A few months ago, Rick Beato shared another drum countdown, this one called “Top 20 Drum Grooves.” I’ve talked about one of Rick’s drum videos already, but we can be a bit more timely this time. A bit.

So… what’s a drum groove? Well, the simple answer is the exact pattern or “beat’ a drummer uses to keep time and drive the song. However, “groove” can also mean the vibe of the song; the particular timing of the musicians. This is a trickier thing to talk about, as it’s often subjective and abstract, and is less about the notes on the paper, so to speak.

Rick considers both definitions for this list. I also think Rick had to avoid some overlap between songs on this list and songs from his “Drum Intros” video. Moreover, I reckon Rick tries to let a drummer show up only once if he can help it.

So, with all that being said, bombs away:

20. “Back In Black” — Phil Rudd with AD/DC (Back In Black, 1980)

Welp. Not off to a good start if you ask me! I hate to say it, but there’s really nothing inventive or interesting about this groove and/or how it’s played. My heart is not going to tell me otherwise.

19. “Green Onions” — Al Jackson Jr. with Booker T. and the M.G.’s (Green Onions, 1962)

You see how things work: on paper, this is more or less the same groove from “Back and Back,” but it leaves a better impression on me.

18. “The Root” — Questlove with D’Angelo (Voodoo, 2000)

A bit of a deep cut, but this groove seems pretty influential — songs like this may be responsible for the weird trend of contemporary music that relies heavily on vibe.

17. “In Bloom” — Dave Grohl with Nirvana (Nevermind, 1991)

Obligatory grunge. I guess it was this or “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” I dig the tom hits — this tune is a good example of blurring the line between fills and grooves, and this approach can lead to some inventive playing.

16. “Eulogy” — Danny Carey with Tool (Ænima, 1996)

I’ve tried my darnedest to enjoy TOOL, but… I just don’t know. This is some ambitious songwriting for sure, and this groove has what I would actually describe as a polymeter (the hi-hat in 3/4 or 6/8, while the rest of the pattern is in 4/4), so that’s something.

15. “Chameleon” — Harvey Mason with Herbie Hancock (Headhunters, 1973)

While I sometimes feel like Mason’s drumming is a little clunky on this track, it’s still a positively bitchin’ song

14. “Walking on the Moon” — Stewart Copeland with the Police (Reggatta de Blanc, 1979)

This one’s alright, but it’s nothing spectacular. I do like the intricate hi-hat stuff first heard around the 1:00 mark, but that part isn’t in Rick’s video. Like the Questlove entry, the influence of that kind of stuff is enjoying the spotlight these days.

13. “Cold Shot” — Chris Layton with Stevie Ray Vaughn (Couldn’t Stand the Weather, 1984)

This is a good example of something that’s invariably known as a “Double Shuffle” or the “Texas Double Shuffle.” It’s a ubiquitous and essential pattern, but I wonder why this particular track was chosen. Whatever, it works.

12. “Come Together” — Ringo Starr with the Beatles (Abbey Road, 1969)

Pretty hard to understate the impact of this song, both in the pattern, the way it’s played, and the sound of the kit. Good inclusion.

11. “Manic Depression” — Mitch Mitchell with the Jimi Hendrix Experience (Are You Experienced, 1967)

Very interesting track. “Fire” would be another good choice for Mitch, and I think it’s the better overall song, but “Manic Depression” is very adventurous for a pop-rock song.

10. “Hot for Teacher” — Alex Van Halen with Van Halen (MCMLXXXIV, 1984)

In my previous post regarding Rick Beato, I said that the main groove for this song was much more interesting than the famous drum intro. That wasn’t exactly an endorsement for it to be on a list like this one! I guess there’s something to be said for coming up with a double kick shuffle. It’s well-played, no doubt.

9. “Use Me” — James Gadson with Bill Withers (Still Bill, 1972)

Now we have a bit of R&B. The offbeat barks at the end of the second measure are pretty neat. In fact, there are a lot of subtleties in Gadson’s playing on this.

8. “Oakland Stroke” — David Garibaldi with Tower of Power (Back To Oakland, 1974)

Now we’re talking. I really appreciate Rick for including this one. I regard “Oakland Stroke” as having one of the most challenging drum grooves of all time.

7. “Seven Days” — Vinnie Colaiuta with Sting (Ten Summoner’s Tales, 1993)

I think the overall riff is the more interesting part of this song, so I guess this is another philosophical groove. I think the flairs and changeups are what make the drum part; the time-keeping pattern is pretty routine.

6. “Late in the Evening” — Steve Gadd with Paul Simon (One-Trick Pony, 1980)

It was either this or “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which I’m guessing Rick is avoiding since it’s in his “Drum intros” video. “50 Ways” is probably the better groove, but nonetheless many drummers were first introduced to the Mozambique groove through the song.

5. “Cissy Strut” — Zigaboo Modeliste with the Meters (The Meters, 1969)

This is the kind of groove that is both interesting in its composition, as well as how it’s played: Ziggy gives this groove a very interesting lope, and many of the hi-hat notes feel slightly behind the beat. Unfortunately, Rick’s drummer misses the snare ghost notes in the video.

4. “Cold Sweat” — Clyde Stubblefield with James Brown (Cold Sweat, 1967)

What can I even say about this one? Two thumbs up.

3. “Rosanna” — Jeff Poraco with Toto (Toto IV, 1982)

2. “Fool in the Rain” — John Bonham with Led Zeppelin (In Through the Out Door, 1979)

1. “Home at Last” — Bernard Purdie with Steely Dan (Aja, 1977)

I’m gonna talk about all three of the final songs together since I don’t really have anything to say about them individually, and it’s tough to think of one song without thinking of the other two. I’m not very surprised about how this list ended, even though half-time shuffles have become a bit of a punchline for pocket.

In fact, I’m not sure any drummer nowadays can play a Purdie Shuffle without sounding pastiche. I’m not sure what kind of legacy that is. As another example, I am perpetually irked by all the drummers who hear “Grapevine Fires” as a typically Purdie Shuffle instead of McGerr’s approach with the hi-hat pedal. But the grooves still sound killer; there’s no denying it.

What’s Missing:

• There are a number of Jason McGerr grooves that have left a big impression on me: “The New Year,” “What Sarah Said,” “Cath…,” and “Summer Years.”
• Blink-182’s “Adam’s Song” is a pretty famous pattern from the new millennium.
• The Funk Sambas from “Squib Cakes” and “Aja” are very gnarly.
• Classic rock numbers include Cream’s “White Room,” which has a nice, heavy beat to it. Some people in the comments were clamoring for “Break on Through” by the Doors, but I’d say that “Peace Frog” has the more interesting playing. And of course, there’s the deceased Charlie Watts — I think my favorite is “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking.”
• The finale to Chon’s “Story” is pretty wild. “Inner Assassins” by Animals as Leaders is quite slinky, while the groove for the main riff on Plini’s “Impulse Voices” is something else.
• There’s not a lot of heavy metal on the list. I think the unholiest blast beat of them all has to come from Gene Hoglan on Dethklok’s “Laser Cannon Deth Sentence.”
• There’s also no jazz. Art Blakey’s “Moanin’” would probably be the best inclusion, and it has a good sense of groove, abstractly.