The 10 best basslines of the 1980s
The 1980s was a strange, volatile period in music history. The 1970s had brought accomplished innovation to rock in its progressive, glam and metal realms and an aggressive overhaul of simplicity in punk. This set the stage for a new area where previous genres could fuse, warp, and procreate with the catalysing power of advanced sound technologies, especially in the synthesiser field.
Although many bands embraced the synthesiser in the 1980s in a digression from traditional rock ‘n’ roll textures, very few overlooked the value of a punchy, structural bassline. Whether it was the danceable, rolling lines of funk and disco, Peter Hook’s iconic high-string melodies or Mark King’s deft slap bass style, the 1980s were home to a healthy swell of bass virtuosity and innovation.
Beauty in basslines is very much in the ear of the beholder. Those who frequented the dance floors in the ’80s would have liked their music as energetic as possible, with fluid, dynamic basslines to ease the hips along. Meanwhile, those frequenting gig venues with a penchant for post-punk vibrations might rather hear punchy and erratic fretwork – there’s a bassline for everyone.
Since a bassline’s beauty is subjective, we’re unconcerned here with consummate skill or which slap bassist is the best. Rather, we’re picking out basslines that show great creative intuition, provide sound rhythmic structure, and, most importantly, please the ear as a salient element of a given track.
The 10 best basslines of the 1980s:
The Smiths – ‘Barbarism Begins at Home’
The Smiths were a band so crowded with talent that many fans undervalued the virtuosity of their bassist Andy Rourke. The band impressively released four iconic and seminal albums in just five years in the middle of the 1980s, and all the while, Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce served a unique and crucial platter of rhythm for Marr and Morrissey to season.
Of Rourke’s basslines, that which appeared on ‘Barbarism Begins at Home’ seems to drop the most jaws among casual listeners and budding bassists alike. The song was recorded in 1984 and released as the lead single on The Smiths’ sophomore album of 1985, Meat Is Murder.
The Stone Roses – ‘Fools Gold’
The Stone Roses formed in 1983, but it wasn’t until the late 1980s that they got around to recording their debut album. The iconic release wasn’t an immediate success, but by the early ’90s, after a fruitful touring campaign, it received due reverence, both commercially and critically. The album gave fellow Mancunians Oasis a pair of shoes to fill as the decade progressed. Noel Gallagher famously said of The Stone Roses: “Without that band, there would not have been an Oasis”.
‘Fools Gold’ was released as a single in November 1989 following the UK release of The Stone Roses, but the track appeared on the later US issue and subsequent album reissues. Mani’s funky bassline was laid over Reni’s ddrum beat inspired by James Brown’s ‘Funky Drummer’. ‘Fools Gold’ remains one of the band’s most adored hits and was a staple of The Haçienda dancefloor in the 1990s.
The Jam – ‘Town Called Malice’
The Jam emerged from the UK’s punk scene in the late 1970s with distinctly sharp attire reminiscent of the 1960s Mod era. The band’s energetic rock style was a welcome throwback to the rock styles of groups like Small Faces and The Who, beckoning a Mod revival wave, the impact of which could still be heard in the retrospective styles of Britpop in the 1990s.
Beyond Paul Weller’s astute songwriting and stage presence, The Jam was spoiled by a creative and highly capable rhythm section comprised of drummer Rick Buckler and bassist Bruce Foxton. Over the band’s six studio albums, Foxton laid down some killer basslines, but few are as iconic nor get the head moving so much as ‘Town Called Malice’.
Liquid Liquid – ‘Cavern’
To the unwitting reader, the name Liquid Liquid might slip by as a duplicate typo, but upon listening to their 1983 track ‘Cavern’, heads will begin to nod, and links shall be made. As you can hear, the catchy bass hook that gives the song its structure and identity was pinched by Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel for their immensely popular old-school hip hop track, ‘White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It)’.
‘Cavern’ was Liquid Liquid’s only major hit; it appeared on their third EP in 1983, which remains a highly sought-after yet exceedingly rare and pricey vinyl. Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel’s label Sugar Hill Records took the bassline without permission, leading to a court battle between them and Liquid Liquid’s label 99 Records. At the trial’s conclusion, 99 Records and Liquid Liquid were compensated accordingly.
A Certain Ratio – ‘Lucinda’
A Certain Ratio are, alongside Liquid Liquid, the least well-known band appearing on this list. However, what these bands perhaps lack in fame, ergo icon status, they made up for in delectable basslines. A Certain Ratio emerged in the post-punk era alongside their Factory Records labelmates Joy Division and joined Talking Heads in their desire to join punk and funk at the waist.
Appearing on the band’s third studio album, Sextet, ‘Lucinda’ is A Certain Ratio’s most beloved track, and for good reason. With the fortification of pinpoint production handled by the band themselves, Jez Kerr was set free to lay down his protrusive slap bass run. Kerr may not be as famous as Mark King, but I’d enjoy a bass battle between the pair.
Queen – ‘Another One Bites the Dust’
As far as ’80s basslines go, it doesn’t much more iconic than John Deacon’s fretwork in ‘Another One Bites the Dust’. The song arrived in 1980 as the fourth single of five appearing on Queen’s eighth studio album, The Game. ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ were both smash hits for the album and reached number one on the US Billboard singles chart.
‘Another One Bites the Dust’ was credited to Deacon, who conjured up the lyrics as a fitting decoration for his pulsating bassline. The line was inspired by ‘Good Times’, a previous hit by the disco band Chic. In an interview with NME, Chic co-founder Bernard Edwards explained, “That Queen record came about because that Queen bass player … spent some time hanging out with us at our studio.”
Joy Division – ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’
Joy Division were one of the most influential bands to bridge the gap between punk and post-punk in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Although their time was cut tragically short with the death of frontman Ian Curtis, their expansive catalogue shows impressive development from their humble beginnings as Warsaw to their final studio album, Closer.
Although the band only recorded two studio albums, much of their beauty could be found in stand-alone singles, such as ‘Transmission’ and ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. The latter arrived as a single in June 1980, just weeks after Curtis’s death. The song remains Joy Division’s most well-known to this day, and though it’s impossible to pick holes in any element, the rhythm rustled up by drummer Stephen Morris and bassist Peter Hook mustn’t be overlooked.
The Cure – ‘Lovesong’
When beholding The Cure’s entrancing live performance or even giving their vast catalogue a spin, it’s difficult not to be completely consumed by Robert Smith’s powerful presence as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. However, a word must be said for the talent of Smith’s long-standing righthand man, Simon Gallup.
Gallup joined The Cure in 1979 as a replacement for the original bassist Michael Dempsey. Having performed on The Cure’s critically lauded “Dark Trilogy” (Seventeen Seconds, Faith, and Pornography) Gallup and Smith entered a feud that saw Gallup leave the band in 1982. Fortunately, he returned in ’84 to bring crucial basslines to some of the band’s most beloved tracks. ‘Lovesong’, the popular single from 1989’s Disintegration, is undoubtedly one of his finest.
New Order – ‘Age of Consent’
Following Ian Curtis’ death in May 1980, the surviving members of Joy Division regrouped with the addition of Gillian Gilbert to form New Order. The band, in many respects, carried on where Joy Division’s latter material left off but continued to develop their sound with a bold synth presence, as the early ’80s demanded.
After releasing their underrated debut album, Movement, in 1981, New Order began work on its masterpiece follow-up, Power, Corruption & Lies. The 1983 classic was a sumptuous blend of Joy Division’s dark punk energy and New Order’s synth affinity. ‘Age of Consent’ is undoubtedly one of the album’s stand-out moments; for its appeal, the song is hugely indebted to Peter Hook’s innovative bassline.
Talking Heads – ‘Crosseyed and Painless’
Tina Weymouth was undoubtedly one of the new wave era’s most distinctive and creatively gifted bassists. Her skills were first showcased to the world in the band’s early hit single ‘Psycho Killer’, which appeared on the 1977 debut album. After their first LP, Talking Heads were joined by Brian Eno, who shared their passion for funk music and Afrobeat as pioneered by Fela Kuti.
With Eno on board as a creative producer, the band released a trilogy of seminal albums that reached a pinnacle in 1980’s Remain In Light. The record is an absolute joy for the ears and takes much of its glory from Weymouth’s grooving basslines. Perhaps the most instantly recognisable line on the album is that for ‘Once In A Lifetime’, but ‘Crosseyed and Painless’ takes the lead as the more intricate and potent.
