Best Metal Bassists in the 80s, Ranked
The best 80s metal bassists often represent a very underrated area of the genre. Bassists in general don’t get a lot of attention in music, although they often have a peculiar role in metal. They can maintain the groove while also adding a degree of density to the heaviest tunes.
In that regard, some of the best 80s metal bassists are innovators of the genre. Others are downright masters of their craft, and others are amazingly gifted. There are a lot of great musicians to choose from but these are some of the most prominent from this decade.
1. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
An absolute bastion of the metal genre. Very few people don’t know who Steve Harris is as well as those who doubt that he deserves to be among the best 80s metal bassists. The Englishman initially wanted to dedicate himself to football, however, upon realizing that he would not have a future as a professional, he opted for music. He first tried as a drummer although he didn’t have enough space for the kit so he opted for the bass.
He joined some local bands in England such as Gypsy’s Kiss and later joined Smiler. After that experience, in 1975, he formed Iron Maiden. As of this writing, he has been the only constant member of the band. In addition to founder and bassist, Harris is a keyboardist, backing vocalist, songwriter and producer.
Steve is not only the main songwriter but also a key element in Iron Maiden‘s sound. His galloping approach to bass playing allowed the band to have a very unique musical touch. That made them stand out from most metal acts to this day and has been replicated by other bands moving forward.
2. Cliff Burton (Metallica)
Cliff Burton was a very fast and technical bassist, mostly known with Metallica. He began playing in several local bands, although Trauma was his most-known act for a while. Eventually, he was offered to be Ron McGovney‘s replacement in Metallica.
McGovney had many problems with Lars Ulrich and Dave Mustaine, leading to his exit. In that regard, Burton‘s arrival changed things for the better. He is highly recognized as an important creative force who influenced the direction of the band’s early albums. Burton died in 1986, at age 24, in an accident on Metallica‘s tour bus while they were in Sweden.
His playing style was prominent for the band’s sound for the first three records. His peak is considered the song “Orion“, which is viewed as one of the best metal instrumentals.
3. D.D. Verni (Overkill)
D.D. is the founder of one of the most important American thrash metal bands and one of the best 80s metal bassists. From a very young age he started in the world of rock and metal by being part of a band called The Lubricunts in 1979. A year later, the band would break up and Verni would form Overkill.
He is, along with singer Bobby “Blitz”, the only constant member in the band’s history. Verni has a great influence on Overkill since in addition to playing bass, he is one of the band’s main songwriters. The Overkill albums in the 80s also have a strong bass presence, production-wise.
4. Frankie Bello (Anthrax)
Continuing with thrash metal bassists, there is Frankie Bello from Anthrax. In addition to his good technique, Bello is characterized by his tremendous energy during live performances. He is the nephew of Charlie Benante, the band’s drummer, who helped him become a roadie for Anthrax.
In 1984, when the band’s founding bassist, Dan Lilker, left, Bello was chosen to fill that position and has remained there to date. He gets a lot of credit and recognition for his technique and strong bass presence.
5. Jason Newsted (Flotsam and Jetsam, Metallica)
Newsted‘s musical career has included stints in several bands, although his fame was achieved thanks to his work in Metallica and Flotsam and Jetsam. He grew up in a family of farmers but also of musicians and from there he had that approach to that world. At age 18, he joined a band called Gangster and later joined Flotsam and Jetsam in 1982.
After the death of Cliff Burton, Metallica auditioned more than 40 bassists, with Newsted being the last of that extensive list. Skilfully, Newsted learned Metallica‘s songs from that tour and did very well at the audition, getting the job. His work in two thrash metal bands allows him to be among the best 80s metal bassists.
His bass playing was very aggressive and varied, which fit with Metallica at the time. He was also capable of adapting to the band’s changing sound during the 90s. Newsted might not have gotten a lot of moments to shine with Metallica but he was a consistent performer.
6. John Myung (Dream Theater)
Breaking a little the streak of thrash metal bassists, we move on to one who is one of the most important that progressive metal has. Originally from Chicago but raised on Long Island, he would become friends with John Petrucci. They both attended Berklee, where they met Mike Portnoy, with whom they would form Dream Theater. The band started in 1985 under the name Majesty and had a progressive sound similar to Queensryche although it evolved over time into something more progressive metal.
Both Myung and the rest of the band members are highly recognized for being extremely technical and fast musicians. The bass player stands out for his dexterity and knack for intricate bass lines. He has had some truly stand-out moments with Dream Theater but most point out to his intro to the “Panic Attack” song.
7. Tom Araya (Slayer)
The Chilean-American has a peculiarity when compared to the best 80s metal bassists. Apart from playing the bass, he is also the lead singer of the band. In 1981, Kerry King proposed that he join him to form a band called Slayer.
Both are the only members who have been in Slayer since its birth. Additionally, Araya contributes to the writing of the lyrics of the songs. His favorite topic to write about is serial killers. Furthermore, his bass playing might be deemed basic but fits Slayer like a glove. He formed a legendary rhythm base with drummer Dave Lombardo.
8. Billy Sheehan
Possibly one of the most technical bassists in music in general. Unlike other members on this list, Sheehan is not strongly identified with a band. The New Yorker has the particularity of being a kind of bass aficionado. He has modified the instrument many times looking for the sounds he wants. Talas, Tony MacAlpine, David Lee Roth and Mr. Big are some of the projects in which he participated during the 80s.
An underrated aspect of Sheehan as a player is his versatility. He can play very technical music while also classic 80s hard rock. That degree of variety has made him one of the most beloved bassists in the genre. That combination of technique and musicality makes him one of the best in metal.
9. Dave Ellefson (Megadeth)
Returning to the path of thrash metal, now it is the turn of David Ellefson, who for a long time was Megadeth‘s bassist. Between his two stages in the band, he accumulated 30 years, which with Dave Mustaine can be considered a record.
Ellefson has been characterized by his speed to accompany the rhythm of the guitar in Megadeth. That helped greatly with the speed metal approach of the band. Considering Megadeth‘s highly technical approach to music, his bass playing is often overlooked. Most people will say that the intro to “Peace Sells” is his most recognized piece of music.
10. Naoto Shibata (Anthem)
It is safe to say that Shibata is the least mainstream on the list. However, that doesn’t mean he stops being one of the best 80s metal bassists. He is one of the founding members of Anthem, one of the most important Japanese metal bands. To this day, he is the only founder left in Anthem.
Shibata‘s playing style could be compared to a mix of Steve Harris and Motorhead‘s Lemmy. He is Anthem’s main songwriter and his bass playing adds a thick layer to their sound. Furthermore, he also had a stint in the 90s where he played with the band Loudness.
11. Markus Grosskopf (Helloween)
Grosskopf is the bass of one of the most important power metal bands, Helloween. He started playing bass at the age of 15 with a punk rock cover band of The Ramones, Sex Pistols, etc.
He left the band in search of a project that would be more suited to his heavier and faster tastes and there he joined Second Hell. That would later become Helloween. Since 1984 to date, he is, along with guitarist Michael Weikath, the only constant member in the entire history of Helloween.
Grosskopf doesn’t get a lot of recognition in metal circles. However, his bass playing has always been rock solid for the band. Furthermore, his highlight might be his performance in the song “Eagle Fly Free“.