Best Funk Metal Bands

The Top Ten
1 Primus Primus is an American funk metal band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander. Les Claypool is regarded as one of the best bassists of all time for his slap-bass ability in notable songs like "My Name Is Mud",... read more

I agree this is one of the best funk metal bands, but I just have to say I wouldn't be as extreme as the comments below, of which many are wrong at a few levels. Primus does deserve their reputation, though, thanks to their extraordinary bassist Les Claypool, their adaptive guitarist Larry LaLonde, and their underrated drummer Tim Alexander. Definitely a great band, check it out, and do watch out because the bass is at the same volume as the guitar, only different in tone(fatter), register(lows to high mediums), (slurriness sometimes), and timbre.

2 Living Colour Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, punk rock, funk, jazz, hip hop and alternative rock.

Vernon Reid is an awesome guitarist and the songs information overload, cult of personality, times up, go away and great expectations have amazing guitair solos. Flying has a good outro solo. Bi, love rears its ugly head, middle man, song without sin and desperate people have great riffs. Awesome band!

Their first two albums - Vivid and Time's Up is one of the best funk metal albums ever made. The soulful metal voice of Corey Glover, the insane funky basslines of Muzz Skillings, that eccentric jazzy guitar by Vernon Reid and Will Calhoun's intense drum fusion of metal and funk. Black men could headbang with soul!

3 Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine is a rap metal band formed in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk.

I have had a look at all the rap metal/funk metal lists on this website, and I have to say that I've never laughed so much! RHCP, Linkin Park, etc are good bands. They, however, in no way compare to RAGE! In terms of lyrics, beats, guitar riffs and solos, power, energy, live performances, causes, impacts on the world, etc etc etc.. Rage is just the Best Band in the world!

Best funk metal, controversial lyrics, and simply put: awesome rage. If you are interested in funk metal, listen to their fist album from 1992, "Rage Against the Machine". Every song is more epic and fresh than the other. Kudos to this band!

4 Infectious Grooves

Some of these bands ain't nowheres near the Funk (even if they groove a little bit sometimes). Others ain't really metal (even if they sound kinda heavy). But Infectious Grooves is both... And in my opinion prolly the most underrated band in this piece. Maybe it's even more true for Stevie Salas' Colorcode. But Primus? Korn? Really?

Now this is a band that not only conforms to scrutiny of hard core Metal fans, but also take ya on a ride into a musical adventure breaking new grounds!

I was hoping Robert Trujillo would bring some of these grooves to Metallica, but that's just dreaming.

5 Faith No More Faith No More is an American alternative metal band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before settling on their current moniker in 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man.

Great funk metal band, with awesome musicians all-round, Mike Patton one the biggest spotlights of the band. Their music has weird elements as well, giving it an extra edge, and another reason why they're so great.

Mike Patton's vocals are some of the best I've heard, and their style is pretty weird in general. I also like how they evolved throughout their albums.

My third favourite band. It makes me angyr seeing how underrated they are.

6 Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American funk-rock and alternative rock band, that was founded in 1983.

The band's members are Anthony Kiedis (Vocals), Michael "Flea" Balzary (Bass), Chad Smith (Drums) and numerous guitarists, most well-known being John Frusciante.

The band is among the... read more

In between Kiednis's rapping vocals and alpha male presence, Flea's prawling boom bass, Smith's Zeppelin inspired tasty drum simplictics and Frusciante's raging funk-you-out guitar later replacing the proficient Hillel Slovak (R.I.P. ), the Red Hot Chili Peppers leave little to nothing to be undesired for. A musical journey, that keeps on giving world class performances, sweaty goose bumps and wet underwear till' this day. It shoots you off like a starship bound for the outer cosmos and then lightly takes you back to earth again with momentums of soft regret and larger-than-life words of wisdom spoken in aboriginal American mysticisms.

They are the brotherhood of Soul and the poets of Modern Rock. They are the third generation godfathers of Funk with Metal six packs.
Sexy, macho, laid back; red hot and ice cold. The Chilli Peppers are number 1# on this list to me no matter what the end result might be. While I respect the position of Primus, they couldn't ever replace the LA Holly Hill Boys for me and millions of long time fans around the whole world, that still cheer on the show, whether it has aged well or not.
Thank you guys for all your blood, magic and soul.

For showing sisters, that there are still sentimental gentlemen out there, while showing manly men the way to embrace a brotherhood of peace and love.
And last but not least for proving once again, that Rock is not straight, Rock is not gay, but Rock is bisexual and everyone can truly be a part of this beautiful experience, that saves derelict youth from arms of rage and repression in twisted ancient environments.

7 Mr. Bungle Mr. Bungle was an American experimental rock band from Northern California. Known for a highly eclectic style, the band often cycled through several musical genres within the course of a single song, including heavy metal, avant-garde jazz, ska, disco as well as funk.

Not as popular as the other contestants, but as good as it get's in Funk-Metal. Not sure if "metal" is the right term here, but let's say "aggressive" funk. Beware, Mr. Bungle is FUSION in the strict sense of the word, but ear candy for anyone who enjoys going on a musical adventure trip! If you don't know them... What are you waiting for! (I loved most of the contestants though... Great list)

THE best Funk Metal band of all time!
I have no idea why Red Hot Chili Peppers are up there, as Mr Bungle do what they do so much better than them.
Mike Patton is the master of Funk Metal!

8 Extreme

A bit underrated band but on par with the Chilli Peppers and Infectious Grooves in terms of funk "craftmanship". Mourning Widows (Nuno's band after Extreme first disbanded) was also quite nice funk metal band. Check it out.

Why isn't it on the list? Nuno Bettencourt is one of the best and most skilled funk metal guitarists

Hole-hearted has some of the greatest guitar work in any song ever!

9 Snot

I really don't know why this band is so close to the bottom. I am a massive fan of rage against the machine and heard all of these bands convinced that none of them had nothing on rage, and now I've heard this band and wow, they are close by rage now, mad band.

Anyone actually heard Snot on this website? Korn, not funk metal, rhcp, not funk metal, the only thing stopping this from being top is Snot only made one studio album before their lead singer died. That album is far more energetic than everything here.

10 24-7 Spyz
The Contenders
11 Fishbone

If you really want funk that only brothers can produce mixed in with rock, then this is no doubt the one.

Fishbone, the pioneers. Even RHCP have learned from them. At the beginning.

12 Mind Funk
13 Scatterbrain
14 Incubus Incubus is an American alternative rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in Calabasas High School and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ... read more

Incubus'es Dirk Lance shreds on the bass in their first few albums along with DJ Lyfe, before evolving into a mostly rock band. Their funkiest album is definitely fungus amongus followed by S.C.I.E.N.C.E.

This is also the best band ever.

15 KoЯn Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, with the addition of Ray Luzier, who replaced the band's original member, David... read more

Korn's first two albums are... I can't think of funk metal sounding any better. Follow the leader is also great, and the rest have very good songs... Accept it KORN RULES everyone who is anyone will tell it to you... Only posers with thrash metal t-shirts say its no good. I was a teenager in the 90s... Believe me, I know.

Korn are the ultimate Nu-metal band going. Try and say Korn aren't the best.

16 Clutch Clutch is an American rock band from Frederick, Maryland, originating in Germantown, Maryland. Its four members met while in high school in Germantown and consider themselves a Frederick-based band where they write/rehearse for every album/tour.

Come on! Why is clutch all the way down here?!

Not funk metal, but I love Clutch.

17 Maximum the Hormone Maximum the Hormone (Japanese: マキシマム ザ ホルモン, Hepburn: Makishimamu Za Horumon) is a Japanese heavy metal band from Hachiōji, Tokyo. Their lineup has consisted of vocalist Daisuke-han, drummer Nao, guitarist Maximum the Ryo-kun, and bassist Ue-chan since 1999. Each member alternates... read more

Sadly the only funk metal band around I know that still releases new songs deserving the genre tag. You can tell their bassist must've been heavily influenced by Flea's early work.

18 Ugly Kid Joe

Ugly Kid Joe are THE most underrated band of the 1990s! They subverted but also embraced everything great about rock and metal at the time!

19 Mordred

The best funk metal band of early 90's.

20 Mother's Finest

What could be more painful than an alleged Funk Metal band list omitting Mother's Finest? How about the ones here who, instead, are obviously suggesting their own bands, which are neither funk nor metal. Get it straight: Hippie/Jam Bands are never, ever Funk. They are very rarely even "funky" (thump and popping bass riffs not withstanding). Pathetic. Cheez...

21 Hoobastank Hoobastank is an American rock band, formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California with lead singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen.

They sure don't make basketball shorts is a great album, don't fool yourself into thinking that hoobastank are only capable of making stuff like the reason.

In my opinion, this is the best, but I didn't listened to some bands over there yet :) Anyway, you all should try to listen to that! It's pure energy, and so original, though it was released in 1998.

Their first album is by far the best music they've ever released.

22 Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band founded in 1980 in Venice, California by vocalist Mike Muir, who is the only remaining original member of the band. The band is often credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash".
23 Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Chris Chaney.

I don't completely get why Jane is living in somebodies basement. Hey whatever, nobody is perfect!

24 Twelve Foot Ninja
25 Nuclear Rabbit

Pretty phat band drawing influence from no other than fishbone and bad brains, can be described as a mix between primus and mr bungle.

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