Best Rock Bassists
Plays at speed, plays melodic lines, plays very complicated rhythym lines, keeps up with the best drummer in the world, and does it all while singing and playing keyboards.
It's not just his skill, speed, inventiveness, tunes within tunes, singing, keyboard playing, melodies, range, longevity, oh, it is.
Not only does Rush have an amazing guitarist and the best drummer of all time, but they have the best bassist of all time too.
Influential, melodic, counter-melodic, snarling but clean; all at the speed of light. But that's just a few of his qualities. #1
John Entwistle has as much influence on bass playing as Fyodor Dostoevsky has on literature.
Now, as for his bass playing skills... I have nothing to say, I just don't know the word to describe this (more than) amazing bass player!
Literally one of the Top 5 best bassists of all time!
Entwistle is on a technical level no one can approach. I don't think anyone can really dispute that, and though I agree poles are generally opinion based, I would say Entwistle is factually the best bass guitar player of all time. There are bassists I like more than him, but if he isn't ranked #1 in a bass pole than it is very clear that the majority of the voters don't understand the instrument
There is an isolated track on YouTube of Ox playing "Won't get fooled again." Watch that then tell me any of the rest of these guys are qualified to carry his case. Entwistle was in a class by himself in terms of style and technique.
I never heard a better solo in my life than my generation. Entwistle has all the qualities of a great bass player
The most in demand bass player in England during the British Invasion...
Unreal string arranger... Played in the most popular rock band of the 70's if not all time... Played with best rock drummer who ever lived... Wrote the riff for Black Dog, RambleOnect... Bass, piano, organ, basspedals, mandolin, sitar, etc...
Arguably the most versatile musician in a band of revolutionary virtuosos, the still unequaled Led Zeppelin. JPJ was (and remains) an unbelievably gifted bassist who profoundly influenced virtually every great rock bassist. (Right now... go listen to The Lemon Song & Ramble On off of LZ-II.
The band with a GOAT singer, GOAT guitarist and GOAT drummer, of course, had a GOAT bassist too.
Led zeppelin Bassist. The Best of course
Red hot chili peppers are the best band the world has ever seen so that makes flea the best bassist the worlds ever seen
Underrated by old people. Overrated by young people.
The best Bassist between slap and melodic finger
I totally agree with you flea should be at least top 2
Prog catches a lot of flak as an acquired taste but once exposed to prog it's easy to see why proggers are regarded as among the most musically gifted musicians and Squire is at the pinnacle of bassists. A few listens to roundabout and heart of the sunrise should be proof enough. It also helps to be playing with Howe, Bruford and Wakeman.
Absolutely!
Although don't look at Rolling Stone Magazine list. They hate prog!
Cliff blows all these posers away... The guys from Green Day and A7X above Burton? Wow, way to piss on a dead mans grave.
Lee, McCartney, Trujilo, Jones, Entwistle, and Flea are the only ones anywhere near Cliff's level.
He should be number 1 he is the best listen To kill em all
Simply the bassist that changed the way bass was played before any of these guys even had a chance, all of these bass players were hugely influenced by Paul. The most underrated bass player of all time. Plus he wrote the songs with this great bass playing most of these other bass players played bass on someone else's song. Much easier if you didn't write the song.all of these guys were good at their instruments but who could even come close to Paul as a writer. No one! He is the most successful songwriter in recorded music history that is not an opinion but it is 100% fact. He will be remembered long after most of these guys are long forgotten. Paul could do it all and was a superb bass player on top of that. I agree with flea!
A direct quote from an interview with Flea, "If you're talking about rock bass players, I'd put Paul McCartney at number one." Musicians know the greatness of Paul McCartney.
Influential does not mean best. He's influential and I respect him, but his bass playing was bland and boring as hell.
Paul McCartney changed the way bass was utilized. He is amazing! Number 1 for sure!
I laughed when I saw McCartney over Les Claypool. He doesn't even compare to the absolutely original, weird, impossible bass playing of Les Claypool. Seriously, listen to ANY Primus song, and they all have bass lines better than anything McCartney could have written. End of story.
Claypool is top 3 without a doubt. Everyone else on this list is mainstream and has the popularity. Les does things with a bass that no one else can. Ridiculous!
And why is Les Claypool not #1. This man does things with a bass that every other bassist on this list wouldn't have ever even thought of...
Paul McCartney is not even that good people say he is good because he played with the beatles
Great bassist. One of my favorite musicians. I have seen his Us And Them tour, and he plays a great bass, and he writes some of Pink Floyd's greatest hits. His opinions are also very true, such as his recent album, Is This The Life We Really Want, and made his best feelings on Dark Side of Moon, all the way up to The final cut.
I love his atmospheric sound. Especially on "Animals"
He is the best bass player
Awesome bassist that even to this day is the driving force behind Black Sabbath
You can hear every note clearly In every song. This guy is the bass Jesus!
He should be number tow after john paul jones
Yup he is a very good Bassist his playing style and he does it so fast and good. With his bass, Billie's sweet voice and Tre's awesome drumming skill makes Green Day the best Rock Band of all time.
Longview bassline, know one knows bassline, hell, just watch him live and get blown away by this freak of nature that is Mike Dirnt!
This guy should be ranked 50 up there are so many better bassists
Longview bassline. Enough said.
His bass had a heft and power to it while still having a smoothness and a cleanness to it. Shame he just missed the top 15.
Under pressure, another one bites the dust prove that Deacon deserved the big 5
Quuen! John deacon is the best bassist ever he even wrote some of queens hits very underrated.
Definitely in top 5, he was dead on all the time, very clean and crisp
Best bassist of al time
I am a fan of Iron Maiden and who can be without knowing who this guy is? He is the founder, a spectacular bassist, and a pretty good keyboardist, and he is behind all the lyrics to the band. This guy should be in the top three!
Every one who didn't vote harris should be ashamed of themselves frankly
Awesome bassist, who deserves to be in first5
How on earth is Steve Harris not in the top 10?
Inspiration bass, he is the best bassist
To me he brought a jazz sensibility to rock. He is a schooled classical musician and can play any style of music he wants. I don't mean to downplay the other choices here, but Jack belongs on any "BEST" list.
Jack Bruce was a prodigy and an integral part of Cream. Without his music composition, co-writing of songs and extraordinary bass playing Creams candle would of burnt out many years ago.
A line-up of three... All brilliant musicians
I love you Duff! Don't let them bring you down!
Just the best bassist ever!
Should at least be in the top 5!
Should be number 1.. Without him guns n roses would never be succsessfull
Hmm, finally he on the first page. He has always been one of my favorite bassists. Not because he is from Bangladesh. Because he is actually talented. And I learnt about bass solos from his songs. He plays bass solo almost all of his songs. I have made a list "Best Sumon Bass Performances". Anybody who is curious to see his bass solos/riffs can visit the list.
Talented bassist, but he's a solo artists (even though he has been with Aurthohin for 20 years) or his band is not one of the best artists (you didn't hear any of his song but you could determine whether they're good or bad).
Bassbaba is awesome, Just listen to Guti the final, you'll see what he is capable of, he can also take teeth solo like Jimmie Hendrix, he is one of the best, that's we call him Bassbaba, means the Father of bass
He is an awesome bass player.. The way he plays his body languages everything.. Specially when places his bass guitar in his shoulder.. It is a moment that I can't 4get.. Respect 4 him...
Anyone that Breathes Fire has to be cool. Beavis got it right when he said "This video would be cool if it had some fire in it".
Perfect tone, perfect lines, perfect rock bassist!
Cliff is in the background working hard and being ignored while everyone pays attention to Brian and Angus… keep it up, man.