The following are famous drummers, mostly in the fields of metal, rock and jazz.
See also: List of jazz drummers, percussionist.
- Rob Affuso
- Animal
- Tim 'Herb' Alexander
- Barry Altschul
- Carmine Appice
- Vinny Appice
- Ginger Baker (1939-)
- Paul Barbarin (c.1900-1969)
- John Barbata
- Nicholas Barker
- Joey Baron
- Murat Bayhan (1974-)
- Pete Best (1941-)
- Gregg Bissonette (1959-)
- Ed Blackwell
- Jimmy Carl Black
- Brian Blade
- Art Blakey (1919-1990)
- John Bonham
- Terry Bozzio
- Bill Bruford
- Matt Cameron
- Danny Carey (1961-)
- Karen Carpenter
- Jimmy Chamberlain (1964-)
- Dennis Chambers
- Joe Chambers
- Jon Christiansen
- Kenny Clarke
- Jimmy Cobb
- Vinnie Colaiuta
- Phil Collins
- Gerry Conway
- Billy Cotton
- Stewart Copeland
- Alan Dawson
- Jack DeJohnette
- Baby Dodds (1898-1959)
- Mickey Dolenz
- Virgil Donati
- Frankie Dunlop
- Peter Erskine
- Sheila E (aka Sheila Escovedo)
- Vic Firth
- Jon Fishman
- Mick Fleetwood (1942-)
- Al Foster
- Steve Gadd (1945-)
- Paul Glover
- Milford Graves
- Dave Grohl (1969-)
- Minor "Ram" Hall (1897-1959)
- Tubby Hall (1895-1946)
- Beaver Harris
- Mickey Hart (1943-)
- Billy Hart
- Roy Haynes
- Paul Hester
- Billy Higgins
- Steve Hindalong
- Gene Hoglan
- Matt Horton
- Steven Hunt (1954-)
- Steve Jansen
- Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
- Papa Jo Jones
- Philly Joe Jones
- Steve Jordan
- Connie Kay
- Gene Krupa (1909-1973)
- Papa Jack Laine (1873-1966)
- Martin Lamble
- Thomas Lang (1967-)
- Pete LaRoca
- Shelley Manne
- Nick Mason
- Dave Mattacks
- Ed McTaggart
- Billy Mintz
- Keith Moon (1947-1978)
- Fabrizio Moretti
- Bob Moses
- Paul Motian
- Flo Mournier
- Larry Mullen, Jr.
- Sunny Murray
- Paul McKinnon (1946-)
- Cubby O'Brien
- Babatunde Olatunji (1927-2003)
- Jay Osmond
- Ian Paice
- Carl Palmer (1950-)
- Neil Peart
- Simon Phillips (1957-)
- Mike Portnoy
- Cozy Powell (1947-1998)
- Chano Pozo
- Sean Reinert
- Buddy Rich (1917-1987)
- Dannie Richmond
- Ben Riley
- Herlin Riley
- Max Roach (1924-)
- John Rutsey (1953-)
- Kim Ruzz
- Pete Sandoval
- Peter Sellers (-1980)
- Phil Selway (1967-)
- Steve Smith
- Tom Sørensen
- Ringo Starr (1940-)
- Clyde Stubblefield
- Roger Taylor (1949-)
- Tjodalv (Kenneth Åkesson)
- Lars Ulrich (1963-)
- Bill Ward
- Charlie Watts (1941-)
- Jeff Tain Watts
- Chick Webb
- Dave Weckl (1960-)
- Andy Whale
- Lenny White
- Paul Wertico (1953-)
- Tony Williams
- Shadow Wilson
- Robert Wyatt
- Cesar Zuiderwijk
- Jan Pelan (1981-)