List of bass guitarists

The following is a list of notable electric bass guitar players. The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. Since the 1950s, the electric bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music. Bass guitarists provide the low-pitched basslines and bass runs in many different styles of music ranging from rock and metal to blues and jazz. Bassists also use the bass guitar as a soloing instrument in jazz, fusion, Latin, funk, and in some rock styles. Musicians known mainly as guitarists are listed separately in the list of guitarists.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney is a well-known bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

For double bass players, see:

• List of contemporary classical double bass players
• List of jazz bassists, which includes both double bass and electric bass players
• List of double bassists in popular music, which includes blues, folk, country, etc.