Top 10 Bands with a Female Bass Player

The Top Ten
The Warning (Alejandra Villarreal)

Queen of the groove and the most memorable bass line riffs. I've never heard a rock bassist with as many catchy and groovy riffs. She doesn't play speedy runs because that's not the band's style - they focus on grooves that are catchy and memorable. Ale is essential in making this trio sound fuller and bigger than they are. Her melodic playing perfectly fills in the gaps, always adding flavor to their songs.

But don't be fooled into believing she's just thumping basic grooves. She can play with the best of them. Put her in any band, and she'd seamlessly be the backbone. Not only is she a musical prodigy who was trained in classical piano by age five, but she was also playing jazz, funk, and rock on a six-string bass that was literally bigger than her. She has perfect pitch, impeccable timing, and an extremely high musical IQ.

The perfect bassist.

Sonic Youth (Kim Gordon) Sonic Youth was an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo remained together for the entire history of the band, while Steve Shelley followed a series of short-term drummers in 1985, and rounded out the core line-up.
Pixies (Kim Deal) The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The group disbanded in 1993 in acrimonious circumstances, but reunited in 2004. The group currently consists of founders Black Francis, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering.
The Sixsters (Teresa Jarzabek)

The Sixsters is a Ukrainian girls' rock band established in 2018 by Kateryna Kuziakina in a small town near Kyiv, Ukraine. They are currently refugees in Germany. The Sixsters' music often carries themes of resilience and self-expression, particularly in response to challenging times.

Smashing Pumpkins (D'arcy Wretzky) The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. Formed by frontman Billy Corgan and James Iha, the band included D'arcy Wretzky and Jimmy Chamberlin in its original incarnation.

D'arcy Wretzky is the best female bass player.

White Zombie (Sean Yseult) White Zombie was an American heavy metal band that formed in 1985. Based in New York City, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band, and was known for its later heavy metal-oriented sound.
Talking Heads (Tina Weymouth) Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, and Jerry Harrison.

An epic player whose simple patterns defined the songs.

Coal Chamber (Nadja Peulen) Coal Chamber was a nu-metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA, in 1993. The current members of Coal Chamber are Dez Fafara (Vocals), Nadja Peulen (Bass), Meegs Rascón (Guitar), and Mike Cox (Drums). Former members of the band include Rayna Foss, Chela Rhea Harper, and John Thor. Coal Chamber is typically... read more

One of the best.

Hole (Melissa Auf der Maur) Hole was an American alternative rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1989 by singer and guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson.
Luscious Jackson (Jill Cunniff)

The Newcomers

? The Go-Go's (Kathy Valentine) The Go-Go's are an American all-female rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The Go-Go's rose to fame during the early 1980s as an all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments, rising to the top of the Billboard album charts.
? The Bangles (Michael Steele) The Bangles are an American pop rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1981, scoring several hit singles as that decade continued.
The Contenders
Melvins (Lori Black) The Melvins are an American sludge metal band that formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers.

Yes, they did have a female bass player at one point. Her name was Lori Black, and she was the daughter of Shirley Temple.

The Rentals (Shannon Moore)
The Runaways (Jackie Fox)

A bass player breaking ground with her band.

Band-Maid (Misa)

Misa from Band-Maid really shines throughout Band-Maid's catalog of over 100 songs. Her bass lines range from intricate progressions to well-placed solos and call-and-response exchanges with the lead guitarist.

Kittie (Trish Doan) Kittie is a Canadian nu-metal/alternative metal band that was formed in London, Ontario, in 1996. They have released six studio albums, one video album, four extended plays, thirteen singles, and thirteen music videos.

So glad they're back!

Sick Puppies (Emma Anzai) "Sick Puppies" is an Australian rock band that was formed in 1997. The band rose to prominence in 2006 when their song "All the Same" was uploaded to YouTube, along with a video... read more
Nervosa (Mia Wallace)
Måneskin (Victoria De Angelis)
DragonForce (Alicia Vigil) DragonForce are a British power metal band based in London, England. Formed in 1999, the group are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound.
The Beaches (Jordan Miller)
Lillix (Louise Burns) Lillix is a pop/rock band from Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, formed under the name Tigerlily in 1997 when the early members were in high school.
The Breeders (Josephine Wiggs)
L7 (Jennifer Finch) L7 is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, first active from 1985 to 2001 and reformed since 2014. Due to their sound and image, they are often associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s,.
4 Non Blondes (Christa Hillhouse)
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