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Rolling Stone have finally released their 100 Greatest Drummers list. Let the fighting begin.

The iconic Rolling Stone magazine is well known for its contentious, drama-inducing, often baffling “100 Greatest of all Time” lists. They’ve done everything from the “100 Greatest Guitarists” list to the “100 Best Singles of 1984” – but it was not until a few days ago that they had touched the drummers.

100 greatest drummers

Those at the magazine are the first to remind readers that these lists are entirely subjective, although assuredly justified. This however hasn’t stopped each and every list being picked apart and scolded. Their “100 Greatest Drummers” list will be no exception.

Dave Grohl is nowhere to be seen until the late-20s, Travis Baker barely cracks the top 100, and you’ll find the list fairly devoid of any drummers from the last decade or two. Oh, and there about two women on the list too.

That being said, there are some solid choices for the tops spots. Hendrix’s stick man Mitch Mitchell, The Beatles’ Ringo Starr and The Stones’ Charlie Watts are all hanging around the #10 mark. And the top 5 is occupied by the usual suspects when it comes to best drummers ever discussions.

Check out the full list below and keep in mind that Rolling Stone: “valued nuance and musicality over chops and flash, celebrating players who knew the value of aiding a great song more than hogging up a show with a silly solo.” 

100. Christian Vander, Magma
99. Travis Barker, Blink-182
98. Steven Adler, Guns N’ Roses
97. Cindy Blackman, Lenny Kravitz
96. Larry Mullen Jr., U2
95. Chris Dave, D’Angelo and Robert Glasper Experiment
94. Meg White, The White Stripes
93. Tomas Haake, Meshuggah
92. Ralph Molina, Neil Young and Crazy Horse
91. Brian Chippendale, Lightning Bolt
90. Janet Weiss, Sleater-Kinney
89. Bill Stevenson, Descendents
88. Jon Theodore, The Mars Volta and Queens of the Stone Age
87. George Hurley, The Minutemen and Firehose
86. Phil Rudd, AC/DC
85. Tommy Lee, Mötley Crüe
84. John Stanier, Battles
83. Ronald Shannon Jackson
82. Glenn Kotche, Wilco
81. JR Robinson
80. Steve Jordan, John Mayer Trio
79. Mick Avory, The Kinks
78. Micky Waller, Jeff Beck Group
77. Moe Tucker, The Velvet Underground
76. Earl Young, The Trammps
75. Earl Hudson, Bad Brains
74. Michael Shrieve, Santana
73. Pete Thomas, Elvis Costello
72. James “Diamond” Williams, The Ohio Players
71. Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, The Allman Brothers Band
70. Tommy Ramone, The Ramones
69. Dale Crover, The Melvins
68. Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey, Parliament Funkadelic
67. Greg Errico, Sly and the Family Stone
66. Kenny Aronoff, John Mellencamp
65. Sly Dunbar, Sly and Robbie
64. Chad Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers
63. Dennis Chambers
62. Tony Thompson, Chic and The Power Station
61. Clem Burke, Blondie
60. Mick Fleetwood, Fleetwood Mac
59. Jim Gordon, Derek and the Dominos
58. Sheila E, Prince
57. Manu Katche
56. Richie Hayward, Little Feat
55. Max Weinberg, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
54. Questlove, The Roots
53. Jimmy Chamberlin, The Smashing Pumpkins
52. Matt Cameron, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden
51. Alex Van Halen, Van Halen
50. Cozy Powell, The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Whitesnake, and Black Sabbath
49. Vinnie Colaiuta
48. John “Drumbo” French, Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band
47. Dave Lombardo, Slayer
46. Dave Garibaldi, Tower of Power
45. Billy Cobham
44. Jerry Allison, The Crickets
43. Phil Collins, Genesis
42. Bill Ward, Black Sabbath
41. Carter Beauford, Dave Matthews Band
40. Jack DeJohnette
39. Ramon “Tiki” Fulwood, Parliament Funkadelic
38. Jim Keltner
37. Jeff Porcaro, Toto
36. Steve Smith, Journey
35. Fred Below
34. Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, Grateful Dead
33. Tony Allen
32. James Gadson
31. Roger Hawkins, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
30. Clifton James, Bo Diddley
29. Carlton Barrett, Bob Marley and the Wailers
28. Carmine Appice
27. Dave Grohl, Nirvana and Foo Fighters
26. Danny Carey, Tool
25. Earl Palmer, Little Richard
24. Steve Gadd
23. Elvin Jones, John Coltrane Quartet
22. Levon Helm, The Band
21. Ian Paice, Deep Purple
20. Bernard Purdie
19. Tony Williams, Miles Davis
18. Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, The Meters
17. Terry Bozzio, Frank Zappa
16. Bill Bruford, Yes and King Crimson
15. Buddy Rich
14. Ringo Starr, The Beatles
13. D.J. Fontana, Elvis Presley
12. Charlie Watts, The Rolling Stones
11. Benny Benjamin, The Funk Brothers
10. Stewart Copeland, The Police
09. Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. & the MG’s
08. Mitch Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix Experience
07. Gene Krupa
06. Clyde Stubblefield and John “Jabo” Starks
05. Hal Blaine
04. Neil Peart, Rush
03. Ginger Baker, Cream
02. Keith Moon, The Who
01. John Bonham, Led Zeppelin

Let the fighting begin.