The 100 best bass players of all time

(Image credit: Bass Player)

When we considered an article celebrating 100 great bass players, we got down to business by choosing criteria: What is each candidate’s degree of lasting influence? What is their impact on the role of the bass? Does the average music fan know any of their basslines? How innovative was the player’s technique, sound, and gear? And, in the context of their era, how impressive was their technical prowess?

We limited candidates to non-classical players with careers after 1900 (sorry, Domenico Dragonetti). We also skipped keyboardists with awesome left hands, which meant no Stevie Wonder, Greg Phillinganes, Bernie Worrell, or Herbie Hancock. Last, we omitted part-time bassists such as Prince, Sly Stone, Ronnie Wood, and Shuggie Otis, who occasionally threw down killer bass parts.

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