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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 of all time here. Although many of the top drummers in history are 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 best drummers in the world, one way or the other.
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Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer and... more on Wikipedia11,0653,830
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Neil Ellwood Peart (September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian musician and writer... more on Wikipedia18,5767,8563
John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician and songwriter,... more on Wikipedia16,4078,0494
Daniel Edwin Carey (born May 10, 1961) is an American drummer and instrumentalist best known... more on Wikipedia14,1006,8475
Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, band... more on Wikipedia5,0632,3116
Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band... more on Wikipedia9,3896,3947
Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session... more on Wikipedia2,9961,6348
Cozy Powell (Born Colin Trevor Flooks) (29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock... more on Wikipedia2,9541,4639
John Graham Mitchell (9 July 1946 – 12 November 2008) was an English drummer and former child... more on Wikipedia3,0652,16110
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (born 19 August 1939) is an English drummer and a founder of the... more on Wikipedia6,3394,60511
Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro (; April 1, 1954 – August 5, 1992) was an American drummer, songwriter,... more on Wikipedia2,1351,50212
David Lombardo (born February 16, 1965) is a Cuban-American drummer, best known as a... more on Wikipedia3,8012,71513
Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and... more on Wikipedia3,2272,40014
Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician and composer. He was... more on Wikipedia5,9234,45815
Roger Andrew Taylor (born 26 April 1960) is an English musician, best known as the drummer of... more on Wikipedia2,5891,50916
Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who is the current drummer... more on Wikipedia3,4192,55217
Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and... more on Wikipedia1,6341,19418
Nicholas Berkeley Mason, (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer, best known as a... more on Wikipedia3,3622,56619
William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian-American jazz drummer who came... more on Wikipedia2,2711,74220
Carter Anthony Beauford (born November 2, 1958, in Charlottesville, Virginia) is an American... more on Wikipedia2,3041,72121
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer (born 20 March 1950) is an English drummer and percussionist,... more on Wikipedia2,8952,25022
Michael John Kells Fleetwood (born 24 June 1947) is a British musician and actor, best known... more on Wikipedia2,7672,08923
Jason John Bonham (born 15 July 1966) is an English drummer. He is the son of the late Led... more on Wikipedia1,12067524
Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American drummer and songwriter primarily... more on Wikipedia6,0394,92725
William Thomas Ward (born 5 May 1948) is an English musician and visual artist, best known as... more on Wikipedia3,0302,400
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