Songs to impress "normies"

[Doraemon]

I was watching this bass video (great btw), and kept thinking how much I'd love to see the same about drums. It reminded me of my former self, completely ignorant about drums, I hated drum solos (still do) and stick tricks and I keep thinking what could have impressed me. Probably the In The Air Tonight fill and maybe the Walk This Way riff. Do you have any "play me something" hits for impressing non-drummers? I found many top lists like this, but they're for drummers, not regular people, and even then I find them pretty boring. I think the beat has to be cool, not too simple, and recognizable for anyone without the music. It's also really useful in the first video the guy shows how to play them wrong and fail.

 

[Bozozoid]

I believe Zeppelins Rock&roll intro hits normies and drummers in one swoop.

 

[Push pull stroke]

I have no idea what impresses non-musicians on drums. My head is so far into the drumming and percussion world as a gigging musician that I can’t even begin to imagine what’s impressive.

 

[GetAgrippa]

I'm a non-musician who has actually impressed some non-musicians on my drum kit-but a blind squirrel still finds a nut, and the adulation tells you a lot about the musical taste of both. Nuts. I firmly believe impressing non-musicians isn't a huge feat-impressing musicians is a horse of a different color. Maybe a Deep-er Purple.

 

[Bozozoid]

Wipeout to this day is a normie favorite. Even in our corporate 8 piece horn band doing alot of Chicago tunes we get the request.

 

[jda]

1st ten seconds only

 

[Palaeographical]

That's basically what the common drum lesson repertory is. Back in Black, Come Together, Wipeout, Enter Sandman, School's Out, Take Five, Ringo's The End solo, Everlong, whatever that disco beat's called where you play 16ths going HHRH-SHRH.

 

[joedrum]

I think pretty much anything impresses most non musicians.

 

[doggyd69b]

JudasPriest Painkiller intro, Hot For Teacher, Messhuggah’s bleed, anything by Slipknot, Tom Sawyer, any Tool song, Toxicity, any Pantera song, a lot of Metallica songs…or just being able to mimic the beat of any pop song.

 

[Doraemon]

That's basically what the common drum lesson repertory is. Back in Black, Come Together, Wipeout, Enter Sandman, School's Out, Take Five, Ringo's The End solo, Everlong, whatever that disco beat's called where you play 16ths going HHRH-SHRH.

Come Together is a good example of an instantly recognizable part.

JudasPriest Painkiller intro, Hot For Teacher, Messhuggah’s bleed, anything by Slipknot, Tom Sawyer, any Tool song, Toxicity, any Pantera song, a lot of Metallica songs…or just being able to mimic the beat of any pop song.

Messhuggah, Slipknot, Tool might be a bit outside of what average people would know or appreciate (unfortunately).

 

[Benthedrummer]

I think the drums to "My Sharona" is a good one for the normies.

Maybe "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover". That is quite recognisable to the general public.

"Sunday Bloody Sunday". That syncopated snare gets whoops and woos from the crowd.

"Wipeout" as already mentioned.

I think if a cat could play "In Your Eyes" from Peter Gabriel flawlessly, normies would really appreciate that.

Maybe some fast songs with simple double pedal work would impress normies.

"Kryptonite" from 3 Doors Down is another one for the normies.

"Sunday Morning" from No Doubt impresses normies too.

 

[ravenson]

Disciplined , supportive and funkyslick . Not one note played that doesn't belong . The incomparable Keef Hartley .

Does it get any tighter than this ? Joined at the hip .

 

[Bozozoid]

No matter how good the band is and how well you performed you always get the Free bird normie guy that walks up with the request.

 

[green glass drum]

IMHO........avoid completely.... the impressing. I used to...did not work out well....for me.

 

[Push pull stroke]

Come Together is a good example of an instantly recognizable part.


Messhuggah, Slipknot, Tool might be a bit outside of what average people would know or appreciate (unfortunately).

Yeah, average folks have maybe heard of Tool. That’s it

 

[cbphoto]

I believe Zeppelins Rock&roll intro hits normies and drummers in one swoop.

Same with the intro to Rosanna.

 

[GretschedHive]

I use this as a basis

but with more variations--adding some fills, moving to the ride, that sorta thing.

In my experience, there's almost no genre that everyone likes, and many that many hate. But almost everyone is impressed by a funk groove, at least in the short term. Especially if you look like the least funky person on earth.

 

[doggyd69b]

Come Together is a good example of an instantly recognizable part.


Messhuggah, Slipknot, Tool might be a bit outside of what average people would know or appreciate (unfortunately).

Yes but if you can execute even 10 seconds of some of those parts most non musicians and even some musicians would be impressed.

 

[Tamaefx]

Basic Solo or drum chorus pounding the toms is effective for "normies" : things like sing sing sing or in agada da vida kind of things. Easy and effective.

 

[A J]

I've had non-musicians marvel at how I can sing and play drums at the same time. Also, many of them are amazed at what we can do with our feet. They seem to think our feet are doing things completely independent with what our hands are doing.