AI generated…… Thoughts???
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It’s as if ChatGPT just googled “famous bass players”.
Mike Dirnt should never be on a list with Jaco Pastorius that is not just “People who are Bass Players”.
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apparently nobody taught AI that non-male, non-white people also play bass.
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nobody taught AI that non-male, non-white people also play bass.
An article specifically about that:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00674-9
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Maybe it’s cause everything is “white listed” nowadays (I don’t know, which emoji to put here!)
At least it did not flag non-male, non-white bass players as “mentally ill”, like Facebook would surely do…
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I mean Phil Lynott was black. 
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Also a cool quote from him: Lynott was inordinately proud of his Irish identity as well as his Black heritage, seeing no problem with inhabiting both spaces. In an interview with the Daily Express in 1970, he stated that ‘to be black and Irish like Guiness is natural…everyone else is a bit weird.’
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any list of great bass players without Carole Kaye on it is questionable
Jaco is not rock
Where’s Chuck Rainey?
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I would say that list is about as good as these lists usually are, or in other words: not very good.
This is a totally subjective thing, you can’t stack musicians in a “best of” list, despite publications trying for decades or more.
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Not sure most folks are ready for a subjective AI. A sometimes wildly inaccurate AI is hard enough to grasp (looking at my sysadmins using it to write powershell scripts).
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Personally there are people who frequent this forum that I prefer listening to rather than the last four on this list…but that’s just me. That being said it’s missing so many note worthy bassists it’s hard to give it any credence at all. I hate these things, I see them every where, said it before, my friend said it best, “Jeff Beck plays circles around Chuck Berry but could he have come up with Johnny B Goode.”
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Here’s Grok’s answer to that question:
Here’s a list of 20 bassists widely recognized for their impact and skill in rock music, listed alphabetically:
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Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) - Known for his dark, heavy bass lines that helped define metal.
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Jack Bruce (Cream) - His jazz-influenced playing brought a sophisticated edge to rock.
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John Deacon (Queen) - Famous for his melodic bass lines, especially in songs like “Another One Bites the Dust.”
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John Entwistle (The Who) - Dubbed “The Ox” for his powerful bass technique and speed.
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Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - His funky, energetic style has influenced many modern bassists.
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Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings) - A versatile bassist with a knack for memorable bass parts.
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Chris Squire (Yes) - Innovative use of bass as a lead instrument in progressive rock.
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Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead) - Known for his raw, aggressive style, pivotal in speed metal.
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James Jamerson (Funk Brothers) - Although primarily a Motown player, his influence on rock bass is massive.
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Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report) - While more jazz fusion, his techniques have deeply influenced rock bassists.
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Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) - His bass work contributed significantly to the band’s soundscapes.
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Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads) - Her bass lines were integral to the band’s unique sound.
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Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - Known for his galloping bass lines in heavy metal.
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Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses) - Brought a punk rock edge to hard rock bass.
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Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose) - His influence spans punk, alternative, and indie rock.
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Les Claypool (Primus) - Known for his slap bass technique and quirky, complex compositions.
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Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones) - Provided the backbone for many of the Stones’ hits.
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John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) - His bass lines were crucial to the band’s sound, also known for his multi-instrumentalism.
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Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) - His funky, rhythmic approach complemented Hendrix’s guitar work.
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Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order) - His distinctive bass sound defined much of post-punk and new wave.
This list reflects a blend of different styles, influences, and eras within rock music. However, rankings can be subjective, and many other bassists also deserve recognition. If you’re looking for more specific genres or eras, let me know!
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Still bad but at least it got Hooky and Lemmy 
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And not everyone was a white male!
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Looking at these lists does Robert Trujillo earn some sort of “Best Technical Skill but Least Influence outside of Bass Players” lifetime achievement award.
He can pull off tour worthy versions of Geezer and Cliff, and his work on Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves is insane.
The first time “Orion” was ever played for a live crowd….Robert was playing it….but that will always be Cliff’s line.
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You have to be good to be able to play while crabwalking.
Man, these lists are always so terrible. I mean, these AI hot-takes are no worse than when a human does it; it’s the fundamental idea of stacking musicians like some kind of sporting event outcome that is is just dumb on its own.
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Death to all LLMs. I wonder how much cO2 was produced and how much water was consumed to create what are effectively poorly constructed Google search results in a high school student level report format?
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And Tina and Mike Watt
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Not everyone was a male at least. the Verdine Whites and Bootsy Collin’s would like some recognition too. And how do you leave off Carole Kaye?
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Wow, it couldn’t even do alpha order correctly.