The Best 1970s Drummers Of All Time Ranked
Drums are usually played by striking with the hand, a beater attached to a pedal, or with one or two sticks with or without padding. A wide variety of sticks are used, including wooden sticks and sticks with soft beaters of felt on the end. In jazz, some drummers use brushes for a smoother, quieter sound. In many traditional cultures, drums have a symbolic function and are used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in music therapy, especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people. In popular music and jazz, “drums” usually refers to a drum kit or a set of drums (with some cymbals, or in the case of harder rock music genres, many cymbals), and “drummer” to the person who plays them. Drums acquired even divine status in places such as Burundi, where the karyenda was a symbol of the power of the king. Here are the best 1970’s Drummers ranked.
See more: The Best Indie Rock Singers/Bands Of All Time Ranked
See more: The Best Indie Rock Guitarists Of All Time Ranked
17. Phil Collins
“Phil Collins’ work as the drummer of Genesis has earned him the status as one of rock’s greatest drummers. Collins, who was born on January 30, 1951, in the London suburb of Chiswick, is also a popular singer, songwriter and record producer. He had a string of US Top 40 hits in the 80s, including “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now),” and would sometimes play drums on records by musician friends, including on some by folk musician John Martyn.”
16. Mick Fleetwood
“Along with steady rhythm-section mate John McVie, Mick Fleetwood has remained a constant through his namesake band’s many stylistic shifts, from the late Sixties blues-rock of Peter Green to grown-up pop of the ongoing Stevie Nicks–Lindsey Buckingham lineup. Fleetwood’s rhythmic personality shines through on every cut from the band’s classic best-seller Rumours: The stylish fill that introduces “Dreams” is as hooky as any chorus, and the gut-punch tom-tom counterpoint he provides to Buckingham’s rhythm guitar is integral to “Go Your Own Way.”
15. Tommy Ramone
“He gave punk rock its pulse”: so read the obituary headline from The New York Times, remarking on the 2014 death of one Tamás Erdélyi — better known by his stage name, Tommy Ramone. With his furiously metronomic eighth notes and tribal floor-tom bombs, he provided the speed-freak beat on the Ramones’ groundbreaking first three albums, matching tempos with Johnny Ramone’s buzzsaw guitar.”
14. Stewart Copeland
“Most creative and uses the drums and percussion as they should, an instrument, not just something keeping the beat. An actual artist with rhythm. His music like in Spyro the Dragon made me appreciate what the guy put out there for gamers who grew up listening to the sweet melody in his music.”
13. Stephen Morris
“No Love Lost one of my favorites and all about the drum energy. Many other tracks showcase his unique style. Not top ten, but definitely “honorable mention” material. Drumming on age of consent is quite good.”
12. Peter Criss
“George Peter John Criscuola, better known by his stage name Peter Criss, is an American musician and actor, best known as a co-founder, the original drummer, and an occasional vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss.”
11. Joey Kramer
“Such an underrated drummer. Listening to his drumming with Aerosmith in the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. His drumming is just amazing. Listen to love in an elevator, he’s really technically good and underrated”
10. Bill Bruford
“Bruford is the only drummer which can make unconventional beats work and totally change conventional sounds. He’s the percussionist which for weeks after hearing a tune you still marvel the direction he took in the song. Listen to the recovery toward the end of live versions of “Easy Money” on youtube or even better “Exiles”. Simply the best ever even Neil Peart admits Bruford was one of his greatest inspirations along with Tull’s later drummer Barriemore Barlow and of course Carl Palmer.”
9. Danny Seraphine
“I bought a Chicago II album when I was 14 and listened to it over and over. I loved two things about it – the drumming and the lead singer. Since then, I have not heard another drummer match the work on this album – it is both technically outstanding and creatively powerful”
8. Roger Taylor
“Celebrated Queen drummer Roger Taylor is played by X-Men actor Ben Hardy in the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic. Taylor – not to be confused with the Duran Duran drummer of the same name – was born on July 26, 1949 in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. As well as being a talented, powerhouse drummer, he is a singer and instrumentalist, and wrote Queen’s landmark hits “Radio Ga Ga” and “A Kind Of Magic.”
7. Bill Ward
“The thing about Bill Ward is that he was the drummer in THE FIRST metal band to ever exist. But I wouldn’t say he’s a metal drummer. He’s more like a hip hop drummer mixed with a jazz drummer on steroids. He would lay down funky grooves with the kick pedal on songs like Hand of Doom and Behind the Wall of Sleep that could just as easily exist in a Biggie Smalls song as a metal song, and would then proceed to destroy your mind with lightning fast fills. The man had hands like a machine gun.”
6. Jeff Porcaro
“He defines the groove very well. I feel that he is very precise about the different types of genres. He played for millions of well-known artists including Michael Jackson and Steely Dan. He was among others, the epitome of session drummer alongside Steve Ferrone, Jim Keltner, Steve Gadd, et al.”
5. Carl Palmer
“Carl Palmer has been described as “the consummate drummer’s drummer”. A brilliant technician, he was born in Birmingham, England, on March 20, 1950. He came from a musical family: his grandfather played the drums, his grandmother was a symphony violinist and his father had a dance band. He said his main influence was Gene Krupa. During a long career he has played with Atomic Rooster, The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Asia and Emerson, Lake And Palmer. In the 21st Century he started his own Carl Palmer Band.”
4. Keith Moon
“Keith Moon is widely considered one of the best because of his natural creativity. He played the drums as a solo instrument, where as most other drummers of his era just kept the beat. Keith went above and beyond and decided to try something new. Ultimately, it influenced tons of people, even Neil Peart, and even more people idol Neil. So, the influence of Keith is literally everywhere in rock music. Technically speaking, he wasn’t as musically educated as others like Bonzo or Peart.”
3. Ian Paice
“Paice is an absolute monster. His playing on Made In Japan alone ranks him alongside Bonham and Moon – almost no other rock drummer could match his speed, power, inventiveness and sense of swing. Listen to Smoke On The Water again – everyone remembers the iconic riff but Ian’s is literally half of what makes the song great. His studio parts were always brilliantly conceived, and live he was like a locomotive loaded with nitroglycerine.”
2. Neil Peart
“Mr. Neal Peart makes mathematicians & athletes sit in quandary. Splitting beats, inserting accents, and timing all done in laser precision with athletic like endurance. I see that some if you mention Buddy Rich…well you should. Mr’ Peart, as well as other incredible percussionists all pay homage to Buddy. He inspired them to get that his level…and maybe exceed his level.”
1. John Bonham
“John Bonham, of Led Zeppelin, remains, (for over 40 years now) unquestionably the greatest rock drummer that ever lived. It doesn’t matter how many Rush fanboys blitz these polls. Peart is great…and honest…because he has stated repeatedly in interviews that Bonham still has no equal. RollingStone magazine, after decades of notoriously biased coverage of Rock music (worshipping The Beatles, Dylan, Stones while ignoring Led Zeppelin for the full decade that they dominated rock, the 1970’s) finally got the top spot correct on one of their “best of all time” lists.”
