Top 10 Hardest Bass Songs

The Who
John Entwistle redefined bass playing in rock music, and also helped popularize the bass solo with this Who track. While the main thrust of the song is a simple two note run, it could take hours to figure out all of his licks in the song's solo. Using weird rhythms and fast finger work, Entwistle didn't make the song easy to cover. There's also all the weird fills he does over the song's verses, requiring extended listens just to separate it from the band. But, if you sort that out, there’s always the 14 minute live version that mixes it together with multiple Who songs.

Metallica
Cliff Burton's famous bass track isn't only a test of physical endurance, but memory as well. Plucking his instrument through guitar-like solos for over four minutes, Burton's playing gets increasingly difficult as the song goes on. If you can't find a tab, the mix of distortion and various pedal effects will make learning the song by ear a numbing task. You'll also have to perfect the first two minutes, as the drums don't kick in until the song's second half. Burton himself didn't consider it a song, and instead referred to it as an extended solo in interviews.

Rancid
Blending the joy of ska and the fury of punk, the main hook to this ballad is fast but bright. The riff moves fast and twists in unintuitive ways that will force even great bass players to learn it by muscle memory. Considering the opening of the song is entirely bass, slip-ups are not an option. Matt Freeman also changes the riff in the song's bridge, meaning you'll have to learn to play several variations on it seamlessly. While the solo of Rancid's “Maxwell Murder”' is certainly harder, it's the constant difficulty that makes this song stand out.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
While most of this Chili Peppers hit runs the same bass line over and over, getting it right is half the battle. Known for being as eccentric on record as he is on stage, Flea slaps his bass like crazy in every verse. Flea gives fans a run for their money with his insane technique and over-the-top solos. The song also switches its feel in each section, which has even left Flea admitting it sounds stiff in places. The song's demanding bass line is likely why Flea himself avoids his usual dance moves while playing it live.

Dream Theater
Opening on an insanely quick riff, Dream Theater never gives you any time to build momentum. The song also makes full use of a six-string bass, making it difficult to arrange on a standard four-string. At over seven minutes long, there's also an insane amount of music to memorize. Time signatures also change every few bars, so any mistake can completely throw off the song. Put the insane writing, technicality and the epic runtime together, and you have a recipe for your own panic attack. The track was also added to “Rock Band 2,” where it unsurprisingly became one of the game's hardest bass tracks.

Tool
Famous for their bizarre writing schemes, Tool's ability to push boundaries has made their music brutal to learn. The main riff is a difficult test in itself, with strange syncopations and progressions. The track also implements bass chords repeatedly, which will feel like a workout to any amateur bassist. Even if you master all the song's techniques, you'll need to get a hold of a Whammy pedal to really nail the track. Plus, the song also boasts multiple meter changes across its seven minutes, making the quirky riff of “The Pot” seem easy by comparison.

Primus
To get the most unique tones possible out of his six-string bass, Primus bassist Les Claypool decided to bring tapping to the bass. A method usually reserved for guitar players, the thick strings make tapping a nightmare on the four-string. While this does make up most of the song, getting the riff and its chords up to speed will take hours. Even without all the slap-bass of “Tommy The Cat”', the chorus's flamenco style hand strumming is painful on the hands. How Claypool managed to sing coherently while playing all of this is anyone's guess.

Jaco Pastorius
Obscure and surprisingly short, this song dedicated to Jaco Pastorius's wife is a solo from beginning to end. Composed mostly of harmonics, the song not only requires precise playing but timing as well. There's only one refrain in the song, meaning there's no real pattern that you can sink into. The track is constantly melodic however, and messing up any harmonic can completely shatter the song's beauty. There's no band to back you up either, making every mistake immediately noticeable. The song's unusual tones made it ripe for samples by Rick Ross and Chingy, as well as an homage on Childish Gambino's “Redbone.”

Yes
Despite being played repeatedly throughout the song, Chris Squire's main lick to this Yes song isn't easy to get a handle on. Starting on an offbeat, the hook is viciously quick and can easily throw off any bass professional. The riff also makes seamless use of mutes, forcing you to minutely adjust your finger's pressure between notes. Managing this with the song's unforgiving pace means there's absolutely no room for error. The climactic solo will wipe out any endurance you have left, assuming you can keep time with your band. At nearly nine minutes, it's best to avoid playing this with anyone else.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

"Hysteria" (2003)
Muse


"The Trooper" (1983)
Iron Maiden


"N.I.B." (1970)
Black Sabbath

Rush
Despite only using two notes, the opening bass line to this Rush classic is a rhythmic boot camp in quintuple time. The unusual syncopation is actually Morse Code for YYZ, the transmitter code for Lester B. Pearson airport in Rush's native Toronto. Filled with hammer-ons and pull-offs, the rest of the song is a light speed flurry of riffs with constant improvising. Switching to a light swing, the bass plays increasingly difficult fills that even include harmonics. With constant variation within the song's steady groove, replicating the song accurately requires a sharp ear. Technically masterful, Geddy Lee's playing is also significant for highlighting his personality.