The bass or bass guitar is an essential part of any band or group, whether it drives the rhythm section or provides a low-end melody.
While plenty of bassists could have made this list, we've picked 15 of them. Feel free to add any omissions in the comments. After all, this list is just the general consensus of the finest bassists to have ever played and will always be a matter of opinion.
Who is your favourite bass player?
15. Flea (1962- )
Each bassist on this list brings a unique style and sound to the instrument, making them stand out in the music world.
His contributions have shaped the sound of their respective bands and influenced countless other musicians.
Through a combination of slap bass, funk, and punk rock aggression, Flea has inspired many to pick up a bass guitar, but he's not the only bassist to have done so throughout the history of the bass guitar.
Essential Listening:
- "Give It Away" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Under the Bridge" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Californication" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
14. Chris Squire (1948-2015)
Chris Squire was the bassist for Yes, one of the most successful progressive rock bands. On his Rickenbacker bass, he played intricate and melodic basslines.
Essential Listening:
- "Roundabout" - Yes
- "Heart of the Sunrise" - Yes
- "Close to the Edge" - Yes
13. John Paul Jones (1946- )
John Paul Jones is a British bassist who played for Led Zeppelin, Them Crooked Vultures, and as a solo artist.
As the keyboardist and bassist for Led Zeppelin, Jones was partly responsible for Led Zeppelin's sound.
His melodic basslines often drew from blues and classical music, which was quite unique at the time.
Essential Listening:
- "Ramble On" - Led Zeppelin
- "The Lemon Song" - Led Zeppelin
- "Dazed and Confused" - Led Zeppelin
12. Bootsy Collins (1951- )
The bass player Bootsy Collins is famous for playing with James Brown, Parlisament-Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band, and as a solo artist.
As funk bassists go, he's arguably one of the most famous and flamboyant.
Essential Listening:
- "Sex Machine" - James Brown
- "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" - Parliament-Funkadelic
- "I’d Rather Be with You" - Bootsy's Rubber Band
11. Marcus Miller (1959- )
Marcus Miller is a bassist, composer, and producer who worked with Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, and as a solo artist.
His bass playing combined jazz, funk, and R&B, and he's particularly famous for his slap bass technique.
He played on Mile Davis' "Tutu" album, and his solo album, "M2," is definitely worth listening to.
If Marcus Miller inspires you to pick up a bass guitar, consider reading our guide for bassists.
Essential Listening:
- "Tutu" - Miles Davis
- "Never Too Much" - Luther Vandross
- "Blast" - Marcus Miller
10. Jack Bruce (1943-2014)
Jack Bruce was a British bassist and the lead vocalist of the rock supergroup Cream. His bass playing combined blues, jazz, and rock, making him one of the most influential bassists during the 1960s.
As a solo artist, his musical ability is probably best heard in his album "Songs for a Tailor."
Essential Listening:
- "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream
- "White Room" - Cream
- "Crossroads" - Cream
9. Victor Wooten (1964- )
Victor Wooten is an American bassist who played for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and is a solo artist.
His bass playing was famous for techniques like double-thumbing and two-handed tapping.
Wooten has won multiple Grammy Awards and is often considered one of the finest bass players of all time.
Essential Listening:
- "The Sinister Minister" - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
- "U Can’t Hold No Groove" - Victor Wooten
- "Stomping Grounds" - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
8. Charles Mingus (1922-1979)
Charles Mingus was a jazz bassist and composer famous for combining gospel, blues, and classical music elements.
He was part of the Mingus Big Band, performed as a solo artist, and was an incredible bandleader and arranger.
Essential Listening:
- "The Sinister Minister" - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
- "U Can’t Hold No Groove" - Victor Wooten
- "Stomping Grounds" - Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
7. Geddy Lee (1953- )
The Canadian bassist, vocalist, and keyboardist Geddy Lee is famous for his work in the progressive rock band Rush.
His basslines are famous for their complexity and are often cited among some of the greatest basslines ever.
Essential Listening:
- "Tom Sawyer" - Rush
- "YYZ" - Rush
- "La Villa Strangiato" - Rush
6. Stanley Clarke (1951- )
From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Stanley Clarke was one of the first bass players to become incredibly famous as a solo artist. However, he played with Return to Forever, George Duke, and Chick Corea.
His jazz-fusion music won multiple Grammy Awards, and he's considered to be one of the genre's pioneers.
Clarke famously played both upright and electric basses, including a piccolo bass, which is usually tuned an octave higher than a standard bass guitar.
Essential Listening:
- "School Days" - Stanley Clarke
- "No Mystery" - Return to Forever
- "Lopsy Lu" - Stanley Clarke
5. John Entwistle (1944-2002)
Bassist John Entwistle earned the nicknames "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers" because of his playing. He is considered one of the most influential rock bassists of all time.
He played with The Who and as a solo artist. His bass playing included melody and rhythm, and on the track "My Generation" by The Who, you can hear one of the first-ever bass solos on a rock track, which isn't commonly part of the bassist's role in a band.
Unusually, his bass sound often included a lot of treble, which Entwistle achieved playing Rickenbacker and Fender basses with roundwound strings.
Essential Listening:
- "My Generation" - The Who
- "Baba O’Riley" - The Who
- "The Real Me" - The Who
4. Larry Graham (1946- )
Larry Graham is a hugely famous bassist who played for Sly and the Family Stone and Graham Central Station.
Larry Graham is credited with inventing slap bass, a bass-playing technique commonly found in funk music.
The technique is used in many of the tracks he played, including "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" and "Everyday People" by Sly and the Family Stone.
His bass playing is particularly percussive and rhythmic and served as an inspiration to many different bass players.
Essential Listening:
- "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" - Sly and the Family Stone
- "Everyday People" - Sly and the Family Stone
- "Release Yourself" - Graham Central Station
3. Paul McCartney (1942- )
Paul McCartney is arguably the most famous of the bass players on our list, having played for The Beatles. McCartney also played for Wings and as a solo artist.
He's arguably one of the most successful musicians of all time and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once as a member of The Beatles and again as a solo artist.
He famously plays a left-handed Hofner 500/1 “violin” bass, which is used for very melodic basslines.
Essential Listening:
- "Come Together" - The Beatles
- "Something" - The Beatles
- "Silly Love Songs" - Wings
2. Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987)
The bassist Jaco Pastorius was famous for playing for Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, and as a solo artist.
One of the pioneers of the electric bass, Pastorius, was famous for using a fretless bass, which he used to give his bass playing a more vocal quality.
His playing was known for its use of harmonics, fingerstyle funk, and intricate solos, and it continues to inspire bass players today.
Essential Listening:
- "Birdland" - Weather Report
- "Portrait of Tracy" - Jaco Pastorius
- "Coyote" - Joni Mitchell
1. James Jameson (1936-1983)
Born in Edisto Island, South Carolina, USA, James Jamerson was a bassist for The Funk Brothers.
He played on many Motown hits despite being uncredited on many of them. For example, his bass playing was featured on songs like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell, "My Girl" by The Temptations, and "Bernadette" by the Four Tops.
While there are hundreds of fine examples of his bass playing, many people point to the bassline on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" as one of the finest in history.
If you want to get started with James Jameson, these songs are a great place to start:
- "What's Going On" - Marvin Gaye
- "My Girl" - The Temptations
- "Bernadette" - The Four Tops
Here's The Temptations' My Girl. Just listen to that bassline.
Here, they all are again in alphabetical order.
| Name | Associated Acts | Genre(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bootsy Collins | James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, solo artist | Funk, R&B, Soul |
| Charles Mingus | Mingus Big Band, solo artist | Jazz, Bebop |
| Chris Squire | Yes, solo artist | Progressive Rock |
| Flea | Red Hot Chili Peppers, solo artist | Rock, Funk Rock, Alternative Rock |
| Geddy Lee | Rush | Progressive Rock, Hard Rock |
| Jack Bruce | Cream, solo artist | Rock, Blues Rock, Jazz |
| James Jamerson | The Funk Brothers, Motown Records | Soul, R&B |
| Jaco Pastorius | Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, solo artist | Jazz, Jazz Fusion |
| John Entwistle | The Who, solo artist | Rock, Hard Rock |
| John Paul Jones | Led Zeppelin, Them Crooked Vultures, solo artist | Rock, Hard Rock |
| Larry Graham | Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station | Funk, Soul, R&B |
| Marcus Miller | Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, solo artist | Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Funk, R&B |
| Paul McCartney | The Beatles, Wings, solo artist | Rock, Pop |
| Stanley Clarke | Return to Forever, solo artist | Jazz, Jazz Fusion |
| Victor Wooten | Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, solo artist | Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Funk |
If you'd like to come close to playing anywhere near as well as some of these bassists, you can always get help from a private bass guitar tutor from Superprof.
You can learn with face-to-face private tutors or online tutors if you're on a budget. Online tutors tend to charge less as they don't have to travel to their students.
However, as online tutoring becomes increasingly common, you might be surprised at just how effective online tutors can be with skills that were traditionally taught face-to-face.
Many of the tutors on Superprof offer the first lesson for free so you can always try a few different potential bass tutors before choosing which tutor is right for you and how you like to learn.
Just search for “bass” on the Superprof website today!
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Why isn’t Cliff Burton on that list