Top Ten Songs with the Best Basslines

The Top Ten
1 Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

Extremely catchy & funky bassline of one of Queen's best. Perfectly demonstrates why John Deacon was both the secret weapon member as well as the most underrated member of Queen.

The bass parts are simply incredible. Suddenly, John Deacon emerges from the shadows and presents queen with this bad boy.

John Deacon, one of the most the most underrated bassists ever. This deserves to be number 1.
Nothing less than number 1.

2 Money - Pink Floyd

Manages to create something incredibly catchy, memorable and unique, all the while with the odd time signature of 7/4. Whatever I may think about Roger Waters as a person, he was undeniably a great bass player and this song is the most obvious proof of that.

This entire song is just so funky, you can't help but move along to it; and the bassline, along with the 7/4 time signature, is one of the main reasons why it is so good.

Easily one of the catchiest bass licks of all-time, a timeless classic that should top the list!

3 Hysteria - Muse

Most definitely the best bass line I've ever heard! Got to love how Muse isn't afraid to use the bass as not just a background instrument!

Chili peppers and muse have the best bass lines, but this song has more bass notes than guitar notes and in a great pattern

Killer man. Yo stank up the butt

4 Good Times - Chic

This was the inspiring bass line for Queen's Another one bites the dust (nr. 1 on this list) Bernard Edwards, thank you and RIP!

How is this- one of the most recognizable bass lines ever- not on the list already?

5 Sex Machine - James Brown
6 School Days - Stanley Clarke

The people who vote on these are basically completely uninformed. Do any of them know anything at all about bass playing? Stanley Clarke is god.

7 Ramble On - Led Zeppelin

John Paul Jones is so underappreciated.

8 Peaches - The Stranglers
9 Come Together - The Beatles

Come Together at 15? Did you guys just forget this is literally among the most recognizable bass lines of all time? This should absolutely be within the Top 10, possibly even the Top 5!

10 Roundabout - Yes
The Contenders
11 Give It Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers

What can I say?... flea is a fantastic bassist

12 Longview - Green Day

Anyone that genuinely believes that this is not the greatest bass line of all time is kidding themselves.

One of best bass line ever
So are other by Green Day as "she" or "Stuart and ave."that should also make it to the top 10

Mike can write better bass lines on LSD than anyone else can while sober! Seriously though this should be #1

13 For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica

Distortion, time signature changes and utterly heavy? What more could you ask for? Not to mention how the way it is made to sound like a bell ringing at points is a nice touch. RIP Cliff Burton.

For whom the bell tolls and Schism are in other level
Another one bites the dust, money and yyz are amazing too

14 Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie

It's very annoying to see DB's name first in these credits. Everyone knows that the bassline was already finished before DB even got involved with this kick-ass song. John Deacon and the great Freddie Mercury had already worked out the framework, so it should be Queen and then DB, not the other way around. DB readily admits that the bassline and most of the song was almost done when he came to the studio to actually do another song with Queen.

Anyway, fantastic song! The best versions are, of course, Freddie at Montreal and Wembley, without DB's input... Laugh out loud.

Queen rocks!

15 YYZ - Rush

Great song. Deserves a higher spot

16 Schism - Tool

One of the few songs with a lead bass, and almost definitely the best example of a lead bass. Justin Chancellor really knows how to turn something as simple as a bass guitar and make dynamic and engaging sounds with it

Come on guys. This song has one of the most recognisable bass lines ever. The time signatures are so unique and the growling 12/8 bass intro is awesome.

17 Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

This bass is godly. I seriously don't know they conceived it.

Probably the best bassline of the noughties, besides Schism perhaps.

18 Orion - Metallica

Move over YYZ, Orion was and continues to be the greatest instrumental I've ever heard. With 2 guitar solos, a bass solo and the coolest riffs ever all shoved in an eight and a half minute song, incredible. R.I.P Cliff Burton.

Especially in the middle at the interlude, Cliff is the guy that made me want to play bass guitar. This is the song they played at Cliff's funeral on my 14th birthday. :( RIP Cliff.

19 My Generation - The Who

This should be in the top five. It has an awesome bassline and epic bass fills.

It's so epic! It should be in the top 10.

20 Killing In the Name - Rage Against the Machine

Yeah a really tense bass intro.

21 Peace Sells - Megadeth
22 Jerry Was a Race Car Driver - Primus
23 My Name is Mud - Primus

No way, you can't beat Primus, dude!

24 Slide in Next to Me - Red Riders

Most of you haven't heard this song, but this bass kicks butt.

25 By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers

I've played bass for many years and this has been one of my favorite songs to play since the beginning.

Where is aeroplane?!? This is still a great song and bass line. It's very prominent and distinct

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