100 Greatest Bass Players in Rock/Pop

I had Wooten in mind, but I wanted to leave fusion bassists outta this one, even though I included some fusion players in my guitarist list. He might have some rock stuff I haven't heard but that's probably a small portion of his work, he's mostly known for his jazz work and his work with The Fleckstones, who I don't think really count as a rock band.

But I knew he would come up, as well as guys like Jaco and Stanley Clarke. Not an oversight, I just think fusion wouldn't really fit in here, it's too hard to compare bassists like that to Jamerson and Entwistle. Bassists serve a different role in that kinda music, it's more solo oriented. Plus fusion bassists would make up a good portion of the list and not everyone considers fusion rock.

Martinie is a controversial one, he's a very talented bassist, he's just in a band no one likes, but I have the guy from Korn and Martinie way is better than him, so on second thought I might need to add him to the list.

I spent like a week working on this, though the lower spots are obviously a bit rushed and desperate. I had Rex Brown in there at one point. :laughing:
 
McCartney is an insanely influencial bassist, he was one of the early players along with Entwhistle and Bruce to elevate bass playing to a more prominent role in rock music, the bass is the star of many Beatles songs, Paul was easly the most skilled Beatle and it was his bass playing that especially allowed for the band to cover such a great variety of musical styles.

Listen to Something or Hey Bulldog or Two of Us, that's some real rich melodicism going on there basswise. His basslines were actually quite intricate. He popularized the use of Rickenbackers, which were reknown for their distinctive, fuzzy and percussive tone.

It's easy to write him off because he's in the biggest band in the world and is more known for his work as a singer and songwriter. But he's just as influencial a bassist as he was a songwriter, especially on prog bassists like Chris Squire and Mike Rutherford.

UPDATE: Changed Levin's essential album to THRAK.
 
Damn, Ronnie Lane is a good call. Forgot about him.

And I always thought of Wood as more of a guitarist than a bassist. He's only played bass on two recorRAB that I can think of and I wouldn't want to add every great guitarist who could also play the bass.
 
Hey I didn't notice you had Fieldy from Korn in there. Martinie is definitely a better bassist than him, but it's true he is in a band that isn't really that appealing. It's a shame when really good musicians end up in banRAB that underplay their talent.

Anyway, I think you've done a great job at the list! There's no way I could think of 100 great bassists...
 
lol at Martin Turner so low, and also his essential record is the debut.

EDIT: I notice your "Essential Record" is mainly the most popular album of whatever band, not the one which showcases their abilities best.
 
Yeah, I don't know why Joe Osborn wasn't included. Michael Jackson had 13 #1 hits, well Joe Osborn played bass on 20 yes twenty Nuraber One hits. He appeared on over 200 Top 40 hits including the aforementioned 20 nuraber one hits.
 
Read the requirements for the list, it's not about who can shred who. He obviously didn't have the repitore or influence the be one of the best in his genre or booboo would have included him. You should make your own list and include him in it.
 
Yeah that's why I picked

Black Sabbath over Paranoid
Meat is Murder over Queen is Dead
Contemplating the Engine Room over Double Nickels
Fear of Music over Remain in Light
Acquiring the Taste over Octopus
Foxtrot over Selling England
The Game over A Night at the Opera
Off the Wall over Thriller
Bless It's Little Head over Surrealistic Pillow
Bad Reputation over Jail Break
Starless and Bible Black over Red
Mother's Milk over BSSM
Mr. Bungle over Disco Volante
Lightbulb Sun over In Absentia
Dirty over Daydream Nation
Science over Morning View
Music over 311
Killing Machine over British Steel
Space Ritual over Ace of Spades

:rolleyes:

Stop being a such a spaz, you do this on every one of my threaRAB.
 
Yeah, I kinda cringed a bit when all I could think of for Sheehan was a goddamn David Lee Roth album.

I'm not gonna punish myself by exploring the guy's whole discography. :laughing:
 
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