Silhouette of a drummer on stage
Silhouette of a drummer on stage (Photo by Osarugue Igbinoba on Unsplash)
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Best Drummers Of All Time: Top 5 Sticks Musicians, According To Music Experts

October 12, 2023
by Winston McDaniel

The best drummers of all time have left an indelible mark on the world of music with their unparalleled skill, creativity, and rhythmic innovation. From the thundering beats of John Bonham of Led Zeppelin to the intricate, jazz-infused patterns of Buddy Rich, these drummers have set the bar for technical prowess and musicality. Their contributions span various genres and eras, showcasing the enduring influence of their percussive talents on the global music landscape.

That low, powerful thumping you hear pulsating through every rock song known to man is all thanks to whoever sits behind the drums. It may not be outwardly noticeable, but it’s so important. In fact, a recent study reveals that it really is all about that bass when it comes to filling the dance floor. Researchers from McMaster University found that people danced almost 12 percent more when a very low-frequency bass was playing.

It takes a special musician to conquer the drums. Their minds are even altered as a result of playing. New research discovered that playing the drums does indeed change one’s brain structure; drummers’ motor brain areas are organized more efficiently, and also appear to have fewer than normal, but also thicker, connecting fibers between the two halves of the brain.

Their dance worthy beats, and intricate brain patterns are just the beginning when it comes to the kings of the sticks. StudyFinds set out to do the research for you, visiting 10 expert websites to put together this list of the best drummers of all time. If you’ve got your own suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!

The List: Best Drummers of All Time, According to Experts

1. John Bonham – Led Zeppelin

Best known as the drummer for Led Zeppelin, John Bonham’s powerful and innovative drumming style set the standard for rock drummers for decades to come. “Bonzo, as he was affectionately known, was renowned for his fast, loud and heavy drum sound, together with his incredible kick drum play. He was the powerhouse that underpinned the heavy metal sound but his playing was much more intricate than that, and that’s why he’s still seen as the world’s best ever drummer,” mentions Redditch Standard.

John Bonham on the drums in Toronto 1969
John Bonham on the drums in Toronto 1969 (ledzeppelin.com)

“Powerful drumming, is synonymous with Bonham. It’s especially obvious in songs like ‘Dazed And Confused’, ‘Rock And Roll’ and ‘In My Time Of Dying’. Don’t get us wrong, though: Bonham wasn’t just about playing heavy. He still had discipline and gave the music what it needed, whether it was a booming tom part or something more nuanced,” says Drumeo.

Drum Magazine talks about his legacy, “It’s been 30 years since the tragic news broke from Jimmy Page’s Mill House, in Pangbourne, Berkshire. The memory of John Bonham, fueled by fact and fantasy, has since grown to become legend. But the reality is, Bonham was every bit as good as they say. He was the man with the golden groove, the sensational chops, and that great, big sound.”

2. Neil Peart – Rush

The late drummer of the Canadian rock band Rush, Neil Peart was known for his technical skill and complex drumming patterns. He was also a prolific lyricist and considered one of the greatest drummers in rock history.

Neil Peart on the drums 1979
Neil Peart on the drums 1979 (“Neil Peart” by Steve Selwood is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)

“He was a key member of the rock band Rush. The band became massive over the years, and so did Neil Peart’s drumming. Neil Peart had an amazing sense of musicality behind the kit, and he was so accurate whenever playing complicated drum parts for Rush songs,” says The Drum Ninja.

Rolling Stone mentions, simply, “Peart, one-third of the Toronto band Rush, was one of the world’s most worshipped drummers, unleashing his unearthly skills upon rotating drum kits that grew to encompass what seemed like every percussive possibility within human invention.”

Damson Global recants his career: “Neil was without a doubt one of the best drummers of all time. It’s possible he could be number one but we just feel that position is well held by its current incumbent. Peart drew so much inspiration from the leading British drummers (British drummers really are the best!) yet he sandwiches himself in between two of them. You can hear in much of Peart’s style how he drew inspiration from the best drummers of previous generations (Ginger). Peart also didn’t let competition turn into jealousy as he drew inspiration from greats that were competing with Billboard chart-topping at that time (Copeland). It’s because of this that we move Neil above both of them.”

3. Buddy Rich

Buddy Rich was a jazz drummer who was widely regarded as one of the best in the world. He had incredible speed and precision, and his solos are still studied and admired by drummers today. “Buddy Rich has been called the greatest jazz drummer of all time—a statement that few would argue with,” says Modern Drummer, “Today Buddy Rich is remembered as one of history’s greatest musicians. According to another great jazz drumming legend, Gene Krupa, Rich was ‘the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath.'”

Buddy Rich on the drums in 2010
Buddy Rich on the drums (“jazz-festival654-buddy-rich” by frankkeillor is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.)

Electronic Drum Advisor broke down Buddy’s style: “He would master both sheer and delicate approaches to the kit, although he was best known for his powerful and intricate drumming. One of his trademarks was the ability to play at a very high speed and the vast use of hi-hats rather than bass drums. He had many more tricks up his sleeve, designed to impress the audience and to offer a great variety of sounds and layers during solos. One of these tricks was the one-handed roll, quite difficult to master even at slower tempos. Another trademark of his playing style was the use of a matched grip on floor toms during cross-sticking solos. He also had an irreproachable style with brushes.”

There was always his speed, “Buddy Rich did not just start drumming because others were doing it and it was beneficial, he loved and lived to drum. And for this reason, Rich had a technique that has remained unrivaled for all these years. No one can drum as fast as the rich could,” says Zero to Drum.

4. Keith Moon – The Who

Known as the drummer for The Who, Keith Moon was known for his wild and unconventional drumming style. He was a showman on stage and his explosive playing helped define the sound of The Who. “Moon was, quite possibly, the most sensational drummer in rock history, even if he never thought of himself as just the drummer in a rock ’n’ roll rhythm section. He wasn’t support; Moon thought what he played with The Who was ‘lead drums,'” says Best Classic Bands.

His legacy was talked about in Rolling Stone, “Moon was the first to be so celebrated as a drummer. Right from the beginning, as a seventeen-year-old who could have passed for fifteen without trouble. Moon trashed the limits that the best of his contemporaries – Charlie Watts, Hal Blaine, Kenny Buttrey – instinctively respected. There seemed to be no conscious arrogance or musical ambition involved: Moon simply didn’t recognize those limits. He didn’t hear them, so he didn’t play them.”

The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media beats along with Moon, “Self-described as the greatest drummer in the world, Moon hated rote rock drumming and repetition, in general. Serving as the inspiration for Animal of the Muppets, he gained a reputation for smashing hotel rooms as hard as his drum kits. Not the greatest reputation to have, but he owned it. He was even known for flushing explosives! Moon was as much a performance artist as he was a drummer. He tried to play with everyone in the band at once, making his breaks melodic, and he fit drum rolls into places they had never gone before.”

5. Stewart Copeland – The Police

The drummer for The Police, Stewart Copeland, brought a unique blend of punk, reggae, and jazz influences to his drumming. His unconventional rhythms and use of percussion helped shape the sound of The Police and influenced many drummers in the decades to come.

Stewart Copeland on drums
Stewart Copeland on drums (“Stewart Copeland” by Philippe Agnifili is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.)

His style is anything but ordinary, “His style combines reggae, jazz, Arabic music, Latin, and punk rock, which gives him a unique rhythmic sound. For example, unlike most pop or rock drummers, he won’t wait until the end of 8 or 16 bars to add in a fill or chop,” says Drumeo.

Music Radar mentions, “Copeland was the icing on the cake with his fresh and original approach to the drums. Stewart has long ago moved beyond that era, re-establishing himself as an in-demand television and film scorer. He has also gained respect as an orchestral composer, writing operas and symphonic compositions.”

There was one part of Copeland’s style that resonated with Record Drum Online when they said, “I don’t know any other drummer who, before Stewart Copeland, had the brilliant idea of using delay effects on their drums with such deceptive results. Check out the infamous ‘Walking on the Moon’ (especially after 3.14..he goes absolutely nuts!) and the intro of ‘Regatta de Blanc’. Also, on ‘The Other Way Of Stopping’ if you like delay on toms.”

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Sources:

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.

 

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Comments

  1. This is hilarious. Any list of great/influential drummers that does not list Gene Krupa as number one is a joke. He literally invented modern drumming and the composition of the drum kit. His solo work established the drum kit as a solo instrument. Listen to his Carnegie Hall live performance of Sing Sing Sing and compare it to these hacks (Rich excepted) and make another list.
    Except for Buddy Rich, this list of inconsequential musicians has to be written by some kid with a rock and roll fixation. Both Moon and Bonham, during their lifetimes were not considered much more than goofy wildmen with alchohol and drug issues. For some reason, in the last 5 years or so, they have been promoted to the ranks of immortal geniuses.
    Wait about 10 years when the generation that idolized them as stoner teens starts to die out and 4 of these drummers will not appear on any list of great drummers

    1. Ignorantly Louie Bellson was not even considered who is equally on par with Buddy Rich. Listen to Bellson’s drum solo with Duke Ellington; Skin Deep, 1939. Rich and Bellson are the tops.

      1. I got buddy # 1 by a long way .Buddy’s speed on singles was a big step above Krupa and Bellson .As far as a new tier for rock drumming , Bonham and Appice started the movement , but plenty of new guys out there have passed those guys skills in the last few yrs .Elvin Jones was a beast , and today Chris Coleman is outstanding, but don’t forget Billy Cobham

    2. I totally agree was
      Gene krupa was tremendous I saw him as a kid!
      How about Billy Cobb ham about Ginger baker
      I’m so sick a Neal Peart.

    3. Agreed my father spoke very highly of Gene along with Louie Bellson and Ed Shaunessy. Please excuse if misspelled 🤔

    5. 100% agree with the comment above. This list is composed by a school boy, or someone not much older. Gene Krupa is number one, followed by Buddy Rich. I don’t think Bonham, Moon or Peart were any better than German session musician (and Martin Miller’s drummer) Felix Lehmann.

    6. Mitch Mitchell? Billy Cobham? Hampton? Krupa? Zac Starkey trained by Keith Moon? Dave Grohl? Taylor Hawkins? Chad Smith? And on and on! But 32nds with the feet Lang, from Germany is really special and nobody knows the guy? They are all the best in my eyes. And ears.

    7. 1) Buddy Rich, 2) Krupa, 3) Moon, 4) Danny Carey, 5) Martin Atkins. I saw Cobham; he sweated a lot. I saw Rush; whatever. You quote a lot of people & places; needless. The Allman Brothers had great drummers; Paulie Ferguson of KJ is very talented. You know very little & yes, I saw the Police in a small club. Stewart was very good; not great and yes, I am an average drummer with great taste.

    9. Are you kidding me? This is not the 70s. Anymore. And moon and bonahm were great drummers. In fact musicians period is a hard thing to rate some one by because everyone has their own style. And also music had evolved over the years. Since the new millinium you got drummers like Joey Jordison who was unbelievable on drums. Totally different style tho. Moon and bonahm would probably not be considered great drummers if they came out today. Alot of bein a great drummer is complimenting the song at hand and not doin to much and stayin in time. But to say they sucked is just dumb honestly. May not be your cup of tea but you should at least give credit where it is due. Thats all

      1. Neil Peart and Buddy Rich could run circles around John Bonham…. Bonham should have been number three or four……Keith Moon could only play with the Who He was taylor-made for them…. Copeland’s a very interesting drummer I like his style…..

    10. Haha what cracks me up is that somewhere lars is crying on his belly, screaming and yelling for Daddy to buy him the latest drumworks hardware. And probably a tennis racket.

    15. Couldn’t agree more, what a joke list. Any list of drummers that gets to two and doesn’t include Nick Mason is a joke.

  3. GM. How are you doing today? My name is Jimmy. I’m a resident of the town called Richmond Hill, Ontario, located in Canada. Just wanted to ask you why there were no mentions of Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, John Densmore, Bill Bruford and Nick Mason. Thanks again for your time. Take care. Signed, Jimmy.

    1. I look at these lists and it doesn’t matter if it’s top 5, 10 or 20…the Great Paul Thompson was called that for a reason, and he is never mentioned !

  4. What a limited lame list. These are good rock drummers but you left out so many. I guess you felt like you had to throw at least one jazz drummer in there. Shame you left out Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, Chad Wackerman, Gary Husband etc etc ….

    2. Indeed, I was just about to say that, Billy Cobham, an amazing musician and composer of jazz, jazz fusion,funk, among many other music styles. Bill Bruford,
      another amazing drummer left out of the list.Ian Pace,
      Carl Palmer from ELP.

  5. There is comment under a photograph above which states ‘Buddy Rich on the drums in 2010’. FYI The legend that was Buddy Rich died in 1987. His spirit & influence lives on.

    My favourite 5 drummers in no particular order are as follows:

    Mitch Mitchell
    Keith Moon
    Alan Wren
    Richard Starkey
    Buddy Rich

  7. Saw Buddy Rich a couple times live. The GREATEST I’ve ever seen. He actually played a solo on a chair. I’m sure he could play a wine glass if he wanted to.
    Love that man.

    Scott Pope
    Toledo,Oh.

    1. Everybody must be young. Chick Webb far better than anybody on list. Ellington thought so!

  10. This list included Buddy Rich? And I saw in the comments someone mentioned Gene Krupa? Really?? Give me a break! I really love Bonham and Copeland as drummers from rock music specifically. You could also include the drummer from Yes and old Hinger when it comes to rock music. But if I’m going to compile a list of greatest drummers in history none of these aforementioned guys would have ever made the list!!! Now if you had a list that said Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Philly Joe Jones or Jimmy Cobb then we’d have something to discuss. But none of the musicians that you have mentioned here in this article wouldn’t be allowed to hold the drum sticks for the 5 drummers that I just listed!! And there are several more drummers that I could’ve listed here to be perfectly honest.

    1. Glad you mention Max Roach. But how about Art Blakey, who was out of the same jazz era as Roach? This list maker indeed knows nothing outside of rock. Tut-tut. Shameful.

    1. These lists are usually so dumb- while these 5 are notable- they’re not notable for being the best drummers- as a drummer myself it’s ludicrous to even put some of these names up against the likes of Vinny Coluita, Steve Gadd, Ian Pace, Narada Michael Waldon, Billy Cobham,Mitch Mitchell, and true technicians like Dave Weckl, Virgil Donati, Mike Portnoy, Mike Mangini, Marco Minneman, Kieth Carlock, Stanton Moore….. and SO many more..

      2. I completely agree, I like Rush and I’ve always loved Buddy Rich, but these lists should really be titled…

        “My favorite drummers right now”

        And I do not believe people that make these lists listen to anything out of the mainstream norms. Which is fun, but it is frustrating that the truly gifted musicians don’t get the credit they deserve.

  12. I hate these “the best list”. There are so many great drummers with their own styles. There is only one Steve Gadd, only one Jack Dejohnette, Tony Williams etc. etc……….

  15. Wow. No Carl Palmer?? Ian Paice?? Bill Bruford?? All on list are great drummers but Copeland and Moon would be in a Top 10 or 20 IMO

  16. There is only one…KEITH MOON…creative…pocket…emotional…songbound…showman…everything for someone…who expects more than very good drumming…simply revolutionary..hear and love….OVERTURE…from Tommy…..all the best…and…keep on drumming

  17. Buddy’s list and Gene’s list would have included Chick Webb, Jo Jones, and Big Sid Catlett. Many other great drummers in the founding era–Bellson, Cozy Cole, Dave Tough–would be on their lists most likely but the first three were conclusive! As for this list: Buddy ain’t finishing third–to ANYBODY! I also saw a list of 20 on which he finished… FIFTH. How can you take these people seriously?

  19. Hmm, there are many great drummers that have not been included, two notables are Ginger Baker and Carl Palmer

    I think a list of 5 is just so hard to get right and is really a personal opinion

  20. If you stop and really listen to Neil Peart you will understand how much a genius he was. The list I don’t agree with,
    Peart
    Rich
    Bonham
    Krupa
    Palmer
    If you read the top 25 greatest drummers a year ago they put Ringo in the top 10, sorry but no, just my opinion

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