17 Bass Lines So Iconic They Became The Heart Of The Song
Some songs have melodies you hum, but others have bass lines that make your bones shake.
When the low notes hit just right, they transform a good track into an unforgettable anthem.
Get ready to explore the grooves that musicians built entire masterpieces around, proving that sometimes the quietest instrument makes the loudest statement.
Disclaimer: All selections and descriptions are based on opinion and musical interpretation rather than any objective or absolute measure of artistic value or impact.
1. Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
John Deacon crafted something magical when he locked into this funky rhythm that refuses to leave your head.
The bass hits like a heartbeat, steady and hypnotic, pulling you into the groove before the vocals even start.
Rock bands weren’t supposed to sound this funky, yet Queen proved rules are meant to be shattered.
If you’ve ever tapped your foot without realizing it, blame this four-string masterpiece for taking control of your nervous system.
2. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Louis Johnson laid down a bass line so smooth it became the soundtrack to moonwalks worldwide.
Every note pulses with mystery and tension, perfectly matching the song’s story of fame and paranoia.
Pop music had never felt this dangerous before, all thanks to four strings doing the heavy lifting.
Close your eyes and you can still feel that groove crawling up your spine, demanding you move whether you want to or not.
3. Come Together – The Beatles
Paul McCartney decided to get weird with this one, and music history thanked him forever.
The bass walks through the song like a cool detective in a noir film, mysterious and impossible to ignore.
Instead of following the usual rules, McCartney invented new ones, creating space where other instruments feared to tread.
This track proves that sometimes the best musical choices are the ones nobody else would dare to make.
4. Good Times – Chic
Bernard Edwards created the blueprint that countless hip-hop producers would sample for decades to come.
Disco and funk collide in this groove, making it physically impossible to stand still when it plays.
The bass doesn’t just support the song – it IS the song, driving everything forward with relentless energy.
Rappers built empires on this foundation, proving that one perfect bass line can echo through generations of music.
5. Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
Jack White played a guitar through an octave pedal, tricking everyone into thinking they were hearing a bass.
Sports stadiums worldwide adopted this riff as their battle cry, chanting along like ancient warriors heading into combat.
Minimalist rock had never sounded this massive before, proving that less really can be more when you nail it.
Two people created a sound that shook arenas, making full orchestras wonder how they got outplayed by a duo.
6. Money – Pink Floyd
derivative work: Mr. Frank (talk), licensed under CC BY 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Roger Waters wrote this bass line in 7/4 time, which is fancy music-speak for deliberately making things complicated.
The rhythm feels off-balance at first, then suddenly clicks in your brain like solving a puzzle you didn’t know existed.
Progressive rock demanded complexity, and Waters delivered a mathematical groove that somehow still makes you want to dance.
Cash registers and coins provide percussion, but that bass line remains the real currency driving this satirical masterpiece forward.
7. Longview – Green Day
Mike Dirnt was bored out of his mind when he wrote this, which explains why it perfectly captures teenage restlessness.
The bass slides and bounces like someone pacing around their room with nothing to do on a summer afternoon.
Punk rock usually favors speed over complexity, but Dirnt proved you could have both without sacrificing attitude.
A generation of slackers found their anthem thanks to four strings expressing exactly how wasting time feels when you’re young.
8. Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz
A cartoon band shouldn’t be able to create bass lines this infectious, yet here we are, still bobbing our heads.
The groove bounces between laid-back and urgent, perfectly matching the song’s commentary on modern life feeling simultaneously chill and chaotic.
Hip-hop, rock, and electronic music smash together, with the bass acting as the referee keeping everything in check.
Animated musicians proved they could compete with flesh-and-blood artists, largely because this bass line hits harder than most real bands manage.
9. My Girl – The Temptations
James Jamerson played bass for Motown like other people breathe – naturally, effortlessly, and impossibly well.
This bass line walks through the song with pure joy, supporting one of the sweetest love songs ever recorded.
Soul music needed a solid foundation, and Jamerson provided bedrock that other instruments could safely dance upon.
Generations have fallen in love while this bass gently pulsed in the background, making hearts and speakers vibrate in perfect harmony.
10. Walking on the Moon – The Police
Sting created a bass line that actually sounds like slow-motion bouncing in low gravity, which is ridiculously appropriate.
Each note hangs in the air with space around it, giving the song a floating, dreamlike quality that matches its cosmic theme.
Reggae rhythms influenced this groove, but The Police twisted it into something uniquely their own brand of weird genius.
The bass does all the heavy lifting while somehow making the song feel weightless, which is musical magic at its finest.
11. Around the World – Daft Punk
French robots proved that repeating the same bass loop for five minutes can be hypnotic instead of boring.
The groove locks in immediately and never lets go, creating a trance-like state that justifies the song’s repetitive lyrics.
Electronic music often forgets the power of a solid bass line, but Daft Punk remembered what makes bodies move.
This track became a worldwide hit largely because that bass refused to quit, dragging listeners onto dance floors against their better judgment.
12. Hysteria – Muse
Chris Wolstenholme plays this bass line so fast it sounds like his fingers caught fire and decided to just keep going.
The notes cascade in a frenzy that perfectly captures the song’s title, making you feel slightly unhinged in the best possible way.
Alternative rock needed something to compete with electronic music’s intensity, and Wolstenholme delivered a bass hurricane.
Your brain struggles to process how anyone plays this cleanly at such ridiculous speed, yet somehow it happens every single performance.
13. Roundabout – Yes
Chris Squire treated his bass like a lead guitar, refusing to stay in the background like a polite supporting character.
Progressive rock demanded complexity, and Squire delivered melodies that twist and turn like a musical roller coaster through time signatures.
The bass doesn’t just keep rhythm here – it tells its own story, having full conversations with the other instruments.
Memes made this song famous to new generations, but musicians have always known that bass line was absolutely bonkers in the coolest way.
14. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
Tina Weymouth created a bass line that sounds nervous and twitchy, perfectly matching a song sung from a disturbed perspective.
New wave music thrived on making you uncomfortable while dancing, and this groove nails that contradiction beautifully.
The bass stutters and lurches forward like someone who can’t quite control their movements, which is delightfully creepy.
Art rock found its groove thanks to Weymouth proving that bass players could be just as weird and wonderful as any frontperson.
15. For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica
Cliff Burton opened this song with bass that sounds like war drums announcing doom, which sets the perfect apocalyptic mood.
Metal bass often gets buried in the mix, but Burton demanded to be heard, playing with the aggression of a lead guitarist.
The distortion and power behind these notes proved that bass could be just as heavy as any guitar riff ever recorded.
Burton’s legacy lives on partly because this intro reminds every listener that bass players can absolutely dominate when given the chance.
16. Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Flea took Stevie Wonder’s synthesizer bass line and translated it to actual bass guitar with superhuman funkiness.
The slap-bass technique makes every note pop like fireworks, turning this cover into something entirely new and explosive.
Funk metal became a real genre largely because Flea proved bass could bridge the gap between Parliament and punk rock.
Your speakers might actually catch fire trying to reproduce the energy Flea packs into every slapped string on this ridiculously funky track.
17. I Want You Back – The Jackson 5
James Jamerson strikes again with a bass line that bounces with the pure joy of young love and second chances.
Motown’s secret weapon played on countless hits, but this groove showcases his ability to make happiness sound like actual music.
The bass dances through the song with the same energy as young Michael Jackson spinning across the stage in perfect sync.
Pop music found its heartbeat in grooves like this, proving that the low end could make you smile just as much as any catchy chorus.
