The Best Rock Drummers from the ’70s, Ranked

The best 70s rock drummers represent a golden age for the instrument and the genre as a whole. This was an era where the genre reached an absolute peak and this propelled the careers of these drumming icons. Some of them have been part of some of the best albums and bands of all time as well, further cementing their legacies.

These are the best 70s rock drummers because of a combination of skills, talent, and achievements. The vast majority of them are extremely known but for a good reason. And they all have accomplished notorious things throughout the years.

1. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)

Bonham became known worldwide for being the drummer of Led Zeppelin. From the age of 5, he was interested in drums and that led him to be part of many bands during his school years, meeting Robert Plant twice. In 1968, he would follow the latter in a new project with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones called Led Zeppelin. As the saying goes, the rest is history.

Bonham was a very fast drummer with a very good sense of rhythm, being an important basis for the band’s live performances. That was when improvisation and changes of rhythm stood out, and Bonham thrived in that setting.

John Bonham was found dead on September 25, 1980 at the age of 32, due to excessive alcohol consumption in the last 24 hours prior to his death. His passing led to Led Zeppelin breaking up since they didn’t want to continue without him. His son Jason, a great drummer in his own right, has played with the band when they have played a few shows together.

2. Ian Paice (Deep Purple)

To talk about Deep Purple is to talk about the history of rock itself. And drummer Ian Paice is the only member who has been in the band since its birth in 1968. That alone is enough to consider him among the best 70s rock drummers.

Paice is a very technical drummer who has been an influence on a large number of important drummers in the world of rock. In addition to Deep Purple, Paice has collaborated on other projects with renowned artists such as Whitesnake, Gary Moore or Paul McCartney.

3. Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)

Another English founding member of a legendary band, in this case, Black Sabbath. Along with Ozzy, Iommi, and Butler, they formed one of the most influential bands in the history of rock in general. Ward began playing drums in several bands in his native Birmingham, coinciding with Tony Iommi in one called Mythology. After the band broke up, they formed Black Sabbath.

Ward‘s drums contributed a lot to the dark and heavy sound of the band. This alone makes Ward one of the most influential drummers in the rock and metal genres. Ward left the band on a couple of occasions due to health problems caused by alcohol abuse.

Furthermore, his jazz-influenced drumming style made him stand out in the 70s. His drum fills were quite unique during his initial run with Black Sabbath and it shows to this day. It is a very unique element of the band’s sound and why Ward is so beloved by fans all over the world.

4. Cozy Powell (Rainbow)

Many great drummers have said that Cozy Powell has been one of their influences and that already allows him to be part of the list of best 70s rock drummers. Powell was characterized by being part of many projects throughout his career and building a great CV. This includes The Michael Schenker Group, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, Brian May solo project, Yngwie Malmsteen, among many others.

During the 70s, he highlighted his time with Rainbow, where he was between 1975 and 1980. His time with the band includes great studio albums such as “Rising”, “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Down to Earth“. Powell died on April 5, 1998, in a car accident.

Most people consider Powell one of the first true “metal” drummers. That is because of his attitude and powerful drumming style. It would become a massive influence for drummers across the genre, as mentioned earlier.

5. Phil Collins (Genesis)

Although at this point he is known for being a singer, writer, producer and even actor. However, Phil Collins got his start in the world of music as a drummer and as a very good one, at that.

At the age of 14 he left school to dedicate himself to acting, something that indirectly brought him closer to the world of music and specifically to drums. In 1970, he auditioned to be the drummer for the newly formed band, Genesis, which had suffered the departure of John Mayhew.

Collins marked a path within progressive rock as he introduced a melodic but at the same time outside the box style that captivated many fans around the world.

6. Neal Peart (Rush)

For a long time, he was known as Rush‘s new guy, although he was also nicknamed “The Professor” by fans of the band. Without a doubt, he is one of the best 70s rock drummers due to his refined technique, speed and energy. He was the perfect compliment to Geddy Lee‘s bass and Alex Lifeson‘s guitar, raising the floor for the band.

Additionally, his live performance was a spectacle in itself. Peart joined Rush in 1974 and remained until his death (glioblastoma) in 2020, the main reason for the band to retire. However, his legacy as one of rock’s greatest drummers is absolute. His influence in progressive music is also very notorious.

7. Alan White (Yes)

The great influence of the best progressive rock drummers has been Alan White. His technical and melodic style marked the future of that subgenre. In 1969, he was part of the Plastic Ono Band, a project of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

He joined Yes in 1972 as a replacement for the band’s original drummer, Bill Bruford. He would remain in the band until his death in 2022 at age 72 due to a brief illness.

8. Albert Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult)

The drummer (and sometimes singer) of The Dictators, he was a founding member of Blue Oyster Cult and the drummer in the band’s first decade, which, it should be mentioned, was its best. Bouchard founded the band in 1967 and remained there until 1981, when he decided to start other projects on his own.

His drumming was effective and to the point. This added an element of consistency to Blue Oyster Cult, which is shown throughout his career. Bouchard might be the most underrated drummer on this list but he deserves a lot more recognition.

9. Phil “Philty Animal” Taylor (Motorhead)

Philip Taylor, better known in the metal world as Philthy Animal, was one of the best 70s rock drummers. Taylor joined Motorhead almost a year after the band formed, thanks to him meeting Lemmy Kilmister.

He had two stints in the band, one from 1975 to 1984 and another from 1987 to 1992. Taylor died in 2015 at age 61 due to liver failure. However, his energetic drumming and double bass approach has been a massive influence to the metal genre.

Taylor is widely regarded as one of the first drummers to inspire the speed metal approach to drumming. That is something that makes him an innovator to a degree.

10. Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, Genesis)

We already talked about Alan White and his time in Yes. However, his predecessor in the band is also one of the best 70s rock drummers. Bruford was not only part of Yes but was one of the founding members. He also spent the ’70s with bands like King Crimson, Roy Harper and U.K. in addition to touring with Genesis.

Bruford is one of progressive rock’s greatest drummers. He played for the greatest bands in the genre and cemented his legacy as one of the best to ever do it. That is something that not a lot of drummers can brag about.

11. Keith Moon (The Who)

Moon is referred to as one of the main bases of what drums are in rock and metal and one of the best 70s rock drummers. He is the most iconic drummer of the band The Who and one of those who implemented the use of double bass drums within his kit. His personality on and off stage was a representation of what is popularly expected of a rock musician. Moon died in 1978 at the age of 32 from an overdose.

His charisma and intensity with the drum kit are the stuff of legends. He added a lot of personality and power to The Who‘s music and cemented a great legacy for drummers. It isn’t far off to say he is one of music’s most iconic drummers of all time.

12. Roger Taylor (Queen)

In this case, we can talk about one of the best 70s rock drummers. However, there’s an extrapolation since Taylor‘s work exceeds the world of rock. He started his career with a band called Smile, of which Freddy Mercury was a fan and which led to the two meeting.

Taylor rejected the possibility of joining Genesis in favor of Smile, who would soon undergo changes to become Queen. Roger Taylor is, along with Brian May, the only two permanent members in the entire history of Queen. And his contributions to the rock genre are more than absolute.

He was an active songwriter for Queen, just like the other three band members. His drum intro in “We Will Rock You” is also one of the most recognizable drum patterns in music history.