Let's face it: music fans are very opinionated. Whether it's about the "greatest guitar solo of all time," the "greatest rock ballad," or the "greatest rock singer," there's always a die-hard music nerd ready to discuss why their favorite is better than your favorite (you can usually find them in the comments section, which is down below!)
But we know what they say about opinions: everyone has them, and often, they stink. So why not consult actual musicians when it comes to a "greatest of all time" list? Especially when picking the greatest bassist, that often overlooked, but critically important role in rock 'n roll. That's what Consequence did when compiling their list of the "100 Greatest Bassists of All Time."
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Consequence surveyed more than 30 bass players from various bands across genres. Some of the experts they polled included Colin Caulfield of shoegaze giants DIIV, Nick Hammer of emo legends Death Cab for Cutie, Casey Orr (aka Beefcake the Mighty of GWAR), and Nicolette Alvarez of math rockers Pool Kids.
Each provided the publication with their own Top 5, and the staff factored that into their picks. Their input produced a varied and surprising Top 10, with a No. 1 who languished in obscurity for years.
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Coming in at No. 10 was John Entwistle of The Who. Crediting the band's performance of "My Generation" on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967 as the reason she became a bassist, Julia Cumming of rock band Sunflower Bean described the solo as "one of the coolest bass riffs ever written."
Jazz legend Charles Mingus comes in at No. 9. Iron Maiden's warhorse, Steve Harris, is No. 8, with Cone McCaslin of Sum 41 saying, "When it comes to metal bass players, there's really no better than Steve Harris…When you can hear five seconds of a song, and you can say right away, 'That's Steve Harris,' and 'That's Iron Maiden,' that says a lot about a bass player."
Blu DeTiger praised Bootsy Collins (No. 7) for being "such an important player to listen to," and how his emphasis on "the one" really established the groove of funk music. At No. 6 is Geddy Lee of Rush. Arguably the most iconic bass player in progressive rock, Lee "created memorable basslines with unconventional harmonic movement, and reinvented himself through stylistic changes over the years," wrote Steve Blanco of Imperial Triumphant.
The Top 5 is a collection of trailblazers and legends: Flea is at No. 5. At No. 4 is reluctant Rock & Roll Hall of FamerCarol Kaye of "The Wrecking Crew," the studio musicians who played on thousands of classic songs. Jazz innovator Jaco Pastorius is at No. 3. "He showed us that bass isn't just a 'background' instrument," remarked Olli Matela of nu metal band Blind Channel.
Paul McCartneycomes in at No. 2, with Jeff Pilson of Dokken/Foreigner saying that Macca's "melodic lines and creativity are second to none…He really intertwines the bass with the rhythm track so the song itself becomes deeper and more interesting." But the Beatles' bassist finished second, behind one bass maestro: James Jamerson.
Jamerson might not be the most famous bassist, but millions have fallen in love with his work. He was part of "The Funk Brothers," the in-house group that played on most of Motown's hits of the 1960s and early '70s.
Jamerson reportedly played on more than 60 top-15 pop singles and 23 number-one songs. You can hear his work on both Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye's versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher," The Temptations' "My Girl," and The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love." He also played bass on much of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On.
While working in obscurity for years, fans have tirelessly worked to give him the recognition he deserves; his Discogs page lists over 200 performance credits alone.
"James Jamerson created what would become the foundation of rock and roll and R&B bass," wrote Dirty Honey's bassist, Justin Smolian. "Jamerson's ability to create iconic basslines such as 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' and then execute multiple permutations on those ideas without distracting the listeners while continuing to push the song forward are a masterclass in bass playing."
Jamerson, who passed away in 1983 at age 47, also got a cosign from Sir Paul. "James Jamerson became my hero, although I didn't actually know his name until quite recently," McCartney said in a 1995 interview, praising Jamerson's playing because "he was so good and melodic."
Related: Which '70s Pink Floyd Hit Has the Most Epic Guitar Solo?
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