10 Best Rock Drummers Of All Time
8. Mike Portnoy
To see the virtuoso playing of drummers, one needs only look to the prog rock genre. From the mystical realms of early prog to modern titans, drummers in this line of work are stylists who range far beyond basic time-keeping. Of all the modern prog technicians, Mike Portnoy stands out as being the true jack of all trades when it comes to drumming.
When he led the rhythm section in Dream Theater, Portnoy was an absolute monster as he pummeled his kit with a superhuman agility that puts any modern rock drummer to shame. The man's ability to keep up constant double-bass playing and complex time changes across 8-minute epics is an enormous feat of brilliance.
Over time, Portnoy has also made a name for himself as a drummer who meshes greatly with any style. While his side projects have included many prog outings like Transatlantic, Portnoy has toured with numerous heavier acts from Stone Sour to even filling in for monster drummer the Rev in Avenged Sevenfold. Portnoy could have easily gotten a spot on this list for his Dream Theater repertoire, but his ability to change styles in different bands on a whim is why he is one of the true greats.