Queen classic voted greatest bassline of all time
Thanks to John Deacon
Last updated 29th Nov 2025
John Deacon’s iconic bassline on Queen’s 1980 anthem ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ has been voted the greatest of all time in a new poll.
To celebrate the launch of Greatest Basslines, Sky Arts’ new three-part series that launched on Friday night (28th November), Sky polled over 2,000 music lovers asking them to vote for their favourite bassline.
Written by John Deacon and powered by his iconic bass playing, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ took the top spot in the poll.
It was one of four Queen songs inside the Top 10, with ‘Under Pressure’ at No.3, ‘Radio Gaga’ at No. 5, and ‘Killer Queen’ at No.8.
Additionally, John Deacon was voted the greatest bassist of all time in a separate Sky poll.
New Order and Joy Division bass icon Peter Hook says: “Basslines are the heartbeat of so many iconic tracks. I’ll always remember a guitarist asking me, ‘can't you just play root notes on this one?!' My answer....NO!
“Greatest Basslines is a celebration of those grooves that have shaped music history, so no surprise to see Queen's Jon Deacon leading the charge. Another one bites the dust. This shows how deeply Basslines resonate.”
Other artists inside the Top 25 include Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, U2, The Who, Loud Reed, Joy Division, The Police and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The study also found that nearly half (47%) of respondents believe bassists are the coolest members of any band, while 63% feel the instrument is underrated in popular music.
The new Sky Arts series from Sony Music Vision, Greatest Basslines, explores the stories behind these legendary grooves, featuring interviews with iconic musicians, producers and fans, and celebrating the unsung heroes of the rhythm section.
Available to watch on Sky Arts, Freeview and streaming service NOW, Friday’s Episode was authored by Peter Hook, while the next two episodes this weekend are helmed by Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins’ Melissa Auf der Maur (Saturday 29th November at 9pm) and Foo Fighters’ Nate Mendel (Sunday 30th November at 9pm).
The Greatest Basslines of All Time, according to Sky Arts’ poll:
1 - Another One Bites the Dust: Queen
2 - Billie Jean: Michael Jackson
3 - Under Pressure: Queen
4 - The Chain: Fleetwood Mac
5 - Radio Gaga: Queen
6 - Come Together: The Beatles
7 - Stand By Me: Ben E. King
8 - Killer Queen: Queen
9 - Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2): Pink Floyd
10 - Walking on the Moon: The Police
11 - I Want You Back: The Jackson 5
12 - Money: Pink Floyd
13 - With or Without You: U2
14 - Good Times: Chic
15 - My Generation: The Who
16 - Love Will Tear Us Apart: Joy Division
17 - Play That Funky Music: Wild Cherry
18 - You Can Call Me Al: Paul Simon
19 - Walk on the Wild Side: Lou Reed
20 - Give It Away: Red Hot Chili Peppers
21 - Feel Good Inc.: Gorillaz
22 - Psycho Killer: Talking Heads
23 - Around the World: Daft Punk
24 - Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone: The Temptations
25 - Temptation: New Order
25 rock stars before they were famous:
Mick Jagger
A school photo of a 9-year-old Mick Jagger in 1951 at Wentworth Junior County Primary School in his home town Dartford
Rod Stewart
Roderick David Stewart aged 8 in 1953.
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert Watts – Rolling Stones legend Charlie Watts - aged 2 with his mother Lillian and father Charles in Trafalgar Square in 1943.
Sting
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner – aka Sting – aged 10 at his home in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1961.
Ronnie Wood
Ronald David Wood (Ronnie Wood) aged 4 in 1951, taken at his home in Whitehorn Avenue, Yiewsley, West London.
Bob Dylan
A childhood photo of Robert Allen Zimmerman – Bob Dylan – aged 2 in 1943.
Iggy Pop
Punk legend James Newell Osterberg Jr. – Iggy Pop – aged 18 months in 1948.
Paul McCartney
Future Beatles icon James Paul McCartney, nowadays known as Paul, aged 8 in Liverpool in 1950.
Janis Joplin
Late-great rock icon Janis Joplin aged 9 in 1952. She died just 18 years later.
David Bowie
A seven-year-old David Jones, soon to be known as David Bowie, in Bromley, London in 1954.
Neil Young
Feted rocker Neil Young as a young boy, aged 11 in 1956.
Jim Morrison
The Doors' Jim Morrison, aged 15, in his high school yearbook photo in 1958.
Bono
A one-year-old Paul David Hewson – future U2 frontman Bono – at his home in Dublin in 1961.
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad – aka Billy Idol – aged 10 in 1965.
Bruce Springsteen
16-year-old Bruce Springsteen in his high school yearbook photo in 1965.
Chrissie Hynde
The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde aged 17 in her high school yearbook in 1968.
Larry Mullen Jr
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr aged 13 in 1974.
Freddie Mercury
An eight-month-old Farrokh Bulsara – future Queen frontman Freddie Mercury – at his home in Zanzibar.
Debbie Harry
Blondie's Debbie Harry aged 17 in her high school yearbook photo in 1962.
Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich, the son of Danish tennis player Torben Ulrich, accompanies his father to Wimbledon in June 1966. Lars was two-and-a-half at the time.
Tina Turner
17-year-old Anna Mae Bullock, rock icon Tina Turner, in her high school yearbook photo in 1956.
Jack Black
Tenacious D rocker and acting legend, Jack Black, aged 16 in 1985.
Tom Petty
17-year-old Tom Petty as seen in his 1967 Gainesville High School yearbook photo. © Alamy
Elvis Presley
The King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley, aged 5 in 1940.
Jimi Hendrix
A three-year-old Johnny Allen Hendrix with his dad Al in late 1945. When he was four in 1946 – a year after the above photo was taken – Johnny was renamed James 'Jimmy' Marshall Hendrix after his dad and Al's late brother Leon Marshall Hendrix.
John Lydon
The Sex Pistols' John Lydon – aka Johnny Rotten – aged 7 in 1964.
Sid Vicious
Simon John Ritchie - aka future Sex Pistols star Sid Vicious - aged 12 in 1969.
Ian Curtis
A five-year-old Ian Curtis in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1961.