100 greatest drummers

How subjective can this be? Jason Rullo is lower than Taylor Hawkins? Kenny Aronoff is #141?

Lame!
 
I've seen this list many times. It's a popularity contest. The order is nonsense, but to me that's not the point..

It's just a great big list of great drummers to check out.
 
I've seen this list many times. It's a popularity contest. The order is nonsense, but to me that's not the point..

It's just a great big list of great drummers to check out.

That's a very good way to look at it - point taken.
 
That's a very good way to look at it - point taken.

Taking those things seriously is the road to MADNESS!

:)

I like those Digital Dreamdoor lists. I've looked at heaps of them - jazzers, singers, guitarists, bassists, keys etc etc ... I've found lots of goodies there, though I especially like YouTube recommendations to find new music.
 
Thank god Sticks has been gagged. Peart at number 1......man, I couldn't stand to hear the grandstanding.......he'd be skiting til our ears bleed.
 
I hear ya. Although it'd damn near kill him to have to place Bonham at number two. :)

Damned if I can rank them - this one had more influence, that one sold more records, this one has more groove, that one more feel, this one is more of master of the instrument, that one's more flashy and dynamic, this one more musical, that one more versatile, this one more creative, that one has such a great sound, etc etc etc

Not so easy to judge things from the top of the hill when you're at the bottom either ... not that that stops people from pretending they can ...
 
Not so easy to judge things from the top of the hill when you're at the bottom either ... not that that stops people from pretending they can ...

I agree ... and most of the drummers on that list (and the one who are not on it) wouldn't give a monkey about the "ranking", it's not a formula one racing contest :)
 
I agree ... and most of the drummers on that list (and the one who are not on it) wouldn't give a monkey about the "ranking", it's not a formula one racing contest :)

They may not have a monkey to give - not everyone does :)

Thing is, for example ... most of us probably love Bonzo's playing. But he no doubt had tons of ideas we know nothing about - at least I don't. Only last year I found out that he based has famous intro to Rock and Roll on Johnny B Goode - it's just the guitar riff on drums. There's a lot we "down here" don't know.

Whatever, anyone who routinely performs to thousands of people has my admiration and awe, and everyone that list has done it. That includes Neil, Travis, Joey and Meg (who's rightly excluded, but she still played major gigs and had people walking away happy).
 
Only last year I found out that he based has famous intro to Rock and Roll on Johnny B Goode - it's just the guitar riff on drums.

Keep A Knockin' by Little Richard.

As for the monkey. Wacko Jacko doesn't need his anymore, so there's at least one spare floating around.

And yes Pol......even Meg!! :)
 
Thing is, for example ... most of us probably love Bonzo's playing. But he no doubt had tons of ideas we know nothing about - at least I don't. Only last year I found out that he based has famous intro to Rock and Roll on Johnny B Goode - it's just the guitar riff on drums. There's a lot we "down here" don't know.

Interesting, I didn't know that :)

What's more, some of these drummers listed have also influenced each others as well as influencing thousands of non-pro drummers. :)
 
I suggest compiling a 500 list. Then chances will be higher that the 100 "greatest" drummers are actually among them, haha. With "greatest" being highly subjective anyway.

I don't need to look that list up, I'm not among those and will never be ;-)
 
Keep A Knockin' by Little Richard.

As for the monkey. Wacko Jacko doesn't need his anymore, so there's at least one spare floating around.

And yes Pol......even Meg!! :)

Yeah yeah Little Richard ... I have a bad brain. Ta for correcting.

Jacko's been gone a while so Bubbles is surely settled into another home. One can only hope and pray.

It's silly but Meg fascinates me. On one level she can barely play but, ungainly as she looks, she somehow kept hitting those big backbeats on the button - and with that fab Bonhamesque tone.

I keep wondering how that works. I mean, most drummers shead their heads off and do diddly while a totally fundamental player immediately hits the jackpot. The pat answer is "it's not what you know but ..."

But there's more to it IMO. How about with Mo from Velvet Underground? I mean, I get The Shaggs, so bad it's good (to some haha) ... but with the others they were playing with great musicians who cleverly used their basic pulses to advantage. All they had to do is keep it steady. Obviously they wouldn't make Arky's Top 500 :)

Hope this isn't boring ... I find it interesting.
 
What baffles me is there is no criteria used.

Some are clearly higher on the list for technical ability, while others are ranked for importance in rock-n-roll history, and while others are for a combination of the two.

I mean, they have Mick Feetwood at 76. From a technical point of view, he's not even in the top 1000. From his impact on music as band leader, he's top 10.

But like Polly said, It's just a great big list of great drummers to check out.
 
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