The melding of genres is always a tricky bit of fun. And when it comes to rock and pop, no two genres seem to pair better. To that end, ever since Michael Jackson solicited Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather’s services for Thriller (1982), blazing axe-slingers stepping into the world of bubbly pop has become nothing short of commonplace.
While the idea is no longer novel, in the present day, many six-string heroes continue to lend their licks to various icons of pop music. Be it the G.O.A.T. Eddie Van Halen, eternal M.V.P. Nuno Bettencourt, perpetual hurricane in motion Nita Strauss or the effervescent new kid on the block Sophie Lloyd, it seems these two worlds shall continue to collide. With that in mind, here’s a rundown of 10 rock guitarists who went pop.
