World Drummer's Day: The five types of drummers who changed the world

Today is not just World Rat Day - it's also World Drummer’s Day! This universal celebration of percussion is no doubt chosen because the calendar date is 4/4, the most popular time signature used in music.

There’s an old joke about drummers. How do you know when a drummer is at your door? He doesn’t know when to come in. 

While they might be the focal point of derision within many bands, today we’re recognising the very best of the lot by compiling a list of the best five types of drummer to grace the sonic airwaves.

It’s impossible to have a conversation about amazing drummers without starting with the rock and roll greats. There’s a reason that, when asked to do an impression of a drummer, the whole planet will approximate something a bit like Keith Moon’s playing.

The late great Keith Moon was the driving force behind mod legends The Who. He lived fast but he played faster. Moon brought a groove to the rock stylings of his bandmates Roger Daltry, Pete Townsend and John Entwistle.

Where else, besides the classics, do you hear something as brazen and joyous as a rocking drum solo? My favourite Moon example has to be the way Moon thrashes at his kit in the musical interludes of the band’s sweeping odyssey ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’.

Honourable mentions in this genre of drummer have to go to Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, whose forceful playing anchored the wistful fantasy of the band, and Dave Grohl, whose propulsive intuition brought life to Nirvana and his own project, the Foo Fighters.

All the top hip-hop masters have one thing in common, a love of great beats. The annals of hip-hop are littered with beloved samples that have been used and abused to create iconic songs ever since the genre exploded in the 80s and 90s.

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