10 Legendary Drums Fills

Drumming is an art form that simultaneously embraces control and letting loose! Many of us would agree that the moments of letting loose are usually the drum fills, and these inspired moments are what can take a song to the next level. So without further ado, here is a Top 10 list of drum fills…

Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden

The very tasty pre-chorus moment of this song is filled with silence and, you guessed it, a drum fill. Dynamics at their best in this ’90 alternative rock hit. Performed by the great Matt Cameron.

Pride (In The Name Of Love) – U2

After a somewhat dreamy and loose intro this drum fill really kicks the song into high gear and feeds the listener with that undeniable U2 energy. Performed by none other than Larry Mullen Jr.

Rain – The Beatles

Not only does Ringo Starr start off the song with a drum fill, he continues to play fills all throughout. The groovy and somewhat elastic rhythm of this song is one that stands out, thanks to a drum beat that is… well, filled with fills.

Sunshine of Your Love – Cream

Ginger Baker really knows how to increase intensity in a song with his tight drum fills. Just listen to how he does it in Sunshine of Your Love. Absolutely masterful.

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana

Dave Grohl‘s iconic drum fill on Smells Like Teen Spirit skyrockets this grunge hit to new heights after a the highly-recognisable guitar intro by Kurt Cobain. These first 10 seconds of the song defined a whole era of ’90s grunge music.

Africa – Toto

Another example of how a drum fill can prepare the listener for a chorus, and it’s such an epic chorus in the song Africa! Would it be the same without this drum fill by Jeff Porcaro? We think not.

In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins

What’s so satisfying about this drum fill is that it only comes in after about 3 minutes and 15 seconds… with that kind of tension build-up, it really hits the spot, or punches you in the face, so to speak. It’s perform by none other than Mr. Phil Collins himself. We could even call it a “drum Phil” 😉

Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix

Coming in at around 0:31, this drum fill gives the song a satisfying rhythm kick to a rather melodic guitar-driven sound. Perform by the one and only Mitch Mitchell.

Good Times Bad Times – Led Zeppelin

At about 12 seconds into the song the drumming by John Bonham proves how much of a drumming genius he really is. The fills quickly escalate and bring the vocals in with the pounding rhythm that could only be described as Bonham-esque. Definitely one of the best…

Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who

Keith Moon absolutely crushes the fills in this song, particularly the ones right before Roger Daltrey’s epic scream (around 7:31). Thanks to his exquisite timing and taste, this song stands out as one of the best examples of rock ‘n’ roll drumming.

We hope you enjoyed our list of epic drum fills. It is by no means a complete list and there are countless drum fill in the history of music that deserve attention. That’s why we kindly ask you to share the ones you know of in the comments! We wanna hear them all!

Joe has been singing since he can remember and started playing guitar when he was 10. He's been using it as a songwriting tool ever since. He is passionate about melody and harmony and admires musicians who create these in unique ways. Check out his alternative / indie projects Best of Feelings and Zef Raček.

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