ever be as good as those two! Anyways, I checked out his old band  Nevermore and Jeff used to be in that band with another guitarist, Chris Broderick, who later go on to play with Megadeth. Jeff's new project was Conquering Dystopia, with guitarist Keith Merrow, but now he's moved on and is in the super famous metal band Arch Enemy. Jeff is the guy in the picture. 
     Lastly, I would have to put Tosin Abasi on this list. I really hadn't heard of Animals as Leaders until they're first album was put on YouTube. Abasi's technique is astounding and his playing is a breath of fresh air from the stereotypical death metal chugging in C# that is so popular in metal these days. Abasi uses his technique to write songs, rather than to show off. Musically its very appealing, and Animals as Leaders, his band, sounds like a progressive metal band playing jazz at times. It's great stuff. Check these guys out on YouTube!