I'll start off this article by saying that the drummers that influenced me the most aren't necessarily my favorite drummers of all time, per se. And I know what you're thinking: aren't they just the same thing? This isn't to say that these drummers aren't still some of my favorites, but if we're talking about who has influenced my playing as compared to who I just enjoy watching behind the kit, even if they didn't necessarily influence who I am as a drummer, those answers will slightly differ. But there will also be some overlap between my most influential and my favorite drummers of all time. For this list I wanted to focus on the drummers who have influenced my playing the most over the past 12 years, and those who I consistently find myself looking to whenever I need inspiration behind the kit - whether onstage or off.

Another disclaimer: This list is in no specific order and is instead just a collection of the drummers who I feel helped me get to where I'm at today! Without further ado, enjoy!

Randy Castillo

Randy Castillo is the perfect example of a drummer that I never really learned to appreciate until I got older. In fact, I didn't truly understand the extent to which his drumming influenced me until I got a compliment comparing some of my chops to his after a show I played. Hearing his drumming on Ozzy Osbourne's The Ultimate Sin really changed the way I thought about writing parts for songs, and also how drums can be used to convey the overall feeling and emotion of a song itself. 

Unfortunately, Randy passed away at the age of 51 in 2002, leaving behind a legacy of music that still influences myself (as well as many others) to this day. 

Eric Carr

Another drummer that we lost way before his time, Eric Carr's drumming always astonished me - especially on recordings such as KISS's Creatures of the Night album and Animalize. His sheer presence behind the kit can be felt, and of course heard on some of those 80s KISS recordings. In my opinion, Carr brought an energy to the band that hasn't been matched since and has only ever been matched by a handful of drummers in music. It was his loud 80s style that has inspired me in numerous ways behind the kit, including how I think about adapting studio drum parts to a live setting. 

Ben Thatcher

Whenever I'm writing drum parts for songs, I sometimes find myself wondering: what would Ben Thatcher do? It's impossible to just choose one of Royal Blood's songs as a good example of his drumming, as just about every one of them has something unique and interesting with his parts. Not only is Ben an absolute powerhouse behind the kit, but his parts have such a unique feel to them that it's undeniable as to why he's one of my favorites. One thing I love about Royal Blood is I often find myself thinking: “I wish I thought of that” - and that none of their songs seem to sound like the other and always have their own otherworldly drum parts to them. 

Nicko McBrain

Nicko is not only one of the most influential drummers on my playing, but also just one of my overall favorite drummers of all time. You can't possibly listen to a song such as “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” or “Where Eagles Dare” without air drumming along to it. While you might look a little funny doing so, you just can't help but appreciate the power of Nicko's chops behind the kit. Anytime I have the opportunity to throw a Nicko-esque fill into one of my songs you can bet I will certainly do so. Sometimes it's just fun to roll down the toms and showoff a bit! 

Dave Lombardo

When I first heard Slayer's Reign In Blood album I was absolutely blown away, as I'm sure many other drummers and people with a pair of ears were. How this man has so much endurance will also be a mystery to me and he has inspired me to not only be a “lower-half” player, but that your upper body is just as important in creating a thunderous drum sound. 

Alex Shelnutt

While probably the “newest” drummer on this entire list, Alex Shelnutt really transformed my drumming when it came to metalcore and pop punk drumming. If I had to place my pop punk and modern metalcore-style drumming onto one person, it would be this man right here. The double-bass parts on albums like Homesick and  What Separates Me From You transformed my playing and helped me really step out of my comfort zone when it came to playing double-bass parts that weren't just straightforward sixteenth-note beats… not that there's anything wrong with that! 

Stewart Copeland

Anyone that has ever heard Copeland's drumming will instantly recognize and remember it. The way he blends reggae into his rock fusion chops pioneered the way for drummers everywhere, including myself. Some of his most iconic drum parts can be heard on songs such as “Message In A Bottle”, and my personal favorite, “Spirits In The Material World”. It's easy to see how he's been considered one of the greatest drummers of all time and his flexibility around the kit continues to inspire me to this day. 

John Bonham

I'm pretty sure Bonham is on EVERY drummer's list like ever… and I do mean EVER. Must I say more? He very well might just be the greatest drummer of all time and it seems like everytime I listen to his parts I discover something else new. He influenced my solos, triplets of course, and how to groove behind the kit. He also inspired me dynamically, like how to blend soft ghost notes with thunderous and powerful accents on the kit and I learned how and when to play with certain dynamics all thanks to Bonham. Overall just watching him hit the skins is inspiring itself and his technique and iconic sound is unmatched to this day. 

Joey Jordison

When Joey passed away it absolutely devastated me, as I'm sure it did to many other drummers, musicians, and music fans alike all over the globe. When you ask many modern metal drummers who inspired them in the first place, a good majority of them will most likely answer with “Joey Jordison”. Not only could he play the drums faster than lightning, but he was technical with it and somehow managed to also put on a phenomenal show while doing so. Not to mention being able to do it in a full jumpsuit in oftentimes blistering heat. I was never really interested in the double bass until I heard his drumming for the first time and instantly I knew I wanted to learn how to play like him. If it weren't for Joey who knows what drumming path I might've gone down, and if it weren't for him I don't know if I would have ever even bothered with double bass in the first place.

David Garibaldi

I was first introduced to the magic known as David Garibaldi's drumming through his incredible 1990 book entitled Future Sounds. Playing through Future Sounds really tested me as a drummer and forced me to gain the independence necesarry to take my playing to the next level. Additionally, hearing his work with Tower of Power only further solidified my admiration for him. 

Brann Dailor

Brann Dailor is simply put: a freak of nature behind the kit. Everything from his beats to his songwriting abilities, to his fills just scares me behind the kit - and I mean that in the best way possible. Oh yeah, and did I mention this man sings for the band Mastodon at the same time as well? The best way I can describe Brann's playing is like a looser, more chaotic and heavier version of Nicko McBrain. Everything about his playing style I feel suits the songs he plays perfectly and I continue to find inspiration from him in my drumming career.

Taylor Hawkins

The whole world was crushed back in March of 2022 when we found out that Taylor Hawkins had passed away. Taylor was (and still is) an influence on my playing in almost every aspect of what it means to be a drummer. Learning how to play many of his parts growing up really elevated my skills and also inspired me to craft my own sound behind the kit. The way he could drive a song and how intrinsic his parts were still inspire me and it seems like there's always something new to learn every time I hear one of his songs.

Danny Carey

Danny Carey really influenced my psychology behind being a drummer and how I go about writing drum parts. What has always caught my eye with his playing has been how he incorporates world music influences into his style. I had never thought to incorporate any eastern, African, or Latin influences into my playing style until I had really studied his drumming and it's now something I always take into account whenever I'm sitting behind the kit. 

Mike Portnoy

Of course, no drumming list can be complete without a mention of the man himself, Mike Portnoy. Everything Portnoy was involved with dominated my drumming mind throughout my early adolescence and even to this day I still see some aspects of his playing show up in my own. He was really my first exposure to the world of prog drumming and odd time signatures, and his versatility behind the kit really inspired me to learn as many different styles as possible as a drummer. 

Chad Smith

Smith's feel behind the kit is unmatched and his grooves behind a lot of RHCP songs are more complicated than some people would suspect. Just watch him playthrough a song such as “Californication”, and tell me that's not what you would have expected from what is often perceived as such an entry-level, basic rock song. Smith has a very loose feel behind the kit that is reminiscent of many early funk and rock drummers, but he manages to make the sound his own through his use of the hi-hat pedal and his heavy hitting chops. Being able to open up and jam with ease is a skill that many drummers struggle with, and it was by watching him play and listening to his parts that I was able to loosen myself up behind the kit and really begin to step out of my comfort zone. 

Tommy Lee

Tommy for me is not only an inspiration behind the kit due to some of his actual chops, but also for his showmanship and stage presence. I've always been big on not only knowing how to play the drums themselves, but also putting on a memorable show that leaves the audience remembering who you are and what it is that you do. And I feel that no one conveys this same state of mind other than the one and only, Tommy Lee. Let's face it, we all know of the Crucifly and his theatrical drum solos, but even listening to some of his drum parts you can hear why he has cemented himself as one of the most legendary drummers of all time. The way he blends theatrical showmanship with tasty licks behind the kit is why he has solidified himself as one of the most influential drummers to my playing as a whole. 

Peter Criss

My interest in drumming and music as a whole begins and ends with Peter Criss. KISS was, and always has been, the defining band of my music career and it's only fitting that two KISS drummers ended up on this list. Without Peter Criss and the early KISS material I probably wouldn't be sitting here writing this right now. People might not understand just how intricate some of his drum parts are, and you'd be surprised to learn that Peter Criss himself was taught by none other than the legendary Gene Krupa himself. It was drumming along to a lot of Peter Criss' drum parts that taught me the structuring of a song and how a song should feel and flow. 

A little note: I know what you might be thinking after reading this list: how could he not include so and so? No Neil Peart or Buddy Rich? And I get it, but ultimately this is MY list and the drummers that influenced me the most. There's no denying the talent of all of those other phenomenal drummers that I might've missed and the impact they had on drumming itself as a whole, but the reality is that they just didn't have that much of an influence on my own style of playing. These drummers here are the ones who helped make me the drummer that I am today and I have them to thank for inspiring me to keep with it all these years later!