Best Progressive Rock Drummers
I have the highest respect for progressive rock drummers, as their songs have overly complex rhythms and odd time signatures!That's why I decided to make a list about those drumming legends.
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English retired drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He gained prominence as the original drummer for the progressive rock band Yes and later played with King Crimson and Genesis. Bruford is also known for founding the jazz-fusion group... read more There are a lot of great drummers on this list. I voted for Bill Bruford because he managed to play really complex rhythms and polyrhythms while remaining tasteful and serving the song. He is the only man who has worked with Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis. That says a lot.
Really glad to see him on this list.
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 The younger drummers on this list probably looked up to Neil as a mentor, I know Mike Portnoy did.
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist most famous for playing with the progressive rock bands Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Asia. He began his career with bands like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster. Palmer is regarded as one of the most technically proficient... read more An incredible drummer who rightly belongs on this list. He demonstrated keen precision and creativity while complementing both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake's music. The solo on Karn Evil 9 live version is still one of the best ever.
In my opinion, Carl is in the top 5 best in the world. I saw a live performance of Fanfare for the Common Man - remembering it still takes my breath away. But ELP is sadly underappreciated in my opinion.
He is still playing great today with his legacy band. What is great about this is you get to see a top-notch musician in a small venue. Besides, if Buddy Rich says you're good, you're good.
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 I can't think of a drummer who has done a better job of playing exactly the right things at exactly the right times than Phil Collins. He was quite the drummer back in the 70s and early 80s with Genesis. Not only a virtuoso technician, but also lent endless feeling to the song.
Incredibly inventive in any time signature. Check out "Dance on a Volcano". I'd say he's my favorite of all time, and it's because of the way he always enhances the songs so perfectly, every time, that he beats out Bill Bruford in my eyes.
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 No one plays like Mike Portnoy! He will always be the best!
He is my favorite drummer of all time.
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English musician and composer, best known as the drummer of the legendary rock band Pink Floyd. He is the only member to appear on all of the band's studio albums. In recent years, he has toured with his own group, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, performing early... read more
He has the cleanest drum notes I have ever heard. He makes excellent use of his whole drum set, especially his special small cymbals. He has insanely good timing.
This guy seems to always know the perfect fill and has an insane amount of creativity. Porcupine Tree became a heavyweight when he came on board.
The best drummer in the world. He makes every song he plays in so much better.
The rhythmic heartbeat of Camel!
The Newcomers
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 Danny is too low. The guy is a beast! He can switch between odd time signatures every other bar easily.
The polyrhythms on Lateralus and Eulogy alone should push Danny higher up the list.
Are y'all serious? This man should be number one and Neil Peart number two!
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
Terry John "Ted" Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa. He gained acclaim for his complex and innovative drumming style. Bozzio has also played with bands such as U.K. and contributed to numerous studio recordings and live performances throughout... read more
Brann Timothy Dailor is an American drummer and singer, best known as a member of the Atlanta, Georgia-based metal band Mastodon. In the band, he serves as the drummer, backing vocalist, lead vocalist on several songs, and primary lyricist. His drumming style is noted for its technical complexity and... read moreMartin Lopez is awesome. Very underrated.
Tomas Haake is a Swedish drummer and the main songwriter for the experimental metal band Meshuggah. He is known for his polyrhythmic drumming and technical precision. In 2012, he was named the 5th best modern metal drummer by MetalSucks.net and was voted number one in the "Metal" category in Modern... read more
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... read more
One of the top ten greatest alternative metal drummers of all history.
Robert Gregory Bourdon is an American musician, best known as the former drummer and one of the founding members of the American rock band Linkin Park He remained with the band until their hiatus in 201.7 When the band members began working together out of the public eye in 2019, he declined to rejoin... read more
Brilliant. Moving! Shows he loves the art and engages with the audience.