Modern Drummer is the world’s most widely read drum magazine, is dedicated entirely to the art of drumming and caters to the needs of amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers.
The New Breed: Melodies to be played with the Systems
Gary Chester’s groundbreaking book The New Breed is legendary. The book, and Gary’s teaching methods are deeply intertwined, it is a lifelong commitment of dedication, study, and development. Gary Chester’s Systems, Reading Exercises, Advanced Systems, Advanced Reading Exercises, Composite Systems,…
2025 Year in Drum Shows
In 2025, NAMM came back in full force, and there were amazing drum shows in Nashville and Chicago. Back in California, Drum Workshop and Guitar Center collaborated on a DW Factory Day complete with tours, clinics, and special Guitar Center…
A Year in Concerts
Photos taken by Alex Kluft who photographed over 230 concerts in 2025. Thank you Alex! Chad Smith, Eddie Vedder’s Eartlings, Ohana, 9.26.25 Billy Cobham, Blue Note, 3.18.2 Jason Marsalis, N.O. Jazz Fest, 5.3.25 Zigaboo Modeliste-N.O. Jazz Fest-5.4.25 Adam Reed Ice…
A Year of Modern Drummer’s Metal Sticks Podcast
New in 2025, Modern Drummer debuted a new podcast called Metal Sticks, hosted by Modern Drummer Publisher and CEO David Frangioni and legendary drummer Nicko McBrain, who recently retired from 42 years with Iron Maiden. The idea for the podcast…
2025: A Year In Tour Kit Rundowns
ACDC / MATT LAUG SLIPKNOT / ELOY CASAGRANDE COLLECTIVE SOUL / JOHNNY RABB DEFTONES / ABE CUNNINGHAM JANET JACKSON / J ROD SULIVAN JOHN HOFFMAN / PRIMUS KING GIZZARD & THE LIZZARD WIZARD / MICKEY CAVS KOFI BAKER LIMP BIZKIT…
Donn’s Favorites of 2025
Wow!! I’m constantly amazed at how so many extraordinary drums keep finding me. I really don’t go looking for them, but they just seem to keep turning up. 2025 brought some truly exceptional drums. When Modern Drummer asked me to…
Out Now December 2025
Modern Drummer is spotlighting new recordings that have the drums at the center of their sound. These recordings might be drummer-led, or just include a high-quality, special, or unique drumming and musical performance from the drummer and/or musicians in the…
Best of the Best Recordings from 2025
Every year, Modern Drummer receives hundreds of new release recordings from drummers and musicians around the world. Many are good, some are great, and some are fantastic. We can’t review them all, but we make sure to include our favorites…
The Best of the Best Drum Books from 2025
There are many drum books released every year. And one might think that by now, there isn’t many more ways, or many new things to teach regarding drums and drumming. And if you thought that, you would be wrong! There…
Adam Reed’s Ice Nine Kills Touring Kit
Drums: SJC Custom Drums, Custom M5 Maple Shell with Custom Popcorn Butcher Hoops, 6.5 x14 Alpha Hammered Brass Snare, 9×12 Rack Tom, 16×16 Floor, 20×22 Kick. Cymbals: (Left to right) – 15” Meinl Pure Alloy Medium Hats, 10” Meinl Polyphonic…
2025: In Memoriam
The Drummers and Percussionists We Lost In 2025 The drumming community is a close one, our many shared experiences in drumming, our sacrifices for our artform, and our love of drumming establishes a bond that unites us all. When we…
Congrats, Geddy, Alex, and Anika!
Upon hearing the news about Rush’s 50 Something Tour, I was instantly happy for Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson; they deserve to be out there playing the music that they love and created with Neil Peart. I think Neil would…
All in the Family Slingerland’s
This month’s Kit of the Month comes to us from Bryan Beyer. We’ll let Bryan tell us about this kit’s unique history in his drumming family. “This is an early 60s Slingerland “Windsor” outfit that was originally purchased by Pierson…
Sehr Kühl
Whenever my German language skills begin to get rusty, I like to sharpen them by revisiting that country. The first time I played in Germany was while touring with the Stan Kenton Orchestra back in 1973, and as time went…
