Metallica's 1983 '(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth' Named Best Bass Solo by Guitar World
A 1983 track from one of the most popular rock bands of all time has been celebrated by bassists for having the greatest bass guitar solo of all time. Metallica's '(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth' topped a prestigious list with songs from other iconic bands, including The Who, Guns N' Roses, and more.
Who Ranked Metallica's '(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth' the Greatest Bass Solo of All Time?
In January 2024, Guitar World published its list of "the 20 greatest bass solos of all time." It was put together by Nick Wells, the former editor of Bass Guitar magazine, who has produced bass guitar-focused documentaries and is a player himself. The ranking also featured contributions from famous bassists like Robert Trujillo and John Entwistle.
The list named the 1983 Metallica song '(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth' from the album 'Kill 'Em All' as the track with the best bass guitar solo ever. Performed by Cliff Burton, who died tragically young, it highlights the raw, dynamic, and frenetic style that has made him a heavy metal music icon.
It is a good thing that Burton was such a huge talent because almost the first two and a half minutes of the instrumental song are strictly devoted to the sound of his bass guitar. Even once other instruments join the fray, Burton's heavily distorted and unique sound dominates every moment of the four-minute nineteen-second track. The fact that the song is almost entirely focused on an extended bass solo and it still manages to be compelling makes the fact that the song topped the list very easy to understand.
While speaking to Guitar World for its list, Metallica's current bassist, Robert Trujillo, described what made Burton a musical force to reckon with. "His approach was ‘I'm gonna play what I feel, and if you don't like it, screw you!' And that was the bottom line."
The Full List: Guitar World's 20 Greatest Bass Solos of All Time
- 20. Dennis Coffey – ‘Scorpio' (1971) – Bassist: Bob Babbitt
- 19. George Duke – ‘Reach For It' (1978) – Bassist: Byron Miller
- 18. Dream Theater – ‘Dance of Eternity' (1999) – Bassist: John Myung
- 17. Jr. Walker and the All Stars – ‘Mutiny' (1966) – Bassist: James Jamerson
- 16. Mastodon – ‘Teardrinker' (2021) – Bassist: Troy Sanders
- 15. Al Jarreau – ‘Our Love' (1985) – Bassist: Nathan East
- 14. Paul Simon – ‘You Can Call Me Al' (1986) – Bassist: Bakithi Kumalo
- 13. John Patitucci – ‘My Summer Vacation' (1993) – Bassist: John Patitucci
- 12. Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Aeroplane' (1995) – Bassist: Flea
- 11. Dirty Loops – ‘Baby' (2014) – Bassist: Henrik Linder
- 10. Marcus Miller – ‘Scoop' (1995) – Bassist: Marcus Miller
- 9. Guns N' Roses – ‘Sweet Child O' Mine' (1987) – Bassist: Duff McKagan
- 8. Stanley Clarke – ‘School Days' (1976) – Bassist: Stanley Clarke
- 7. Mr. Big – ‘Addicted to That Rush' (1989) – Bassist: Billy Sheehan
- 6. Jeff Beck – ‘Cause We've Ended as Lovers' (2007) – Bassist: Tal Wilkenfeld
- 5. Victor Wooten – ‘Norwegian Wood' (1997) – Bassist: Victor Wooten
- 4. Jaco Pastorius – ‘Portrait of Tracy' (1976) – Bassist: Jaco Pastorius
- 3. Donny Hathaway – ‘Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)' (1972) – Bassist: Willie Weeks
- 2. The Who – ‘My Generation' (1965) – Bassist: John Entwistle
- 1. Metallica – ‘(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth' (1983) – Bassist: Cliff Burton
Next: 1978 Hit Ranked Greatest Saxophone Solo of All Time
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 6:00 AM.