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- Neil Peart. There’s never been a band quite like Rush, and there’s certainly never been a drummer quite like Neil Peart. Consider the reasoning and it’s clear to see why you have voted the Rush drummer as the definitive GOAT.
- John Bonham. Brace yourself. This is a poll of the greatest drummers of all time, and John Bonham isn’t number one. Surprising, given that Bonzo is widely celebrated as the absolute best by so many, and the evidence is all there.
- Buddy Rich. Drummer, innovator, band leader: to many, Buddy Rich is and always will be the definitive GOAT. Bursting to prominence during the golden age of jazz and big band, Buddy Rich had actually been performing in Broadway since he was a toddler, giving him the perfect grounding to shock the world with his speed around the kit, showmanship and ability to play complicated arrangements from memory (Buddy did not read music).
- Ginger Baker. As we approach the top of your rankings, there’s a theme emerging: many great drummers also had the personalities to match, and Ginger Baker was no exception.
- Christian Vander. You could say that French bandleader Christian Vander is among the top drummers not principally known first and foremost for drumming.
- Travis Barker. Blink-182's Travis Barker is one of the most famous drummers of the new millennium thanks to his hardcore sensibility, skater aesthetic, hip-hop energy, pop appeal and reality TV-ready baby face — not to mention his ease working with EDM superstars or rappers, and DJ-ing in his spare time.
- Steven Adler. Guns N' Roses' landmark debut, Appetite for Destruction, gets much of its swagger from the tense yet swinging beats of Steven Adler, the band's energetically goofy drummer.
- Cindy Blackman. In 1993, Blackman altered the course of her career, shifting from a Tony Williams–style jazz ace to an arena-playing rock star as a member of Lenny Kravitz's live band.
- Buddy Rich. Known for his power, energy, flawless technique, and his incredible hand speed, Buddy Rich is widely considered one of, if not the most, influential drummers of all time.
- Neil Peart. Neil Peart was the drummer for the progressive rock band Rush. During his career, he became one of the most recognized faces in the drumming world.
- John Bonham. John Bonham was one of the greatest rock drummers ever to live. He was known for being the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Bonham’s early influences were many of the jazz greats including Max Roach, Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich.
- Vinnie Colaiuta. Some refer to Vinnie Colaiuta as a chameleon in the music industry. From recording in the studio with Norah Jones and Megadeth to touring the world with Sting and Chick Corea, Vinnie Colaiuta truly does it all.
Oct 9, 2024 · 5. Buddy Rich (1917 – 1987) Buddy Rich is universally regarded as one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. Known for his work with big bands such as Tommy Dorsey and his own Buddy Rich Big Band, Rich’s drumming style was both powerful and precise.
- Gene Krupa
- Max Roach
- John Bonham
- Buddy Rich
- Keith Moon
- Neil Peart
- Alex Van Halen
- Ginger Baker
- Ringo Starr
- Phil Collins
Born in 1909, we have first up jazz drummer Gene Krupa. The man peaked in his career during the 1920s and ’30s, along with another drumming legend, Buddy Rich. In fact, the two often had quite the drumming showdown during the time. Krupa was also a great soloist. Among the many songs he drummed in, Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” is undoubtedly ...
Born in 1924 in North Carolina, drummer Maxwell Lemuel Roachwas one of the first drummers to play the jazz-inspired style known as bebop. He trained classic percussion for a time at the Manhattan School of Music before co-founding a record company and performing with big-name musicians and singers at the time, like Louis Armstrong and Dinah Washing...
If you love the fast, powerful beats of Led Zeppelin, then you most likely love the man behind the drums: John Bonham. Born in 1948, the English drummer was influenced by the above-mentioned Max Roach and brought his drumming skills to Led Zeppelin in 1968. In fact, Bonham’s drumming is considered legendary. He ranked at the very top of Classic Roc...
Let’s go back to classic jazz sounds with Buddy Rich, who was highly esteemed in the genre with his drumming skills. From Brooklyn, New York, Rich was already talented at the drums at the young age of two, and he only continued to improve his skill as he grew older. After a short stint in the US Marines, Rich started his own big band, sometimes kno...
The unconventional style of English drummer Keith Moon would land him the second spot on Rolling Stone‘s greatest drummer list, following John Bonham. He was one of the greatest strengths of the English rock band the Who. Moon’s drum kit is considered the biggest in all of rock, sometimes having as many as ten toms, six cymbals, and even a gong. No...
Known as the Professor to fans, we have rock band Rush’s lyricist and drummer extraordinaire, Neil Peart. His meticulously precise drumming gained him worldwide fame as one of the greats in the drumming scene. His distinctive solos are also well-known. During these performances, Peart often used exotic percussion instruments to up the sound, and th...
It seems as if the Van Halenfamily of the California rock band named after them is full of greats. Eddie is a legendary guitarist, and Wolfgang is too. Alex, as you might have already surmised, is the iconic drummer. Surprisingly, when they were younger, it was actually Eddie who played the drums and Alex on the guitar; however, Alex often practice...
Our next drummer had a unique blend of sound that made him iconic. Ginger Bakerwas known to fuse world music, jazz, and African rhythms—yes, you read that right—into his works, and fans loved it. Aside from this, Baker was one of the first drummers in rock history to use double bass drums rather than the conventional ones, and he is credited for st...
The Beatles is said to have led the British Invasion, and who brought the beat to their iconic songs is none other than Ringo Starr. Though he often thinks he’s just a regular off-beat drummer, Starr’s emphasis on feeling rather than the technicality of drumming is his best quality. Starr also influenced much of modern drumming techniques, particul...
Influenced by the above Ringo Starr, we have next Phil Collins, who is credited as one of the pioneers of prog rock drumming. The left-handed drummer was behind the beats of the English rock band Genesisfor part of the band’s earlier years before becoming their lead vocals in 1975. By this time, however, his fast playing and signature odd-time tech...
Sep 4, 2024 · Most divisive: Ringo Starr. Over 96.4K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of Greatest Drummers. The beat of a drum is the heartbeat of a song, especially when it's in the capable hands of the world's finest percussionists.
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Dec 27, 2023 · The 100 Best Drummers Of All Time. From kit-bludgeoning belters to dependable backbeat-riders and technically gifted geniuses, these are the best drummers the world has ever known.
