While guitar gods and lead singers take the limelight, rock’s heartbeat has always lived in the back — behind the kit. These drummers shaped genres, broke rules, and made songs soar, often without the credit they truly deserve. Here are 15 drummers who deserve louder applause.
Abe Cunningham (Deftones)
His grooves glide like silk and hit like bricks. Abe’s drumming turns Deftones songs into atmospheric rollercoasters — nuanced, dynamic, and always in control, even when chaos erupts.
Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees, Mad Season)
Barrett fused grunge with global rhythms and jazz timing. His drumming wasn’t just backing — it was breathing. The quiet mystic of the drum world, with thunder in his hands.
Bill Berry (R.E.M.)
He wrote “Everybody Hurts,” left the band at their peak, and made every beat matter. R.E.M.’s backbone was subtle, smart, and soulful — and his absence was always felt.
Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)
More than just heavy — Bill brought jazz chops to doom metal. His fills were fluid, unpredictable, and full of fire. Sabbath wouldn’t have been the same without his swing.
Brendan Canty (Fugazi)
He played like the floor was lava. Explosive, precise, and politically charged, Canty drummed with the urgency of a revolution and the discipline of a conductor.
Charlie Benante (Anthrax)
Thrash metal’s secret MVP. His double-kick fury, punk speed, and tight fills made Anthrax one of the most rhythmically thrilling bands of the Big Four — and he’s a killer riff writer, too.
Chad Gracey (Live)
A master of dynamics. Chad made every snare crack and tom rumble feel like a heartbeat. His work on Throwing Copper is a clinic in restraint and release.
Clem Burke (Blondie)
A glam-punk hybrid with Keith Moon flair. Clem added adrenaline to Blondie’s polished pop, bringing urgency, drama, and the best hi-hat work this side of CBGB.
Doug Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
Simple on the surface, genius underneath. “Cosmo” had groove for days and the unshakable steadiness that let Creedence boogie down bayous and Vietnam soundtracks alike.
Gina Schock (The Go-Go’s)
Powerful, precise, and never playing it safe. Gina’s drumming gave The Go-Go’s punk bones under all that pop sugar. Listen to Beauty and the Beat again — she owns it.
Jody Stephens (Big Star)
There’s a wistful swing in every beat. Jody brought emotional depth to Big Star’s power pop — loose but never sloppy, like the sound of someone chasing down heartbreak with hope.
Phil Collins (Genesis)
Yes, he sang and sold out stadiums — but Phil’s drumming was explosive, experimental, and deeply musical. His work on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway alone is a prog masterclass.
Reni (The Stone Roses)
Reni blended breakbeats, funk, and Madchester groove into something entirely his own. His rhythms danced and swaggered, holding down the band even as they floated into psychedelia.
Stephen Morris (Joy Division, New Order)
He played like a drum machine with a soul. Stephen’s cold, mechanical precision helped define post-punk — but listen closer, and you’ll hear endless texture and tension.
Tony Thompson (Chic, The Power Station)
A funk legend who slid into rock like he owned it. When musicians need a solid backbone, they called Tony. He could groove a stadium into orbit.