100 Greatest Rock Basslines
Criteria: Each bassline was ranked for the overall quality of its composition, plus originality, complexity, influence, and lasting appeal to rock music fans.
Greatest Rock Basslines
1. Another One Bites The Dust
(Queen)
2. Roundabout
(Yes)
3. Money
(Pink Floyd)
4. Super Freak
(Rick James)
5. Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin
(Sly & Family Stone)
6. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
(Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrell)
7. Dazed And Confused
(Led Zeppelin)
8. Badge
(Cream)
9. Higher Ground
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
10. Taxman
(The Beatles)
(Queen)
2. Roundabout
(Yes)
3. Money
(Pink Floyd)
4. Super Freak
(Rick James)
5. Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin
(Sly & Family Stone)
6. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
(Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrell)
7. Dazed And Confused
(Led Zeppelin)
8. Badge
(Cream)
9. Higher Ground
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
10. Taxman
(The Beatles)
11. Freewill
(Rush)
12. Brick House
(The Commodores)
13. Thela Hun Ginjeet
(King Crimson)
14. N.I.B.
(Black Sabbath)
15. Good Times
(Chic)
16. Bernadette
(Four Tops)
17. London Calling
(The Clash)
18. Sunshine Of Your Love
(Cream)
19. Jeremy
(Pearl Jam)
20. Ramble On
(Led Zeppelin)
21. No More Tears
(Ozzy Osbourne)
22. Boris The Spider
(The Who)
23. The Lemon Song
(Led Zeppelin)
24. The Boys Are Back In Town
(Thin Lizzy)
25. Come As You Are
(Nirvana)
26. Stand By Me
(Ben E. King)
27. Come Together
(The Beatles)
28. White Rabbit
(Jefferson Airplane)
29. Would?
(Alice In Chains)
30. Sweet Emotion
(Aerosmith)
31. Schism
(Tool)
32. Lowrider
(War)
33. Guns Of Brixton
(The Clash)
34. Take The Power Back
(Rage Against The Machine)
35. Longview
(Green Day)
36. Heart Of The Sunrise
(Yes)
37. Young Lust
(Pink Floyd)
38. The Joker
(Steve Miller Band)
39. Pump It Up
(Elvis Costello)
40. Should I Stay Or Should I Go
(The Clash)
41. Jerry Was A Racecar Driver
(Primus)
42. Break On Through
(The Doors)
43. Only In Dreams
(Weezer)
44. Sober
(Tool)
45. Coffee Shop
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
46. Whipping Post
(Allman Brothers Band)
47. Summertime Blues
(Eddie Cochran)
48. After Midnight
(JJ Cale)
49. Last Ride In
(Green Day)
50. The Big Money
(Rush)
51. Susie Q
(Creedence Clearwater Revival)
52. My Name Is Mudd
(Primus)
53. The Day I Tried To Live
(Soundgarden)
54. Strange Brew
(Cream)
55. Peace Frog
(The Doors)
56. 46 and 2
(Tool)
57. Soul To Squeeze
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
58. Fire
(Jimi Hendrix)
59. Dock Of The Bay
(Otis Redding)
60. Under Pressure
(Queen)
61. Distant Early Warning
(Rush)
62. Truckin
(Grateful Dead)
63. Aqualung
(Jethro Tull)
64. Maybellene
(Chuck Berry)
65. One Nation Under A Groove
(Funkadelic)
66. Heat Of The Moment
(Asia)
67. Play That Funky Music (White Boy)
(Wild Cherry)
68. Run Like Hell
(Pink Floyd)
69. Sloop John B
(The Beach Boys)
70. Brown Eyed Girl
(Van Morrison)
71. Legs
(ZZ Top)
72. Carouselambra
(Led Zeppelin)
73. Fairies Wear Boots
(Black Sabbath)
74. Josie
(Steely Dan)
75. Sing A Simple Song
(Sly & The Family Stone)
76. Frankenstein
(Edgar Winter)
77. Day Tripper
(The Beatles)
78. I Feel Free
(Cream)
79. 25 Or 6 To 4
(Chicago)
80. Limelight
(Rush)
81. Rats
(Pearl Jam)
82. Call Me Up
(Rick James)
83. Ding Dong
(The Frog Brigade)
84. Red Barchetta
(Rush)
85. Peace Sells
(Megadeth)
86. White Room
(Cream)
87. Too Many Puppies
(Primus)
88. Sparks
(The Who)
89. Jumping Jack Flash
(Rolling Stones)
90. Here Come The Bastards
(Primus)
91. Tom Sawyer
(Rush)
92. Wouldn't It Be Nice
(The Beach Boys)
93. I Am The Resurrection
(Stone Roses)
94. Rain
(The Beatles)
95. Otherside
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
96. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
(Elvis Costello)
97. Orion
(Metallica)
98. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
(Pink Floyd)
99. Week and Powerless
(A Perfect Circle)
100. Smoke On The Water
(Deep Purple)
(Rush)
12. Brick House
(The Commodores)
13. Thela Hun Ginjeet
(King Crimson)
14. N.I.B.
(Black Sabbath)
15. Good Times
(Chic)
16. Bernadette
(Four Tops)
17. London Calling
(The Clash)
18. Sunshine Of Your Love
(Cream)
19. Jeremy
(Pearl Jam)
20. Ramble On
(Led Zeppelin)
21. No More Tears
(Ozzy Osbourne)
22. Boris The Spider
(The Who)
23. The Lemon Song
(Led Zeppelin)
24. The Boys Are Back In Town
(Thin Lizzy)
25. Come As You Are
(Nirvana)
26. Stand By Me
(Ben E. King)
27. Come Together
(The Beatles)
28. White Rabbit
(Jefferson Airplane)
29. Would?
(Alice In Chains)
30. Sweet Emotion
(Aerosmith)
31. Schism
(Tool)
32. Lowrider
(War)
33. Guns Of Brixton
(The Clash)
34. Take The Power Back
(Rage Against The Machine)
35. Longview
(Green Day)
36. Heart Of The Sunrise
(Yes)
37. Young Lust
(Pink Floyd)
38. The Joker
(Steve Miller Band)
39. Pump It Up
(Elvis Costello)
40. Should I Stay Or Should I Go
(The Clash)
41. Jerry Was A Racecar Driver
(Primus)
42. Break On Through
(The Doors)
43. Only In Dreams
(Weezer)
44. Sober
(Tool)
45. Coffee Shop
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
46. Whipping Post
(Allman Brothers Band)
47. Summertime Blues
(Eddie Cochran)
48. After Midnight
(JJ Cale)
49. Last Ride In
(Green Day)
50. The Big Money
(Rush)
51. Susie Q
(Creedence Clearwater Revival)
52. My Name Is Mudd
(Primus)
53. The Day I Tried To Live
(Soundgarden)
54. Strange Brew
(Cream)
55. Peace Frog
(The Doors)
56. 46 and 2
(Tool)
57. Soul To Squeeze
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
58. Fire
(Jimi Hendrix)
59. Dock Of The Bay
(Otis Redding)
60. Under Pressure
(Queen)
61. Distant Early Warning
(Rush)
62. Truckin
(Grateful Dead)
63. Aqualung
(Jethro Tull)
64. Maybellene
(Chuck Berry)
65. One Nation Under A Groove
(Funkadelic)
66. Heat Of The Moment
(Asia)
67. Play That Funky Music (White Boy)
(Wild Cherry)
68. Run Like Hell
(Pink Floyd)
69. Sloop John B
(The Beach Boys)
70. Brown Eyed Girl
(Van Morrison)
71. Legs
(ZZ Top)
72. Carouselambra
(Led Zeppelin)
73. Fairies Wear Boots
(Black Sabbath)
74. Josie
(Steely Dan)
75. Sing A Simple Song
(Sly & The Family Stone)
76. Frankenstein
(Edgar Winter)
77. Day Tripper
(The Beatles)
78. I Feel Free
(Cream)
79. 25 Or 6 To 4
(Chicago)
80. Limelight
(Rush)
81. Rats
(Pearl Jam)
82. Call Me Up
(Rick James)
83. Ding Dong
(The Frog Brigade)
84. Red Barchetta
(Rush)
85. Peace Sells
(Megadeth)
86. White Room
(Cream)
87. Too Many Puppies
(Primus)
88. Sparks
(The Who)
89. Jumping Jack Flash
(Rolling Stones)
90. Here Come The Bastards
(Primus)
91. Tom Sawyer
(Rush)
92. Wouldn't It Be Nice
(The Beach Boys)
93. I Am The Resurrection
(Stone Roses)
94. Rain
(The Beatles)
95. Otherside
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
96. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
(Elvis Costello)
97. Orion
(Metallica)
98. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
(Pink Floyd)
99. Week and Powerless
(A Perfect Circle)
100. Smoke On The Water
(Deep Purple)
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30 More Worth Mentioning
101. Ticks and Leeches
(Tool)
102. Lie
(Dream Theater)
103. Epic
(Faith No More)
104. Dear Prudence
(The Beatles)
105. Black Dog
(Led Zeppelin)
106. Can't Stop
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
107. Moondance
(Van Morrison)
108. Riddles Are Abound Tonight
(Sausage)
109. Around The World
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
110. Roadhouse Blues
(The Doors)
111. Cosmic Highway
(The Frog Brigade)
112. Crazy Train
(Ozzy)
113. Happy Jack
(The Who)
114. Californication
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
115. Living In The Past
(Jethro Tull)
116. Crossroads
(Cream)
117. Drive My Car
(The Beatles)
118. Substitute
(The Who)
119. Falling To Pieces
(Velvet Revolver)
120. Oh Darling
(The Beatles)
121. Paradise City
(Guns N' Roses)
122. Baba O'Riley
(The Who)
123. Geek Stink Breath
(Green Day)
124. I Just Wanna Have Something To Do
(Ramones)
125. What'd I Say
(Ray Charles)
126. Lovely to See You
(Moody Blues)
127. Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma
(Steve Miller Band)
128. Blood and Roses
(The Smithereens)
129. Can't Stop Loving You
(Last Word)
130. Time Won't Let Me
(The Outsiders)
(Tool)
102. Lie
(Dream Theater)
103. Epic
(Faith No More)
104. Dear Prudence
(The Beatles)
105. Black Dog
(Led Zeppelin)
106. Can't Stop
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
107. Moondance
(Van Morrison)
108. Riddles Are Abound Tonight
(Sausage)
109. Around The World
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
110. Roadhouse Blues
(The Doors)
111. Cosmic Highway
(The Frog Brigade)
112. Crazy Train
(Ozzy)
113. Happy Jack
(The Who)
114. Californication
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
115. Living In The Past
(Jethro Tull)
116. Crossroads
(Cream)
117. Drive My Car
(The Beatles)
118. Substitute
(The Who)
119. Falling To Pieces
(Velvet Revolver)
120. Oh Darling
(The Beatles)
121. Paradise City
(Guns N' Roses)
122. Baba O'Riley
(The Who)
123. Geek Stink Breath
(Green Day)
124. I Just Wanna Have Something To Do
(Ramones)
125. What'd I Say
(Ray Charles)
126. Lovely to See You
(Moody Blues)
127. Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma
(Steve Miller Band)
128. Blood and Roses
(The Smithereens)
129. Can't Stop Loving You
(Last Word)
130. Time Won't Let Me
(The Outsiders)
Best Bassline Creators
1. Larry Graham
(Sly & The Family Stone)
2. Paul McCartney
(The Beatles)
3. Jack Bruce
(Cream)
4. Les Claypool
(Primus)
5. Flea
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
6. James Jamerson
(Motown)
7. Geddy Lee
(Rush)
8. John Entwistle
(The Who)
9. Bootsy Collins
(Funkadelic)
10. Chris Squire
(Yes)
11. John Paul Jones
(Led Zeppelin)
12. Geezer Butler
Black Sabbath)
13. John Deacon
(Queen)
14. Tim Commerford
(Rage Against The Machine)
15. Justin Chancellor
(Tool)
16. Tony Levin
(King Crimson)
17. Oteil Burbridge
(Allman Brothers Band)
18. Bruce Thomas
(Elvis Costello)
19. Roger Waters
(Pink Floyd)
20. Jeff Ament
(Pearl Jam)
(Sly & The Family Stone)
2. Paul McCartney
(The Beatles)
3. Jack Bruce
(Cream)
4. Les Claypool
(Primus)
5. Flea
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
6. James Jamerson
(Motown)
7. Geddy Lee
(Rush)
8. John Entwistle
(The Who)
9. Bootsy Collins
(Funkadelic)
10. Chris Squire
(Yes)
11. John Paul Jones
(Led Zeppelin)
12. Geezer Butler
Black Sabbath)
13. John Deacon
(Queen)
14. Tim Commerford
(Rage Against The Machine)
15. Justin Chancellor
(Tool)
16. Tony Levin
(King Crimson)
17. Oteil Burbridge
(Allman Brothers Band)
18. Bruce Thomas
(Elvis Costello)
19. Roger Waters
(Pink Floyd)
20. Jeff Ament
(Pearl Jam)
Edited By: Tough Critic
Last Updated: 2005-02-01
Newly added names are in Red
Last Updated: 2005-02-01
Newly added names are in Red