In this video, I’ll take you through 50 of the best songs of all time for building up your bass skills.
If you’re doing the Beginner to Badass course, you should be able to play at least the first 30 songs without too much trouble once you’ve finished the course. No promises on the last handful, Hysteria still trips me up if it’s too early in the morning. 
What song gave you the most bass inspiration to learn when you were first starting out?
Hysteria is easy…if it’s Def Leppard. 
For me it was With or Without You by U2. One of the first songs that’s taught in the B2B course, and the first song I was able to play from beginning to end. Yes, it’s very simple and yes, it’s repetitive, but it’s an actual song, and I was able to play it only a few weeks after picking up the bass for the first time, which was a huge deal for me.
Great video Josh! I should just go to this list when I need a new song to play.
Suggestion for you next video:
FIRST 50 BASS FACES YOU SHOULD MASTER WHEN PLAYING BASS
First song was Psycho Killer and now I’m going to study Sunshine of your love.
I am at last module of BB, I am very sad…
The songs and bassists that inspired me to play are different than the songs and bassists that want to play now that I’m a few months into it. I started out wanting to play every Joy Division and Cure song there is. Now, I’m finding that I’m really more of a Tina Weymouth or Alex James (Blur) type of bassist. They’re both more playful with their bass lines and “dance” around the fretboard a bit more than Hooky or Simon. As I get better, I really want to do more Eric Avery stuff (Jane’s Addiction).
Saved for later (when I’m a little further along in BBA). It was a fun watch though! I loved the context subtitles.
The curse of #49 
Still working on hysteria using the lesson vid you put up a while back.
Hah! One bassline is in there twice! Good Times and Another One Bites the Dust! lol j/k
Just about anything by Joe Dart. He’s been a constant voice in my head to push myself. I encountered him immediately after I decided to learn bass and has been my inspiration every step of the way. Being able to play Dean Town at 90% speed has been the greatest accomplishment of my bass journey so far.
What song got dropped so Hysteria could make the the 50 first songs?
None, right? It’s in the first 50 book.
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” I think I have played this at least once a day, everyday since it came up in the course.
Some folks may think it is too simple, and easy to play, but I’d argue that’s not as true, if you are truly serving the song. The simplicity of the notes, coupled with the hauntingly mournful quality of the song as a whole, means there is a lot that can be explored here with dynamics, and the feeling of the bassline as it works with the lyrics and the guitar.
In direct answer to that question, it was the basic base line to Duran Duran’s Wild Boys. Pretty easy to master, and well, it’s a John Taylor line and JT is a fantastic bassist, IMHO.
A second one was the bass line to Duffy’s song, Mercy. I heard it in a shop about a month after I started B2B and thought wow! It’s basically a variation on a blues progression and I love it!
Funny. I just learned Creep last weekend. And it was the very first some I’ve ever recorded, and then replaced the original bass on the song. Came out awesome. Not sure if theres a way for me to share it. But I absolutely loved the way it came out.
Killing in the name of, is another I’ve spent allot of time on. The little fill in the middle is wicked awesome, and super easy.
I’ve gotten pretty solid on Hysteria. Its one I play every time I pick up my bass. Definitely hits all the marks on keeping you sharp.
Sure. It’s called YouTube.
Great list and video, but I really hope you don’t change the 50 Songs Challenge @JoshFossgreen 
I just finished #46, and need another two weeks for the rest I think. If you put Hysteria in there I will change that to months. Hehe:-)
First song I played a cover of was For whom the bell tolls, but that was back in the teens and with a pick. Guess the next song I tried to learn besides own material was American Life by Primus. I am still learing that song 33 years later.
Hysteria was considered the 51st song and wasn’t in the original 50 first songs grouping.
Psycho KIller by Talking Heads.
Your 3 Beginner Bass Riffs (You Can’t F*** Up) video, got me to sign up for Beginner to Badass Lessons.
Learning to play bass has also definitely increased my appreciation of music.
Thank you!
