Top 10 "household name" drummers

Larry

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
So if someone were to compile a list of 10 drummers that have made it to "household name" status, who would be on that list? I'm not sure there are even 10 drummers who qualify TBH. I mean 2 possibly 3 spring to mind immediately, and in my mind should hold spots # 1 & 2 possibly 3.

Bear in mind that this list, would be determined by civilians. So in your mind, who would the civilians pick as belonging to the list of top 10 "household name" drummers?

I'm with holding my picks for now because they're so obvious. You know who I'm talking about.

Oh and puppets don't qualify, this is serious dammit!
 
Other than the obvious top spot, followed by the lovingly berserk 2nd spot, Buddy has to be in there, as well as Phil Collins. Beyond those, I'm struggling into puppets & those recognised only by appreciators of music.

Hey, if we're suffering from lack of public recognition inferiority complex, it could be worse - try listing the top 10 bassists :)
 
OK so far we have The top spot, the crazed 2nd spot, then Buddy? I would have put Buddy at #2 but that's why I wanted to hear others picks.

I wonder if anyone will make the list who was born in the last 30 years. I guess this list could be a dual list....one list for pre 1980 and post 1980. 1980 seems like a good dividing line, yes? No?
 
Buddy Rich
Ringo Starr
Gene Krupa
Phil Collins
Neil Peart
John Bonham
Keith Moon
Mick Fleetwood
Karen Carpenter
Dave Grohl

The first ten I could think of, off the top of my head.
 
Great list Lar. I wonder if Charley Watts qualifies. If he replaced Grohl, that could be the definitive list for pre 1980.
 
I think older generations would list Carl Palmer, even if just because of the name Emerson Lake and Palmer.

Despite the fact that Jeff Porcaro played on so many well-know hits and with well-known artist, his name is probably not familiar to the general public.
 
Not based on ability and not necessarily in this order:

Rich
Krupa
Ringo
Bonham
Moon
Grohl
Tommy Lee
Travis Barker
Lars Ulrich
Justin Bieber (yup, he is a drummer . . . sigh)
 
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So you have 2 "JB's" on your list. One just a little better than the other lol. See I wouldn't have thought of that. Lars too.
 
Fuo said:
Max Weinberg, ?uestlove, and maybe Anton Fig
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Hadn't thought of them, but you're probably right about Max & ?uestlove who are featured by name to the American TV audience. Anton not as much though.

But for real "household" names, I think that Peart is a stretch, and Dave Grohl tends to be known more as the guitar player & singer in his band. Outside of the drumming community, even heroes/characters like Bonham and Keith aren't as widely-known as you'd think, and some of drumming's most celebrated players aren't that well-known to guitar, bass and keyboard communities, let alone the average citizen.

It seems that drummers who are known from mainstream media - specifically TV - are the ones who are household names:

Ringo
Buddy
Karen Carpenter
Tommy Lee (thanks to his repeat notorieties)

But even Ed Shuaghnessy, seen on the Tonight Show 5 nights a week for almost 30 years, is overshadowed by Doc, who was one of Carson's straight men. That's why Max Weinberg probably qualifies, he was the leader of Conan's band, and was regualrly engaged in cconversation, so his name and face are better known.

Bermuda
 
Definitely agree with Max Weinberg and Tommy Lee. Travis Barker, maybe. He had a TV show for a while there. ?uestlove, too. Anton Fig, maybe.
 
Buddy
Tito Puente
Krupa
Ringo
Moonie
Ginger Baker
Charlie Watts
Peart
Bonham
Travis Barker
 
I agree with what everyone is saying minus peart. Only because of experience. 1. My dad (no musical background) was a big rush fan back in the day and he didnt know who peart was. 2. (this one pains me) I was talking to a friend, who is a drummer, didn't know who peart was, let alone know who rush was. This one made me question my life. Lol
 
Is John Stamos considered a drummer? LOL

How about Sheila E?
 
Tito Puente :)

Most people wouldn't know Neil Peart either.

Seriously, they wouldn't....Ask 100 random people if they know if Neil Peart, I reckon 95 would say no. Ask them if they know Rush, I reckon 20 or so would say yes followed by "oh, was he their drummer"

Ask 1,000 people about Tito Puente and I guarantee you 999 won't have. And the other one will think he was a 2nd World War Yugoslavian Partisan
 
Good contributions here so far. I think "that guy" is the most recognized household drummer, though....#1.

"You know, that guy who played with ___________, he was one Bad-^&* drummer!!! Didn't his kit, like, go underwater or fly or something?!"

Maybe Alex Van Halen, too?
 
I'd add Don Henley and Micky Dolenz to that list. For an older generation, Lionel Hampton and Mel Tormé (he did play drums for Benny Goodman).

But the biggest name- all the way from Cape Cod:

Moulty!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25x3aIWs76E
 
I have a poster in my teaching studio of the "readers poll top 25 drummers" that was pulled out of an old Modern Drummer magazine .

every parent who looks at the poster ....none of which are musicians.....always make a point to recognize Ringo and Neil Peart .......saying to their child ....hey do you know who that is?

almost to give themselves some credibility in my presence

not even Buddy, Bonham, Moon........always Ringo and Peart ......every time .....almost daily

these are school teachers, construction workers, lawyers, doctors, etc etc

so yeah....I would say Peart is a household name



...I'm surprised noone has mentioned Tito Puente
 
My 80 year old mother, never a musician and partially blind, identified a photo of Buddy Rich in a magazine I was reading recenmtly. "Oh, he was the guy who used to be on Johnny Carson a lot...". I was surprised as I had never heard my mom ever mention his name before.
 
30Panther30 said:
I agree with what everyone is saying minus peart. Only because of experience. 1. My dad (no musical background) was a big rush fan back in the day and he didnt know who peart was. 2. (this one pains me) I was talking to a friend, who is a drummer, didn't know who peart was, let alone know who rush was. This one made me question my life. Lol
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You're right.

It's just NOT generic information.

We, as drummers, would be flabbergasted. But it's just not.

I was sat in a pub with band mates a few months back. It was the post rehearsal quiz night at our local pub. We're always too late to start, but we join in on arrival. The question, what instrument did was Gene Krupa famous for playing.

Drums says I...smug self-satisfied smile on my face. I received a knowing smile from the old fogie nearby, and a response of "did he" from my bandmembers.

We're a very special bunch drummers. Ask any non-drummer to name 10 drummers and I'd bet 90% plus couldn't.
 
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