The Beatles' 'Come Together' Named Greatest Bass Riff, Influencing Hip Hop

The classic rock era often centers around flashy guitar solos, front-and-center vocal melodies, and massive drum fills. But there are certainly some incredible bassists from that golden age.

It's hard to imagine certain classic bands without their driving bass sound, like The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Even though the bass sometimes took a backseat to the frontman's antics, it was still highly important to the structure of the music.

Now, a 1969 rock hit has been named the greatest bass line of the "most iconic bass riff that changed rock history." The song is The Beatles with "Come Together." Appearing as the opening track on the group's legendary 1969 album Abbey Road, it remains a masterclass in rhythm.

Most Iconic Bass Riff in Rock History

In a definitive ranking by the digital music authority Guitar Pro, "Come Together" takes the ultimate crown. To achieve that distinctive, world-famous tone, Paul McCartney relied on flatwound strings and a pick.

It's easy to forget that "Come Together" actually started its life as a failed political favor. John Lennon originally began writing the track as a campaign rally song for psychedelic counterculture icon Timothy Leary, who was running for Governor of California.

"I tried and tried, but I couldn't come up with one," Lennon later recalled. "But I came up with this, 'Come Together', which would've been no good to him."

How Paul McCartney Transformed 'Come Together'

When Lennon first brought the song to the band, it was a fast, 1950s-style traditional rocker. It also borrowed the line "Here comes old Flat-top" directly from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" - a move that later led to a massive out-of-court legal dispute with music publisher Morris Levy.

It was actually McCartney who suggested they slow the entire track down.

"I suggested that we tried it swampy - 'swampy' was the word I used - so we did, we took it right down," McCartney explained. "I laid that bass line down which very much makes the mood. It's actually a bass line that people now use very often in rap records."

McCartney's prediction turned out to be completely true. By taking the song down to a deep crawl, that moody bass line bypassed traditional rock boundaries and became a sonic blueprint for hip-hop.

'Come Together' Beloved in Hip Hop

Data shows that "Come Together" has been sampled in over 60 different songs, becoming a foundational element for rap, reggae, and hip-hop producers looking for a gritty, rhythmic low-end. In 1988, dancehall and hip-hop pioneer Shinehead flipped the track's vocals for his song "Unity."

Hardcore hip-hop groups like Onyx later utilized the track's swagger for their 2014 song "Anything Goes," specifically grabbing the deep bass groove to drive their intense, underground sound. Even emerging rap lyricists like Ali Vegas leaned on the track's instrumentation for his 2003 release "Ya Don't Want None."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 4:00 AM.