It was a match made in music heaven: the fusion of jazz-inspired dexterity with ear-bursting rock. It was all thanks to Billy Cobham, who was born in Panama but quickly went where the music was. He appeared on Miles Davis’s “Bitches Brew” as well as “A Tribute to Jack Johnson,” where he met guitarist Jon McLaughlin. The pair went to the Mahavishnu Orchestra. But he did a lot more than just jazz.
Prog legend Bill Bruford paid close attention to how Cobham played. Young drummer Danny Carey of Tool also learned from him, and even Prince liked the cut of the man’s jib. But Cobham’s biggest fan might have been Phil Collins, the creator of the most famous drum fill in the realm of music. Collins called Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “Inner Mounting Flame” the finest drumming he’s ever heard.
Tommy Lee
When Tommy Lee started playing behind the kit for Motley Crue (plus or minus a few umlauts), it told us all that you didn’t have to wear a full suit while playing. In fact, you didn’t have to wear a shirt at all! He could practically defy gravity with his drum solos, and the amount of energy he could put into the drums made the band a standout of the drug-fueled power of the eighties.
There was a whole lot of Earth-shaking going on when he would play the drums. He could bring menace, power, vibrancy, speed, and so much more to whatever the song was calling for. Later on, he opted for a pared-down drum kit that allowed him to see the audience and let them see him. More fun that way.
Cozy Powell
His name was Colin Trevor Powell, but everybody knew him as Cozy. He got his start as a first-call session drummer and journeyman musician, and he was vital to the growing English heavy metal scene. He was a part of early examples such as Rainbow and Whitesnake, he was one-third of the quick project known as Emerson, Lake, and Powell, and he was a driving force of the later years of Black Sabbath.
Emerson said that he watched as Powell assembled his gargantuan kit, only to realize he had forgotten drumsticks for the audition. A local farmer drove into town to purchase some, but they were the wrong weight. Powell used the fat end of the sticks, and Emerson recalls that it was like World War III had broken out.
John “Drumbo” French
Joining Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band in 1966, John “Drumbo” French brought with him plenty of tom hits and all kinds of funky rhythms. He became integral to the group's music, and would eventually become the music director for the band’s masterpiece “Trout Mask Replica.” French was unhappy with the process, however, since he didn’t receive any money for it.
A visit to a Salvador Dali exhibit changed his outlook on drumming – somehow – and inspired his superimposition of rhythms. His style would grow more and more advanced as he played in the seventies. He’d lead his own version of the Magic Band as a way to get back at the bandleader who had refused to pay him what he was worth, which is clearly a lot.
David Garibaldi
The turn of the seventies was a time of great change, and the music of James Brown was there to give people a new anthem for a new decade. The drummer for Brown, Dave Garibaldi, had knowledge of rhythm coming out of his ears, and he was a key element in making all that music as hip as it could be. Garibaldi’s drum parts had just as many hooks as the bass or horn elements in Brown’s music, which was proved by all the hip-hop acts who sampled his drumming.
You’ll hear him on the Beastie Boys song “Paul’s Boutique,” for instance. He was also a big, big influence on the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chad Smith. Even the proclaimed Funky Drummer Clyde Stubblefield said that Garibaldi was his favorite.
Nick D’Virgilio
Often abbreviated to NDV, Nick D’Virgilio came up in the music world as a member of the neo-prog rock band Spock’s Beard. When he stepped away from that band, it was only to become part of the band for Cirque du Soleil. He’s been in the English prog rock band Big Big Train, he’s played with Kevin Gilbert, and has even spent some time playing with Genesis, as well as dozens of other bands and albums.
Tears for Fears, Frost, Fates Warning, Steve Hackett – he’s done plenty to show off his skills. Not only with drums, either – he’s provided plenty of vocal work, including being the lead vocalist for four of the Spock’s Beard albums after the departure of founder and frontman Neal Morse. He’s also an ambassador for Sweetwater Sound.
Billy Cobham
It was a match made in music heaven: the fusion of jazz-inspired dexterity with ear-bursting rock. It was all thanks to Billy Cobham, who was born in Panama but quickly went where the music was. He appeared on Miles Davis’s “Bitches Brew” as well as “A Tribute to Jack Johnson,” where he met guitarist Jon McLaughlin. The pair went to the Mahavishnu Orchestra. But he did a lot more than just jazz.
Prog legend Bill Bruford paid close attention to how Cobham played. Young drummer Danny Carey of Tool also learned from him, and even Prince liked the cut of the man’s jib. But Cobham's biggest fan might have been Phil Collins, the creator of the most famous drum fill in the realm of music. Collins called Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “Inner Mounting Flame” the finest drumming he’s ever heard.
Jerry Allison
If you worked with Buddy Holly, you probably have a spot in rock history. Such is the case for Jerry Allison, who was Holly’s very first collaborator and drummer. Allison wrote a couple of the songs you might know, but his biggest addition was in the rhythm. He would experiment with different drum ideas during different takes of a song.
Buddy Holly and the Crickets were really one of the first rock bands to use the studio space as a place to find what worked best. They would play around and come up with even more fun stuff. Allison would try anything. On “Everyday,” he didn’t even play the drums. He just slapped his hands on his lap. Ringo Starr would pay homage to Allison by playing on a suitcase while the Beatles covered “Words of Love.”
Mike Mangini
Playing for bands like Annihilator, Extreme, and Steve Vai, Mangini had put up his bona fides in a big way. He started playing at only two and a half years old, inspired by Ringo Starr. Before getting into music full-time, he got a degree in computer science and was programming software for the Patriot Missile program – no wonder he’s been called a human metronome.
He appeared on the Discovery Channel show “Time Warp” to show off his high-speed drumming skills – over twelve hundred strokes in a single minute! He’s set multiple fastest drummer world records and even stepped in for Mike Portnoy in Dream Theater for more than a decade until the original drummer came back. He’s also played the drums for singer James LaBrie’s solo albums and has his own solo stuff, too.
Bill Ward
If you love banging your head, you have Bill Ward to thank. He was one of the co-founders of the band Black Sabbath. But he brought a lot more than just speed to the kit – he learned jazz from Joe Morello and Gene Krupa, and that gave him the ability to adjust, to shift, and to stay flexible in any type of song. Instead of just locking into the riffs of guitarist Tony Iommi, he would fly around them.
Even on this original heavy band’s songs, he could bring some jazz or R&B fun to the tunes. Though Black Sabbath would move on to other drummers, none of them could truly recreate the more gentle tones and skill behind the kit that Bill Ward had to offer.
Carter Beauford
While the Dave Matthews Band is all about the groove, Carter Beauford has plenty of jazz skills and complicated licks to give the music a pop of life when it’s needed. He was a founding member of the band, and he can do it all: explosive bass drum work, thrilling hi-hat patterns, and doubling up on the snares in order to create interesting vibes.
He’s said that he loves to play to the audience at their shows, changing up what he does in order to fit the energy behind his huge kit. The goal is to create a different message every time they play so that an audience will have every reason to keep coming back. If they just play the same thing over and over, eventually, the word will get out, and it might get boring.
Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette was musical from a young age – he got started on the piano at the age of four, but he didn’t sit behind the drums until he was eighteen. That late start didn’t hold him back (in fact, we’ve heard drummers are sometimes encouraged to learn piano, too). He quickly got work with John Coltrane, became part of the Charles Lloyd quartet, and got a gig with Miles Davis, helping the trumpeter make the landmark 1970 album “Bitches Brew.”
DeJohnette says that he loved playing with Miles Davis since Davis loved the drums. DeJohnette would eventually go on to become a composer and bandleader, and he would fuse everything he had learned from those musical greats to make even more amazing music. His own expertise came in mighty handy, too.
Ramon “Tiki” Fullwood
Legend tells us of a young drummer who would sneak into clubs at only seventeen years old in order to perform. His name was Ramon Fullwood, and he would eventually gain the nickname Tiki. George Clinton discovered the young drummer and had to beg Fullwood’s mother to take the drummer out on a tour. He had a signature heavy style that got the band to stop wearing suits and start bringing out the really hard funk and psychedelic stuff like “Maggot Brain.”
His heavy-handed attack on the toms and snare made him a favorite of hip-hop producers once that genre got started. The mother of Eddie Hazel, the guitarist for the band, even said that it was like bombs going off all around them while they played.
Jim Keltner
Keltner was one of the most legendary session drummers ever, and his work behind the kit helped out on thousands of records. These include at least three of the four members of the Beatles while they did their solo work (including Ringo, which is a bit of an odd thing to see), Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, the Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, Joni Mitchell, Oasis...the list goes on and on.
His work as a session musician began in the sixties, and after that, he did pretty much everything. Keltner said that, just like the guitar, there were lots of ways to play the drums. He was unshowy and casual while doing things that other drummers had never seen or heard before. He had an easygoing jazz feel when he played, no matter what he was doing.
Fred Below
Chess Records found Fred Below, and from there, they let him drive forward the sound of funk, and rhythm and blues. Playing in Chicago, he was pivotal behind the kit for groups like Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf, and Bo Diddley. He started out as a jazz drummer, but he was called to blues because it was a brand new thing for him. He didn’t learn it in school.
That meant that he could do things his way, setting the stage for a new era of music. He had to learn it in a way that made sense to him. His range was extensive, and his touch was that of a virtuoso. It was thanks to him that Chess Records was able to accomplish all the music it did.
Tony Allen
Without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat. So says Fela Kuti...who is credited as the inventor of the genre. He told Allen that the way he (Allen) played, a musician would barely even need a percussionist. Allen was from Nigeria and Ghana, and he brought jazz and funk to the local West African genres of apala, highlife, and Nigerian mambo. He was playing jazz in Lagos when he met Fela, who hired him. They played together for fifteen years.
Allen's influence has stretched out to outfits like Talking Heads, Gorillaz, and lots of other afro-fusion groups. He played the drums the same way he went through life: cool as a cucumber. He was always pushing envelopes, whether he was settling into a groove or coming up with a brand-new style of music.
James Gadson
Despite coming from Kansas City, few drummers made a bigger impact on the Los Angeles scene than James Gadson. He made his mark first in Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, who made “Express Yourself” and lots of other fine tunes, and then he went to the king himself, Bill Withers. He was also an incredibly prolific session musician, with a resume that included playing for the Jackson 5, the Temptations, and Marvin Gaye.
He played on “Let’s Get It On,” for Pete’s sake, a song responsible for most pregnancies since it came out. In addition, it was said that Gadson had zero ego. Other musicians would wow at his skills, but he would always bounce it back to them, saying he just picked up whatever they were doing, all with a big smile on his face.
Roger Hawkins
What does Jerry Wexler know about drummers? Well, he was the producer who first came up with the term rhythm and blues, so a good amount. And he said that Roger Hawkins was the greatest drummer in the world. Who are we to argue? Hawkins could adapt his playing to the needs of almost any song that he and the rest of the rhythm session known as the Swampers played on.
It’s hard to say anything against what Wexler believes since Hawkins would play for greats like Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, the Staple Singers, and many more. The man could find a fun, funky pattern in or on almost anything. He was also with Paul Simon for a time, and they even got along.
Clifton James
The record “Bo Diddley” (by the bandleader of the same name) came out in 1955; it changed everything. Rock and roll was here to stay, baby. The man who came up with what many would call the “Bo Diddley” beat was drummer Clifton James, and he deserves just as much credit for changing the landscape of music at the time. James had thirteen siblings, so there wasn’t any money for a real kit – he learned how to play on chairs and tin cans.
He played for plenty of blues legends while spending time in Chicago, like Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, and many more. However, his biggest contribution was undoubtedly his time as the drummer for Diddley. Somehow, the two just came together in so many wonderful ways – we’re still listening to the fruits of their labor every time we listen to good rock.
Carlton Barrett
If you want that reggae sound, then you want a drummer who plays like Carlton Barrett. It’s possible to call him one of the most influential musicians in the entire genre since he played the toms on bands like the Wailers and he was part of the big man Bob Marley’s solo band. He was known as the Field Marshal for laying down a groove that nobody could escape.
Before his untimely and cruel death in 1987 – at just the age of thirty-six – he told “Modern Drummer” magazine that good reggae drummers play with spiritual energy. His tempo and beats came to define an entire genre of music, and there aren’t many others in the world who can claim the same thing.
Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice literally wrote the book on drumming: he released a book called “The Realistic Rock Drum Method” in 1972 that has pretty much become required reading for anybody who wants to be a drummer. He got his start in the strange music of the sixties with the band Vanilla Fudge, and he influenced a man named John Bonham during that period, too. Appice then moved on to the bands Cactus and Beck and Bogert & Appice.
He had incredible range, was able to create a certain amount of sass on the drums, and showed off some songwriting skills at the same time in the seventies. He got his younger brother Vinny into the drums, too, and Vinny would go on to play for Dio and Black Sabbath. He apparently played with the heavy end of the sticks so that nobody would miss a single note.
Earl Palmer
Earl Palmer is one of the most recorded drummers in history. He helped to define the role of a sideman. The songs “Good Golly, Miss Molly” by Little Richard, “I’m Walkin’” by Fats Domino, and “Tipitina” by Professor Longhair all feature Palmer behind the kit. As soon as he moved to California, he became one of the most popular session musicians around. He’s recorded in so many songs they’ve become hard to count, but he had something like four-hundred and fifty recording sessions in 1967 alone.
If you’ve ever listened to Richie Valens’s “La Bamba,” Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” from the Righteous Brothers, or Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me,” then you’ve heard Palmer play. He practically invented rock and roll drumming. He was even the drummer for the theme song to “The Flintstones.”
Elvin Jones
Who was the first real rock drummer? There’s a good amount of evidence that points to Elvin Jones. Even if Elvin Jones didn’t set the standard, he certainly redefined it as part of the John Coltrane Quartet. He could be delicate, he could be fierce, and he could always keep impeccable timing. He used all four limbs to create a beat that helped to elevate Coltrane into the stratosphere of music.
Jones himself said that being sensitive to the rhythmic pulses of the music helped you bring in more subtleties of timekeeping. Jones was born into a musical family before even the Great Depression hit, making him one of the first. Players such as John Bonham, Ginger Baker, and more name him as an influence thanks to his groovy beats.
Levon Helm
Born in Arkansas, Levon Helm cut his teeth playing in dive bars all over North America with Ronnie Hawkins. In 1965, however, he and the rest of the Hawks were backing up Bob Dylan’s first electric tour. In 1968, they called themselves the Band and started making their own songs, built around the irreplaceable style of Helm. He was also a singer, using his voice on some of the Band’s biggest songs.
As his health declined later in life, Helm would play concerts in a barn that he owned in the town of Woodstock. He was going through throat cancer treatments by that time, so his voice was little more than a whisper, but he was still playing tunes new and old. After Helm died, Bob Dylan would call him a bosom buddy up until the end.
Bernard Purdie
Despite growing up in Maryland before moving to New York in the early sixties, Purdie earned the ultra-cool nickname “Mississippi Bigfoot.” He got his start doing jazz sessions with artists like Nina Simone and Gabor Szabo. His ability to create so many ghost notes people thought the kit was haunted led him to become one of the most in-demand drummers in the biz.
He stepped in as the drummer for Aretha Franklin while she was at the height of her power, and he was also her musical director while not playing with all kinds of groups, from Bob Marley to Steely Dan. It’s less about who he has played with than who he hasn’t. He had styles upon styles to show off, no matter who wanted him to pick up the sticks.
Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste
Sometimes, when it comes to art, there are no standards. That’s how Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste did things when he sat behind the drums. He was hard-hitting, keeping his rhythms stiff and powerful as he worked with Meters in the early seventies. He found his place as one of the most lyrical funk drummers of all time. Even though he didn’t do any singing with his own voice, he could make the kit sing songs like “Cissy Strut” or “Just Kissed My Baby.”
He might have left that band before too long, but he went on to make his mark while working with famous rockers such as Keith Richards or Ron Wood. Then, of course, there’s his solo stuff, which is plenty funky in its own right. He has quite the collection.
Bill Bruford
Combine the energy of a rock drummer, the technical training of a classical musician, and a jazz performer’s fun sense of style and rhythm, and you have Bill Bruford. He joined the prog rock band Yes in 1972 before leaving to become part of King Crimson. He would step in and out of the role of drummer for that band for the next twenty-five years, always coming up with new ways to astound the listening world.
He spent time in the funk world during the early eighties, showing off what he could do with polyrhythms, and joined one band after another, doing everything he could behind the kit. His longest project was the passion project band Earthworks. He’s retired from playing, but he had time to get his Ph.D. in music, making him Doctor Bruford.
Ringo Starr
Paul McCartney says that the first time playing with Ringo Starr was the true beginning of the Beatles. While many might have found him to be a little too basic compared to the wild energy of fellow drummers Keith Moon or Mitch Mitchel, Ringo can still claim he was part of the greatest band of all time. He was a left-handed drummer playing a right-handed kit, so he developed his own unique style for fills and rolls.
He was steady, reliable, and the perfect match for vibrant songwriters and poets like the other three members of the band. Dave Grohl has said that Ringo was the king of feel, able to fit into any song and provide the rhythm that it so desperately needed. He was good-natured and genial, something that the fab four needed a lot of.
D.J. Fontana
The birth of rock and roll is highly debated, but nobody can deny Elvis Presley’s stature as one of the early kings of the genre. The man who played drums for Elvis was D.J. Fontana. He was paving new ground for all the rock drummers that followed after him, showing bands that had eschewed the instrument altogether why the drum kit was there to stay. He has plenty of phrases and licks that are constantly imitated.
Drummer Levon Helm says that Fontana was the one who let Elvis be Elvis, saying that he played like a big band drummer, never slowing down or dropping the pace. He gave Presley a foundation, or something like an architecture, on which to hang his dance moves and stirring voice. His fast hands and perfect technique set the stage for rock drumming.
Benny Benjamin
The founder of Motown, Berry Gordon, had a clear favorite when it came to who was sitting behind the kit: Benny Benjamin. According to Gordon, Benjamin had the ability to show off various styles and rhythms all at the same time. He could keep the tempo better than a metronome. Benjamin was the rock-solid drummer who played on plenty of Motown hits, including Barret Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)” and The Temptations’s “My Girl.”
His session mates dubbed him “Papa Zita.” His substance dependency created issues during his life, and he died of a stroke in 1969, but before that, he mentored the young Stevie Wonder, who says his drumming style was picked up just from listening to Benjamin play. Wonder even says that Benjamin could have been, quote, the baddest.
Al Jackson Jr.
His nickname was “the human timekeeper” for his preternatural ability to maintain a steady rhythm while playing as a session drummer for the soul label Stax. He displayed crisp, bouncing grooves that helped elevate the music of such luminaries as Otis Redding, Al Green, and Wilson Pickett. He even co-wrote one of Green’s more famous tunes, “Let’s Stay Together.” As his reputation grew, he spread to other genres.
Eric Clapton asked for him by name. He was a co-founder of the band Booker T. & the Mgsm, which allowed him to pave the way for both funk and hip-hop. To many of his contemporaries and friends in the industry, Jackson was in a class of his own. He played on dozens of legendary songs from a handful of different genres, and that takes a certain amount of cool.
Dale Crover
Crover makes the cut as one of the great drummers of the modern generation - his drumming for Melvins, Shrinebuilder, Men of Porn, and of course, Nirvana definitely had him on our map for greatest drummers! His push-pull drumming style and contribution to music even have him on Rolling Stone’s top 100 drummers list!
He cites Cheap Trick, the Beatles, and the Monkees as some of his influences and shared with Rolling Stone that he doesn’t “just listen to Venom and Slayer.” We love his laid-back nature but serious drumming.
Nick Mason
Pink Floyd is undoubtedly one of the most epic bands to have ever played - and we need to praise the chops of drummer Nick Masson. Born in 1944, the English drummer and one of the founding members of the band is what we’d consider a colossus of music. He’s probably one of the most revered players in drumming and is the only band member to have appeared on all of their albums.
But while he could hold his own, he says he gets great joy from “that moment when the bass player plays, you set something out, and the other musicians join in.” We love that electric moment, too!
Phil Rudd
Ah, yes, AC/DC. A powerhouse of Aussie rock, our list certainly would be missing a great without him! During his three tenures with the band, at tone point, he became the only remaining Australian in the band!
Along with the other band members, he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his contribution to music and his “serve-the-song” drumming mentality, with praise from KISS drummer Eric Singer.
Gene Krupa
Drumming legend Neil Peart once remarked that Gene Krupa was in fact, the first rock drummer! The superstar drummer was probably the first one to be known for his drum solos, with a special mention to the track “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Krupa played with Benny Goodman for many years, staying with him for recordings as well as a part of the Benny Goodman Trio.
The renowned drummer in jazz bands, from simply being a timekeeper to a drum soloist with some rather flamboyant ditties, has been cited by many drummers as a source of inspiration. Therefore, he goes on our list as one of the greats!
Simon Phillips
The US-based but English-born jazz, rock, and pop drummer has a resume that many would be envious of! Best known for his work with Toto, Simon also played with Judas Priest, Michael Schenker Group, and Ph.D., not to mention the fact that he’s played as a session man for the late Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, and The Who!
He was also the drummer for The Who during their American reunion in the late 80s - so for someone to fill in for Keith Moon, he’s pretty incredible!
Matt Sorum
The drummer and percussionist, born in Venice, California, is probably most famous for being a former member of Guns N’ Roses, but he’s also worked with Velvet Revolver, The Cult, and Slash’s Snakepit. He learned his craft from listening to Van Halen and Devo but ultimately was born in the heyday of the 1960s when rock was just around the corner.
What we love most about Sorum is his ability to inspire the next-gen of drummers - kids who look up to his smooth but on-point drumming. Speed and power make for a brilliant drummer.
Eric Singer
Yes, we really do love KISS, but what we also love are their drummers! Eric Singer is probably one of rock’s most desired drummers - and it’s not just because of his involvement with KISS! It’s actually because of the sheer amount of experience he’s had over the course of his career.
Growing up with music in his blood, he learned how to keep a beat from recordings of Ringo Star and Mitch Mitchell. His lineup of bands and artists includes Lita Ford, Black Sabbath, Badlands, and Gary Moore - before finally playing for KISS in 1991!
Tommy Aldridge
Aldridge taught himself to play drums in the '60s (when he was around ten or so) and eventually built his drum kit with money he’d earned from odd jobs (like delivering the paper). He, like many other respected drummers, was largely self-taught and credits his unique style and eccentricities to the fact that he didn’t have a drum teacher.
The self-taught drum genius has worked with an impressive lineup of bands and musicians, including Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and the king of shredding, Yngwie Malmsteen.
Nicko McBrain
Heck yeah, we love a bit of Iron Maiden. Head banging doesn’t get much better than this - and the English-born Nicko McBrain is a master of it! The keen golfer (unrelated, but a fun fact) has played with the heavy metal band since 1982 and started off doing some session work (after learning about pots, pans, and a gas cooker with knives) before joining the band.
McBrain is definitely the “pulse” of the band, and perhaps surprisingly, is a devout Christian! Imagine being a part of a band called “Satanist” and then doing a 180 and, from 1990 onwards, being staunchly Christian!
Danny Carey
Tool is an extremely epic band - and their drummer is just as epic! Standing at 6’5”, Danny Carey first started on the drums at age ten. After a few years in the school band, he joined the jazz band, which would guide his approach to drumming in the future.
Percussion theory further shaped him before he moved to Portland and then LA. He eventually found his way to Maynard James Keenan and Adam Jones - practicing in lieu of drummers who flaked! And hence, Tool.
Tony Williams
A fabulous jazz drummer, Anthony Tilmon Williams is one of the greats. He’s so revered that he was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame back in 1986. He first gained repute when working with Miles Davis and helped pioneer the movement of jazz fusion.
Probably the greatest compliment Williams received was from music critic Robert Christgau, who exalted him, describing him as “probably the best drummer in the world.” Wow!
Mike Bordin
No list would be complete here without some alt-rock love! Mike Bordin of Faith No More snatches up a spot on our list, and it’s all credit to his amazing skills. He’s got a unique, pulverizing style. And he can adapt - to be a jackhammer or be as soft as a needle dropping.
He’s a leftie who plays a right-handed kick-drum, which we’re basically floored at. Named “Puffy” due to the unruly afro hairstyle he wore in the 80s, he’s also played for Black Sabbath and EZ Street!
Steve Gadd
Born in Rochester, New York, Gadd was guided towards drumming from a young age. His uncle, who was an army drummer, encouraged his young nephew to start drum lessons. He then went on to become one of the most influential drummers of all time.
He set a new standard for techniques and performance, gaining him many fans. Just listen to “Aja,” and you’ll see what we mean. He’s worked with many musicians and groups, best known for working with Paul Simon, Steely Dan, and Simon & Garfunkel.
Terry Bozio
Another insanely talented drummer on our list of treats is Terry Bozzio. Born in San Francisco, the drummer is known best for his work with Missing Persons, as well as legendary rocker Frank Zappa. He started drumming at age ten with makeshift drums - think coffee cans, crumpled road signs - before begging his old man for drum lessons (you can thank The Beatles’ performance on Ed Sullivan).
He then played in rock musicals jazz groups and then auditioned for Zappa. He’s played with the late Jeff Beck and is also renowned for his solo ventures. He’s a delight to watch and one of the most dynamic drummers!
Lars Ulrich
We’re on a roll here - from thrash metal to heavy metal, we’re just paying our dues to the great bands that shaped the hard rock scene. Lars Ulrich is the drummer of Metallica. Born in Denmark, and grandson to Torben and Einer Ulrich, he began as a budding tennis player before then transitioning over to playing drums.
Pretty incredible! Everyone thought he’d go down the tennis path, but after seeing Deep Purple in Copenhagen, he decided tennis wasn’t for him at all.
Dave Lombardo
On a list of the greatest drummers, we were bound to feature a thrash-metal band, duh! And, of course, Dave Lombardo is the Cuban-American drummer of Slayer. He’s a co-founding member of the thrash metal band.
He’s known for his aggression and speed, with a double bass technique that garnered him the title “the godfather of double bass” (just ask Drummerworld!). He’s hardcore, and we love him!
Jeff Porcaro
Sure, Jeff Porcaro is known best for working with Toto, but he is in fact, one of the most recorded session men, working on HUNDREDS of albums! He was already an established studio man in the 70s before joining Toto. His younger brother Steve is also a member of the band.
But Jeff, even from the start of his career, was always considered one of the music industry’s best drummers. He’s worked with Sonny and Cher, Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Elton John, Don Henley, and Bruce Springsteen, and he even played on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album. If you search his name, you’ll be blown away by the musicians he’s worked with over the years.
Vinnie Colaiuta
A session man, a modern drummer, and a drummer that a lot of names look up to! You may not have heard of him if you’re not in drumming circles or the music industry, but this man is highly regarded, particularly around Los Angeles.
The Pennsylvania-born drummer started young before being gifted with his first drum set at age fourteen. He attended Berklee before working with Frank Zappa. On his albums, he recorded performances considered “among the most astounding ever recorded.” Go on, go check out “Joe’s Garage.”
Charlie Watts
The drummer of none other than The Rolling Stones, first we want to say RIP to Mr. Charlie Watts. Having passed away, he’s got a legacy that will continue on for many, many decades. His music and drumming ability will definitely survive him!
Originally, Watts was a graphic artist but then picked up drum-playing again (after receiving a drum as a Christmas present as a teen). From playing a few small gigs in London, he met Brian Jones, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger. He’s known for his jazz drumming that crossed over into the rock pond!
Mike Portnoy
Michael Portnoy is best known as the songwriter and musician who played drums (as well as provided backing vocals) to the prog metal band Dream Theater. Despite leaving the band after a quarter of a century, there’s no doubt he helped the band solidify their presence as a metal band.
He’s come from the prestigious Berklee Music College (he earned a scholarship there, wow!) and is a technical drummer as much as he is a hard hitter. He’s a big fan of Neil Peart and John Bonham!
Roger Taylor
This talented multi-instrumentalist is, of course, more than just a fabulous drummer. But, we’re forgetting to tell you one thing (if you didn’t know) - he’s the drummer for Queen! Perhaps the most iconic British rock band, Taylor, was the perfect choice for the band, having been recognized early on for having a unique sound.
He’s got a knack for instruments, playing anything he really wants to, as well as having a falsetto vocal range! He has cited Ringo Starr and John Bonham as his influences, having started playing at the age of twelve.
Ian Paice
Ahhh, we love some classic rock, and we love the color purple - so yes, you guessed it, the drummer for Deep Purple is next on our list! He is also, sadly, the last remaining member of the original band. While he’s one of the older drummers on our list, there’s a reason for that - he’s considered the forefather of modern rock drumming.
Just think of the tracks he brought to life with his drumming - “Hush,” “Smoke On the Water,” and “Space Truckin” prove his contribution.
Stewart Copeland
If a guy has a set of drums with his name on them, you’d think that he must know a thing or two about playing the drums, right? Enter Stewart Copeland, the musician and composer who rose to prominence as the beat-maker for English band The Police.
The American-born drummer is one of the greats on the drum kit - and he’s not just a drummer, but an accomplished musician too. Check out “Synchronicity I” for a taste of his genius!
Steven Adler
Guns N’Roses are basically legends when it comes to glam rock drummer status. Steven Adler achieved worldwide success with the band when they came to the fore in the late 80s, but he was fired over his addiction and toxic ways, as many rockers suffer from. We would like to just talk about that crazy 80s hair. It’s pretty lush; let’s be real.
As a drummer, he’s got a cool hi-hat technique which is featured in “Welcome to the Jungle”, and he’s been coined as the “most valuable” drummer the band’s ever had. Rock on!
James “Diamond” Williams
After penning this article and doing our research, we’ve really learned how important a great drummer is and how they make a difference in any band or musical group. But we want to give some love to James “Diamond” Williams (look up, The Ohio Players), a funky powerhouse who also sang backup.
According to Drum Magazine, Williams “throws down like a man half his age.” We guess the music never dies! Nor does the beat! One of his quotes, which we love, “a good drummer can wear you out with a bass drum, a hi-hat, and a snare drum.” Boom!
Mick Avory
Lola, L-L-L-L-Loollaaaa! Okay, we know a few more songs than that, but there’s no doubt that the Kinks are a quintessential English rock band. And the man who was the driving force behind the band’s iconic beats? Mick Avory.
The drummer and percussionist joined them just after they formed and spent two decades with the band. But he is remembered as one of the most quietly innovative drummers in the sixties! He even rehearsed with a group who were to become…the Rolling Stones.
Tommy Ramone
Hungarian-born Tommy Ramone will forever be remembered for shaping one of rock’s most influential bands. He was a father of punk, and he was the pacemaker for the movement. His hardcore drumming basically involved him slamming through the first three albums for the Ramones!
He was the second drummer of the band (taking the reins from Joey Ramone) when Joey was promoted to lead singer! Undeniably, though, his talent and intuition for punk is one of a kind.
Chad Smith
We all love a bit of chili. We especially love the red, hot peppers. Next up is Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who’s been through thick and thin with the band since 1988. Fun fact - he’s one of the very few drummers to have cropped up on “The Simpsons,” and he’s also had some fun skits with comedian Will Ferrell!
The SABIAN Cymbals aficionado has the ability to bring out a funky, deep groove that drives RHCP, with his diverse influences (think Buddy Rich and John Bonham) and keen sense of the beat. He’s technically excellent and brilliantly intuitive, but he also knows how to have some fun!
Tony Thompson
Do any of y’all love a bit of disco? Because for us, it’s one of our top genres of music! This list wouldn’t be complete without Anthony Terrence Thompson, the driving force behind Chic and Power Station! He had an incredible ability to be able to adapt to any session and move effortlessly from jazz to funk to rock and back again!
He was a hot commodity and had a talent that was second to none. We raise our sticks to this session, man and fabulous drummer.
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel Roach may not be familiar to many of you - but for those percussionists and lovers of the drums, you’ll know exactly how important he was to pioneering bebop! The American jazz composer and drummer is considered one of the most influential drummers in all of musical history!
He played with the likes of Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Thelonius Monk! Quincy Jones has referenced him as part of the “A-Team” of bebop music and has been influenced by his innovations on the drum scene.
Alex Van Halen
We do love a bit of glam rock, and which band is better, an example than Van Halen? Of course, their drummer is none other than Alex Van Halen, who has played quite a few shows in his time! And if you need proof of his drumming ability, just listen to “Hot for Teacher” - the precision is almost frightening.
Not to mention the fact that he was the co-founder of Van Halen when it was formed in 1972!
Max Weinberg
Mr. Weinberg, also known as “Mighty Max,” is indeed one of the great drummers - and is best known as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen’s “E” Street Band. The drummer is not just that, but a fantastic musician because he’s got the “ear.”
That ear is what makes a musician great because it means they have the ability to hear what a song needs. And Weinberg certainly did that as the drummer and the backbone of the band. He initially played in pit bands for the theatre before answering an ad for a drummer - for Springsteen!
Steve Smith
Okay, so maybe we’re biased, but Journey is probably one of our favorite American rock bands. And the drummer for the iconic band is none other than Steve Smith. He’s even had the honor of being named the “NO.1 All-Around Drummer” five years in a row by the "Modern Drummer” magazine!
His enviable career came to great attention and acclaim with Journey, but what we love is that while their music was “radio-friendly,” he managed to work his magic and sneak in a little something something for the drummers out there!
Matt Cameron
Oh yes, Pearl Jam. I mean, it was bound to appear on our list - and we do love a bit of classic rock. Matt Cameron, born in San Diego, California, is the drummer of Pearl Jam.
He’s a “top-shelf” drummer in metal circles but also has an ingrained knowledge of punk rock, which makes him a triple threat with an added ability to handle the more exotic time signatures! He’s a well-respected drummer and is known for his head-banging drumming!
Taylor Hawkins
So we know that this Fort Worthian (yes, that’s what they call them in Texas) is a Foo Fighters and that he’s a lover of the Gretsch drum kit! But did you know that this isn’t his first rodeo on the drums? The skillful drummer was in fact, the drummer for Alanis Morissette before joining the Fooeys!
He’s probably one of the most influential drummers of all time. He cites Roger Taylor and Stewart Copeland as his main influences growing him, showing some classic rock roots there!
Phil Collins
“ Ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-ba-dum-dum-dum, I can feel it coming in the air toniiiiight..” Seriously though, waiting a minute and a half for that iconic drum riff is so well worth it. It’s probably one of the greatest drum riffs of all time if you can call it a riff! And it was given to us by none other than Phil Collins, drum master.
He played for Genesis before going out on his own and has produced some fantastic albums (not to mention the score for “Tarzan.”) But sadly, the iconic drummer and vocalist recently shared that due to his declining health, he is no longer able to play the drums. A loss indeed.
Buddy Rich
Imagine being on stage and playing on Broadway at the age of four. Yeah, imagine it - Buddy Rich was doing it! Known for his speed, power, and technical ability, Rich is one of the greatest drummers of all time. And self-taught to boot!
A real child prodigy, Rich had a love for big bands - and by the age of 15, he was one of the highest-paid child musicians in the 1930s! He was young, but he was prodigious in his drumming and played for legends Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald!
Hal Blaine
Do you know the song “Be My Baby”? The groovy, funky, catchy beat? Well, you can thank Hal Blaine for that contribution to music! While that’s one of his best-remembered tracks, he also worked alongside the likes of Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, and Elvis!
His ability to adapt to any session, regardless of kit size (he’s even played on water jugs before for the Beach Boys!), makes him one of the greatest. He’s undoubtedly the most recorded drummer in history - once you’ve done over 35,000 of those, you’re good for it!
Mitch Mitchell
It’s quite something when you can bring something beautiful to the world of drumming - but maybe that’s because we aren’t quite the percussion connoisseurs that we think we are! But there is no kidding around when we talk about Mitch Mitchell and his jazz technique and ability to riff.
He’s been referenced as an inspiration to the Police’s Stewart Copeland, and it’s no wonder - he was the drummer for Jimi Hendrix (after a coin flip if you can believe that). His heavy grooving on the kit was the perfect counterpoint to Jimi and his guitar. A match made in heaven!
Evelyn-Glennie
The esteemed Scottish percussionist is definitely one of a kind! She’s been selected as one of two laureates for the Polar Music Prize, and this makes her even more amazing because she is almost completely deaf. Glennie has a unique talent (of which we are in awe) by being able to listen to music not with her ears but with her body.
At the young age of twelve, she had nearly lost her hearing entirely. She’s known as a wonderful improviser and is, in fact, a Dame! She’s the only person in HISTORY to be a full-time percussionist (and not part of a rock band)! If you get a chance, check her out on YouTube and be prepared to be blown away.
Karen Carpenter
You may remember Karen Carpenter as the waif-like, angelic-voiced singer of The Carpenters. But did you know that she was also gifted on the drums? Here we are praising not just the hard rock drummers but also all drummers!
She was only young when she passed but is remembered for her three-octave contralto and for keeping up with “exotic” time signatures. First and foremost, Carpenter considered herself a “drummer who sang.” Even the likes of Hal Blaine and Buddy Rich gave her great praise.
Ginger Baker
When you’re making the beats for the likes of Cream and Blind Faith (with Eric Clapton), you’re bound to make the list of the greatest drummers of all time! Such is the case with Ginger Baker, long-regarded as one of the pioneers of the style using two-kick drums, as well as giving drummers more air time on tracks!
Often, drummers would be the base of the song, the backbone even, but Baker emphasized the importance of drummers having their own extended solos! Baker is remembered for being inventive and also a bit wild with his drumming style, but he was a lover of jazz and bebop drumming!
Brad Wilk
Okay, any fans of Rage Against the Machine here? Yes? Okay, good, because so are we! Of course, we are paying some homage to the band’s drummer, Brad Wilk. Also, we should probably mention the fact that he’s played for Audioslave, Black Sabbath, AND Prophets of Rage.
Definitely seems to be a lot of talent here, and also some serious celebrity that’s come with his talent! He’s a fantastic heavy metal drummer, and he’s second to none when it comes to speed and power.
Keith Moon
No list of great drummers would be complete without Keith Moon. The guy, however, is not lacking in confidence whatsoever, as the self-described greatest drummer in the world. We guess you have to back yourself to get anywhere in the world, right?
A fun trivia fact is that he was the inspiration for “Animal” in The Muppets for his love of smashing the drums and being pretty wild! Sadly, though, his talent and tenacity were only to be shared with The Who and the world until the age of 31.
John Bonham
The man who consistently tops the list as the number-one drummer of all time is none other than John Bonham. The drummer for iconic British rock band Led Zeppelin is undoubtedly one of the greatest, if not THE greatest. Known best for his instincts and ability to feel “groove,” this was shown in his speed, fast-kick drumming, as well as the ability to hit and hit hard!
The self-taught drummer tried emulating other fantastic drummers (think Buddy Rich and Max Roach). One of our favorite drumming solos is in the track “Good Times Bad Times.”
Neil Peart
Considered one of the best technical drummers of all time, Peart is renowned for being meticulous with his timing and for hitting hard! The drummer of the band Rush we already know how big of an influence his drumming has been - especially after Rush was the band that Grohl listened to for his drum lessons!
The band chose Peart because he reminded them of Keith Moon of the iconic band The Who! He’s known for his style and for his massive drum kit!
Peter Criss
Ah, yes, the Catman! One of our personal favorites is Peter Criss, from the legendary supergroup KISS. He also had a great voice and occasionally lent his vocals to the band. “Shock Me” is the track with one of our favorite drum solos.
While there is some contention as to how good of a drummer Criss actually is, there’s no doubt that he helped KISS as the backbone of their band with his Ludwig drum kit. Of course, later on, he switched over to Pearl. We love you, Peter!
Cindy Blackman
As the wife of Santana, there has to be a certain level of musicality that’s within Cindy Blackman. Her instrument of choice? Well, percussion! The American jazz and rock drummer has recorded many jazz albums and has performed with the likes of Buckethead, Lenny Kravitz, and Joss Stone.
In modern times, she remains among some of the greatest drummers with her great technical gift and her imagination. Fun fact: she first met her husband Santana when she was touring with Lenny Kravitz in Europe.
Dave Grohl
Kicking off the list with one of the best-known drummers (and rockers) on the planet, Mr. Dave Grohl! The man has some great skill and a very impressive portfolio - starting with Nirvana and then, of course, in the 90s, becoming the frontman for the Foo Fighters.
Who would’ve thought the badass drummer would’ve had some vocal chops too? As a child, Grohl’s family couldn’t afford to pay for a drumming teacher, and he cites the band Rush as his teacher - he used to play on pillows with heavy sticks!