50 Greatest Basslines of All Time
38. Jackson 5 — “I Want You Back”
As with the rest of the song, the bassline on “I Want You Back” is so memorable because of the way it resolves the chord progression. The groovy, wandering line ends up toeing around its return to the root note, making the resolution feel intuitive, comfortable, and warm. The line develops a bit more when the chorus arrives, and the series of half-steps down in the middle of the phrase is a secret weapon within the immaculate “I Want You Back.” — P. Ragusa
10. Michael Jackson — “Billie Jean”
Just about every instrument that plays on “Billie Jean” delivers a memorable line. The synth, the hi-hat, the strings, the guitar — just check back when we start Keys and Guitar Week, see where else this gets mentioned. But we’re here to hear bass, and out of all the classic bits in this Thriller smash, it’s the low-end that gets the highest marks.
The thing is, despite all that puffery above, “Billie Jean” is pretty understated; it’s the vocal delivery giving much of the emotional punch. But those vocals need something to walk along, much like the music video’s light-up sidewalk, and it’s Louis Johnston’s bass providing that path. Johnston’s notes feel dangerous (or should that be thrilling?), setting the stage like a cinematographer lighting a scene. — B. Kaye
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