21 Best Rock Drummers of All Time: What Makes Them Great?

Who are the best rock drummers of all time? When it comes to rock music, the drummer is often considered the backbone of the band. They keep the beat and drive the song’s rhythm, propelling it forward and giving it energy. A great drummer can make or break a band, and there have been some truly exceptional rock drummers over the years. Here are 21 of the best rock drummers of all time.

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Who are the best rock drummers of all time and what makes them great?

Let’s face it, being a drummer is tough. Not only do you have to keep time with the rest of the band, but you also have to provide the perfect foundation for the rest of the instruments to build upon. And if you’re not careful, you can easily overwhelm the mix with your thunderous drumming. So how can you tell if you have what it takes to be a great drummer? Here are some components that make up a great drummer.

Perfect timing

This is probably the most important quality for a drummer to have. After all, if the drummer can’t keep time, then the whole band falls apart. Great drummers have an innate sense of timing and can always keep the band on track.

Excellent coordination

Drumming is an incredibly physical activity, and requires a high level of coordination to be done well. Great drummers have excellent coordination between their hands and feet, and can move seamlessly between different parts of the kit.

Boundless energy

Drumming is an energetic activity, and great drummers never seem to run out of steam. They maintain a high level of energy throughout their performance, and always bring the same level of intensity to each song.

Amazing endurance

Along with boundless energy, great drummers also have amazing endurance. They can play for hours on end without ever seeming to tire out. This is essential for long gigs or marathon recording sessions.

Honorable Mention

These guys are worth mentioning and could easilly be in the top 20 but for one reason or another I couldn’t switch them out with anyone. In no particular order; Carmine Appice, Tommy Aldridge, Bill Ward, Phil Rudd, Aynsley Dunbar, Todd Sucherman, Cozy Powell and Phil Collins.

21. Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)

Alex Van Halen was a rags to riches story. He went from sleeping in his car to being one of the richest drummers in America. His arena-sized ambitions and jazz-influenced nimbleness made Van Halen one of rock’s most loveable bands — millions of young drummers all over America drove themselves nuts in the 80s trying to replicate the skip-stone tom-tom work and galloping swing he brought to “Hot for Teacher” or the tricky opening groove of “Finish What You Started.”

His dedication and toughness were outstanding. Once I read about a show in a 1984 Rolling Stone feature, where it was described how Alex played an entire show with four broken bones in his hand. “He couldn’t even hold a drumstick,” journalist Debby Miller wrote.

From their first album to their last, the constant in Van Halen’s unique sound has been Alex Van Halen’s drumming. His bottomless rumble and thump of his drumming have made him a legend in rock ‘n’ roll playing alongside his brother Eddie. With each new album, the group further developed its music brand that would define an entire genre.

20. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

Mike Portnoy’s work with Dream Theater puts him at the top of the prog-rock genre and, since prog-rock uses many different time signatures and syncopated rhythms puts him the elite drummer status. “I couldn’t have dreamt of a better scenario for the path that we traveled,” Portnoy said Portnoy in a Modern Drummer magazine interview.

Dream Theater’s arrival on the scene in the late 80s came as a shock to listeners. Ten-minute songs, complex arrangements, odd time signatures, extended solos, tremendous chops–every possible excess was included.

Fans of the genre cheered. And Portnoy, perched high atop his huge double bass kit, was more than up to the task for the band’s brand of musical explosion. His creativity and inspired playing have mesmerized drummers worldwide, ever since.

19. Kenny Aronoff (John Cougar Mellencamp)

Kenny Aronoff is an internationally renowned and highly sought-after drummer in rock music history. He has been named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time”, and Modern Drummer Magazine readers voted him #1 Pop/Rock Drummer and #1 Studio Drummer.

Many well-known artists in the music industry have gotten help from him on their records or while touring, including those that have sold over 300 million copies. Out of all these records, 1,300 of them ended up being certified by the RIAA as gold-, platinum-, or diamond-selling albums. In addition, he has played for many other songs that reached #1 on various charts. His latest project was Joe Satriani’s album “Shapeshifting,” released in 2020 which debuted at #8 on the Top 100 Albums chart.

After several decades of being a professional drummer, Kenny’s star is still shining bright. He’s well known in the industry as a hard worker with an incredible work ethic and unique talent for creating iconic drum parts that have made him one of the most impactful and creative recording artists in history.

18. Hal Blaine (The Wrecking Crew)

If Hal Blaine had played drums on the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” alone, his name would still be spoken with respect.

Blaine, born Harold Simon Belsky, was a renowned drummer who recorded with artists such as Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Elvis and the Supremes. Blaine was also the leader of Wrecking Crew, which was a group of L.A. session players that dominated studio scenes in both the 60s and 70s.

In fact, he is considered to be the most recorded drummer in history losing count around 35,000. Out of those recordings, 150 were Top 10 hits and 40 were #1s.

Blaine was the percussionist behind Phil Spector’s “Wall Of Sound,” one of the most recognizable beats in popular music. Blaine is also known for his ability to adapt to any session, not just ones that use a conventional drum set.

For the Beach Boys’ “Caroline, No,” he banged Sparkletts water jugs to create noise in the background, and on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” he dragged tire chains across a concrete floor for the sound effect needed. He said he didn’t try to be flashy as a drummer. “My goal was always to be a great accompanist.” Indeed!

17. Steve Smith (Journey)

For thirty years, Steve Smith has toured with various jazz groups and given drum clinics; however, from 1978 to 1985, he was the drummer for arena rockers Journey during their most successful stretch – video game included.

For his part in the inspiring classic, “Don’t Stop Believing,” the hi-hat played with his left hand while his right moves around the kit is an intricate open-handed pattern, which may be just as important to the song’s success as Perry’s super-high vocals, which he delivers exceptionally well.

In 2001 Modern Drummer magazine named Smith one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time. During the following year, he was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. In 2003, his DVD Steve Smith Drumset Technique – History of the U.S. Beat was voted the No. 1 Educational DVD of the year.

16. Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Chad Smith began drumming at a young age and developed his skills rapidly. He was also a member of hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, which was formed in 2008. Smith is one of the most famous drummers alive today, having recorded with Glenn Hughes, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, and the Dixie Chicks – to name a few.

Smith is one of the few drummers who not only has a vast music knowledge, but is also creative enough to make something new from nothing. He has had an integral hand in creating some of the best songs across the region.

In 2010, Dick Van Dyke joined him, and Leslie Bixler in releasing “Rhythm Train.” This children’s album features Smith singing and playing different instruments. He followed the same trail co-write and perform part of the 2020 backing band on the album Ordinary Man by Ozzy Osbourne.

Many people have praised Smith for his unique and energetic approach to percussion. He is not only a talented drummer, but also has a keen understanding of different musical instruments.

15. Danny Carey (Tool)

In the late 80s, Danny Carey joined the novelty band Green Jellÿ under the pseudonym Danny Longlegs. Afterward, in 1990, he joined the future alt-metal juggernaut Tool. Since then, the 6′ 5″ Kansas native has established himself as a great rock drummer of his generation comparable to Neil Peart and Bill Bruford of the 70s golden age of prog rock music.

Carey’s style is a unique combination of ambition and talent for polyrhythms and odd meters, presented with unwavering force but still managing to maintain a fluid feel. Making the experimental sound natural, not an easy thing to do, may be his best quality as a drummer. “It means nothing if all you can hear are the drums doing complex things,” he says.

His style is unique because of his broad range of influences, taking concepts from rock drummers like Neil Peart and John Bonham but also jazz and fusion drummers like Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Steve Gadd and Lenny White. Listen to “Sweat” by Tool or “BHP” by his other band Volto! to hear his fusion influences.

14. Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones)

The Rolling Stones once couldn’t afford drummer Charlie Watts- he was already part of Alexis Korner’s more established Blues Incorporated. Keith Richards said that eventually, the Stones won him over and he asked to join them.

He once told Keith Richards, before joining the band, that they were great but they needed a good drummer. Over the course of his 50-year career, Charlie Watts has shown himself to be the perfect complement to Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the rest of The Rolling Stones. He swings on tunes like “Brown Sugar,” locks down a tight four-on-the floor groove on classics like “Satisfaction” and paints an understated picture with songs like “Sympathy for the Devil.”

“When we got Charlie, that really made it for us,” Richards said. “Charlie can rush like mad and still make it feel great. That’s his style.”

13. Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters)

Dave Grohl is an extremely influential drummer in rock history, and has even been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice! You might know him best as the vocalist for Foo Fighters or the drummer for Nirvana, but no matter how you slice it, he’s one of the nicest guys in rock.

He became an icon in the music industry almost 30 years ago when Nirvana first came out with alternative rock in Seattle. If you were a teenager during the ’90s, then hits like “Come As You Are” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” probably played constantly as background noise. His drumming skills are unforgettable and provided many people solace during their turbulent teenage years.

Not only did his second act as the frontman for Foo Fighters show off his impressive musical versatility, but it also revealed his dynamic rock star personality.

One of the reasons Dave Grohl is great is that his drum parts are energetic and creative. Listen to “Elephants” by Them Crooked Vultures, the intro from “Hanging Tree” by Queens Of The Stone Age, or the chorus of “My Hero” by Foo Fighters.

12. Stewart Copeland (The Police)

Although The Police weren’t the creators of melding reggae and rock, they were pioneers in perfecting the sound. They first broke into the music industry pretending to be a punk band. All members of The Police are highly skilled musicians, with Stewart Copeland’s drumming being integral to their success.

He’s so good and so dominant that if you even thought about playing a drag or ruff on the hi-hat, accenting a ride bell or anything other than 2 & 4 with a cross-stick, he would give you up as a fan. Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely we’ll ever see The Police play again live, but when they did return, Stewart played with all of the energy and finesse that caught our attention in the first place.

Stewart Copeland didn’t get enough credit in The Police but his playing made the band what it was.

11. Jeff Porcaro (Toto)

Jeff started his musical journey at age 17, playing with Sonny and Cher before building an impressive resume that includes Steely Dan and Pink Floyd. His strict sense of timing, natural talent, and ability to always give the song what it needs makes him a master of his craft. On top of that, he has a remarkable command of shuffles.

In addition to his role as a sideman, Jeff was also part of the successful band Toto where he created classic drum parts for songs such as Rosanna, Hold The Line, and Africa.

Although he’s had the kind of musical career that other aspiring drummers can only aspire to, Jeff remained humble in his interviews. He told Rhythm magazine: “We all have our heroes that we set as our standard of what we strive for and deem as high-level playing. I don’t see myself as anywhere near the people I admire.”

10. Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

If you’re part of one of the most famous bands in history and considered a pioneer in your musical genre, then you know you’ve accomplished something great. Lars Ulrich is one of the most well-known drummers globally. He has many avid fans, as well as numerous critics.

Born in 1963 in Denmark, Lars Ulrich moved to the US as a teenager to pursue his professional tennis career and settled in California. Like his father and grandfather before him, both of whom were professional tennis players, he quickly dropped out to play drums instead. In 1981 he met James Hetfield with whom he formed the band Metallica. The rest, as they say, is history!

Metallica’s drummer, Lars Ulrich, was always one of the main forces behind the band’s success. They were pioneers in metal music, selling millions of records and becoming one of the most famous bands ever.

His well-known drumming techniques involve playing double-bass pedal and staying in sync with Hetfield’s rhythm guitar, a sound that later became Metallica’s defining trait.

9. Ringo Starr (The Beatles)

In 1983, British comedian Jasper Carrott said “Ringo isn’t the best drummer in the world,” he quipped. “He isn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles.”

The quip became fact among Beatles fans and was attributed to John Lennon. However, this popular belief was eventually debunked by none other than Beatles expert Mark Lewisohn. Despite this misattribution, the incident speaks volumes about how Ringo Starr is perceived by the general public: a non-musician who got lucky and happened to be part of a band with three musical geniuses.

This is complete and utter nonsense. Ringo was not only the funniest Beatle, but he was also the life and soul of those early press conferences. And not to mention, he was the best drummer in the Beatles and the best drummer for them.

To understand Ringo Starr’s talent, we need to remember that he didn’t have the same skillset as other drummers of his time. His beats were nowhere near as technical or clean as Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham.

And he certainly couldn’t match James Brown’s drummer, Clyde Stubblefield, for precision. But what Ringo did have was exactly what the Beatles needed: a sense of perfect timing and an ability to complement the band rather than overpower it with showy flourishes or over-tight playing.

8. Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)

Mitchell was the first drummer to successfully fuse jazz and rock together, setting a new standard for drummers everywhere. His work with Jimi Hendrix disrupted the status quo of what could be expected from a drummer. By working in tandem with bassist Noel Redding, Mitchell was able to create a unique sound that took elements of both jazz and rock to create something new entirely.

Over time, he formed a bond with Hendrix’s guitar playing that has never been duplicated. He quit the band in 1970 when Hendrix started working with Buddy Miles and after the guitarist died later that year, only played sporadically with Larry Coryell, Jack Bruce, and Terry Reid.

7. Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson)

Bill Bruford’s introduction to jazz started early on in his life. He had a few drum lessons with Lou Pocock of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1960s and officially began his professional career afterwards in 1968. From 1968-74, he was an international touring member of Yes and King Crimson as part of the British “Art Rock” movement .

Bill then spent several years studying how other bands, including Gong, National Health, Genesis and U.K., create music. He eventually felt confident enough to write and perform his own songs with Bruford. They recorded four albums from 1977-80.

King Crimson from 1980-84 was the first group to utilize electronics in order to develop percussion melodies, an idea that Bill Bruford ran with. After a short two year period where he played drums and piano alongside improvising Patrick Moraz, Bruford formed Earthworks in 1986 as a jazz group specifically focused on creating melody through electro-acoustics–an extension of his earlier work.

6. Carl Palmer (ELP)

Carl Palmer began as a jazz drummer during his early years, transitioned to rock in his teenage years, and shot to fame in the late ’60s after joining English progressive rock bands Atomic Rooster and the Crazy World Of Arthur Brown.

However, he solidified his place among drumming greats in the ’70s when he formed Emerson, Lake & Palmer—the first progressive rock supergroup. ELP’s debut album in 1970 was a mashup of pop-song melodies and classical structures that excited radio listeners and influenced many young prog musicians.

“Lucky Man” and “Knife Edge” were among the well-received songs, while drummer Carl Palmer got to shine with his solo performance of “Tank.” The band’s skillfulness combined with their dramatic flair made it easy for Palmer to stand out as an excellent drummer and performer.

5. Ian Paice (Deep Purple)

The only original Deep Purple member still in the band, Ian Paice, had a chance encounter that led him to join the famous group. He and Rod Evans played in a club band called Maze when they decided to audition for Deep Purple. Although Paice didn’t think he would have to play since there was already a drummer, Bobby Woodman, he joined his friend nonetheless.

“Fireball” from 1971, is remarkable for having the first double bass intro in a hard rock or heavy metal song. The title track starts off with Paice playing a drum part that likely influenced such iconic intros as Motorhead’s “Overkill” or Judas Priest’s “Painkiller.”

A lot of people miss this, but Ian Paice was one of the quickest drummers during his time. His singles could compete with Buddy Rich, and the velocity he achieved with one pedal rivals that Dave Lombardo. The most unbelievable part is that he kept up this same level of energy into his fifties before slowing down somewhat in his sixties.

4. Ginger Baker

Ginger Baker was a world-renowned drummer who combined his jazz training with a powerful polyrhythmic style to create the best power trio in history. With incredible talent and an explosive temper, Baker constantly clashed with his Cream bandmates Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton. However, he also introduced showmanship to the rock world with double-kick virtuosity and extended solos.

After Blind Faith broke up, Baker relocated to Nigeria for a few years in the seventies. “He understands the African beat more than any other Westerner,” declared Afrobeat co-creator Tony Allen.

Much like Keith Moon, Ginger Baker was renowned for his erratic behavior on stage and use of a double bass drum. He was also one of the first to develop the modern rock solo, as seen in Cream’s debut album with the track “Toad.”

3. Keith Moon (The Who)

Keith Moon was one of the original members of The Who and quickly became well-known for his explosive drumming style which included lightening speed and often ended with him destroying his whole drum set.

Keith was an early adopter of double bass drums, which lent his style more of a theatrical quality. According to bandmate John Entwistle, Keith approach playing the drums in a zigzag pattern rather than traditional linear fashion, giving him a sound that was both unique and often erratic.

On top of being a highly skilled drummer, Keith Moon was also known for his chaotic and often destructive behavior away from the stage. He spent his life battling addiction to drugs and alcohol, and tragically died at 32 after overdosing on Heminevrin, which is used to treated alcohol withdrawal. Even though he led a short life, many famous drummers cite Keith Moon as a major influence in their own careers.

2. Neil Peart (Rush)

Neil Peart’s bandmates saw an opportunity to act on their Who fandom when they heard him play during his 1974 audition. “We were so blown away by Neil’s playing,” guitarist Alex Lifeson said in an interview this year. “It was similar to Keith Moon. He was very active and hit his drums extremely hard.”

Peart would eventually be known for the complete opposite of what Moon represented: having the most precise and meticulously plotted percussion beats in rock history. As Rush’s more ambitious musical compositions began to surface in the 1970s, Peart also showed himself as an obsessive craftsman and wildly ambitious artist.

This was most evident in his fantastical lyrics, which often used objects not often used in rock music such as orchestra bells, temple blocks and timpani to flesh out his parts for songs such as “Xanadu” and “The Trees.” As the band advanced their sound in the 80s by releasing albums such as Moving Pictures, and transitioning to a more pop sound, Peart followed suit by exploring electronic percussion and taking inspiration from mainstream innovators like Stewart Copeland.

His performance on Clockworks Angels from 2012 demonstrates his best skills on record yet: a brilliant cohesion of strength and intellect. Even though he passed away, recently, his legend will live on as one of the most highly regarded live drummers in rock music history, especially famous for his solos that always manage to stop the show.

1. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)

John Bonham’s drumming on the first Led Zeppelin LP, from the very first track, completely changed rock music, forever. Years later, Jimmy Page was still astonished by how much “Good Times Bad Times,” with its unexpected bass-drum thuds, confused and impressed listeners, “Everyone assumed that Bonzo was using two bass drums because it sounded so good, but he only had one.”

That performance vigorously and precisely showed the extent of what Bonham could accomplish with his exquisite pounding before he died in 1980. At his most brutally primitive, he never dulled the blows, and at his most rhythmically exceptionally deft, he never once resorted to superfluous tricks. Every night on tour he managed to avoid both traps while playing “Moby Dick.”

Dave Grohl recalled his musical inspiration, “For years I listened to Bonham’s drums in my bedroom and tried to recreate his swing, behind-the-beat swagger, speed, or power. It wasn’t enough to just memorize what he did on those albums. I wanted to have the same instinctual direction.”

Many post-Bonham rock drummers sought out this course at some point or another in their career, the best of which were able to find their own grooves.

Conclusion

There you have it. Agree? Disagree? Go ahead and comment below.

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