Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like Thundercat — and the music that made them

Neo-Soul/Jazz Fusion · 2008-present

Bass virtuoso blending jazz fusion with hip-hop's heartbeat

Stephen Bruner, known as Thundercat, is a Grammy-winning bassist whose technical mastery and genre-blending approach has made him one of modern music's most sought-after collaborators. His work spans from Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp A Butterfly' to solo albums that seamlessly weave together jazz fusion, R&B, electronic music, and anime-inspired whimsy.

Essential tracks

►Dragonball Durag

►Them Changes

►Black Qualls

Did you know

He's named after the 1980s cartoon ThunderCats and often incorporates anime references into his music

Started his career as the bassist for thrash metal band Suicidal Tendencies at age 21

His signature sound comes from a six-string bass guitar, allowing him to play both bass lines and chords simultaneously

“Virtuosic bass lines meet cosmic soul in psychedelic jazz explorations.”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace Thundercat's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

Thundercat

2008-present

Stanley Clarke

1970s-present

cited

Jaco Pastorius

1970s-1987

cited

George Clinton

1970s-1980s

sonic

Bootsy Collins

1970s-present

cited

Herbie Hancock

1960s-present

sonic

Larry Graham

1960s-present

sonic

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Six-string bass virtuosity

Falsetto vocals

Jazz-funk polyrhythms

Psychedelic production

Start with these tracks

Dragonball Durag

Them Changes

Friend Zone

Show You the Way

If you like Thundercat, try these

FKA twigs

Both create ethereal, experimental R&B with unconventional song structures.

2010s · Alternative R&B

Anderson .Paak

Shares modern soul sensibilities and collaborates within the same LA scene.

2010s · Neo-Soul

Robert Glasper

Both blend jazz virtuosity with hip-hop and neo-soul influences.

2000s · Jazz Fusion

D'Angelo

Masters of groove-heavy, spiritually-minded soul with jazz underpinnings.

1990s · Neo-Soul

Kamasi Washington

Fellow LA musician mixing cosmic jazz with modern production sensibilities.

2010s · Spiritual Jazz

Flying Lotus

Both create genre-blending electronic music with jazz and hip-hop elements.

2000s · Beat Music

About this page

Music like Thundercat — Stephen Bruner, known as Thundercat, is a Grammy-winning bassist whose technical mastery and genre-blending approach has made him one of modern music's most sought-after collaborators. His work spans from Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp A Butterfly' to solo albums that seamlessly weave together jazz fusion, R&B, electronic music, and anime-inspired whimsy.

Artists like Thundercat today include FKA twigs, Anderson .Paak, Robert Glasper, D'Angelo. If you enjoy Thundercat, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like Thundercat and songs like Thundercat are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.