He was part of forming Béla Fleck and the Flecktones in 1988. However, what he lacks in mainstream recognition, he makes up for in pure skill and understanding of his instrument. Victor Wooten is not known for playing bass on hit songs as some other entries on this list.

Notable 90s songs: What You Won`t Do For Love, The Sinister Minister, Big Country.

Band: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, solo.

With that, Justin Chancellor is not only of the most notable bassists of the 90s but also one of the most creative and unique. Thus, none of Tool`s best basslines sound like any other basslines out there. He also always kept songs cohesive and groovy, despite Tool often switching time signature signatures mid-song. Instead of avoiding the muddy sound of bass chords, he used them to add punch to his lines. This can in large part be attributed to Justin Chancellors’ clever and distinctive way of playing the bass. With that came a well-deserved and quick rise to success. While many metal bands struggle to stand out, Tool managed to do just that and more. On 1996`s “Ænima” the band had already developed an experimental, heavy, and progressive sound. However, the impact he made on the metal world with his playstyle was massive. Justin Chancellor joined Tool in 1995 and only played on one record with the band during the 90s.

Notable 90s songs: Eulogy, Stinkfist, Forty Six & 2.

Thus, he always managed to serve the song, while making it sound special. What made him special though, is that he didn`t shy away from adding melody or playing pronounced slap lines. This is because he worked with two of the biggest names in the genre, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai on multiple occasions.Īs a session musician, he was great at adapting his playstyle to different songs.

In the 90s, the sound of his bass can be heard on some of the biggest instrumental rock hits of the decade. Stu Hamn is a session bassist that has worked with many big names throughout his career. Notable 90s songs: Time Machine (Joe Satriani), For The Love Of God (Steve Vai), Erotic Nightmares (Steve Vai).So turn up your speakers or put on your favorite headset, here are my picks for the best bass players of the 90s.

The list ended up being quite diverse, so hopefully you will discover some great 90s basslines you not have heard before. While narrowing it down was a hard task, I managed to get it down to 11. Thus, to celebrate this great era of music, I decided to make a list of the best players from the 90s. While some bassists continued to build upon their 80s success, we also saw some newcomers rise to fame. This was an amazing decade for music, and especially so for anyone who plays a 4 or 5-string. As a bass player, it`s hard not to love the 1990s.

Guitar players from the 90s