Rolling Stone's Top 100 Drummers List

Rolling Stone's Top 100 Drummers List

This list is badly flawed in my opinion. But some of them are right. People like Billy and Dennis should be up there at the top.


1. Neil Peart (Rush)
2. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
3. Ginger Baker (Cream)
4. Keith Moon (Who)
5. Terry Bozzio (Zappa, Jeff Beck)
6. Bill Bruford (Yes)
7. Danny Carey (Tool)
8. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)
9. Ian Paice (Deep Purple)
10. Carl Palmer (ELP)
11. Stewart Copeland (Police)
12. Dave Lombardo (Slayer)
13. Steve Gadd (Steely Dan)
14. Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Frank Zappa)
15. Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band)
16. Tim Alexander (Primus)
17. Simon Phillips (Toto, Jeff Beck)
18. Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs, Winger)
19. Matt Cameron (Soundgarden)
20. Dennis Chambers (Santana)
21. Chad Wackerman (Zappa)
22. Phil Collins (Genesis)
23. Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
24. Virgil Donati (Planet X)
25. Max Weinberg (E Street Band)
26. Vinnie Paul (Pantera)
27. Ansley Dunbar (Jeff Beck, Whitesnake)
28. Mike Shrieve (Santana)
29. David Garibaldi (Tower Of Power)
30. Steve Smith (Journey)
31. Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle)
32. Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)
33. Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
34. Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)
35. Alan White (Yes)
36. Carmine Appice (Beck, Bogart, Appice)
37. Stanton Moore (Galactic)
38. Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden)
39. Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche)
40. Hal Blaine (Elvis Presley, Beach Boys)
41. Joey Jordison (Slipknot)
42. Marco Minnemann (Weirdoz)
43. Cozy Powell (Rainbow)
44. Tommy Aldridge (Whitesnake)
45. Chester Thompson (Santana)
46. Morgan Agren (Frank Zappa)
47. Jeff Porcaro (Toto)
48. Dean Castronovo (Journey)
49. Mike Giles (King Crimson)
50. Jeff Campitelli (Satriani)
51. Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
52. Greg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Satriani)
53. Ralph Humphrey (Mothers Of Invention)
54. Mike Bordin (Faith No More)
55. Ringo Starr (Beatles)
56. Zak Starkey (The Who)
57. Jon Theodore (Mars Volta)
58. Phil Ehart (Kansas)
59. Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull)
60. Jimmy Chamberlain (Smashing Pumpkins)
61. Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)
62. Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
63. Brian Mantia (Primus)
64. Mike Sus (Possessed)
65. Jason Rullo (Symphony X)
66. Dave Grohl (Scream, Nirvana)
67. Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson)
68. Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac)
69. Ray Herrera (Fear Factory)
70. Brann Dailor (Mastodon)
71. Matt McDonough (Mudvayne)
72. Scott Travis (Judas Priest)
73. Jack Irons (RHCP, Pearl Jam)
74. Roger Taylor (Queen)
75. Jose Pasillas (Incubus)
76. Earl Palmer (session man)
77. BJ Wilson (Procol Harum)
78. Joey Kramer (Aerosmith)
79. Gene Holgan (Death)
80. Danny Seraphine (Chicago)
81. Igor Cavalera (Sepultura)
82. Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy)
83. Travis Barker (Blink 182)
84. Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters)
85. Nicholas Barker (Dimmu Borgir)
86. Paul Bostaph (Slayer)
87. Chad Smith (RHCP)
88. Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine)
89. Alan Gratzer (REO Speedwagon)
90. Matt Sorum (The Cult, GNR)
91. John Dolmayan (System of a Down)
92. Chad Sexton (311)
93. Mark Zonder (Fate's Warning)
94. Gary Husband (Level 42)
95. John Densmore (The Doors)
96. Jon Fishman (Phish)
97. Al Jackson (MG's)
98. Jim Gordon (Derek & the Dominos)
99. Dave Abbruzzese (Pearl Jam)
100. Sean Kinney (Alice in Chains

What a strange list. Did they declare some criteria for that listing?

Gary Husband, #94?

this is the most ridiculous piece of idiocy i have ever seen.
rating musicians and comparing them! it's just an assclown magazine.

Where's Jabo Starks? Another list that sucks.

this is the most ridiculous piece of idiocy i have ever seen.
rating musicians and comparing them! it's just an assclown magazine.

Cmon' now, Kenny, lets be honest.
We ALL do it! Maybe not in terms
of a number system but everybody
rates and compares.

We hear someone and we'll say:
Oh I don't like him, but check out
this cat! Or we'll make mention of
someone we do like, or give an
opinion of what music we think they
should be playing like someone else
is playing....

Don't kid yourself. Silently or publically,
everybody rates and compares. It's
actually one of the methods we use to
distinguish.... I will admit however that
this rating and comparing by number is
just plain silly.

It Rolling Stone guys!! Ahhhhaaaaa!!! That's Too funny-

But seriously, Billy should be #1 on that list right there...It was probably a 20 yr old fresh out of college snot nose kid that did that.... not even a musician obviously...

I don't read that mag at all....at all haha--

It's better to be acknowledged than ignored.

I believe that the ranking is mostly dependent upon inclusion than exclusion. My name ain't there and I'm not mad because I know why I'm not on that list.

The same with anyone else... just do what you do and do it with excellence: believe me - you will be noticed for all of the right reasons, and none of the wrong ones.

Congratulations to the top 100 out of the 7 Billion folks on the planet! That's quite an accomplishment in and of itself.

The order is jacked up

Suss wrote:
Congratulations to the top 100 out of the 7 Billion folks on the planet! That's quite an accomplishment in and of itself.

I firmly believe I should be in the top million.

rarebit wrote:

Suss wrote:
Congratulations to the top 100 out of the 7 Billion folks on the planet! That's quite an accomplishment in and of itself.

I firmly believe I should be in the top million.

Yeah Rare!

Afterall many still walk in their ownshadow while others have already provided the "light" by which shadows are seen. We cast those suckers ourselves... and yes: this list is Jacked Up! Who voted anyway? I didn't.

http://www.johnsussewell.com/Shadow-SussQuatched2011.mp3

[revisted by me from Boomer's project with Kofi]