Top 10 Best Drummers of All Time

A hard category because of the number of drumming styles, but selected here are the most complete and versatile drummers. These drummers should be able to play more than one style.

In addition, their impact and influence in music should be felt on a global scale, not just suburban America.

The Top Ten

Neil Peart

Neil Ellwood Peart (September 12, 1952 to January 7, 2020) was a Canadian-American musician and writer best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. He received numerous awards for his musical performances, including induction into the Modern Drummer Readers Poll Hall of Fame... read more

As a straight drummer and composer, Neil Peart was the master.
Even though she is very young at 23, Paulina Villarreal is following the same path. She just needs more years and an expanded platform to also be in this list. By expanded platform I mean growth in the style she plays. She has the skills, but the compositions are still too short because of where her band is in its growth and the audience they currently want to reach.

Buddy Rich was the ultimate master of the quadruple paradiddle with step-overs.
Keith Moon, the master of explosive-effortless fluidity.
John Bonham, the ultimate exponent of the driving single bass drum with explosive triplets.
In fact, every other drummer on this list is exceptional in their own ways. It is only Neil Peart who has the all-round ability to equal each and all of them in the areas where they were singularly exceptional.
Neil Peart can play pretty much every style: Jazz/Big Band, Rock/Metal. I could go on extolling his virtuosity, but words fall to the level of poor poetry.
Every drummer on this list is great, and I can think of a phalanx of other truly outstanding drummers and percussionists who merit the title "Great," but he is the master! Unquestionably, the greatest of them all.
John Bonham

John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948-25 September 1980) was an English musician best known as the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Born in Redditch, Worcestershire, Bonham, nicknamed "Bonzo," is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential drummers in history. Noted for his speed, power, fast... read more

Achilles' Last Stand, Kashmir, Immigrant Song, Moby Dick, Good Times Bad Times, When the Levee Breaks, Fool in the Rain - 90% of drummers could only dream of being able to recreate the magic of those songs perfectly. Keith Moon was a crazy showman who used drums as a lead instrument. Neil Peart was a good drum soloist with great stick control. Ringo always knew exactly what to play and how it would fit the song. Buddy Holly was a great jazz drummer. But Bonzo, in my opinion, is the manliest drummer who ever lived.
Rhythmic style? Check. Fast foot? Check. Technical gift? Check. Good showman? Check. Good drum solos? Well, he didn't have many, but the ones he did kicked ass. Creativity? Again, check. Bonham had diversity and a feel for groove, but he also had a menacing rocker in him that no other drummer could recreate. Rest in peace, man.
Keith Moon

Keith John Moon (1946-1978) was the English drummer for the rock band The Who. He was known for his energetic, unconventional style and eccentric, often self-destructive behavior. Moon's drumming continues to be praised for its influence on rock music and his showmanship is remembered as legendary.

Clearly, a lot of people involved in the voting are not drummers. I'm trying not to see this subjectively. Keith Moon is widely considered one of the best because of his natural creativity. He played the drums as a solo instrument, whereas 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 idolize 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. He made up for it through his weird technique and aggressive style of playing, which are things that simply cannot be taught. People commenting on this page are saying Tommy Lee is the best because he played upside down (which Buddy Rich did first) and Joey is the best because of his speed and precision. Well, drumming is about the sound and emotion behind it. Keith had insane charisma in his playing.
Take a beat or fill from a song by The Who. Have another drummer play it the same, then listen to Moon play it. The notes are the same, but Keith's drum swagger makes it sound different. Keith was also a very creative player when it came to double bass. The way he does flams on the double bass while doing fills on top of it (look for the Won't Get Fooled Again isolated drums on YouTube) was something I never even thought about doing. I could go on for sure, but there are a few of my reasons. I'd write more, but I'm in a rush.
Buddy Rich

Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He is widely considered one of the most influential drummers of all time, known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed. During his career, Rich was often billed as "the world's greatest drummer."

Buddy Rich is the greatest drummer of all time. That is a fact. Having anyone in front of him is just poor humor. None of these guys could match his speed, precision, and feel. Let's look at some of the people in front of him on this list:
1. Shannon Leto, drummer from 30 Seconds to Mars. I think his reviews and votes were all from the same 14-year-old girl. I don't have a problem with him, but just playing with "energy" and "making your heart race" does not make you the greatest drummer.
2. John Bonham needed a guy to help him come up with licks to frustrate kids. I can play a basic rock beat, so I am as good as Bonham.
Buddy Rich is unmatched in any category. This list is insulting as is.
Mike Portnoy

Michael Portnoy is an American drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal and rock band Dream Theater. He left the band in 2010. Known for his technical skill, Portnoy has won 30 awards from Modern Drummer magazine. He's also performed with Liquid Tension Experiment, Flying Colors... read more

From classic rock, The Winery Dogs, to progressive metal, Dream Theater, to symphonic progressive rock, Transatlantic, to instrumental, Liquid Tension Experiment, to hard rock, Avenged Sevenfold... Mike Portnoy is simply the busiest, best drummer in the world. The only modern drummer who comes close is Marco Minnemann! Portnoy blows commercial rock drummers like Dave Grohl and Chad Smith out of the water. Just listen to his fills on World Without End by Neal Morse or Sola Scriptura. You'll see!

Mike certainly is one of the top drummers of all time. Neil Peart and John Bonham are the only drummers that could compare to Portnoy. Peart because of his overall talent and Bonham because of his style and how he revolutionized drumming (not to mention he was in Led Zeppelin and used only a single kick drum to play complex double-kick fills).
Let's be realistic. The Rev and Shannon Leto are good, but they shouldn't rank above Keith Moon, Thomas Lang, and Mike Portnoy. Thank God Peart is number one, or else I wouldn't see any hope for the future of drumming.
Dave Grohl

David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer, and film director. He was the drummer for the influential 1990s grunge band Nirvana and is the founding vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters. He has also performed as... read more

If this were a list for underrated musicians, Grohl would have my vote. But as it's a list for the best drummer, he's my second-place choice, favoring Peart. I certainly don't think Grohl is the best drummer, but probably the most versatile and effortless in his style. Able to play any genre with anybody, drumming for many different bands, each of which had a very unique style. He definitely knew how to work with what he had, however simple, and make it a masterpiece. This man doesn't get one-billionth of the credit he deserves or should have.

Dave has done it all: Scream, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and Them Crooked Vultures. He was also a guitarist on David Bowie's "Heathen" tour and has filled in as a guest drummer for many other bands. He shows no signs of letting up and recently completed a new album with Foo Fighters in his garage. David is ace and a really nice dude too!
James Sullivan

James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 - December 28, 2009), better known by his stage name "The Rev," short for "The Reverend Tholomew Plague," was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the American heavy metal band Avenged... read more

He has nowhere near the recognition he deserves. His talent on the drums is second to none. I think the reason he is often overlooked is that the people who are often placed ahead of him were part of much bigger and more popular bands.
I mean, just look at Ringo Starr. He couldn't do any complex pieces and often stuck to simple, bland beats. If he wasn't part of arguably the biggest band of all time, I don't believe he would even be mentioned. The Rev, I believe, stands at least in the top three of all time. It's just a shame that people don't know who he is, as Avenged Sevenfold aren't exactly a household name.

The Rev is pretty epic. Don't think so? You haven't heard their album "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet." He was what, 18 when they made that? Try the drum solo in "Darkness Surrounding." Give that a shot and say he doesn't belong at number one.
And don't think these votes are sympathy votes. He just has a lot of fans who know his talent. His skill in drumming and singing is absolutely phenomenal. Plus, he wrote the majority of the songs. So yeah, these votes aren't sympathy. They are pure fan votes.
Joey Jordison

Joey Jordison was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer best known as the former drummer and co-songwriter for the heavy metal band Slipknot. He also played guitar in the horror punk band Murderdolls. Jordison co-founded the blackened death metal band Sinsaenum and was involved in the... read more

Joey Jordison was the drummer in Slipknot from 1995 to 2013, and he's incredible! His drum solos are so complex, and his speed and rhythm are just flawless. Watch one of Slipknot's live performances, and you'll see that Joey just gets lost in his drumming.
It's impossible to hear one of Slipknot's songs and not have the drums pounding in your head for the next three days, and that's all because of this rock legend.

I'm a huge JJ fan. He's just too fast and has insane drum fills and double bass kicks! One of the greatest and best drummers ever! Just listen to Slipknot's songs "All Hope Is Gone" and "The Blister Exists," and you'll know why!
Neil Peart is still the best, of course. There's something about his drumming that separates him from other great drummers. No need to explain further.
Ringo Starr

Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, usually for one song on each album, including "Yellow Submarine... read more

Sure, he may not have gone ballistic on drum sets like many of these other guys, but he was the perfect pop drummer. He knows exactly what to play for each song and, with his vast creativity, has made many original drum beats.
The beat from "In My Life" is a completely original beat that, to date, has not been known to be used in any other song. And if so, the song probably just sounds like "In My Life."
He was also a human metronome, with perfect rhythm. He seems to be underrated simply because his beats sound basic, but try playing some of The Beatles' more complex songs like "Rain." You'll come to find that they are a lot harder to play than you'd realize.
Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich is a Danish drummer and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He formed the band in 1981 with James Hetfield and has remained its drummer throughout its career.
In recent years, some have criticized his drumming as less consistent, citing a decline... read more

Lars revolutionized drumming. Listen to their first album. Whiplash, Motorbreath, Metal Militia - nobody played that fast in rock or metal bands before. On Ride the Lightning, he proved he could make musical songs like Fade to Black and For Whom the Bell Tolls work. On Master of Puppets, he perfected his technique of thrash/speed metal while still playing songs like Sanitarium and The Thing That Should Not Be. ...And Justice for All saw his musical ability soar through the roof. Listen to One, Dyers Eve, Blackened, you'll know what I'm talking about.
On The Black Album, he created a great atmosphere by complementing all the other great players in Metallica's sound. It's about serving the song with Lars and the rest of Metallica. They proved this with Load and Reload. He didn't overplay. He let the other players do their thing. St. Anger is underrated in terms of his drumming. The title track heard him return partly to his thrash roots in the choruses. Frantic was also great. Death Magnetic saw a full-on return to his thrash sound. My Apocalypse, All Nightmare Long, and That Was Just Your Life are thrash. The Day That Never Comes saw him show that he still has the musical ability he had with One, Sanitarium, etc.
Lars is the greatest rock/metal drummer there ever was, is, or ever will be and deserves to be known as such. Long live Metallica!

The Newcomers

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Stephen Perkins

From Jane's Addiction to Porno for Pyros, and stops such as Infectious Grooves among others... How I had to add him to this list is befuddling. Just listen to the Nothing's Shocking album, especially "Ted, Just Admit It...," and you'll see he belongs on this list.
He's also been known to play the steel drums a little.
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Curt Cress

The Contenders

Glen Power

Glen is a versatile drummer who can drum to any music style. Not many drummers can sing such amazing harmonies and interact with the band and fans in the way he does while keeping a rhythm. Not only that, Glen is proficient in various other musical instruments, including guitar and piano. He truly has a gift.
As far as talent goes, he has bucketloads. Turn that bucket upside down, and he will give you a rhythm. Many of The Script songs have a powerful drum beat that is often simple yet effective. Always a clean sound, and with a surname like Power - well, it says it all!
A very humble man and a truly underrated talent.

Glen is an amazing drummer. If you close your eyes and imagine hearing him play, each beat feels intentional and rhythmic, never giving everything away at once. He has a unique style, where he controls the beats per minute effortlessly.
He's also generous with advice, offering tips on what to do and what not to do when you're drumming. Glen's approach involves having the drums positioned close enough so he can reach every part, whether it's the snare, bass, or tom-tom.
He's an incredible drummer, and every experience watching him perform is memorable.
Danny Carey

Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey, born May 10, 1961, in Lawrence, Kansas, is an American drummer and instrumentalist best known for his work in the Grammy Award-winning progressive rock band Tool. He has also performed or recorded with artists such as Zaum, Green Jellÿ, Pigface, Skinny Puppy, Adrian Belew... read more

First off, people like Ringo, Lars, and even Keith Moon do not belong on this list. They are popular drummers that guitar players and non-musicians point to simply because of their name recognition. Their technical skill and creativity are routinely dwarfed by 12-year-olds on YouTube. Lars is renowned for being the least talented member of his band, come on!
Danny Carey can absolutely play as fast as the other drummers on this list. Listen to Hooker With A Penis live if you don't believe me. But that's not super important. Anyone can speed-train. What sets Danny apart is his creativity. Tool would be nothing without him, let alone all the other bands he's played with. His kit is so large and varied that he makes up half of their sound by himself. He studies sacred geometry and the occult. I'm 100% sure Danny sold his soul to Satan. But going to school for drums and having 40 years of experience in multiple styles also helps.
Ginger Baker

Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (August 19, 1939 - October 6, 2019) was an English drummer best known as the founder of the rock band Cream. His work in the 1960s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer." Baker's distinctive style blended his jazz background with African rhythms, influencing... read more

The best I ever heard, with the broadest scope in jazz, rock, African, Japanese, etc. A true genius. Only the likes of Buddy Rich compare, and they weren't nearly as wide in scope or as fanatically dedicated to their craft. A crazy genius and a great artist met in one!
The first time I heard him, I mentioned to the band member sitting next to me, while listening to one of his long solos, that he was the greatest drummer I'd ever heard. He said that he thought so too. I found out later that I was speaking to Eric Clapton. My opinion has never changed, and I seriously doubt Eric's has either.

In a different rhythmic galaxy into which few other 20th-century drummers or percussionists voyaged. Not technically proficient, but he used his innate abilities to achieve an inimitable "sound." The Jackson Pollock of drumming.
His irascible personality, egocentricity, and long-time heroin abuse, combined with an exaggerated sense of his abilities (there were many drummers who had more "chops" than he did), detracted from his uniqueness, which was a shame. Nonetheless, Ginger blazed a path for up-and-coming drummers.
Alex Van Halen

Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. He formed the band with his brother, Eddie Van Halen, in 1972. Alex is recognized for his powerful drumming style and has remained a key member throughout the... read more

Probably one of the most 'unique' drummers I've heard. I mean, I can't really say he's a powerhouse like Bonham, can't say he's as fast as Copeland, and can't say he's as much of a badass as Adler. He's got a bit of everything, and his drumming just sounds 'beautiful' and adds so much 'life' to the songs instead of just power or speed.
I mean, listen to songs like When It's Love, Dreams, or Why Can't This Be Love, and you'll know what I mean.

Eddie is the star in the family, but this guy is a monster. In addition to the method in which his drums are recorded (the sound is beautiful), his technique is flawless. His changes are dynamic, and for the speed at which he plays, he is capable of downshifting in a nanosecond. Very worthy of top 10 status.
Dave Lombardo

David "Dave" Lombardo is a Cuban American drummer best known as a co-founding member of the thrash metal band Slayer. He played on many of Slayer's early albums and helped define their aggressive sound. Lombardo has also contributed to other projects including Fantômas, Suicidal Tendencies, and Mr. Bungle... read more

This list includes some of the drummers who don't deserve to be on it. Then there's Dave Lombardo. He deserves to be among the top three drummers, right after Bonham. The rest, I don't care where you put them.
If this guy had been in a mainstream band, I wouldn't be writing this. Because then the world would have already done what I am trying to do, and this comment of mine wouldn't be needed.

Do I really need to go into why Dave Lombardo is just the greatest drummer who has ever lived?
Every song Dave has ever played on is just pure brilliance, and he has technique, precision, as well as speed, which makes him just the greatest ever.
Stewart Copeland

Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, and composer best known as the drummer for the English-American rock band The Police. He is also recognized for composing numerous film and video game soundtracks. Copeland's dynamic drumming style helped shape the band's signature... read more

I don't think Dave Grohl took a trip to Africa to immerse himself in the music of the natives. Although I do think Grohl is one of the most versatile drummers of our time, I believe Copeland should be ahead of him and Ringo Starr. His impeccable skills on his instrument made the Police a reggae band, able to support their sound with an unpredictable yet completely natural, jazz-influenced style and outstanding musical understanding.
He's also a composer.

Apart from Neil Peart, Bonzo, and Keith Moon being at 1, 2, and 3, this is the stupidest list I have ever seen. Stewart Copeland is unquestionably the 4th greatest drummer ever, behind them. And he's somehow at 18th? Meanwhile, the majority of drummers ahead of him on this list are random metal drummers who don't have a feel or rhythm half as good as this machine of a man.
Phil Collins

Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who has also worked as a record producer and actor. He's best known as the drummer and later lead vocalist of the rock band Genesis, as well as for his successful solo career. Collins has won multiple Grammy Awards and... read more

Peart for sheer volume, Bonham for raw power, Copeland for originality, but Collins. Apocalypse in 9/8. What he does with a basic kit is just unbelievable.

I loved Phil's playing with Genesis before he became a frontman and solo artist. He's a very talented man and a drummer first. His '70s style was very different from his '80s style, partly because of the way music was being produced and partly because he adapted to influences.
When he worked on the 3rd Peter Gabriel album, Peter told him there were to be no cymbals on the entire record (check it out). The drumming style he adopted as a result was a forerunner of the "In the Air Tonight" style that most people know him for. But I still love his much looser and busier progressive style of the '70s, plus, of course, his jazz outlet through Brand X. All good stuff.
Vinnie Colaiuta

As a life-long drummer, I had developed morphing lists of "best" drummers based on favorite bands, styles, genres, etc., over the years. I had a standard kind of mishmashed, mixed-up list: Rich, Roach, Peart, Bonham, Moon, Copeland, Baker, Starr, etc. Then I tried throwing out all preconceived notions and objectively started listening to drummers, and BOOM! Vinnie Colaiuta reigns supreme. There is no competition. He can play ALL styles better than anyone on any of my previous lists. The one possible exception is Buddy Rich at the height of his skills performing snare drum magic in solos. I'm sure Vinnie can do the same, but I just haven't found a recording yet.
Roger Taylor

Roger Meddows Taylor is an English musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter born on July 26, 1949, in King's Lynn, Norfolk. He is best known as the drummer of the legendary rock band Queen and contributed to several of their major hits, including "Radio Ga Ga," "A Kind of Magic," and the... read more

He's the drummer of Queen! And Queen was voted number 2 on this same website as the greatest band of all time. Queen's song Bohemian Rhapsody was voted number 1 on this same website as the greatest song of all time. Queen's lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury, was voted number 1 on this same website as the greatest singer of all time.
And just listen to the drums on some of their songs. They're absolutely amazing! He can also sing very well. I am surprised he isn't higher. He should be at least in the top 3!

Whoever made this list must be deaf or not have ears! What is Roger doing all the way down here?! How is he not even in the top 20?! 40?! This list is messed up! Roger is the king (or queen) of drumming! He can also sing really well!
I'm In Love With My Car is underrated and needs more attention, as do his other songs such as The Loser In The End and Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll. His drumming is badass, especially in Fat Bottomed Girls and I Want It All. I demand you put him at number 1! Queen rules!
Shannon Leto

Shannon Leto is an American musician and songwriter best known as the drummer of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars. He co-founded the band with his brother, actor and musician Jared Leto. Shannon has been part of all the band's major studio albums, contributing to their signature sound and success... read more

Shannon started playing drums by beating on pots and pans with wooden spoons. Later, he moved on to a snare drum. He wanted to be a photographer, but he listened to his heart and joined the band he and his brother created.
Leto gave everything to bring us the rhythm of his emotions through his drumming. Most people don't know much about his life. He's never given up on his dreams and keeps looking toward the future. There are many songs I could suggest.
When you're at a show watching Shannon play, you can tell he's having fun. You can see the passion. He gives everything to the performance. His drum set with DJ Becks is excellent. That's how he lives, and he wouldn't want to live any other way. Being on stage with a drum kit is what defines Shannon Christopher Leto. That's all I had to say.
Gene Krupa

Eugene Bertram "Gene" Krupa was an American jazz and big band drummer, bandleader, actor, and composer. He was one of the most influential drummers of the 20th century, known for his energetic style and for helping elevate the drummer to a soloist role in jazz. Krupa's performance on Benny Goodman's... read more

The fact that Krupa is 22nd on this list proves that you can't ask this question without going genre-specific. I think you need to card some of these voters at the door too. Meaning no disrespect, but in most cases, a teenager is not going to have a wide enough scope to make a meaningful vote on something like this. Hence, Leto at #2!?
I guarantee 90% or more of the voters here don't listen to jazz or swing and have never seen this guy rip it up. I like a lot of the other guys on this list, but search for a couple of his videos on the web and just watch and "feel" this guy play. My #1 drummer in any category because he was a technical genius who still played with passion and flair. Truly awesome.
Mike Mangini

Mike Mangini is an American drummer known for his technical proficiency and teaching expertise. Since 2010, he's been the drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater, following the departure of founding member Mike Portnoy. Mangini also holds several world records in drum speed and has served... read more

Quite possibly the most technically proficient drummer of all time, "Illumination Theory" is based on a polyrhythm that includes a subdivision of nineteen. Nineteen!
His hands are the fastest ever (he holds a world record), and he has octopus-like coverage of the kit, rivaled only by Keith Moon. There is, quite frankly, probably nothing he cannot play.

How the hell is Portnoy at #4 and Mangini at #24 right now? Mangini isn't any lesser of a drummer than Portnoy, and he's way back here behind schmucks like Lars Ulrich?
People should look up some of Mangini's live playing. I guess the mix really does screw up his sound on the albums.
Bill Ward

William Thomas "Bill" Ward is an English musician and visual artist best known as the original drummer for the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Ward was part of the original lineup formed in 1968 and contributed to several of the band's most influential albums. He has also released solo work and... read more

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 in a metal song, and would then proceed to destroy your mind with lightning-fast fills. The man had hands like a machine gun.
And when you watch live footage of him, it's so amazing that the cameraman practically focuses on him the whole time. He was an absolute maniac on the drums, and his beats are among the grooviest ever written. 100% underrated. Probably due to the fact that Sabbath only really put out three amazing albums.
Yoshiki Hayashi

Yoshiki Hayashi is a Japanese musician, songwriter, composer, and record producer. Better known by his stage name Yoshiki, he is the leader and co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan, serving as the drummer, pianist, and main songwriter. The band achieved major success in the late 1980s and is widely... read more

My beloved Yoshiki? He's the best. No one like him. That way of playing drums doesn't have any comparison with anyone on this planet. His passion, his dedication, his madness when he's playing.
He puts his soul into each note he plays on drums, and you can feel it. I can't explain it. You have to see it to understand it. He's a devil monster on drums and makes my heart explode. He's not only the best drummer on this planet, he's the best pianist, rocker, and human in this universe. I love him.

Greatest drummer of all time. That just says it all.
He's the only one who managed to turn my attention to drumming and heavy music I'd never been interested in before. I'd never heard such beautiful melodies accompanied by fast and energetic metal. I'd never been that impressed by someone's musical skills.
Yoshiki is one of the greatest and most talented musicians I didn't imagine existed. I'm glad I live in the times of X Japan.
Rick Allen

Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen is an English drummer who has been with Def Leppard since 1978. In 1984, he lost his left arm in a car accident but continued to play drums using a custom electronic kit. His perseverance helped inspire fans and fellow musicians alike.... read more

Rick Allen has to be one of the greatest drummers of all time and definitely is the best in my book. Drumming with one arm really caught my eyewhen finding out about Def Leppard, and now that I'm actually into the band, I respect that even more.
Still managing to play the songs from On Through the Night to Pyromania, in which he played with both arms, with just one arm is just beyond impressive.

Say whatever you want, but you cannot question this man's love for his instrument. He learned to play without his arm! That seems incredibly difficult, but I suppose he must have felt like he had to play.