Top 25 Rock Drummers

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bookslover

Puritan Board Doctor
Someone on a website (New Arena, I think?) posted his list of the top 25 rock drummers:

Here's the top 10:

John Bonham
Neil Peart
Ginger Baker
Charlie Watts
Bill Bruford
Keith Moon
Stewart Copeland
Mitch Mitchell
Ian Paice
Ringo Starr

And the rest:

Dave Grohl
Mike Portnoy
Max Weinberg
Maureen "Moe" Tucker
Terry Bozzio
Danny Carey
Jeff Porcaro
Tommy Aldridge
Roger Taylor
Chad Smith
Jane Weiss
Carmen Appice
Phil Collins
Tommy Lee
Alex Van Halen

I'm surprised that Collins and Van Halen couldn't do better than 23rd and 25th, respectively.

A couple of comments said: "Where's Carl Palmer?"

Ringo should have been in the top 5.
 
"Where is Carl Palmer?" was my first thought. I grew up on ELP and the percussion was a key part of the sound.
 
John Bonham is the reason I became a drummer. Not the best drummer in the world, but certainly one of the best rock drummers. Definitely revolutionized the art.

My favorite drummer of any genre: Steve Gadd.

I also find it very strange that Steve Smith is not in the list. He should at least be top five. A very skilled drummer, not to mention trained at Berklee.
 
No list is complete without Levon Helm, Micky Hart, or Bill Kreutzmann. Period.

Sent from my SM-G977U using Tapatalk
 
I wouldn't know much about what distinguishes drum talent at that level but the guys on that list that have stood out to me with the "wow factor" when listening are Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy.

I am surprised to see Alex Van Halen on that list. I've been a massive VH fan in the past but his over-reliance on cymbals at times tends to interfere with the vocals and guitar to my ears.
 
"Ringo isn't even the best drummer in The Beatles.” John Lennon

That said, Ringo was consistent and that suited The Beatles well.
 
I agree that Bill Ward should probably be in the Top 10, maybe Top 5. He's criminally underrated, especially regarding his work on the first few records. Watch "War Pigs" from the Paris 1970 show and tell me he shouldn't be near the very top.

The previous poster may have a point about Alex Van Halen's over reliance on the cymbals at times. Regardless, Sammy Hagar said that Alex Van Halen was a great drummer back when he was drunk all the time (which was during the DLR years and at least the first record with Hagar) and that he was still good when he got sober, (circa 1988?) but more conservative. He should probably be docked points for his use of electronic drums in the mid-80s.

Cozy Powell and Dave Lombardo (if I can include him w/o being thrown off the board) should be on the list. Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy) also tends to be underrated.
 
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