11 Songs With Bass Guitar In The Forefront

The bass guitar plays a vital role in modern music.

But it still tends to take a back seat to the guitar, the drums, and the vocals.

It’s there, it’s important, but it just isn’t as noticeable.

However, there are exceptions.

There are a number of great songs with bass guitar in the forefront.

And I’m going to introduce you to 11 of the best of those songs here today. Ok, “introduce” is probably the wrong word. Chances are you already know at least half of them. But some are probably new to you.

 

Songs With Good Bass Guitar

All of the following songs have great bass guitar. More than that, the bass takes the front seat and makes the songs what they are.

 

Metallica – Orion

Although Metallica is largely associated with their guitar work and, occasionally, with aggressive drumming, bass guitar plays a huge role in their sonic output. As long as you ignore And Justice For All, of course.

The band’s old bassist, Cliff Burton, set the standard in metal music. And Orion, from the band’s historically important record Master of Puppets, shows not only how powerful the bass can be, but also Burton’s incredible composition skills.

His tragic passing truly was a major loss for the music world. We can only imagine what kind of music he would be making if he was still around today.

 

Motörhead – Ace of Spades

Obviously, Lemmy Kilmister is one of the obligatory names to appear on this list. And what better song to choose than the legendary Motörhead’s Ace of Spades.

Sure, there’s the guitar in there by Eddie Clarke and blasting drums by Phil Taylor. But the song just wouldn’t make any sense without Lemmy’s thundering bass riffs. And he is the lead singer as well as the bass player!

They not only keep everything together, but also stick out with the high-gain tone. Every true rock and metal lover will recognize the song immediately, just from Lemmy’s intro riff.

 

Tool – Forty Six & 2

When it comes to modern metal, Tool is the band that pretty much changed the game for everyone. Although they are generally considered part of the prog metal movement, they manage to make their songs more catchy and memorable than other prog bands.

The song Forty Six & 2, from their second full length album Aenima, is the perfect example. The main bass riff, which changes throughout the song, is in D Phrygian dominant scale.

But more than anything, Justin Chancellor’s bass tone is just so incredible, making it essentially the centerpiece of this song. There is a reason this song also made our list of songs with amazing bass riffs.

 

Muse – Hysteria

Muse is a band that managed to create the perfect fusion between catchiness and heaviness. Hysteria is probably the best example of that. And the bassline, performed by Chris Wolstenholme, takes the spotlight in this piece.

It is incredibly heavy and sinister, which is further highlighted using a more distorted tone. At the same time, it works perfectly with the guitar, painting this full picture and turning Hysteria into one of their biggest songs.

 

Queen and David Bowie – Under Pressure

What’s interesting about Under Pressure is that John Deacon’s bass line is so incredibly simple and gentle, but it is still the crucial component of the song. The moment you hear it, you know what the song is.

And the moment you remember the song, the bass line pops up in your head. That’s how perfect songwriting works.

Of course, we wouldn’t remember it as well if it weren’t for the other instruments, too, with the bass line serving its function. Nonetheless, it feels like John Deacon takes the steering wheel in this song, with some of the best bass guitar riffs ever.

 

Yes – Roundabout

Yes are one of those bands that pushed the limits of what rock music really is. And if you really want a super-juicy bass line that cuts through the mix, hits you in the face, and shows what the instrument can really do, their legendary Roundabout is the way to go

Well, it’s not like we can expect anything less than absolutely impressive from the legendary bassist Chris Squire. Sure, the song is full of different parts, but the bass always sticks out. It’s both the tone and Chris’ choice of notes that make this one a standout.

 

Vulfpeck – Dean Town

Vulfpeck is a band, and a modern musical force, that became famous because of their impeccable rhythm section, namely the bass. Joe Dart is a 4-string hero, and almost no one even comes close to what he can do.

We could list pretty much any Vulfpeck song but it’s probably Joe’s work in Dean Town that fits the best. Although it may seem straightforward, playing the piece properly on bass takes a lot of skill and control.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Give It Away

Of course, Flea and Red Hot Chili Peppers are an unavoidable mention on the list. And although we could go with almost anything from their discography, Give It Away from the 1991 record Blood Sugar Sex Magik just shows how incredibly important bass guitar can be in a song.

It starts off with guitar and drums, but it’s only when Flea’s bass kicks in that everything changes. It’s one of the most unique and best-known bass lines of all time.

 

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

While Michael Jackson is widely known as “The King of Pop,” it’s incredibly difficult to categorize his music. The one piece that kind of encapsulates what his work was about is probably Billie Jean.

The song was written entirely by Jackson, and the bass was performed by Louis Johnson. Interestingly enough, producer Quincy Jones actually wasn’t impressed by the bass line. Of course, it eventually turned out to be the crucial component of the song.

 

Marcus Miller – Power

If we’re talking about bass and songs with prominent bass, Marcus Miller is the go-to guy. Unfortunately, we cannot just make a full list of Miller’s songs (although I think I could find a way to justify it), but we can include Power as a great example.

Released back in 2001, the piece features a collection of mostly slapped bass riffs. And obviously, the instrument takes the absolute lead in the song.

But at the same time, Marcus manages to keep a very tight groove, making it feel as if it’s still serving the function of the backing instrument. It’s just insane how great he is at it and how effortless it feels.

 

Brian Bromberg – Elephants on Ice Skates

And here we have another bass-centric musician. Brian Bromberg also has a discography full of great examples. With Elephants on Ice Skates, Bromberg shows what the instrument can do on its own without any backing in the intro.

But in the full context of the band arrangement, his bass parts are just perfect. Once again, we have an example where a bass guitar can serve both the lead and backing role at the same time.

 

Songs With Bass Guitar: Final Thoughts

When it comes to songs with bass guitar that stands out, the ones listed above are the first ones I think of. But they may not be the first ones that pop into your mind.

If you know of any other songs with great bass guitar, please feel free to let me know in a comment below. Similarly, let me know if you feel one of the above songs doesn’t belong here.