Consequence’s Drum Week couldn’t have come to fruition without the help of some of our favorite percussionists. After checking out all our drummers’ survey responses, see essential drumming albums and songs picked by Mike Portnoy, Charlie Benante, and Pixies’ David Lovering, and don’t forget to check out our list of the 100 Best Drummers of All Time.
The drums are a primal instrument. They connect us to our tribal past and our intrinsic fascination with rhythm; they can awaken emotions deep within us and leave us breathless from sheer force and volume.
The best drummers in history have all used these traits to their advantage, whether they were early pioneers like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, prog savants like Neil Peart and John Bonham, or barrier-breakers like Tony Royster Jr. and Sheila E. It’s through these artists and their foundational work behind the kit that we’re able to measure drumming’s widespread impact.
In our attempt to trace whose storied efforts have shined brightest throughout history for our list of the 100 Best Drummers of All Time, we asked over 60 drummers from a variety of genres to tell us who they would point to as the greatest ever. While their responses differed, a significant portion made it to our list — even some of those we surveyed scored a spot! But even if not all these selections made the cut for us, each percussionist listed here is held in the highest regard by the drummers who owe much of their musical identity to them.
So, join our drum circle and read on to see who drummers like Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy, Foo Fighters’ Josh Freese, Anthrax’s Charlie Benante, Pixies’ David Lovering, The Melvins’ Dale Crover, Florrie, and Weezer’s Patrick Wilson feel are the best to ever do it behind the kit.