AMG Review of Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Clive Davis follows his patented formula of teaming Santana with guest singers, having his team of producers polish everything so it will glisten on as many cross-platforms as possible. This worked remarkably well on 1999’s Supernatural, thanks to the freshness of the concept and the presence of powerhouse pop tunes. Guitar Heaven repeats the formula, right down to bringing in all the superstars of 2000 -- including Rob Thomas, Chris Cornell, and Scott Weiland -- to act as frontmen. They’re balanced by Joe Cocker and a handful of non-rockers, with each track produced as a pop tune. There are no reinterpretations, just well-known riffs and re-created runs, winding up as something of a celebration of the original recordings.