10 Songs With Some of the Grooviest Basslines

Bass is the backbone of groove, and these ten records prove it. From Kendrick Lamar’s funk-drenched strut to Thundercat’s slippery low end, Gorillaz’s era-defining hook, and everything in between, this list moves through the pockets where rhythm section meets feeling. Ten songs, one thread: the low end doing all the talking.

Kendrick Lamar – “King Kunta” A P-Funk-inspired bassline that struts as hard as the song’s swagger. This is the reference point when people say “groovy hip-hop bassline.”

Thundercat – “Them Changes” Thundercat’s bass work here is the whole song, snapping between mournful chords and a hook that’s been sampled and referenced everywhere since.

Thundercat – “I Did This to Myself” Looser and jazzier than “Them Changes,” this one leans into a laid-back pocket that rewards close listening on the low end.

Jill Scott & JID – “To B Honest” A warm, neo-soul-rooted bassline that gives Jill Scott’s vocals and JID’s verses room to breathe over a steady groove.

Anderson .Paak – “Come Down” Funk-forward and bounce-heavy, .Paak’s bassline here is built for the dance floor without losing any of its hip-hop grit.

Mac Miller – “Dang!” ft. Anderson .Paak Bright, playful, and instantly hummable, the bassline carries the song’s breezy energy from the first bar.

Flying Lotus – “Never Catch Me” ft. Kendrick Lamar Frantic, jazz-inflected bass work that mirrors the song’s urgency, with Kendrick riding the chaos effortlessly.

Kid Cudi – “Electrowavebaby” A spacier, synth-driven low end that pulls Cudi’s sound into more electronic territory while staying deeply groove-focused.

KAYTRANADA – “Seemingly” Textbook Kaytranada: a bouncy, dance-ready bassline that never lets up on the groove.

Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.” One of the most recognizable basslines of the 2000s, still holding up as a genre-blurring groove standard.

Ten basslines, one common language. Whether it’s Kendrick’s funk strut, Thundercat’s jazz-bent low end, or Gorillaz’s genre-blurring hook, groove doesn’t need a single sound to hit. It just needs a bassline that makes you move without asking. That’s the thread running through this whole list, and it’s the reason these songs still hit the same way years later.