The Best Drummers of All Time Bands/Musicians

The Best Drummers of All Time

original ranker MATTJG  57,294 views 265 items 95 followers
Who is the greatest drummer ever? This is a list of the best drummers of all time, voted on and ranked by music lovers worldwide. Add your own list or vote on the greatest drummers here. Although many of the top drummers in history are inarguably rock drummers, this list is not restricted to just rock music. It covers all genres, so feel free to add anyone you think is missing.

Need some ideas for the best drummers of all time? Check out this list of the best female drummers -- many of them are outstanding and certainly worthy of inclusion here.

Debate about who is truly the best drummer ever can get heated. Once you start looking at the legendary drummers like John Bonham, Neil Peart, Keith Moon and Buddy Rich, well, it's hard to rank one over the other. Many of the drummers listed here are also singers and songwriters, and some are/were band leaders as well. If you need examples, check out this list of the best singing drummers for inspiration.

What made these famous drummers so amazing? An incredible sense of time and meter, for one thing. But it's more than just technical prowess: It's an overall presence, as well. Being a drummer is about skill, first and foremost, but it's also about showmanship, particularly in the rock genre. Disagree? That's totally fine. Just make sure you vote on these drummers, one way or the other.
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Rank     Name
  1. 1
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Folk rock More
  2. 2
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    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Heavy metal More
  3. 3
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Pop rock More
  4. 4
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    Jazz, Swing, Bebop More
  5. 5
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    Rock music, Progressive rock, Jazz fusion More
  6. 6
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
  7. 7
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    Hard rock, Jazz fusion, Blues-rock More
  8. 8
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    Rock music, Progressive rock, New Wave More
  9. 9
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    Jazz, Swing, Dixieland More
  10. 10
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    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Heavy metal More
  11. 11
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    Progressive rock, Jazz fusion, Heavy metal More
  12. 12
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    Rock music, Jazz, New Wave More
  13. 13
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    Hard rock, Jazz fusion, Heavy metal
  14. 14
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    Rock music, Pop music, Psychedelic rock More
  15. 15
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    Rock music, Progressive rock, Jazz fusion More
  16. 16
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    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Heavy metal More
  17. 17
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
  18. 18
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    Alternative rock, Pop rock, New Wave
  19. 19
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    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Psychedelic rock More
  20. 20
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Jazz fusion More
  21. 21
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    Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Funk
  22. 22
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    Rock music, Blues-rock, Blues
  23. 23
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    Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan

  24. 24
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    Progressive rock, Jazz fusion, Pop rock
  25. 25
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    Hard rock, Progressive rock, Heavy metal More
  26. 26
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Blues-rock More
  27. 27
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
  28. 28
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
  29. 29
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Blues-rock More
  30. 30
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Black metal More
  31. 31
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
  32. 32
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Thrash metal More
  33. 33
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    Heavy metal, Thrash metal, Glam metal More
  34. 34
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    Alternative rock, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
  35. 35
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    Thrash metal, Progressive metal, Instrumental rock More
    added by: Mentor_rm9
  36. 36
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Hard rock More
  37. 37
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Jazz fusion More
  38. 38
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    Jazz fusion, Pop music, Jazz
  39. 39
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    Rock music, Popular music, Jazz
  40. 40
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    Alternative rock, Progressive rock, Drum and bass More
  41. 41
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
    added by: LarryHolland
  42. 42
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    Rock music, Jazz fusion, Rhythm and blues More
    added by: JamesA.Miles
  43. 43
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    Hard rock, Pop rock, Soft rock More
  44. 44
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    Jazz
  45. 45
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, House music More
  46. 46
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    Rock music, Hard rock, Progressive rock More
  47. 47
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    Alternative rock, Rock music, Heavy metal More
  48. 48
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    Rock music, Rockabilly, Rock and roll More
    added by: JamesA.Miles
  49. 49
    Up 30
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    Alternative rock, Hard rock, Heavy metal More
  50. 50
    Up 31
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    Hard rock, Heavy metal, Punk rock More
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    1. Matt
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 6/01/2012 7:20 PM
      Why is the Rev on this list. The Rev doesn't even deserve to be on here. I don't get why all these kids think he is the best drummer, listen to some of these other drummers, he doesn't compare. Neil is the greatest drummer of all time. The best Heavy metal drummer is Lars, enough said.
    2. Richard
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 3/03/2012 11:59 PM
      where is eric carr of the 80's lineup of KISS?
    3. james
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 3/02/2012 1:49 PM
      wheres jimmy the rev sullivan?
    4. unbelievable
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 2/28/2012 9:37 AM
      Lars Ulrich in the top 40? Ringo Starr in the top 20?? LOL
    5. dave5544
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 2/11/2012 12:26 PM
      Albert Bouchard drummer of Blue Oyster Cult, wrote most of the songs from Tyranny and Mutation 1973. Dynamite song is track 8, Mistress of the Salmon Salt, only missing some more Cowbell.
    6. eltrut
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 2/05/2012 11:31 PM
      WTF....Ringo Starr is on this list? Are you effin' kidding me? This is a joke, right?
    7. Rooky
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 1/14/2012 9:11 AM
      I've looked at a lot of these lists... Where is Jimmy Sullivan? anyone ever notice that "double bass ride thing" he did? Amazing. Totally agree with John Bonham being #1 tho.
    8. druss300
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 1/13/2012 8:04 AM
      where's Buddy Miles?
    9. Toolnut
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 11/25/2011 7:46 AM
      Where's Neil?
    10. krowten
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 11/16/2011 7:41 AM
      um... the late richie hayward of little feat? no one cut time as idiosyncratically as richie.
    11. bobm839
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 11/15/2011 4:20 AM
      where is Albert Bouchard?
    12. subvertex
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 9/27/2011 1:43 PM
      Is there seriously no Phil Rudd in this list?
    13. DarthKarl
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 9/05/2011 9:51 AM
      It's a joke having Beauford that high. The fanboys must have raided this list
    14. rafa
      The Best Drummers of All Time at 5/29/2011 5:24 PM
      deen castronovo 68? scott travis 89?

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