Professional Drummers
Professional drummers are those who have put in the work and now drum for a living. Here you will find the professional drummers we have featured.
Latest in Professional Drummers
Funk
Aaron Spears | Usher's drummer, and everyone's teacher
Aaron Spears defined modern R&B drumming with Usher and Ariana Grande, and taught a generation online. His playing, his DW kit, and his legacy.
Metal
Alex Cohen | Progressive drumming's advanced class
Alex Cohen writes books on extreme polyrhythm and does things on double bass most drummers would not attempt. His playing, his books, and his Yamaha kit.
Rock
Alex Van Halen | The other half of Van Halen
Alex Van Halen built the biggest drum sound of the 1980s. Hot for Teacher, the resonator kits, his Ludwig and Paiste rig, and life after Eddie.
Funk
Anderson .Paak | Singing from behind the kit
Anderson .Paak drums and sings at the same time, and won a Drumeo award for Silk Sonic. His playing, his Ludwig signature kit, and where to start.
Rock
Aric Improta | The drummer who backflips between kits
Aric Improta plays for Night Verses and co-founded Fever 333. The performance art, the playing underneath it, and his Tama and Meinl setup.
Rock
Ashton Irwin | 5 Seconds of Summer's engine
Ashton Irwin drums for 5 Seconds of Summer and plays a mirror chrome Gretsch the size of a small car. His playing, his kit, and where to start.
Rock
Bill Ward | The jazz drummer who invented metal
Bill Ward's swing, not his weight, gave Black Sabbath their groove. His story, the 2025 Villa Park reunion, and the Slingerland and Paiste kit behind it.
Country
Billy Freeman | Driving Dustin Lynch's band
Billy Freeman has been Dustin Lynch's drummer through the country star's run. His playing, his Nashville career, and his kit explained.
Rock
Chad Smith | Red Hot Chili Peppers' engine room
Chad Smith has held the Red Hot Chili Peppers together since 1988. His story, his groove, his DW and Paiste rig, and why funk-rock's biggest backbeat swings.
Rock
Cody Ash | Jelly Roll's drummer
Cody Ash has drummed for Jelly Roll since 2021 and won Drumeo's country award twice. Where he's from, his bands before, his kit, and his playing.
Metal
Danny Carey | Tool's polyrhythm machine
Danny Carey has drummed for Tool since 1990. His jazz and tabla grounding, the odd-time playing, the sigils on the kit, and his Sonor and Paiste rig explained.
Funk
Devon "Stixx" Taylor | From Atlanta church to the Super Bowl
Devon Stixx Taylor started drumming at two and has played for Usher, Justin Bieber and Mary J. Blige. His feel, his career, and his setup explained.
Educators
Dom Famularo | Drumming's Global Ambassador
Dom Famularo taught drummers in dozens of countries for forty years and carried Jim Chapin's legacy forward. His life, his teaching, and his legacy.
Metal
Eloy Casagrande | Sepultura to Slipknot
Eloy Casagrande left Sepultura and joined Slipknot in 2024. His technique, the four-bass-drum Tama rig, and why he is metal's most complete drummer.
Educators
Emmanuelle Caplette | Rudiments, made fun
Emmanuelle Caplette came from drum corps to become one of drumming's clearest educators. Her book, her playing, and her Sonor and Sabian setup.
Country
Fred Eltringham | Nashville's quietest heavy hitter
Fred Eltringham drums for Sheryl Crow and half of Nashville. His minimal kit, the box of junk percussion, and why he plays from the elbow.
Pop
Giulliana Merello | Four years behind Karol G
Giulliana Merello played arenas with Karol G, made the cover of Modern Drummer and leads an all-female percussion project. Her career and her rig.
Rock
Gregg Bissonette | Ringo Starr's drummer
Gregg Bissonette played for David Lee Roth, Santana and Ringo Starr, and teaches everywhere. His versatility, and his Dixon and Sabian rig explained.
Rock
Harry Miree | 100 drum kits, and a day job with Hardy
Harry Miree tours with Hardy and gave away over 100 drum sets to schools with Charles Barkley. His playing, and his Pearl Reference One rig.
Metal
II | Sleep Token's masked drummer
II drums for Sleep Token and has won six Drumeo awards without ever showing his face. His playing, his DW and Istanbul Agop rig, and the anonymity.
Funk
Jamal Moore | Clarity, consistency, and a very long CV
Jamal Moore has drummed for Ariana Grande, Usher, TLC and Stray Kids. His versatility, his production work, and his Zildjian and Vic Firth setup.
Metal
Jay Weinberg | Nine years inside Slipknot
Jay Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison in Slipknot, played The End, So Far, and was out by 2023. His story, his playing, and his SJC and Zildjian rig.
Jazz
Jonathan Barber | Tradition and innovation, at once
Jonathan Barber leads Vision Ahead and teaches at UConn. His jazz playing, his hybrid Sensory Percussion setup, and his Ludwig and Istanbul rig.
Rock
Josh Dun | Twenty One Pilots' other half
Josh Dun drums for Twenty One Pilots and plays to stadiums with one other person. His hybrid setup, the Clancy tour kit, and his SJC and Zildjian rig.
Jazz
Larnell Lewis | The one-listen Enter Sandman drummer
Larnell Lewis learned a Metallica album in one listen and recorded it. His Snarky Puppy work, his teaching, and his Yamaha and Zildjian rig explained.
Metal
Mario Duplantier | Gojira's deliberate hand
Mario Duplantier co-founded Gojira and played the Paris Olympics. His restraint, the Cyclone solo, and his Tama Starclassic and Zildjian rig explained.
Jazz
Mark Guiliana | Making acoustic drums sound electronic
Mark Guiliana played on Bowie's Blackstar and leads Beat Music. His electronic-inspired acoustic playing, and his Gretsch and Zildjian setup explained.
Rock
Matt Cameron | Soundgarden and Pearl Jam's drummer
Matt Cameron played on Superunknown and Ten's successors both. His odd-time grunge, the Keplinger snare, and his Yamaha and Zildjian rig explained.
Metal
Matt Garstka | Animals As Leaders' linear brain
Matt Garstka brought gospel-chops vocabulary to progressive metal. His approach, his teaching, and his DW and Meinl rig explained.
Metal
Mike Portnoy | Dream Theater's returning monster
Mike Portnoy co-founded Dream Theater, left in 2010 and came back in 2023. His bands, his playing, the Monster kits, and his Tama and Sabian rig explained.
Jazz
Nate Smith | The drummer everyone else studies
Nate Smith has won three Drumeo awards across jazz and soul. His feel, his writing, the Kinfolk records, and his Ludwig and Zildjian rig explained.
Rock
Paulina Villarreal | The Warning's drummer and voice
Paulina Villarreal drums and sings lead for The Warning. The Monterrey sister trio, the VMAs, and her DW and Sabian rig explained.
Funk
Queen Cora Coleman | Prince's drummer, then Beyoncé's
Queen Cora Coleman held the drum chair for Prince and then Beyoncé. Her feel, her career, and her DW and Sabian setup explained.
Funk
Questlove | The Roots' drummer who changed feel
Questlove drums for The Roots, runs the Tonight Show band and won an Oscar. His Dilla-inspired feel, his Ludwig and Zildjian kit, and where to start listening.
Prog
Ramon Montagner | Two sticks in one hand
Ramon Montagner pioneered advanced push-pull and dual-grip technique. His books, his teaching, and his Tama and Meinl setup explained.
Jazz
Roni Kaspi | Discovered on Instagram, hired by Avishai Cohen
Roni Kaspi went from an Instagram video to Avishai Cohen's trio and her own records. Her playing, her Berklee training, and her setup explained.
Jazz
Roy Haynes | Snap Crackle, and eight decades of it
Roy Haynes played with Charlie Parker, Coltrane and Chick Corea across an eighty-year career. His style, his small bebop kit, and what made him different.
Rock
Sarah Jones | Harry Styles' drummer
Sarah Jones has drummed for Harry Styles, Hot Chip and Bat For Lashes. Her hybrid setup, the vintage Slingerland kit, and her career explained.
Metal
Scott Travis | Judas Priest's double-kick engine
Scott Travis played the Painkiller intro and has held Judas Priest's drum chair since 1989. Racer X, the stamina, and his Paiste and DW rig explained.
Rock
Shane Hawkins | Chevy Metal's drummer
Shane Hawkins played his father's song at the Taylor Hawkins tribute and has fronted Chevy Metal's drum stool since. His story and his setup.
Jazz
Stanton Moore | New Orleans funk, in one drummer
Stanton Moore founded Galactic and teaches the New Orleans tradition worldwide. His second-line vocabulary and his Gretsch and Bosphorus rig explained.
Jazz
Steve Gadd | The most copied drummer alive
Steve Gadd played 50 Ways, Aja and half the records in your parents' collection. His story, his rudimental technique, his Yamaha and Zildjian kit explained.
Rock
Steve Jordan | The Rolling Stones' drummer
Steve Jordan produced records for decades before taking the Rolling Stones' drum chair after Charlie Watts. His feel, his career, and his Yamaha rig.
Jazz
Terri Lyne Carrington | Jazz drummer, and a movement
Terri Lyne Carrington has three Grammys, a Berklee institute and a career from child prodigy to bandleader. Her playing and her Zildjian setup explained.
Rock
Terry Bozzio | The drummer who writes music
Terry Bozzio sight-read The Black Page to win the Zappa gig, then spent forty years writing solo drum music on the world's largest tuned kit. His story and rig.
Metal
Tomas Haake | Meshuggah's polyrhythm engine
Tomas Haake made djent possible. How Meshuggah's polymetric riffs actually work, what Bleed costs to play, and his Sonor, Sabian and Vic Firth rig.
Funk
Tony Royster Jr. | The prodigy who kept going
Tony Royster Jr. was famous at eleven and has drummed for Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz and Beyoncé since. His versatility, and his DW and Sabian rig explained.
Rock
Tosh Peterson | The drummer everyone calls
Tosh Peterson has played for Fall Out Boy, Lady Gaga, Jung Kook and MGK before turning 25. His versatility, his career, and his Pearl rig explained.
Rock
Tré Cool | Green Day's chaos merchant
Tré Cool has drummed for Green Day since 1990. The punk simplicity, the surf and swing underneath it, Saviors, and his SJC, Ludwig and Zildjian rig.
Jazz
Ulysses Owens Jr. | Three Grammys and a classroom
Ulysses Owens Jr. is a Grammy-winning jazz drummer, a Juilliard educator and a Broadway musical director. His playing, teaching and setup explained.
Educators
Yoni Madar | Simple is not simple
Yoni Madar teaches the open-close technique and plays four instruments. His independence, his teaching, and why he thinks you are overthinking it.
Metal
Joey Jordison: Remembering the Late Drummer of Slipknot
Joey Jordison was an icon in the music industry, known for his incredible drumming skills and unique style. As the drummer of Slipknot, he helped pioneer
Professional Drummers
Anika Nilles | Drumming, composition and much more
Anika Nilles has taken the drumming community by storm over the past 6 or so years. A true drumming powerhouse full of groove and chops no matter the time
Metal
Gabe Helguera | From YouTube covers to Drum Beats Online
Gabe Helguera has gone from creating a drumming fresh YouTube channel to launching the drum tuition website Drum Beats Online. This is no small feat.
Metal
George Kollias | Pushing the boundaries of death metal drumming
If you are into death metal you have likely heard of George Kollias. His drumming is pushing the boundaries of blast beats and double kick to new levels
Metal
Aquiles Priester | An icon of power metal drumming
If you are interested in metal drumming it is highly likely that at some point you will have come across Aquiles Priester. His playing is flawless and he
Metal
Chris Turner | The inhuman metal drumming machine
Chris Turner of Oceans Ate Alaska plays metal with terrifying accuracy and no triggers. His story, his DW and Sabian setup, and the latest Chris Turner news.
Metal
Arin Ilejay | Filling some of the biggest shoes in metal drumming history
Arin Ilejay has been on a rollercoaster ride in his drumming career so far. From breakout scene band Confide to globe touring giants Avenged Sevenfold and
Metal
66Samus | Metal drumming entertainment at its best
Samus Paulicelli, AKA 66Samus, turned blast beats and daft jokes into a million-subscriber channel. His story, his triggered kit and the latest 66Samus news.
Professional Drummers
Thomas Lang | Superhuman drumming
If you have been a drummer for a couple of years you have likely come across the name Thomas Lang. He is a household name in the drumming community. That
Metal
Luke Holland | From YouTube drummer to a world-touring pro
Luke Holland is arguably one of the biggest success stories of a drummer uploading videos to YouTube to becoming a full time professional. His journey has
YouTube
Siros Vaziri | Drummer | Passion and tasty playing
Siros Vaziri is a drummer who has gained a strong online following. Once you see one of his videos you will understand why. He is a great player who is
Metal
Alex Rüdinger | Metal drumming legend in the making?
Alex Rüdinger is a powerhouse in metal drumming. You rarely come across drummers with such power, accuracy and technical ability but Alex Rüdinger has it
Metal
Anup Sastry | Prog Metal Drumming at its finest
Anup Sastry is a powerhouse of a drummer making complicated progressive metal songs seem effortless. The feel, incredible sound and songwriting prowess
Professional Drummers
Eric Moore | Chops, power & groove
Eric Moore is the drummer you need to know — Gospel Chops pioneer, Drum-Off champion, clinician and now a Gretsch artist. His story, his gear and his news.