I don’t play the bass. I don’t even own a bass. But something has been happening lately that I can’t ignore, bass lines are starting to call to me. Not just in the oh that sounds cool way but in the maybe I should start locking in way. I think it started when I realized how much the feel of a song is anchored in its bass. The glue. The part that makes you move without realizing you are moving. These songs, some old, some new, some in between are the ones that made me start googling beginner bass tutorials and hovering dangerously close to check out pages. I made this list not just to show love to the songs, but to give credit to all the incredible bassists who created these unforgettable grooves. Even when their name isn’t well known. The vibe they gave us is unforgettable.

Use Me - Bill Withers

This is the blueprint for a funky bassline. From the first few seconds, that riff grabs you and does not let go. Melvin Dunlap created a groove that is deceptively simple but endlessly addictive. It loops some and pulses in a way that makes it feel like it is alive, like it is humming with you. The way it locks in with the drums creates a head nodding hypnosis, and yet it never gets old. It is confident without being flashy and that is a skill I respect. Dunlap wasn’t just playing notes, we was driving the track. This song alone is enough to make me want to buy a bass and learn to make anything remotely close to this.

Come Live With Me Angel - Marvin Gaye

This song is smooth in a way that feels dangerous. The kind that makes you want to text someone at 2 a.m. Chuck Rainey’s bassline glides under Marvin’s vocals like silk. It doesn’t demand your attention right away, it eases into your awareness. But once you notice it, it is impossible to ignore. It is warm, sensual, and perfectly restrained. There is a lot of emotion in his playing, but none of it is loud or flashy. Rainey knew how to let the groove breathe and it makes the whole track feel super intimate. This song made me realize that the bass isn’t just about the rhythm it is about the feeling.

Excursions - A Tribe Called Quest

Here is where I have to be vulnerable y’all. I have been listening to this song for years and only just realized that the bass line is a sample. It comes from a 1973 jazz track, and the bassist is Mickey Bass. For the longest I thought Ali like laid down a bass line just for this trac. But nope, it is a perfect loop lifted from “Chant for Bu”. That doesn’t make the song less powerful, though. That rolling upright bass is what defines the song (to me) to the point that when Q says “Back in the day I was a teenager” I have been nodding my head for 10 seconds already. Because my body told me to move before those words even hit. It is timeless.

The Next Movement - The Roots

Hub was the kind of bassist who made you respect the bass as a lead voice. The Next Movement is a masterclass in groove, every element is awesome but it is the bassline that glues the track together. It has this slinky, funk meets jazz feel that dances around the beat but never loses it. It feels intentional. To the point you can hear how much thought went into every note. The Roots are known for being a live band in the studio, and you can feel the human touch in the low end. Hub makes the bass feel wise, like a person.

Sweet Life - Frank Ocean

This one is wild. So Charlie Hunter is playing both guitar and bass here, at the same time. On a custom 7 string instrument. That fact alone is wild but what really matters is how effortless it sounds. The bassline one Sweet Life is rich, velvety, and sun soaked. It never dominates the track, it supports and compliments it. Frank’s voice hovers right on tip but you always feel that low end cradling the whole experience. It is smooth but never black. Subtle, but strong. That balance is something I would kill to be able to pull off (so watch out y’all)

The Rivington - Free Nationals

If you have never heard this one, fix that right the hell now. The Rivington is buttery smooth, but it’s got teeth. Kels Gonzalez lays down a bassline that feels like it is on vacation and working at the same time. It is smooth, but with a purpose. There is this beautiful slide and wobble to it. I could honestly listen to it on loop for an hour and not get bored. And that is kind of what a good bassline does. It doesn’t feel like repetition it feels like evolution. Kels nailed that here.

Out of Me Head - Steve Lacy

Steve is a basically a musical cheat code. It is no surprise that he wrote this song, sang it, and also played the bass. The bassline isn’t just a backing element, it is a voice. It is part of the story telling. It walks through the song casually but purposefully, weaving around the melody. It has a little funk, a little punk, and a lot of “yeah I recorded this on garage band.” This is the one that made me realize I don’t need a studio to even try to make music, all I had to do was want to.

Rewind - Cleo Sol

This track is it. The instrumentation is lush but minimal, allowing room for Cleo’s voice and that absolutely perfect bassline. I couldn’t find a name for the bassist, but whoever it is has a feel for emotion. It sways and slides in a way that makes the song feel like it is floating. This is a great example of how a bassline doesn’t have to be busy to be beautiful. It is about intention, weight, feel. And that is what this player brings. An emotional undercurrent that makes the whole song resonate deeper.

Chivalry is Not Dead - Hiatus Kaiyote

This song sounds like it was dropped in an alien drive buy. Everything about Hiatus Kaiyote’s music is futuristic, but Paul bender’s bassline keeps it grounded. It is slick, elastic, and it feels like it is pushing against gravity. He doesn’t just keep a rhythm, he paints it. His lines are fluid, and these melodic moments that pop up unexpectedly and then vanish before you can catch them. Playing like that takes vision. And that is what makes me want to learn to play with this type if intention and personality.

For the Evening - YOUNGMORPHEUS

This one flies under the radar, but I couldn’t leave it off. This whole track feels like its album art. The color, the vibe, the calm after something intense. The bassline rolls in like a low fog. Subtle but present. It gives the track weight without making it heavy. I couln’t find any info on who played it, but I felt it, and that is what matters. It isn’t about complexity it is about presence. This is the type of track you put on to think about your life.

Virgo’s Groove - Beyoncé

This is the grooviest track on Renaissance and B knew it. The bass is thick, clean, and center stage without overpowering the vocals. It feels both nostalgic and modern, like something Prince would have blesses. Even though the player isn’t credited, the groove is unforgettable. It is the perfect energy, funky but refined.

Desert Eagle - Beyoncé

This one is THE bass song. When you turn it on that bass is pulling all the weight. It is begging for attention, it demands it. I imagine trying to recreate this kind of line would be the ultimate test of tone and control. It inspires a desire to feel the low end.

Dontcha - The Internet

This one is a masterclass in groove. Patrick Paige II Lays down a basseline that is both smooth and infectious, driving the song with a funk infused rhythm that compels movement. His playing is extremely deliberate, weaving seamlessly with the drums to create a cohesive and captivating soundscape. The bass propels the song more than it supports it. Adding depth and character to it.

NPR Tiny Desk - Doechii

So this is the one that is actually pushing me to buying a bass. I watch this performance maybe once a week and of course the entire ensemble exude energy and cohesion, but it is the bassist, Zuri Appleby who truly caught my attention. Her groove was both commanding and fluid. Anchoring the performance while allowing the music to breth. Zuri’s stage presence is undeniable, and her synergy with the band elevated the entire set. Watching her play is what made me go on my phone and start searching up how much basses cost.

When the time comes that I finally buy a scrappy second hand bass, and I am annoying the hell out of my neighbors it is really the fault of these songs. They made me feel things and made me focus. Until then I will keep listening and maybe the next time I write a blog about basslines I will have some experience playing it.