Top Ten Funk Bands
Funk Rock, Funk Metal, Punk Funk, Funkcore, Funk, even. maybe. yeah.
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
With or without Frusciante, the Chilis consistently deliver fresh, original music that just blows me away. I have been a longtime RHCP fan, and every album has a different feel and vibe.
From Uplift Mofo Party Plan's hard-partying, rebellious feel to the mellow and soulful vibe of By the Way, from the grinding funk-rock of Blood Sugar Sex Magik to the hardcore metal feel of One Hot Minute, this band is undoubtedly one of the greatest to emerge in the last 30 years. They have some of the best musicians on the planet, like John Frusciante, Hillel Slovak, and Flea.
I can guarantee that you will fall in love with them from the first listen and won't be able to stop yourself from tapping along to the funk grooves. Oh, and the basslines are indescribably fantastic in every possible aspect. RHCP forever. They are also very nice and intelligent people.
Parliament-Funkadelic or Sly & the Family Stone should be in the top spot. The Chili Peppers are good, but they don't come close to the impact and influence that P-Funk has had on music.
P-Funk influenced most of the bands on this list, including more recent ones like RHCP and Rage Against the Machine. P-Funk were true innovators and groundbreakers with talent to burn. The Chili Peppers don't come close in talent, impact, or influence.
People need to be a little more objective when voting on these lists. It's cool to have your favorites and all, but putting the Chili Peppers as the top funk band of all time is just ludicrous. I wouldn't even put them in the top 30.
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, Latin, and Afro pop. They have been described as one of the most innovative and commercially successful bands of all time. Agreed. Earth, Wind & Fire are such a good funk group. Ever since the mid-70s, the group produced some of the sharpest grooves ever to hit our ears. I'd like to think that they're my favorite disco/pop group of all time.
Their ballads are pretty good, as well. "After The Love Has Gone" just brings a tear to my eye. I actually played this song on my CD player after the band's founder died as a tribute to him, just like I played "Something About Us" after Daft Punk split up. This band is just so incredibly good!
EWF is the history of black music and the funk movement itself! Absolutely sure it is the greatest soul and funk act to ever emerge in musical stardom. They are legends.
Discovered by Quincy Jones, George "Lightning Licks" Johnson and his brother, the late Louis "Thunder Thumbs" Johnson, put together an incredible body of work. "Get the Funk Outta Ma Face," "I'll Be Good to You," "Stomp," "Ain't We Funkin' Now," and my personal favorite, the magical "Strawberry Letter 23"!
George's smooth vocals and strong guitar licks combined with Louis' out-of-this-world thumb-popping bass made for some of the best funk songs ever!
Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1967 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Really great examples of classic funk. Truly the kings and queens of this genre. You know how Elvis and Michael Jackson are the kings of their genre, while Sly is the king of funk!
This group may singlehandedly (George Clinton and James Brown aside) be the most influential funk group of all time. There's a Riot Goin' On is the thickest, darkest funk you'll ever hear. Pioneers of the genre.
Sly's bass player Larry Graham invented the technique of bass playing that is the cornerstone of funk. If you think Sly and the Family Stone is not a funk band, then you have never heard "Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself Again."
YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS! NUMBER 36? Cameo's body of work far surpasses the majority of those chosen above them! We're talking FUNK here, not rock! Cameo, along with the Brothers Johnson, easily make the top ten! This list is totally bogus.
Hardcore funk and amazing slow jams. They are the best funk band ever!
Only one group came close to these guys, and that was Slave, also from Ohio.
They were the first band to incorporate funk, jazz, and R&B in the same song that I remember.
Most sampled music group in history. More to say? Most successful R&B band of all time. No other black music group sold so many records in the '80s like them. Questions?
Best band over all genres ever! Most sampled music group in history. More to say?
Timeless. One of the best live bands ever. Best band across all genres!
The Newcomers
A portfolio filled with hits in both funk and pop!
The strength of their first album alone places them in at least the top 15.
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 see Primus as one of humanity's last attempts at decent music. And a damn good one, too. Perhaps music is fading into whatever noises you can get out of a computer now, but when I see bands like Primus, I have to rethink that statement.
Primus created a new genre of music. It's the best genre in the world, and it goes by the name Primus.
Les Claypool is one of the most respected bassists. That speaks volumes about this band.
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. These guys rock and are really funky. If you think they are not, you've got to learn more about music. RATM mixes a lot of genres: rap, heavy metal, hip hop, and funk!
Listen to Take the Power Back, Calm Like a Bomb, Bombtrack, Know Your Enemy, and obviously Killing in the Name. Really funky tracks. They even covered a song called Renegades of Funk.
RATM is incredible. They are the most aggressive band that ever walked the face of the earth, and they managed to combine music and politics in a fantastic way. Love them.
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.
Pick Up the Pieces is a true masterpiece. Live versions are just awesome.
ToP created the pure, urban-funk sound. Knockout horn section...maybe the best ever. Yes, I liked the Commodores and Earth, Wind & Fire, but they turned the pure funk sound into pop/funk fusion.
Lastly, the best funk of all time was the father of funk himself, James Brown.
I've seen ToP live, and they're as tight live as they are on all their albums. They have extremely funky bass, horns, percussion, and terrific vocals. They are the definition of funk in its rawest form. Listening to Taxed to the Max and it's sweet!
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.
Led Zeppelin was an English hard rock band formed in London in 1968 as the New Yardbirds. The group consisted of Robert Plant (Vocal), Jimmy Page (Guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass, Keyboard) and John Bonham (Drums) and was very much the child of Jimmy Page who even financed their first tour. He had tasted... read more Due to Bonham's funk and groove style of playing the drums, all of Led Zep's songs are funky, but they also had one of the best funk rock songs of all time in Trampled Underfoot.
The Gap Band is in the genre of Rick James, Cameo, and the Bar-Kays. They belong on the Mount Rushmore of Funk!
Best band ever, and Charlie Wilson is the greatest!
Love old school funk, and the Gap Band is my favorite!
The Meters are the kings of New Orleans funk and a huge influence on RHCP.
No Meters, no almost anyone else on this list.
This is pure funk with massive feelz! If you were to extract the "funk" from every band on this list and make a potion that would instantly enable musicians to embody perfect Platonic funk, those musicians would form Vulfpeck.
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.World's Baddest Band. Great music and even greater live shows.
Yeah, these guys should be higher on the chart.
Why is Fishbone never mentioned? RHCP? Really? Rage? Come on, people!