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10 Greatest Drummers of All Time

Da-dum-da-dum. Drum rolls! These greatest drummers of all time have breathed life into our tunes. With drumsticks, they have turned regular beats into classic symphonies. The likes of Bonham brought stamina to the drumming scene.

Furthermore, Peart is another all-time great in the drumming space. He brought sophisticated playing and fused it with heartwarming lyrics. Better yet, Buddy Rich’s speed was unparalleled. More names earn the slot for the greatest drummers of all time. Check out the achievements of these drumming maestros below.

Here are the 10 Greatest Drummers of All Time.

1. John Bonham

This English drumming legend is remembered for contributing to the Led Zeppelin rock band’s sound. His finesse was brought out by his unique skills and strong stamina which made him achieve complex tasks.

He began drumming in 1967 with the Band of Joy. He later moved to The Yardbirds band and finally settled with Led Zeppelin. His outstanding skill is evident in Led Zeppelin’s songs like Good Times, Bad Times, Moby Dick, Four Sticks, The Ocean, and In My Time Of Dying.

England is credited as Bonham’s origin where he was born on 31 May 1948. He passed away in England at the age of 32 years on 25 September 1980. His death was a result of choking on his vomit while asleep after indulging in about forty shots of vodka. One of the band members found him dead the next morning. The band was disbanded in his respect.

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2. Neil Peart

He is respected as a Canadian-American drummer who doubled as the main lyricist for the Canadian rock band Rush. His sophisticated playing and heartfelt lyrics make him one of the greatest drummers of all time. His efforts saw him receive a Modern Drummer Hall of Fame induction in 1983.

Peart started his drumming journey in hard rock but later added components of jazz to his act. His lyrics for the Rush band cut across different themes. From science fiction, fantasy, philosophical, libertarian, and humanitarian subjects. He also published memoirs inspired by his travels.

Rush achieved commercial success in the 1970s with albums like Fly by Night (1975), Hemispheres (1978), Grace Under Pressure (1984), and Counterparts (1993). Also, Snakes & Arrows (2007) as well as Clockwork Angels (2012).

The drumming icon retired from his craft in 2015. In 2018, the band disbanded because of Peart’s ill health. He was born in Canada on September 12, 1952, and succumbed to cancer at 67 years in California on January 7, 2020.

3. Keith Moon

The English drumming great was famed for playing with the rock band, The Who. He was born on 23 August 1946 in London and his career in drumming started in the early 1960s playing for local bands. In 1964, he became part of The Who team before their first single release.

He worked with The Who until his final years. His last works with the band were The Kids Are Alright and Who Are You in 1976. His alcohol addiction deteriorated his health and he passed out while performing several times.

Moreover, Moon took a rest from performances and returned to London in 1978 due to his health. He died out of a drug overdose meant to prevent alcohol withdrawal symptoms in London on 7 September 1978 at 32 years of age.

He was honored with posthumous recognitions like the 1982 Modern Drummer Hall of Fame induction. In 1990, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame also added to his posthumous appreciation.

4. Buddy Rich

The American jazz drummer entertained his audience with his dynamic techniques. Yet his speed remains his greatest strength on the drum set solidifying him as one of the renowned all-time drummers. He identified his love for the drums as early as two years old. He started professional jazz drumming in 1937, in his early twenties.

Additionally, he formed the Buddy Rich Band which led to his interactions with music idols of his time. He had the chance to work alongside all-time greats like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald Louis Armstrong, and more.

Some of his band’s most successful titles were the 1966 album Swingin’ New Big Band and 1985’s The Lost West Side Story Tapes. This drummer was born in Brooklyn on September 30, 1917. He died of respiratory and cardiac challenges aged 69 years while in Los Angeles on April 2, 1987.

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5. Ginger Baker

The English drummer brought a fresh breath to drumming. Baker pioneered jazz fusion and he also blended rock, jazz, and African rhythms which was a new thing in his era. He was also one of the earliest drummers to embrace the use of two bass drums rather than using only one. For this reason, he stands tall among the greatest drummers of all time.

To add on, Baker rose to stardom for his work with the English rock band Cream from 1966 until 1968. Before joining Cream he had played for Blues Incorporated and Graham Bond Organisation.

One of his notable career deliveries was his drum solos. A perfect example was the song Toad under the 1966 Fresh Cream album. Further, he received a 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame induction in 2008. The Classic Drummer Hall of Fame induction happened in 2016.

Ginger’s official name was Peter Edward Baker. He got the “Ginger” moniker because of his flaming red hair. His birth location was South London while his birthdate was 19 August 1939. He passed on aged 80 years in England on 6 October 2019.

6. Stewart Copeland

While behind the drum set, this American drummer pours out his distinctive drum sound with uniqueness of style. His exceptional drumming skills have been seen in his work with the English rock band Curved Air from 1975 to 1976. He was also part of the rock band, The Police from 1977 to 1986, and later from 2007 up to 2008.

Furthermore, Copeland appeared on Rolling Stone’s Drummer of all time listing in 2016. His Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entry came in 2003 as a member of The Police band.

In 2005, he received admission to the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame entry happened in 2013. The drumming master was born in Virginia on July 16, 1952.

7. Gene Krupa

Eugene Krupa is one of the outstanding drummers of all time. The American jazz drummer is sometimes referred to as the founding father of the present-day drum set. This stems from his collaboration with the Slingerland drums manufacturer as well as the Zildjian cymbal producer.

Better still, his interaction with these companies helped define the standard for drum kits. His electrifying energy made his performances engaging. He received widespread acknowledgment for his drum solo on the 1937s song, Sing, Sing, Sing. The tune was a recording by American clarinetist, Benny Goodman.

Gene was born in Illinois on January 15, 1909. He passed on at the age of 64 years in New York on October 16, 1973.

8. Ringo Starr

The English drummer earned prominence for playing with the English rock band, The Beatles. His style was simple but he proved to be effective. His skill is shown in the band’s songs like Yellow Submarine (1966), With a Little Help from My Friends (1967), Don’t Pass Me By (1968), and Octopus’s Garden (1969).

Besides drumming, he also co-wrote some of The Beatles songs. According to a 2011 listing by Rolling Stone readers, Ringo was ranked as one of the greatest drummers of all time.

He earned the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1988 as a member of The Beatles and in 2015 as a solo artist. In 1999 he received the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame induction. He credits England as his birth location on 7 July 1940.

9. Tony Williams

This American jazz drummer is respected for his creativity on the drums. His rise to the spotlight was also boosted by his work with jazz musician Miles Davis’s band, Second Great Quintet.

On top of that, Williams received praise for leading the Tony Williams Lifetime Jazz group. His legacy as one of the greatest drummers of all time was honored with a 1986 election to the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

The drum master was born in Illinois on December 12, 1945. He died of a heart attack when he was 51 years old while in California on February 23, 1997.

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10. Bill Bruford

The former English drummer is prominent for his work on progressive rock bands like Yes (1969- 1972). He also played with bands such as King Crimson from 1972 to 1974. In 1976 he worked with the Genesis band and moved to the progressive rock supergroup, U.K. in 1978.

Over and above that, he formed his band Bruford in 1978 and it was active for the next two years disbanding in 1980. In 1986, he formed his jazz band, Earthworks. But he still collaborated with other bands. His retirement from professional drumming came in 2009.

After retirement, he focused on music studies, reaching Ph.D. level in 2016. He is also involved in operating his record labels and writing and speaking about music. A 2016 ranking by Rolling Stone featured him as one of the greatest drummers of all time.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 courtesy of the Yes band. Bill is from England where he was born on 17 May 1949.

These greatest drummers of all time have helped shaped the music arena. With their drumming skills, they have brought life to melodies and changed mere sounds into symphonies that resonate with generations during and beyond their eras.