Our top 9 bass lines

This might be the hardest post we've ever worked on so far, not because the inspiration was lacking, but quite the opposite. So many tracks offer fascinating bass lines, whether they're groovy, melodic, percussive, and it was hard to select only 9 tracks when we could have picked at least 100. Don't you worry, once you're done checking our list, you'll find a playlist including a bigger selection.

1. DAFT PUNK - VOYAGER (2001)

Among the well-renowned bangers like "One More Time" or "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger", the album Discovery hides an underrated gem, "Voyager". The track is without vocals and repetitive, but its bass line gives it an infectious groove. "Voyager" gains even more value with its beautiful music video, which is only a small part of Interstella 5555: The Story of the Secret Star System, an animated movie that covers the entirety of the album. 

2. CASIOPEIA - DOMINO LINE (1982)

In this selection enters now the jazz fusion Japanese band, aka Casiopeia. The band was founded in 1976 by four members and among them, there is Tetsuo Sakurai, the bassist. We highly recommend you to watch the whole video, where you'll hear different bass lines (please, once you reach the 2:45 time mark, we're sure you'll be amazed by Sakurai's solo), but overall, you'll see the different members - all equally talented - having a blast on stage. 

3. MUSE - HYSTERIA (2003)

Well, now we're going into more classic and iconic tracks, and "Hysteria" by Muse had to be included. It's often mentioned when people are asking what are the best bass lines in music history, and it's no wonder: it's catchy and powerful, and although it might sound simple, it's actually very difficult to play (learning this bass line is a very common exercise given to beginner bass players). 

4. PINK FLOYD - MONEY (1973)

Does this album or this track even needs to be presented? "Money" became the first band's hit in the US and its very distinctive elements may have contributed to that. David Gilmour's voice, the looped samples of cash register and coins jingling sounds, the unusual time signature, the criticism of capitalism and money... and the bass line, which was described by Adrian Ashton as "one of the most memorable classic bass riffs ever recorded" (The Bass Handbook). 

5. GORILLAZ - FEEL GOOD INC. (2005)

There goes another certified classic, with one of the most famous Gorillaz tracks (who remembers listening to this and "Clint Eastwood" when they were kids?). The bass line in "Feel Good Inc." is simple and repetitive, but it's efficient and just... so damn good. After all, who said that quality necessarily meant complexity? 

6. THUNDERCAT - THEM CHANGES (2015)

Have you ever heard a bass that sounds completely... wobbly? Well, if you haven't, please listen to "Them Changes" by the quirky but very talented Thundercat. Some people compared the bass to the sounds a stomach would make, or the theme song of someone who's walking while being very drunk... Honestly, check the comments while listening to this song, because some comparisons are so weirdly specific... yet they work. 

7. D'ANGELO - LADY (1995)

"Lady" by D'Angelo is a real neo-soul masterpiece from the 90s (and it left a big legacy, seeing how many times it was sampled) and we have to thank Raphael Saadiq for this fantastic production. Same as for some previous picks, the bass is simple, but catchy and smooth as hell. A beautiful and funky song to declare your love to a lady. 

8. TAME IMPALA - THE LESS I KNOW THE BETTER (2015)

Well, you already know, we absolutely love Tame Impala (we even made an article about Kevin Parker's talent) so this top wouldn't be complete without "The Less I Know The Better". The track immediately opens with a bass line that is repeated throughout, and it's groovy, it's satisfying, it's... sigh perfect. 

9. CHIC - I WANT YOUR LOVE (1978)

And let's close this selection with a timeless classic, by an equally classic disco band, Chic. Composed of guitarist Nile Rogers and bassist Bernard Edwards, Chic created era-defining hits, such as "Le Freak", "Good Times" and... "I Want Your Love". Bernard Edwards managed to create a bass sound that is a real Chic signature, with all its smoothness and coolness. The bass combined with the violins, the guitar, the drums - and obviously the vocals -, make this song a perfectly crafted one, but we'll do a focus on these other instruments later... So stay updated!  

And in the meantime... we are leaving you with a Spotify playlist we crafted with even more songs with great bass lines.