Top 20 Greatest Basslines of All Time
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- Опубліковано 20 тра 2024
- These basslines slap! For this list, we’ll be looking at the most memorably creative and effective bass riffs to support a catchy composition. Our countdown includes basslines in the songs "Stand by Me", "My Generation", "Dazed and Confused", "Billie Jean", and more! Are there any other basslines that really stand out for you? Come jam with us in the comments.
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Are there any other basslines that really stand out for you? Come jam with us in the comments.
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Love your content 😊😊😊❤❤❤
Krist from nirvana
White Stripes Seven Nation Army
green days longview bass line should have been on here
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads) Cannonball (The Breeders)
Another one that comes to mind is "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys. Adam Yauch played the bass like a guitar and it's instantly iconic. New Order had a few iconic basslines as well.
Peter Hook on Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
God, John Taylor from Duran Duran is so slept on. Rio should have been on this list, that bassline is phenomenal
Yes!!! Great song!!!
I was just listing it on my choices here. Hey, check out the song School Boy Crush by the Average White Band. Very funky bass line!
Rio never gets love on these lists. It's the best bass line of the 80s.
Absolutely.
Kinda ironic that the channel hearted this comment 😂
John Deacon deserved to be #1.
“Another One Bites The Dust”
is still their biggest selling single.
He also played the guitar riff.
Hope his retirement is still treating him well.
Deacon is a legend!
I agree.
That under pressure isn't on the list is a shame
The fact that Tool isn't on here is a big shame. Justin Chancellor is such a talented bassist that has come up with masterpieces. Schism would be the one on here as it's main riff is a bass riff and it won a Grammy for best metal performance.
Amen! When you hum a TOOL song, there's a 100% chance you're humming the bassline.
Agree, as well as Fieldy from Korn 🤟🤟
I was about to suggest Forty Six & 2 ..Schism too
Agreed
You're god damn right ! Each member of Tool is an absolute virtuoso at his instrument
And the bassline from Schism is actually the first thing I heard from them, what an introduction...!
My favorite basslines in songs are one "Like A Stone" from AudioSlave, and "Bulls On Parade" from Rage Against The Machine. Awesome basslines and guitar riffs.
Audioslave (RIP Chris), RATM... Some of the best. If you don't know check out Queens of the Stone Age.
Like a stone is dope
Rage against the machine has a phenomenal rhythm section
So Tim Commerford lol
RATM have some of the best baselines. Especially with “killing in the name of”
No More Tears - Ozzy Osbourne - Bob Daisley. That opening bass line gives me chills 😎
No more tears was first song I thought of when I started watching this I totally agree !!!
@@JasonJackson-ft5bp awesome minds think alike 😉
I think “Longview” deserved at least a mention in this list. One of Greenday’s greatest hits.
I second this
I to was very surprised that Greenday's "Longview" was Not on the list. It is a Very popular song for Bassist's to learn to play.
Les Claypool should be in the top 5,, weather it's Primus or Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, his Bass lines are outstanding
I absolutely agree les should be much higher on the list for sure
People never give Primus credit for anything
Props where it's due.
The fact that you acknowledged YYZ is pronounced "why why zed" made my canuck ass happy.
Because you were taught to speak English, not American.
Yeah... Another one bites the dust is probably one of the simpler catchy baselines from Deacon. But if you take a good listen to other songs you come to realize he really IS a master on the bass. He plays intricate melodies that really compliment the songs in way I've only heard Paul McCartney do before him.
He played the bass and guitar in that song.
He also wrote it.
John Deacon was an incredible artist.
I totally agree. Your comment was very well written and gets right to the point.
My favorite bassline is Flea's intro for the Stevie Wonder cover,"Higher Ground".
IMO, The Chilli Peppers' "Higher Ground" is one of the top 5 cover songs of all-time.
Have you heard Primus's cover of "Have a Cigar"? I don't usually like covers over the original but man does that one kick more ass then a six legged man in an ass kicking contest.
Flea also did base for young mc bust a move
Another Queen bass line that really stands out is "Under Pressure." Also, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra with Wrecking Crew session bassist Carol Kaye coming up with the riff. And "Wrapped Around Your Finger" by the Police.
When I started the video I was wondering if #1 was going to be Under Pressure or Another One Bites the Dust. I KNEW it had to be one of those 2.
Honourable mentions (imho)
Alice in Chains "Would?"
Anthrax "Got the Time"
Rage Against The Machine - "Killing in the Name"
Extreme "Get the Funk Out"
Thin Lizzy "Jailbreak"
All good picks, personally Hey man, nice shot by Filter is one of my fave simple but catchy baselines
I’m surprised Gorillaz, Metallica, RHCP and Muse were so low, as well as a lack of Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Aerosmith, Motörhead, Green Day, Deep Purple, Blur, Dream Theater, Tool, Nirvana, Pearl Jam or even KISS but I’d still say this is a solid list
i legit thought war pigs was gonna be number 1
@@thelilyfarrell I actually just played War Pigs at my band’s last show this last weekend, it was our opening number and it was definitely fun as hell to rip Geezer’s parts
and i am not surprised to see only mainstream in every las one of this kind of tops. i didnt see any metal group anytime. take any bassline of cannibal corpse, those boys could break their fingers even trying to read notes.
Well it’s not the top 50:of all time. There’s bound to be some omissions
Myung is probably too good to make a last like this!
Chic’s song “I want your love” has the most mesmerizing disco bassline ever
Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy”!
Jeff Ament’s use of the 12-string bass 👌🏼 It played such a huge part of that song, but listening to the instrumental version only, the bass actually takes precedence over McCready & Gossard’s guitar in the verses.
I love that RHCP’s “Give It Away” made the list, but for me, John Frusciante’s guitar during the verses is what I love most about it. (Literally the opposite of what I said above re: Jeremy 😅) _So simple, yet so melodic!_ I could listen to the instrumental version on repeat all day.
Finally got to see RHCP in concert and i was still blow away after all these years
@@blc28x Great! They were last here in 2017, Frusciante was on one of his _sabbaticals_ & Klinghoffer was at the helm. The level of energy they still bring is unreal. Flea & Kiedis are still jumping around like they did in the 90s, meanwhile I have gotten older & think how much my back will hurt if I do what they did 😅
@@JudesChan omg i thought the same thing! We went home hurting just as spectators 😂
@@JudesChan and their musical talent has only grown. The jams were unstoppable
"Superstition" by Stevie Wonder has one of the baselines in music .
I absolutely second that that’s another one that should’ve been on the list. No question.
Ryan Martinie's bass from Mudvayne's "Death Blooms" will always be iconic to me.
Yes!!
Agreed, his bass line is basically the lead on this track! Love it.
The breakdown in Severed is stunning.
I didn’t know for months it was the bass doing that part with the harmonics.
Saw them live and was just floored. As a bass player myself, I felt like I should just quit at that moment.
He’s fucking amazing.
Ryan Martinie lead all of Mudvayne imo, dude is just insane on the bass, arguably one of the goats.
Other great baselines:
Thug by ZZ Top
Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
Straight on by Heart
Alles Nur Geklaut by JBO
Long Live Rock N Roll by Rainbow
Blood Type by Kino
Schweine by Glukoza
Changes by Kino
Barracuda by Heart
Fly by night by Rush
Joker and the thief by Wolfmother
The love that you give by Wolfmother
Longview by Green Day
N.I.B. by Black Sabbath
Superfreak by Rick James
Lessons by Rush is really good too
The bassline from You're the one that I want from Grease is criminally underrated
I am so glad you included Rush on this list. Geddy Lee is one of the best bassists of all time, and his riffs are legendary. My favorite by him is Tom Sawyer... I also like Duff McKeagan's riff at the start of Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N Roses. It was perfection in my opinion.
The bass lines to Diana Ross' "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" are killer, too, and that's because they were written by Rodgers and Edwards and performed by Edwards.
As for putting McCartney on the list, there are so many to choose from. "Silly Love Songs" has an incredible bass line.
I don't know if it deserves to be on this list, but I always loved Duff Mckagan's bass on Sweet child o mine
It's one of my favorites!
It's So Easy has a much better bass line
It's a shame that these lists are only one song per band, because "Under Pressure" by Queen would otherwise be the 2nd-best bassline of all-time.
I’d argue Metallica or RHCP b4 Queen
RHCP
For whom The bells tolls
You mean Ice Ice Baby!
I totally agree.
Twilight Zone - Golden Earing should have been on this list. Awesome bass
John Entwistle's thunder fingers were on proud display in the Who's Eminence Front. A true genius and sadly lost too soon. John could have featured in 4 or 5 of the Top 20, not just 1.
He is the true master of Bass Guitar player.
Agreed.
I agree.
Michael Jackson admitted to "borrowing" the Billie Jean bass line from Hall & Oates' "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)".
The bass line from Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly" is pretty iconic.
The intro to Windy by The Association (1967) is also an awesome bass line.
It's simple but Another Brick in the wall is my favorite bass line of all time.
I can't believe they couldn't find room for Bootsy Collins, James Jamerson or Jaco Pastorius.
My thoughts exactly, "what, no Bootsy!?!"
😢
Facts
Or slave "Just A Touch Of Love"
WatchMajo doesn't know anything about black music. They go for their audience: White hipsters.
Maybe that's because we've never heard of them!!
I have to add B52s Rock Lobster's bassline as one of the most unique. Another to add as a favourite is Black Sabbath's Paranoid.
Rock Lobster didn't have a bass line originally - guitarist Ricky Wilson used a baritone-tuned surf style guitar and not a bass
Then for a later single release any bass used was done via Korg synth by Kate Pierson
He actually plays guitar and bass in one. An underrated guitarist in my opinion.
Green Day's Longview should be on this list
I would disagree if "stand by me" and "feel good inc" weren't on here. Neither of those songs has the infectious delirium of "Longview"
Longview, JAR, welcome to Paradise or when i come around would be my first 4 songs that come to mind with great bass lines. The fact that Mike Dirnt is not mentioned as a talented bassist kind of makes me think there is a little bias towards "classics" and not stuff like 90s punk
Seeing Disco Deaky finally get number 1 on something makes me smile.
Me too! Deaky is the Dancing Queen
How dare you forget about Lemmy!?
They forgot only god
Lemmy did his best bass work with Hawkwind.
Especially on the "Warriors..." album.
Bro…. Respect to the list…. Primus should 💯 be #1.
Nope!! Nobody is even mentioning claypool in the comments, what's up with that?
I concur totally.
Trent Reznor is a LEGEND 🤘
How did "Eminence Front" by the Who not make it on this list?
I thought it would have been #1.
How did Korn not make it on this list? They redefined what bass was in metal. And have a few popular songs that show this. Falling away from me to name one.
Fieldy is my favorite bassist, but I'm not surprised he didn't make the list since it covers all genres and of all time. I'm just happy Cliff Burton made it. It is still a pretty solid list.
Great list ! I would have personally found a place for « Forget me nots » by Patrice Rushen.
When the bass enters, you know it’s an instant classic !
Last Train to London by ELO and Knowing Me, Knowing You by ABBA, have both got unique start to finish (almost) bass lines.
Where is "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes ?
Ha ha ha. There is no bass on "Seven Nation Army". It is only Jack White's guitar with an octave pedal used to create the 'bass' sound.
How can you forget Schism from Tool or Peace Sells from Megadeth
Did I miss Seven Nation Army? When I see "top basslines of all time" that's what I immediately think of. Of course it's simple, but so powerful and memorable
Feel good inc. Was my first exposure to gorillaz and it hass been my favourite song ever since. Glad that it made to the list.
Coolio - Gangsters Paradise.
Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side
Ian Dury and the Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rythym Stick.
Joy Division - New Dawn Fades.
New Dawn Fades is such a beautiful song I often forget what a great bassline it has.
In a year or two when people have forgotten this video, they'll make another bassline list, with different songs and the same songs in a different order.
The best list Mojo's ever done. They really nailed this one. Cheers!
I would include Carol Kaye's work on The Beat Goes On. Also, so many great bass lines by the late Great Gary Thain of Uriah Help.
Twilight Zone by Golden Earring and Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes have baselines that have resonated with my soul
Jack White actually plays that on guitar with an octave pedal
Yeah... I'll have to admit that I was surprised NOT to see Seven Nation Army NOT as part of this but I guess it was more or less a "popularity contest." AND NOT by TALENT ALONE!!!
Yep, seven nation is a guitar, not a bassline
Anesthesia pulling teeth is way underrated. Cliff Burton is a master of bass.
No "Moving in Stereo" by the Cars?
The modest, simple yet imaginative and effective (imo) bassline from Walk On The Ocean by Toad The Wet Sprocket made me really notice this song ('93 or '94), especially during the verses; it gets more or less drowned out during the chorus.
All great songs!!! John Deacon is a master at bass. My favorite will always be "Dragon Attack" over "Another one bites the dust." If you listen to the bass at the end of "Fat bottomed girls"...that bass gets pretty crazy too.
Don’t forget Under Pressure. That’s TWO iconic bass lines!
@@steveclark4544 agreed 👍
I love to hear a great bass rift. One of the ones i remembered was Faith No More - Epic. The bass carried the song imho
Every Kinda People - Robert Palmer, Don't Leave Me This Way - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Jam On It Revenge - Nucleus, Brick House - Commodores, ..... I can go on for days ......The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue
The greatest bass lines are sublime. They are sensed more than overtly heard. Two excellent examples are "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye - James Jamerson on bass and "Something"- The Beatles- Paul McCartney on bass. With both of those lines, the creativity is off the scale! I Want You Back by the Jackson Five is another good example with the bass line written and played by a sax player!
No Motorhead?! How dare you?
Ace of Spades - Motorhead?
Some of mine, in no order:
- KISS -100,000 Years
- Queen- Dragon Attack
- Mr. Big- Addicted to that Rush
- Van Halen - Running with the Devil
- Beatles - Something
Wait, Disco Inferno bass line was not included in this list? Wow!!!
I would add Fascination Street by The Cure.
No "Would" by Alice in Chains?
John Deacon bass solo in “Liar” 🎶🤌🏻
I'm genuinely shocked that La Grange by ZZ Top isn't anywhere on this list
Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" has an amazing bass sound. I think Jeff Ament is even playing a fretless bass on it.
It’s actually a 12-string bass but I do agree that it’s an awesome riff as well
One of the best bassists of his generation.
Pear Jam also borrows heavily from Fleetwood Mac's The Chain.
The breakdown at the end of Corduroy is even in the same key as the Fleetwood Mac song, and the bass line from The Chain could be cut and pasted right in at roughly the three minute eighteen second mark of Corduroy.
@@spankywzl you're probably right. They are pretty open about being inspired by other songs. Given to Fly is heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin's Going to California and Yellow Ledbetter IS Little Wing by Hendrix.
One of my favs is The Prodigy - Climbatize.
Simple, elegant, and fucking banging.
What about:
For the Love of Money - The O'Jays
Peace Sells - Megadeth
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
Longview - Green Day
Love Buzz - Nirvana
Nobody Weird Like Me - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jeremy - Pearl Jam
What Difference Does It Make? - The Smiths
Message In a Bottle - The Police
Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
Cliff Burton on "Orion" is a lead bass line with the feel of Pink Floyd...
QUEEN REIGNS SUPREME
How is the intro to "Peace Sells" by Megadeth not on here? MTV used that bassline for years in their programming.
Can never have too much Bass..
3:07 cemented my love for music for the fact that music doesn't have to stick to a certain genre....be open and loving 😅
How come it's not on this list NIB, Haven and Hell, Neon knights from black sabbath?? They are one of the most memorable songs in terms of basslines.
Rush better be here.
Was it?
Obviously you didn’t watch it because it wasn’t
Glad to see some headbangers included for a change. (Yet where was "Ace of Spades"?) And #1-totally spot on.
Best bassline I know is John deacons dragon attack bass solo, especially the 1982 live on fire version
Good list.
All of you mentioning 7 Nation Army should know that was not a bass guitar on that song. It's an acoustic guitar played through a pitch shifter
Thank you! Beat me to it!
Ok but where is Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel, and Love is the Drug - Roxy Music? both iconic!
Great idea for this list
Where is Schism? Tool have two of the bass lines of all time, 46-2 is another good one
These songs have great bass work in them too:
Bernadette by the Four Tops
School Boy Crush by the Average White Band
Rio by Duran Duran
Black Cow by Steely Dan
There are tons more songs, but one that recently came to mind was Sacrifice by the Steve Miller Band.
.....and I'll follow up w/"Peg" also from Steely Dan
Whipping Post - Allman Brothers
Rio - Duran Duran
Ramble On - LZ
Schism - Tool
In The Flesh - Pink Floyd
I love John Deacon! Because he chose to stop after Freddie passed hes often forgotten.
Real Queen fans don't forget John but understand his decision to retire after the passing of Freddie
I’m not understanding how WatchMojo missed on GIVE IT TO ME BABY and SUPERFREAK by Rick James. Those songs got me through puberty!!!
So hard to pick only one bassline from Les Claypool !! He's an insanely talented bass player, with very unique sound
I like American life but my favorite bassline is by far the Tommy the cat one 😁
And I can't believe there is no Tool songs on this list ?! Schism, Forty six and two, or The pot have amazing basslines !!
It’s so cool that Tom Waits is on that song pure genius.. 😎
Personal favorite that always tweaks my ears is the baseline from Heart’s “Straight On”. Little funky, a bit plucky, downright soulful.
the bassline for Never Meant to Know by Tally Hall is so good. Zubin Sedghi outdid himself on that track
"Longview" by Green Day.
Hysteria should be higher, not number 1, but higher than 16
The bass lines presented could be enjoyable & stand out for me a lot more -- if Y'all wouldn't talk all through each of them sooo much!!
Mojo and Ms Mojo are notorious for doing this; stepping all over the very media they're trying to highlight.
ps -- I play bass too, man
"Lucretia My Reflection" by The Sisters of Mercy. Criminally underrated classic from the 80s.
I can’t believe Orion is RIGHTFULLY on this list!! That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw best bass riffs!! I was just figuring that bass line out a few days ago. It’s easy and fun to play! But even when ppl were raging on Anesthesia…Orion was my first go to for most catchy bass lines! There’s more that shoulda been in this mention, and some that should’ve been left out! But I can overlook all that with this included in the the countdown!! Right the fuck on!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I still think Anesthesia should have been the pick for Cliff
@@steverichardson8080 I get ya…but Orion is just a full on masterpiece that comes off serving hard, then that bass line when it tones down just has that soothing sound just before it builds back up and gets you back to fuckin’ shit up again! You just can’t beat that!
Where are The Bee Gees??
You should be dancing
Or night fever
Duran Duran - Rio???? Look it up!! Incredibly difficult to play
Every Breath You Take by The Police is a top 5 bass riff... easy. The fact it didn't even make this list makes me question the judgment of these people.
Bass player here. While missing some (probably) obvious songs I gotta say I like this selection for a Watchmojo video. I would’ve replaced YYZ with Marathon for Rush and Come Together for Oobla-Di Oobla-Da for The Beatles.
Anthrax - Got the Time better be on the list
Takin it To the Streets by Tiran Porter of the Doobie Brothers is an epic riff. Should have been included IMO.
Glad to see some love for the Doobie Brothers and Tiran Porter. Difficult to pick a fave bassline, although takin it to the streets is epic. One of the most underrated bands ever
That money's bassline remebered me "Futura 2000", from the clash, wich is awesome too.
I have a few
Jerry was a race car driver-Primus
Panic Attack- Dream Theatre
Superstition- Stevie Wonder
Schism-Tool
Love Cats-The Cure
Can’t Stop-RHCP
Message in a bottle-The Police
Play that funky music-Wild Cherry