One of the Greatest Drum Solos of All Time Belongs to 1969 Masterpiece - And It Still Rocks

When naming the best drummers to ever pick up a set of sticks no list could be complete without mentioning John Bonham - near the very top.

The legendary late Led Zeppelin percussionist inspired a generation of drummers from the like of Mike Portnoy to Dave Grohl.

"John Bonham, actually. He really knew how to put down a groove. When I started out, I used to think that playing hard and being a show-off made you a good drummer," Grohl told Far Out Magazine.

"But now I've learned that keeping the groove is more impressive than playing a hundred fills every 4 bars. John Bonham played drums hard but kept the groove."

'Moby Dick' Among Greatest Drum Solos Ever

Among Bonham's greatest works was Moby Dick, an all instrumental track from the band that was played at live shows.

"After a one-minute intro, Bonham begins his solo, which lasts a good three minutes on the album, but was often much longer on stage," Thomann wrote. "The version on the 1973 live album The Song Remains The Same, for example, is around ten minutes long. Bonham creates a great dramaturgy here and also incorporates his two kettledrums into the solo."

Far Out Magazine also listed the track among the 10 best drum solos of all time.

"The drum solo on this instrumental is incredible. He covers every part of the drum kit, and his expert use of the toms and the bass drum sends the listener into an almost trance-like state," it said.

"Primal and containing jazz influences, there can be surprise why this always ranks as one of the best drum solos of all time, it manages to blend the well-thought-out with the improvisational. Here Bonham really shines."

Rolling Stone listed Bonham as the greatest drummer of all time in its list of the top 100 drummers of all time.

Related: One of the Greatest Drum Solos of All Time Belongs to 1966 Hit - And It Still Hits

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 11:12 AM.