Chi sono i più grandi batteristi di tutti i tempi? Ancora una volta a dircelo è la rivista Rolling Stones. Certo, si tratta di una classifica molto popolare, vengono cioè indicati i batteristi che hanno suonato per lo più in gruppi famosi (indicati tra parentesi), quindi non proprio i più grandi a livello tecnico, ma quelli che ci hanno emozionato di più, dimostrando fantasia e creatività in perfetta simbiosi con il brano musicale proposto. Non mancano comunque alcuni caposcuola dei tamburi qua e là.
Classifica migliori batteristi di sempre
John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)
Keith Moon (The Who)
Ginger Baker (Cream)
Neil Peart (Rush)
Hal Blaine
Clyde Stubblefield e John “Jabo” Starks (James Brown)
Gene Krupa
Mitch Mitchell (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Al Jackson Jr. (Booker T. & the MG’s)
Stewart Copeland (The Police)
Benny Benjamin (The Funk Brothers)
Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones)
D.J. Fontana (Elvis Presley)
Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
Buddy Rich
Bill Bruford (Yes)
Terry Bozzio
Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste (The Meters)
Tony Williams
Bernard Purdie
Ian Paice (Deep Purple)
Levon Helm (The Band)
Elvin Jones
Steve Gadd
Earl Palmer (Little Richard)
Danny Carey (Tool)
Dave Grohl (Nirvana)
Carmine Appice
Carlton Barrett (The Wailers)
Clifton James (Bo Diddley)
Roger Hawkins (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)
James Gadson
Tony Allen
Mickey Hart e Bill Kreutzmann (The Grateful Dead)
Fred Below (Chuck Berry)
Steve Smith (Journey)
Jeff Porcaro (Toto)
Jim Keltner
Ramon “Tiki” Fulwood (Parliament-Funkadelic)
Jack DeJohnette
Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band)
Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)
Phil Collins (Genesis)
Jerry Allison (The Crickets)
Billy Cobham
Dave Garibaldi
Dave Lombardo (Slayer)
John “Drumbo” French (Captain Beefheart)
Vinnie Colaiuta
Cozy Powell
Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)
Matt Cameron (Soundgarden)
Jimmy Chamberlin (The Smashing Pumpkins)
Questlove
Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen)
Richie Hayward (Little Feet)
Manu Katché
Sheila E.
Jim Gordon (Derek and the Dominos)
Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac)
Clem Burke (Blondie)
Tony Thompson (Chic)
Dennis Chambers
Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Sly Dunbar (Sly and Robbie)
Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp)
Greg Errico (Sly & the Family Stone)
Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey (Parliament-Funkadelic)
Dale Crover (Melvins)
Tommy Ramone (Ramones)
Butch Trucks e Jaimoe (The Allman Brothers Band)
James “Diamond” Williams (Ohio Players)
Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello)
Michael Shrieve (Santana)
Earl Hudson (Bad Brains)
Earl Young (The Trammps)
Maureen Tucker (The Velvet Underground)
Micky Waller
Mick Avory (The Kinks)
Steve Jordan
JR Robinson
Glenn Kotche (Wilco)
Ronald Shannon Jackson
John Stanier (Helmet)
Tommy Lee (Motley Crue)
Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
George Hurley (Minutemen)
Jon Theodore (Queens of the Stone Age)
Bill Stevenson (Descendents)
Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney)
Brian Chippendale (Lighting Bolt)
Ralph Molina (Crazy Horse)
Tomas Haake (Meshuggah)
Meg White (The White Stripes)
Chris Dave
Larry Mullen Jr. (U2)
Cindy Blackman
Steven Adler (Guns ‘n’ Roses)
Travis Barker (Blink-182)
Christian Vander (Magma).