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Criteria: Rock Bass Guitarists are ranked for their influence, innovation, originality, and technical ability.

Edited By: Bassfreak
Last Updated: 2005-11-08

https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_bassguitar.html


James Jamerson

1. James Jamerson (Funk Brothers, session man)
2. John Entwistle (The Who)
3. Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone)
4. Chris Squire (Yes)
5. Jack Bruce (Cream)
6. Tony Levin (King Crimson, session man)
7. Geddy Lee (Rush)
8. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
9. Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson, session man)
10. Anthony Jackson (session man)
11. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
12. Marcus Miller (session man)
13. Les Claypool (Primus)
14. Chuck Rainey (session man)
15. Billy Sheehan (Niacin, Mr. Big, Steve Vai)
16. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
17. Will Lee (session man)
18. Michael Manring (Attention Deficit, session man)
19. Nathan East (Eric Clapton, session man)
20. Rocco Prestia (Tower Of Power)
21. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
22. Abe Laboriel (session man)
23. Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani)
24. Donald "Duck" Dunn (The MGs)
25. Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs)
26. Bob Babbitt (Funk Brothers, session man)
27. Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
28. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
29. Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
30. Cliff Lee Burton (Metallica)
31. John Myung (Dream Theater)
32. John Deacon (Queen)
33. Willie Weeks (session man)
34. Carol Kaye (session woman)
35. Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers)
36. Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire)
37. David Hungate (Toto, session man)
38. Robert "Kool" Bell (Kool & The Gang)
39. Joe Osborne (session man)
40. Phil Chen (Rod Stewart, session man)
41. Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band)
42. Freddie Washington (session man)
43. Nathan Watts (session man)
44. Louis Satterfield (Earth Wind & Fire, session man)
45. Andy West (Dixie Dregs)
46. Bootsy Collins (Funkadelic)
47. John Wetton (King Crimson)
48. Greg Lake (ELP)
49. Tim Bogert (Vanilla Fudge)
50. Mark King (Level 42)
51. Mike Watt (Minutemen)
52. Bernard Odum (James Brown, session man)
53. George Porter Jr. (Meters, session man)
54. Mike Gordon (Phish)
55. Bernard Edwards (Chic)
56. Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
57. Willie Dixon (session man)
58. Andy Fraser (Free)
59. Trey Gunn (King Crimson)
60. Dave Schools (Widespread Panic)
61. Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band)
62. Jerry Jemmott (session man)
63. Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
64. Bill Black (Elvis Presley)
65. "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (James Brown, session man)
66. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
67. Billy Cox (Band Of Gypsys)
68. Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello & The Attractions)
69. Gary "Mani" Mounfield (Stone Roses)
70. Felix Pappalardi (Mountain)
71. Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
72. David Ellefson (Megadeth)
73. Matt Freeman (Rancid)
74. Ronnie Baker (MFSB)
75. John Alderete (Racer X, Mars Volta)
76. Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies)
77. Duff McKagen (Guns N' Roses)
78. Marshall Lytle (Bill Haley & The Comets)
79. Bill Gould (Faith No More)
80. Ray Pohlman (session man)
81. Me'Shell NdegéOcello (session woman, solo)
82. Doug Pinnick (King's X)
83. Tommy Cogbill (session man)
84. Glen Cornick (Jethro Tull)
85. Pino Palladino (session man)
86. Randy Coven (Steve Vai)
87. Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine)
88. Doug Wimbish (Living Color)
89. Thomas Miller (Symphony X)
90. Mick Karn (session man)
91. Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
92. Ron Wood (Jeff Beck Group)
93. Michael Lepond (Symphony X)
94. Dave Hope (Kansas)
95. Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones)
96. Leo Lyons (Ten Years After)
97. Timothy B. Schmit (Eagles)
98. Rex Brown (Pantera)
99. Bobby Sheehan (Blues Traveler)
100. Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)

So recently, I've been listening to Duran Duran quite a bit. How in God's holy name is John Taylor not on this list?

I don't think he was ever brought up. Not against him being considered, but I don't see how he is a lock. Here's the last version of the list btw:

1. James Jamerson (Funk Brothers, session man)
2. John Entwistle (The Who)
3. Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone)
4. Jack Bruce (Cream)
5. Chris Squire (Yes)
6. Tony Levin (King Crimson, session man)
7. Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
8. Geddy Lee (Rush)
9. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
10. Les Claypool (Primus)
11. Chuck Rainey (session man)
12. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
13. Joe Osborn (Wrecking Crew, session man)
14. Rocco Prestia (Tower Of Power)
15. Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
16. Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)
17. Anthony Jackson (session man)
18. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
19. Tim Bogert (Vanilla Fudge; Beck, Bogert and Appice; Cactus)
20. Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, Niacin)
21. Cliff Burton (Metallica)
22. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
23. Bootsy Collins (Parliament, Funkadelic, solo)
24. Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani)
25. John Deacon (Queen)
26. Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers)
27. Donald "Duck" Dunn (Booker T. & the M.G.'s)
28. Bob Babbitt (Funk Brothers, session man)
29. Louis Johnson (The Brothers Johnson, session man)
30. Abe Laboriel (session man)
31. George Porter, Jr. (The Meters, session man)
32. Bernard Odum (James Brown, session man)
33. Carol Kaye (Wrecking Crew, session woman)
34. John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia)
35. Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)
36. Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
37. Mark King (Level 42)
38. Mike Watt (Minutemen)
39. Pino Palladino (session man)
40. Phil Chen (Rod Stewart, session man)
41. Bernard Edwards (Chic)
42. Matt Freeman (Rancid, Operation Ivy)
43. John Myung (Dream Theater)
44. Ronnie Baker (MFSB)
45. Mike Gordon (Phish)
46. Will Lee (session man)
47. Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
48. Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire)
49. Willie Weeks (session man)
50. David Hungate (Toto, session man)
51. Doug Wimbish (Living Colour, session man)
52. Andy Fraser (Free)
53. David Ellefson (Megadeth)
54. dUg Pinnick (King's X)
55. Robert Trujillo (Metallica, Suicidal Tendencies, Ozzy Osbourne, Infectious Grooves)
56. Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones)
57. "Ready" Freddie Washington (session man)
58. Nathan East (Eric Clapton, session man)
59. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
60. Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
61. Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs)
62. Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band)
63. Andy West (Dixie Dregs)
64. Trey Gunn (King Crimson)
65. Jerry Jemmott (session man)
66. Bill Black (Elvis Presley)
67. "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (James Brown, session man)
68. Gary "Mani" Mounfield (Stone Roses)
69. Juan Alderete (Racer X, Mars Volta)
70. Ray Pohlman (session man)
71. Me'Shell NdegéOcello (session woman, solo)
72. Tommy Cogbill (session man)
73. Glen Cornick (Jethro Tull)
74. Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine)
75. Mick Karn (session man)
76. ??? [not determined yet]
77. ???
78. ???
79. ???
80. ???
81. ???
82. ???
83. ???
84. ???
85. ???
86. ???
87. ???
88. ???
89. ???
90. ???
91. ???
92. ???
93. ???
94. ???
95. ???
96. ???
97. ???
98. ???
99. ???
100. ??

My guess is Taylor is likely worthy of the top 100. Pretty acclaimed player, for sure.

Here are others that were pretty much agreed should be on the list:

Tiran Porter
Steve DiGiorgio (definitely)
Sean Malone
Tony Choy
Roger Patterson (definitely)
Jeroen Thesseling
Paul Simonon
Ray Shulman
Martin Turner
Brian Wilson
Tina Weymouth
Chris Wolstenhome
Justin Chancellor (definitely)
Dee Murray (definitely)
Tom Hamilton
Gary Thain (definitely)
Bob Daisley
Peter Cetera (definitely)
Nick Beggs
Martin Mendez
Peter Hook (definitely)
Andy Rourke

Other options:

Lee Sklar
Sting
Roger Waters
Berry Oakley (shouldn't have been removed)
Lemmy
Robbie Shakespeare
Esperanza Spalding (maybe)
David Hood
Thundercat