#GuitarWorld40: celebrating 40 years of the world's biggest guitar magazine

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Taking you behind the star-studded thrills, six-string skills and a few classic spills...

Guitar World 40 cover
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#GuitarWorld40: Music has gone through countless changes since Guitar World first launched in 1980.

That was the year the rock gods gave us Back in Black, Permanent Waves, Blizzard of Ozz, Heaven and Hell and Women and Children First. Bands and brands have come and gone since then, musical styles have shifted dramatically and countless heroes have fallen.

And through it all, GW has been there, reporting on the events of the day and interviewing all the musicians who kept – and keep – the guitar in the spotlight, exactly where it belongs.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, we’ll be sharing key moments from the magazine’s storied history, taking you inside the guitars, the stars and the bizarre from 40 years of the world’s biggest guitar magazine.

Keep checking back, as we’ll update this page each week with fresh tales, insights and star recollections.

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The greatest moments in Guitar World history

Jeff Kitts
Jeff Kitts

As a teenager, Jeff Kitts began his career in the mid ’80s as editor of an underground heavy metal fanzine in the bedroom of his parents’ house. From there he went on to write for countless rock and metal magazines around the world – including Circus, Hit Parader, Metal Maniacs, Rock Power and others – and in 1992 began working as an assistant editor at Guitar World. During his 27 years at Guitar World, Jeff served in multiple editorial capacities, including managing editor and executive editor before finally departing as editorial director in 2018. Jeff has authored several books and continues to write for Guitar World and other publications and teaches English full time in New Jersey. His first (and still favorite) guitar was a black Ibanez RG550.