Tom Foster
The 50 greatest drummers of all-time have lent their skills to build up the backbone and beat of the greatest bands. Then again, some of them just love what they do and will jam anytime they feel like it.
Omar Hakim
There’s something that sets the greatest drummers apart, and sometimes it’s the age at which they start. Believe it or not, Omar started at age 5.
Carmine Appice
Carmine has managed to share the stage with some of the greatest musicians ever, such as Rod Stewart and Paul Stanley. But his most famous stint was with the band Vanilla Fudge.
Danny Seraphine
As the original drummer of Chicago, the band, not the city, Danny left his own legacy on the rock and roll genre. He did go on to work on his own project, California Transit Authority.
Bill Ward
It might be kind of odd to see Ward down this far on the list since he was a founding member of Black Sabbath. But there’s no shame in any position on such a list since these are the greatest drummers inm the history of rock up until this point.
Steve Smith
A lot of people perk up when someone mentions anyone who worked with the band Journey. Smith did manage to continue his career with several other great musicans as time went on.
Clyde Stubblefield
Imagine working with the likes of James Brown in your heyday. Even more interesting is that Clyde’s early inspirations came in the form of the trains and factories near his home that provided so many interesting, rhythmic noises.
Charlie Watts
One thing to note about a lot of the greatest drummers is that they didn’t all share the spotlight as much. But they did end up backing up a great sound, since it’s not just everyone who can play with the Rolling Stones.
Phil Rudd
Even if people don’t always know your name it’s great to know that you inspired a lot of other musicians that came later on. The AC/DC drummer helped to create some of the most iconic songs possible.
“Papa Jo” Jones
You can’t leave out jazz drummers when talking about this role since they have their own skill set. A guy who played with Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald is worth mentioning.
Danny Carey
It’s amazing to learn how young some of these drummers started. Danny began banging away on the drums at age 10 and ended up being the drummer for Tool.
Carter Beauford
How many musicians can say that they were performing by the age of 9? His family was a huge reason why this happened, but as he continued to move forward his skill only increased.
Ginger Baker
It’s interesting how people see themselves sometimes, isn’t it? Ginger was lauded as a rock drummer, but he considered himself a jazz drummer.
Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson
When you start your nickname with a symbol it does indicate that you’re a little eccentric. But Ahmir has managed to live up to the hype.
Cindy Blackman Santana
The fun thing about being a musician is that it’s not just a man’s world. Cindy made her bones performing with the likes of Carlos Santana and Lenny Kravitz, among other musicians.
Jim Keltner
The list of people that Jim has worked with during his career is too extensive to easily list. But with thousands of albums to his credit it’s easy to say that he’s one of the greatest drummers ever.
Roy Haynes
Jazz drumming is easily its own animal since while it’s much like rock drumming, it’s still unique. Plus, anyone who had the opportunity to work with Miles Davis, well, that’s a cool cat.
Jeff Porcaro
It’s fair to think that a lot of people these days don’t remember Toto. But that’s not where Jeff’s career ended since he went on to work with several other notable artists.
Carl Palmer
The speed and technical work that Palmer laid down has made him a memorable drummer. He’s managed to perform with plenty of skilled individuals, but it’s fair to say that a lot of people don’t remember his name.
Art Blakey
Does anyone remember The Jazz Messengers? He was the leader and founder of the group, but he did work with several other people over the course of his career.
Roger Taylor
When you think of the drum work that Queen depended on so much, Roger Taylor should be the first person you think of. Without his sick beats it’s fair to think that Queen might not have been as popular.
“Philly Joe” Jones
As I said above, anyone who had the chance to play with Miles Davis is just flat out cool. Plus, his own style was something that would be imitated and copied years later, so you know he was great in his time.
Louie Bellson
It seems that as impressive as the greatest drummers are, some of them are in another league. Louis started playing the drums at age 3 and went on to work with several famous names as he made his way into the history books.
Jack DeJohnette
The list of people who played with Miles Davis is fairly long, but several of them stand a little taller than others. One of the feathers in Jack’s cap is the fact that he also played with Santana.
Dave Grohl
If you’re a 90s kid then you know who Dave Grohl was. Nirvana was his staging ground, but Foo Fighters became his legacy.
Peter Erskine
The ability to adapt is, for many musicians, a necessary skill. Given that he started playing age 4 he had plenty of time to learn.
Dave Weckl
The greatest drummers are going to stand out as an inspiration to those who are still learning the skill. Given his resume, Dave is a perfect role model for drummers who want to reach the heights.
Ian Paice
Starting out at the age of 15 sounds like an average age, but there’s nothing average about any of the drummers on this list. That’s especially true when realizing who Ian worked with for so long.
Terry Bozzio
It does feel as though someone would have to be versatile to work with someone like Frank Zappa. But it does sound as though Terry kept it up and made it work in a great way.
Mitch Mitchell
Learning jazz early in his career was a big up for Mitch. Not only did a lot of musicians cite him as an influence, but he developed an understanding of jazz that a lot of people still don’t get.
Levon Helm
Levon has a lot of other skills that he displayed throughout his career. Not only that, but he managed to work with Bob Dylan. That alone is pure awesome.
David Garibaldi
Some people might not realize it, but there are a lot of different styles of drumming. As one of the greatest drummers who took up funk, David is an honored member of the drumming community.
Bill Bruford
Each of the greatest drummers in the world has managed to contribute something to the music they’ve played. Bruford has left a legacy that many people still cite when they reach a certain level.
Joe Morello
It’s fair to state that Joe isn’t known to every music fan since he did take on a niche that not everyone listened to. But the fact remains that he’s still one of the greatest drummers of all time.
Keith Moon
Keith Moon was a common name back in the 60s and 70s without a doubt. Being wild and unpredictable on stage has that kind of effect at times.
Gene Krupa
As one of the first drum soloists to take on the challenge of making the drum its own instrument, Krupa is legendary. It’s a smart move to give a shout out to this man since he helped to develop the modern day drum set.
Phil Collins
People across several generations know Phil Collins since his musical gifts have been spread far and wide. He can do serious and intense but he can also do playful and vibrant.
Dennis Chambers
It does sound as though Santana takes on a lot of different musicians to work with. But one has to remember he only picks the best, which speaks highly of Dennis.
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie
Just take a guess how many albums Purdie has appeared on, and you’ll probably be way too low. Think of it, this guy has been a part of over 4,000 albums.
Elvin Jones
The soloist ideas that Jones came up with were revolutionary in their time. His time as a member of the John Coltrane Quartet is how people know him best.
Hal Blaine
Hal stands out as one of the most recorded drummers in the history of music. The names he worked with, such as Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and many others, make this drummer an absolute legend.
Stewart Copeland
Drummers need to be precise and creative, and Copeland was both. Ever hear of The Police. Thank Copeland for that one.
Max Roach
You can’t neglect the older eras, like the Swing era back in the 30s. After all, Roach is one of the many who helped to pioneer drumming so that others could follow.
Billy Cobham
Every drummer has some type of contribution to give. Cobham’s idea to turn the china cymbal upside down was unique for its time.
Ringo Starr
You can’t really talk about The Beatles without bringing up Ringo Starr. Like so many other artists there are tracks that he helped to make iconic in a few ways.
Steve Gadd
Think about a career that lasts for 40 years, that you love. That helps to explain Gadd’s time on the music scene in a rudimentary way.
Tony Williams
When you start performing with some of the best before you’re legally allowed to drink, you know you’re good. Williams ended up playing with several famous musicians, creating a career that many would follow.
Vinnie Colaiuta
It’s amazing to think of the range that Vinnie has had in his career, since he could play for heavy metal and easy listening alike. That’s the kind of skill you don’t see that often.
John Bonham
To many fans there is such a thing as music royalty, and Bonham was easily a part of it. His time with Led Zeppelin immortalized him in the industry.
Neil Peart
Pushing boundaries is what the greatest musicians of all time are meant to do. Peart became known for his place in the band Rush, and his beats were some of the most recognizable in the world at one time.
Buddy Rich
A great drummer has power, speed, technical skills, energy, and the type of technique that others want to follow. Rich had everything he need and much more to become a legend, everything else was just icing on this hard-rocking cake.