# Who is/was the Best Drummer of All Time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118 "2011-06-11T15:40:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/61 "2011-06-14T23:43:36Z")
I gave the nod to Tony Williams, but only because he happened to be on the list and Jack DeJohnette was not. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/62 "2011-06-15T14:43:40Z")
Sheila E Danny Carey Josh Freese Tim Alexander Stewart Copeland Dave Grohl Chad Smith ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/63 "2011-06-15T15:36:55Z")
A list with Ringo Starr but not Neil Peart? I’m confused. After some session work and gigs in Nashville where I grew up, I did 3 years in a DCI corps. I’m kind of a drummer with a pinch of percussionist thrown in. Many people can keep time, a lot can go crazy behind a drum kit, but no one matches the control, rythms, and unusual timing changes that Mr. Peart displays [continually](http://www.straight.com/article-398541/vancouver/video-neil-pearts-drum-solo-late-night-david-letterman). Long live Neil Peart. ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/64 "2011-06-15T15:42:56Z")
Any rational poll MUST contain name Ian Paice. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/65 "2011-06-15T16:31:04Z")
Keith Moon I also think Dave Mattacks is a fantastic drummer. The opposite of Moon, being quite understated, but he does everything just right. ---
**Author:** ![Mllz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Mllz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mllz)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/66 "2011-06-15T17:07:48Z")
Tough call for me between Tony Williams and Elvin Jones, but ultimately had to go with Williams for the unbelievable grooves he set up with Miles Davis. Rock Drummers? I’m with **akrako1** in being a bit surprised Mitch Mitchell didn’t make it. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/67 "2011-06-15T18:01:20Z")
No Mike Portnoy? No Christian Vander? No Neil Peart? This list is missing something… My vote is for Portnoy. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/68 "2011-06-15T18:11:19Z")
> [@Mllz](#): > > Rock Drummers? I’m with **akrako1** in being a bit surprised Mitch Mitchell didn’t make it. Honestly, I am less surprised by which rock drummers didn’t make it than I am that there are any rock drummers who did. The list is 90% jazz, and frankly jazz drums are a different instrument. It’s like asking who is the better guitar player Segovia or Hendrix, it just doesn’t make sense. Neil Pert, Mitch Mitchell etc don’t belong on this list because they play a different instrument. Bonzo and Starr don’t really belong either. Maybe I could see a case for Charlie Watts, but he wouldn’t be close to winning. Edit: and of the 4 people you could honestly call rock drummers, 2 of them are primarily session guys. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/69 "2011-06-15T19:39:03Z")
Elvin Jones by a mile. ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/70 "2011-06-15T20:24:31Z")
How can you have Ringo Starr on this list but not Keith Moon, who could blow Ringo – or anybody else – away!? Don’t get me wrong – Ringo is a great drummer…really makes me cringe when people call him the “least-talented Beatle” when many, many times his drumming proves that he’s as talented as the others…(not to mention the song “Instant Amnesia,” which despite its corny reference to “Instant Karma!”, is one of the most kick-ass post-breakup Beatle tunes ever!..but this is about drummers, songwriters and singers…) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/71 "2011-06-15T20:30:36Z")
Mickey Dolenz. No, seriously, Will Rigby. And I agree lumping jazz drummers together with rock drummers makes an already unanswerable question pointless besides. So I answered for rock. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/72 "2011-06-15T21:19:37Z")
Neil Peart ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/73 "2011-06-15T23:10:52Z")
Peart, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sealemon2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon2.0)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/74 "2011-06-16T07:30:56Z")
Neal Peart. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/75 "2011-06-16T07:45:52Z")
Neal Peart. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/76 "2011-06-16T08:46:46Z")
Stewart Copeland, definitely, or maybe Bill Bruford. ---
**Author:** ![baileygrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@baileygrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/baileygrrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/77 "2011-06-16T16:40:42Z")
Neal Peart ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/78 "2011-06-17T14:01:28Z")
some great mentions. i love gadd and colaiuta of the famous ones. i also love many others, trilok gurtu and jimmy cobb in jazz, david garibaldi in funk, and i have to give an honourable mention to steve jordan. he’s never mentioned in these things, but what a wonderful feel he has. any band he played in was instantly made more musical by his presence ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/79 "2011-06-18T05:55:42Z")
Hey, someone should start a thread about who’s the greatest Neil Peart-style drummer! \yeah\. The people are right – he can’t play jazz and jazzers can('t) usually play rock. I call for a new poll! A better poll! A humane and decent poll! Also, WTH is with all these Rush fans – it’s like a cult! I kid – I know the power of Rush. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118/80 "2011-06-18T15:07:03Z")
> [@Jaledin](#): > > Hey, someone should start a thread about who’s the greatest Neil Peart-style drummer! \yeah\. > > The people are right – he can’t play jazz and jazzers can('t) usually play rock. > > I call for a new poll! A better poll! A humane and decent poll! > > Also, WTH is with all these Rush fans – it’s like a cult! I kid – I know the power of Rush. Both Jimmy Chamberlin (of the Smashing Pumpkins) and Phil Collins can play a decent jazz drum. I’m not sure if theyr’e considered “Neil Peart” style, but they both get flashy and complex. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-best-drummer-of-all-time/585118.md?page=5)