it’s time to rev up that low-end and
give the bass players a little love
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
bass lines
for this list we’re ranking the best and
most memorable bass lines from the
worlds of rock music including but not
limited to its subgenres of heavy metal
progressive rock and funk
we’ll be paying close attention to rock
songs in which the bass line plays a
particularly integral and lead role
although we’ll be saving famous pop bass
lines such as the one found in Michael
Jackson’s Billie Jean for another list
number ten wrath child Iron Maiden
the galloping baseline which uh sure is
in this Iron Maiden classic is by far
one of the most iconic from the band’s
leader songwriter and bassist Steve
Harris with wrath child still bowling
over fans since it’s 1981 debut on made
and sophomore effort killers
song remains a linchpin within the band
set for many years and is still pulled
out by Harrison Company whenever they
feel like rocking out and reliving the
old days with former frontman Paul
Di’Anno
Rothschild remains a stone-cold killer
no matter who sings it however thanks in
part to Harris’s bad ass bassline
number nine American life Primus Les
Claypool of Primus just maybe the
bassist bassist a virtuoso of the fad
string whose jaw-dropping dexterity with
his chosen instrument has caused many an
aspiring player to shake their heads in
disbelief indeed Claypool’s ability to
coax amazing and unique sounds from his
bass guitar has led the progressive
experimental funk trio of Primus since
their debut in 1984 with American life
serving as an early highlight from the
band’s second studio album sailing the
seas of cheese
the bubbling avant-garde baseline here
is indicative of Prime mrs. early
direction which was itself an extension
of Claypool and guitarist Larry low
loans roots in the thrash metal scene a
riff which captures prog funk craziness
with a head bobbing groove
it’s classic Primus
you
number eight Orion Metallica
there will never be another basis quite
like Metallica’s cliff burton
the late bass man created many magical
moments within his all-too-brief tenure
with the band such as For Whom the Bell
Tolls
there’s also this iconic instrumental
from his final studio appearance Master
of Puppets however as orion opens up
strong with Burton’s intent skip melodic
style displaying some driving drum and
bass into play before Burton calms it
down with a rather tranquil solo
you
it’s a classic Metallica moment and one
which the band continues to sombrely
remember to this day
you
you
number seven my generation the who
there are a few iconic names when it
comes to classic rock faces and the
who’s John Entwistle is certainly one of
them my generation was one of the first
examples of Entwistle’s immense talent
on his instrument as this classic who
Jam displays the basis fast fleet and
nimble playing style far more tribal
base than most for stringers
the ox cuts right over Pete Townsend’s
massive guitar riffs with the greatest
of ease Morlocks in tight with Keith
moons frantic drumming when the song
calls for it
number six give it away the Red Hot
Chili Peppers the world of bass players
sadly doesn’t have the same amount of
rock stars when compared to that of
guitarist or lead singers although this
diminutive bass playing powerhouse has
always served as the counterpoint of
cool to that notion
indeed flea is a textbook definition of
Rockstar basis and this frantic chili
pepper has lived up to a time and time
again with his innovative slapping
technique and hyper aggressive attack
give it away showcases a groovy or more
laid-back version of flee however an in
the pocket bassline which anchors this
slice of slinky and sexy funk
number five dazed and confused Led
Zeppelin sometimes it isn’t about how
flashy one can play but how much groove
one can lay down with the simplest of
riffs Led Zeppelin clearly knew this
rule as evidence from this
straightforward yet immense classic
Dazed and Confused treasures along with
a heavy chromatic riff anchored by the
booming bass of John Paul Jones an
immensely talented songwriter arranger
and multi-instrumentalist who just might
have served as Zeppelin’s secret weapon
when the song really kicks into gear
around the three and a half minute mark
Jones really gets to let loose on the
fat strings burning those bass licks for
all he’s worth
number four YYZ rush
Canada’s most beloved progressive rock
bands have crafted countless memorable
musical moments over the course of their
40 plus year career but this intricate
instrumental arrives that oh so delicate
line between fan favorite and commercial
success
YYZ is notable for a number of reasons
from the always interesting melodic
movements from guitars Alex Lifeson to
the dizzy and drumming of Neil Peart but
it’s the way both musicians lock in with
the restrained yet explosive performance
of bassist keyboardist and lead singer
Geddy Lee which makes this one a rush
song for the ages
number three come together the Beatles
Paul McCartney is a rock and roll legend
for a number of reasons and Beatle mania
aside chiefly among them is that he is
an incredibly forward-thinking bass
player McCartney’s unwillingness to
remain a shadowed figure back at the
drum riser gave more prominence to the
notion of a bassist as a melodic and
upfront performer right alongside a
guitarist or singer this idea was put
into motion to great success with the
Beatles come together a song which is
not only anchored by its hummable poppy
bassline but indeed defined by it
proving that the bass players time to
shine was indeed upon us
number two money Pink Floyd if any band
can make something catchy out of an
incredibly complex time signature its
Pink Floyd money is one of the most
enduring hits from this group
despite its foregoing notions like a
chorus in favor of a bass driven hook in
7/4 time
what makes money even more successful
however is the fact that bassist and
songwriter Roger Waters goes for a
devilishly simple 4/4 rock beat behind
guitarist David Gilmour’s three
consecutive guitar solos before driving
it back home to the 74 for the finale
even if you have no idea what any of
that means you can’t help but rock along
to it
before we announce our number one
baseline here are a few honorable
mentions
hmm
number one another one bites the dust
Queen funky beyond the shadow of a doubt
this queen classic showed that even
British rock royalty weren’t immune to
getting down with a bit of disco the
success of another one bites the dust
hinges on that supremely catchy bassline
from John Deacon a bouncy riff which
gets the booty movin and the feature
acing towards the dance floor similar to
what Deacon would achieve a year later
on under pressure
the band’s successful musical
collaboration with David Bowie
another one bites the dust prove that
Queen was just as comfortable riding
groovy jams as they were heavy rock
riffs and they were damn good at both so
do you agree with our list
what’s bass lines do you feel should
have made the cut
for more fun top 10 list published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
give the bass players a little love
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
bass lines
for this list we’re ranking the best and
most memorable bass lines from the
worlds of rock music including but not
limited to its subgenres of heavy metal
progressive rock and funk
we’ll be paying close attention to rock
songs in which the bass line plays a
particularly integral and lead role
although we’ll be saving famous pop bass
lines such as the one found in Michael
Jackson’s Billie Jean for another list
number ten wrath child Iron Maiden
the galloping baseline which uh sure is
in this Iron Maiden classic is by far
one of the most iconic from the band’s
leader songwriter and bassist Steve
Harris with wrath child still bowling
over fans since it’s 1981 debut on made
and sophomore effort killers
song remains a linchpin within the band
set for many years and is still pulled
out by Harrison Company whenever they
feel like rocking out and reliving the
old days with former frontman Paul
Di’Anno
Rothschild remains a stone-cold killer
no matter who sings it however thanks in
part to Harris’s bad ass bassline
number nine American life Primus Les
Claypool of Primus just maybe the
bassist bassist a virtuoso of the fad
string whose jaw-dropping dexterity with
his chosen instrument has caused many an
aspiring player to shake their heads in
disbelief indeed Claypool’s ability to
coax amazing and unique sounds from his
bass guitar has led the progressive
experimental funk trio of Primus since
their debut in 1984 with American life
serving as an early highlight from the
band’s second studio album sailing the
seas of cheese
the bubbling avant-garde baseline here
is indicative of Prime mrs. early
direction which was itself an extension
of Claypool and guitarist Larry low
loans roots in the thrash metal scene a
riff which captures prog funk craziness
with a head bobbing groove
it’s classic Primus
you
number eight Orion Metallica
there will never be another basis quite
like Metallica’s cliff burton
the late bass man created many magical
moments within his all-too-brief tenure
with the band such as For Whom the Bell
Tolls
there’s also this iconic instrumental
from his final studio appearance Master
of Puppets however as orion opens up
strong with Burton’s intent skip melodic
style displaying some driving drum and
bass into play before Burton calms it
down with a rather tranquil solo
you
it’s a classic Metallica moment and one
which the band continues to sombrely
remember to this day
you
you
number seven my generation the who
there are a few iconic names when it
comes to classic rock faces and the
who’s John Entwistle is certainly one of
them my generation was one of the first
examples of Entwistle’s immense talent
on his instrument as this classic who
Jam displays the basis fast fleet and
nimble playing style far more tribal
base than most for stringers
the ox cuts right over Pete Townsend’s
massive guitar riffs with the greatest
of ease Morlocks in tight with Keith
moons frantic drumming when the song
calls for it
number six give it away the Red Hot
Chili Peppers the world of bass players
sadly doesn’t have the same amount of
rock stars when compared to that of
guitarist or lead singers although this
diminutive bass playing powerhouse has
always served as the counterpoint of
cool to that notion
indeed flea is a textbook definition of
Rockstar basis and this frantic chili
pepper has lived up to a time and time
again with his innovative slapping
technique and hyper aggressive attack
give it away showcases a groovy or more
laid-back version of flee however an in
the pocket bassline which anchors this
slice of slinky and sexy funk
number five dazed and confused Led
Zeppelin sometimes it isn’t about how
flashy one can play but how much groove
one can lay down with the simplest of
riffs Led Zeppelin clearly knew this
rule as evidence from this
straightforward yet immense classic
Dazed and Confused treasures along with
a heavy chromatic riff anchored by the
booming bass of John Paul Jones an
immensely talented songwriter arranger
and multi-instrumentalist who just might
have served as Zeppelin’s secret weapon
when the song really kicks into gear
around the three and a half minute mark
Jones really gets to let loose on the
fat strings burning those bass licks for
all he’s worth
number four YYZ rush
Canada’s most beloved progressive rock
bands have crafted countless memorable
musical moments over the course of their
40 plus year career but this intricate
instrumental arrives that oh so delicate
line between fan favorite and commercial
success
YYZ is notable for a number of reasons
from the always interesting melodic
movements from guitars Alex Lifeson to
the dizzy and drumming of Neil Peart but
it’s the way both musicians lock in with
the restrained yet explosive performance
of bassist keyboardist and lead singer
Geddy Lee which makes this one a rush
song for the ages
number three come together the Beatles
Paul McCartney is a rock and roll legend
for a number of reasons and Beatle mania
aside chiefly among them is that he is
an incredibly forward-thinking bass
player McCartney’s unwillingness to
remain a shadowed figure back at the
drum riser gave more prominence to the
notion of a bassist as a melodic and
upfront performer right alongside a
guitarist or singer this idea was put
into motion to great success with the
Beatles come together a song which is
not only anchored by its hummable poppy
bassline but indeed defined by it
proving that the bass players time to
shine was indeed upon us
number two money Pink Floyd if any band
can make something catchy out of an
incredibly complex time signature its
Pink Floyd money is one of the most
enduring hits from this group
despite its foregoing notions like a
chorus in favor of a bass driven hook in
7/4 time
what makes money even more successful
however is the fact that bassist and
songwriter Roger Waters goes for a
devilishly simple 4/4 rock beat behind
guitarist David Gilmour’s three
consecutive guitar solos before driving
it back home to the 74 for the finale
even if you have no idea what any of
that means you can’t help but rock along
to it
before we announce our number one
baseline here are a few honorable
mentions
hmm
number one another one bites the dust
Queen funky beyond the shadow of a doubt
this queen classic showed that even
British rock royalty weren’t immune to
getting down with a bit of disco the
success of another one bites the dust
hinges on that supremely catchy bassline
from John Deacon a bouncy riff which
gets the booty movin and the feature
acing towards the dance floor similar to
what Deacon would achieve a year later
on under pressure
the band’s successful musical
collaboration with David Bowie
another one bites the dust prove that
Queen was just as comfortable riding
groovy jams as they were heavy rock
riffs and they were damn good at both so
do you agree with our list
what’s bass lines do you feel should
have made the cut
for more fun top 10 list published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
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