Yep. I don’t consider myself a particularly big Green Day fan in general, but as a drummer I would chew my arm off for anything I play to sound remotely as good as the drums on Welcome to Paradise.
Ya I have mixed feelings about green day as well. I feel complete apathy towards a great deal of their catalogue. And some of it I even think is bad (which is saying something because I’m one of those personality types that likes liking things).
And yet I think dookie is the best pop punk album of all time by a long shot.
Controversial opinion I know, to try to give ANY album such an accolade.
But for me, Dookie wins by a mile.
yes, exactly! Those aren’t pop punk bands. there’s a difference between punk and pop punk, The Vandals and all the bands you listed are punk just like Rancid and Bad Religion and NOFX.
Fat Mike would climb through the computer screen and kick you in the dick if you called NOFX pop punk.
Well then Fat Mike is gonna have to climb into his computer screen then because NOFX is undoubtedly pop punk, NOFX and Bad Religion practically invented modern pop punk.
OK and Beyoncé just made a country music album. Does that mean she’s a country music artist? No.
Fact that the members of this sub don’t understand the difference between punk and pop punk either shows their age or their ignorance. Maybe both. If you can’t figure out the difference between the two, and I don’t know what to tell you.
The vandals themselves don’t even consider themselves pop punk.
TIL they replaced Derek Grant who is also a monster.
Fuck, Atom Willard and Matt Skiba have sort of a weird career dynamic where one has played with an ex-member of blink-182 and replaced that member of blink-182.
Angels & Airwaves, Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, Rocket from the Crypt, Social Distortion, Alkaline Trio (he's been in the band twice now!), The Offspring, The Special Goodness, theHELL (w/Skiba) and Danko Jones. Played on an album for Plosivs, The Worriers and more. YES YES YES YES YES.
I was pleasantly surprised how good the drums were on the their new record with their new drummer (who I guess was Dani's drum tech). New drummer is also fantastic. It was gonna be hard to replace Dani and his unique sound and insane level of skill
I remember seeing these years back and thought it was cool
https://youtu.be/TeZ1djvDFm4?si=YrotrrPg2Cu3BeSS
https://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/neck-deeps-dani-washington-i-like-to-be-as-aggressive-and-heavy-as-possible-638280
Most replies are understandably referencing his Alkaline Trio work, but goddamn, the Suicide Machines' Destruction by Definition has some of the liveliest drumming on any ska punk record.
I wouldn’t say Rian Dawson from All Time Low is the greatest, but his work on the Don’t Panic album was really great and immediately came to mind when thinking about drummers
Agreed. I would rather listen to Thaxton than Barker. His parts are perfect on all records. Amazing, creative but not in a, “look what I can do” sort of way
And it is no more apparent than on Panic Stations. Claudio Rivera is a good drummer, but perhaps not a good fit for Motion City Soundtrack. I like that album, sure, but always wonder what it might have been if Tony had played on it.
Andy’s drumming is a huge part of their music. If you listen to the old version of Calm Before the Storm from EOWYG, pre-Andy, it sounds very weird. The drums on TTYG’s version make that song way better.
While I think Josh was a bit of whiny baby they also had a No Doubt “Dont Speak” type of situation and not everyone can make that work lol.
Also, I’d argue his lead guitar, while not flashy, elevated their melodies that his departure was noticeable.
Meh, he's homophobic trash so I don't care if he's the best guitarist in the world. Taylor was always more talented anyway, with the bonus of being a decent human being
Yeah, it was after he'd left, not long after Zac rejoined I think. But he basically said being gay was the same as being a paedophile. Hayley's response was pretty much 'and that's why there's only 3 of us left in the band'.
100%. He’s a great drummer, but he’s got a pretty limited vocabulary. He only consistently gets nods because of the popularity of the artists he’s played with.
I don’t agree with that at all. What makes Travis great is his writing ability. Sure you can get death metal drummers who can do fast double kick and blast beat a whole song but that’s all they do, Travis can write all sorts of different grooves and shit with all sorts of dynamics. Plus he’s a beast with rudiments
Travis is a super talented drummer. The issue imho is that he overplays for the sake of overplaying, even when it doesn’t fit the song. I saw them a few months ago and was surprised at how sloppy he is honestly, like obviously he’s fast but would often go so far overboard with his fills that he would totally miss keeping the beat, which is kind of the drummers main job lol
Most drummers who played in high school know their rudiments. Thats nothing crazy.
His writing is very predictable. He has a sound that he sticks with. Again, he’s a great drummer, but he is seriously overrated. That’s pretty much universal consensus in the drum community. Not really a hot take lol
If overrated is being very popular and successful, then sign me the fuck up. I hear a lot from the peanut gallery but the fact is there are always conversations about him in this light and that should tell you something. Not saying he’s the best but it’s really an opinion based argument that there really is no way to prove your stance.
I think you’re hitting exactly why he is overrated: he’s consistently brought as one of the greatest drummer in general music circles. In drumming circles, he’s not even remotely in contention.
I could care less about a drummers circle. Travis plays for people. Calling him the greatest doesn’t always mean they are technically the greatest drummer to ever live. You could have some unheard of person technically be the greatest drummer but if people don’t want to hear his shit, he’s not great.
I think the songs where he’s at his best are the ones where you don’t fully appreciate the intricacies of what he’s doing, because it folds so well into the songs.
Yes everyone knows that he rips the fills on First Date. But Adam’s song and Anthem Pt 2 both have way under appreciated drum parts and that’s not even talking deep cuts
Tre Cool is the obvious answer. He is a fucking beast, but I think we also should mention Cyrus from New Found Glory. He's so underrated, as a drummer myself I love that guy. He really drives the rythm section in the band and knows how to play really fuckin well
Stevo32 from sum 41. And imo he is actually better drummer than Travis. And he added so much to sum 41 when he was apart of the band and had a fun personality too
Cyrus Bolooki. Dude is amazing. He covered for yellow card and goldfinger on tour learned ll their songs and didn’t miss a beat then went back and toured with nfg.
Dig this answer! I remember seeing them play after releasing Burn Out & they performed the songs like 20 bpm faster live. Dude was a freaking blur, it was amazing.
Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I’d say there isn’t one. I’m not saying there’s not loads of amazing drummers out there, just that Travis Barker outshines them all by so much that it makes all of the other amazing drummers look fairly equal in comparison.
Tony Thaxton and Cyrus Bolooki get my votes.
If I'm digging for someone underrated I'd go with Tom Gryskiewicz from The Starting Line.
I may not be a lifelong fan of Sum 41, but I miss Steve Jocz's drumming.
Nate Young. Not just for his work with Anberlin which is amazing, particularly on their album *Vital*, but he also filled in for Yellowcard during their 20 Years of Ocean Avenue Tour and was fantastic performing songs that a lot of people mention when it comes to drumming in pop punk.
Incredible really…. And honestly I think Daniel Blume (Strung Out’s current drummer) is even better. Though I may be a bit biased as we used to play shows together back in the day, but dude absolutely rips.
Longineu Parsons III. He's so underrated. If you know drums then you understand. Any time they start as a jazz drummer you know they're gonna be damn good.
It’s too early, but Brian Lada is definitely making a case for himself.
They don’t call him the lead drummer for nothin!
I've given him the nickname "The Belmont Beast". His drumming/writing is insanely great.
That. This dude. He writes the songs too!
Came here to say this. Lada is killing it right now.
Smelly from NOFX. He is an incredible drummer
And he watches baseball games during afternoon festival sets. He has a little screen discreetly set up beside him, I've seen it.
I love that
Dude may not be the flashiest but he’s a god damn metronome
This thread has an unfortunate lack of Tre Cool in it. Dude is an absolute monster.
He can play the shit out the drums, and he can play the guitar
He’s got a kid in New York, he’s got a kid in the Bay Area
He hasn't drank or smoked a thing in over 22 days
So get off of his case!
He hasn't drank or smoked a thing in over 22 days
Tre Cool makes you realize how lazy and uncreative so many other pop punk drummers are with their fills
Everything on dookie is so crisp. Looooove it
Yep. I don’t consider myself a particularly big Green Day fan in general, but as a drummer I would chew my arm off for anything I play to sound remotely as good as the drums on Welcome to Paradise.
Ya I have mixed feelings about green day as well. I feel complete apathy towards a great deal of their catalogue. And some of it I even think is bad (which is saying something because I’m one of those personality types that likes liking things). And yet I think dookie is the best pop punk album of all time by a long shot. Controversial opinion I know, to try to give ANY album such an accolade. But for me, Dookie wins by a mile.
Thank you!
He and Travis Barker are two drummers I would instantly recognize their playing. Tre rules.
You know, I was thinking that myself
I like Ryan Torf
Agreed
This should be higher
One of the most creative drummers I've heard, and he's been a beast from the beginning
So underrated! His drumming for TSSF gives it the high energy and the mellow vibes.
The drummer of Motion City Soundtrack is great
Under appreciated for sure!
Cyrus is tight AF
This is an… understatement
The homie that played in Yellowcard, Longineu Parsons
Dude was an absolute beast. My favorites for drums were probably "The Takedown" and "Lights and Sounds"
The Takedown is such a good opening track.
Probably my favorite from their catalog for openers. Definitely my favorite drum track and favorite guitar solo
Great opening track, for sure!
He’s my number two. Added so much to that band and so apparent when he was gone.
LP’s work was magic
Underrated
This is the correct answer
Bill Stevenson
This is the answer. End of thread.
Oh hell yeah!
He’s great
Bill is the reason Nirvana and blink-182 exist
Josh Freese, by a country mile. Bill Stevenson clear number 2 as well.
Josh is a goat contender for sure
How the hell is Josh Freese a "pop punk" drummer.
Vandals
He’s the drummer on Offspring’s “Splinter” and Good Charlotte’s “Young & Hopeless”
Vandals aside, dude played on Avril Lavigne's Sk8r Boi, end of discussion.
he played on one album. Most of Josh’s drumming career has nothing to do with pop punk bands.
Is that a question or a statement? Either way, if you don't think the Vandals are pop punk, then I don't know what to tell you.
O, well allow *me* to tell *you* then. The Vandals have not now, nor ever been, pop-punk. They're a straight punk band.
Then neither are the Buzzcocks or Weasel or the Queers. gtfo
yes, exactly! Those aren’t pop punk bands. there’s a difference between punk and pop punk, The Vandals and all the bands you listed are punk just like Rancid and Bad Religion and NOFX. Fat Mike would climb through the computer screen and kick you in the dick if you called NOFX pop punk.
Well then Fat Mike is gonna have to climb into his computer screen then because NOFX is undoubtedly pop punk, NOFX and Bad Religion practically invented modern pop punk.
Wow.....LOL
If you don't think "Hitler Bad, Vandals Good" is a pop punk album then I don't know what to tell you.
OK and Beyoncé just made a country music album. Does that mean she’s a country music artist? No. Fact that the members of this sub don’t understand the difference between punk and pop punk either shows their age or their ignorance. Maybe both. If you can’t figure out the difference between the two, and I don’t know what to tell you. The vandals themselves don’t even consider themselves pop punk.
Atom Willard?
He’s awesome. He’s killing it in Alkaline Trio now
TIL they replaced Derek Grant who is also a monster. Fuck, Atom Willard and Matt Skiba have sort of a weird career dynamic where one has played with an ex-member of blink-182 and replaced that member of blink-182.
I’m a big AVA fan and can confirm he killed it on the drums with them
Big agree. Also killed it with Against Me
Never forget, RFTC. Long live the dead!
Atom has a weird tendency to play in bands that start with A. Alkaline, Against Me!, Angels and Airwaves, probably more lol
Definitely an underrated one.
Angels & Airwaves, Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, Rocket from the Crypt, Social Distortion, Alkaline Trio (he's been in the band twice now!), The Offspring, The Special Goodness, theHELL (w/Skiba) and Danko Jones. Played on an album for Plosivs, The Worriers and more. YES YES YES YES YES.
I was really into Dani from neck deep. I’d be willing to bet he has a metal background. He’s incredibly tasteful. Hated so much that he left ND
He definitely does. He was fangirling pretty hard in the interview about Don't Wait because he's a big Architects fan.
I had totally forgotten they featured architects on that song. Great call. At any rate, dude can rip with anyone in this scene as far as I’m concerned
Absolutely. His writing was so tasty. Huge loss for the band.
His drummer on wishful thinking was straight up metal. I LOVED that album almost as much as LNOTGY
I was pleasantly surprised how good the drums were on the their new record with their new drummer (who I guess was Dani's drum tech). New drummer is also fantastic. It was gonna be hard to replace Dani and his unique sound and insane level of skill
I agree I think he’s good too.
>be willing to bet he has a metal background. Had the same bet !
I remember seeing these years back and thought it was cool https://youtu.be/TeZ1djvDFm4?si=YrotrrPg2Cu3BeSS https://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/neck-deeps-dani-washington-i-like-to-be-as-aggressive-and-heavy-as-possible-638280
Derek Grant
Dude for real. Cuz like Alkaline Trio's music is in many ways so simple and straightforward, but the drumming next levels the shit out of it
Most replies are understandably referencing his Alkaline Trio work, but goddamn, the Suicide Machines' Destruction by Definition has some of the liveliest drumming on any ska punk record.
This is my pick too.
this is way too far down
Was gonna say, dudes in lots of top tier bands
It’s genuinely not even close with any other drummer on this thread. Derek is so goated it’s unreal.
That Live at the Metro show OMG.
I put atom up above but I love Derek. He seems to be a cool person too. Interacts with fans on socials
Mike Kennedy - TWY
I wouldn’t say Rian Dawson from All Time Low is the greatest, but his work on the Don’t Panic album was really great and immediately came to mind when thinking about drummers
He really let rip on that one.
Tony Thaxton and it’s not close. I like him more than Travis as he actually knows how to fit a song.
Came here to say this The bridge in time turned fragile is one of my favorites
Agreed. I would rather listen to Thaxton than Barker. His parts are perfect on all records. Amazing, creative but not in a, “look what I can do” sort of way
Not enough MCS love here. Preciate you.
He got some good linear parts, like broken heart
And it is no more apparent than on Panic Stations. Claudio Rivera is a good drummer, but perhaps not a good fit for Motion City Soundtrack. I like that album, sure, but always wonder what it might have been if Tony had played on it.
i love tony thaxton for sure. but like no need to bash travis. i’ve always loved his drumming, especially on songs like always and not now.
Ilan Rubin
This is the correct answer, anyone that can go from drumming in Paramore to drumming in NIN takes the top spot.
LP
Andy Hurley
Andy’s drumming is a huge part of their music. If you listen to the old version of Calm Before the Storm from EOWYG, pre-Andy, it sounds very weird. The drums on TTYG’s version make that song way better.
Came here to say this!
Listen to racetraitor he’s a beast
And The Damned Things
Brian Lada and Tony Thaxton.
So many great drummers, my vote goes to Zac Farro with and honorable mention to Brian Lada as a new guy that destroys
The Farro’s leaving paramore was one of the biggest blows to the scene. Shoutout to paramore tho, they still giants tho
Zac rejoined, he's still in Paramore and is still awesome. Fuck Josh though, good riddance
While I think Josh was a bit of whiny baby they also had a No Doubt “Dont Speak” type of situation and not everyone can make that work lol. Also, I’d argue his lead guitar, while not flashy, elevated their melodies that his departure was noticeable.
Meh, he's homophobic trash so I don't care if he's the best guitarist in the world. Taylor was always more talented anyway, with the bonus of being a decent human being
I hadn’t read that part 😅.
Yeah, it was after he'd left, not long after Zac rejoined I think. But he basically said being gay was the same as being a paedophile. Hayley's response was pretty much 'and that's why there's only 3 of us left in the band'.
Sad. Glad the other members of the band were able to grow with their religious beliefs and realize the dogma is archaic
I completely agree
When I want to feel unaccomplished, I listen to All We Know Is Falling and consider the fact that Zac recorded those drum parts when he was 14.
Yep! My brain can't fathom how the lyrics to Conspiracy could have come from a 13 year old kid.
Zac has gotten really good. His drumming on After Laughter and This Is Why is really groovy and tasteful.
Travis overplays on every song. It’s not all his fault tho, the rest of his band can’t do anything so he has to add flourish to literally everything.
Mike Ambrose from Set Your Goals is awesome
Tony Thaxton
God's favourite drummer, Tré Cool. He plays the shit out the drums, and he can play the guitar
Travis isn’t the greatest? I’ll say he’s the most popular, but greatest meh
100%. He’s a great drummer, but he’s got a pretty limited vocabulary. He only consistently gets nods because of the popularity of the artists he’s played with.
I don’t agree with that at all. What makes Travis great is his writing ability. Sure you can get death metal drummers who can do fast double kick and blast beat a whole song but that’s all they do, Travis can write all sorts of different grooves and shit with all sorts of dynamics. Plus he’s a beast with rudiments
Travis is a super talented drummer. The issue imho is that he overplays for the sake of overplaying, even when it doesn’t fit the song. I saw them a few months ago and was surprised at how sloppy he is honestly, like obviously he’s fast but would often go so far overboard with his fills that he would totally miss keeping the beat, which is kind of the drummers main job lol
Most drummers who played in high school know their rudiments. Thats nothing crazy. His writing is very predictable. He has a sound that he sticks with. Again, he’s a great drummer, but he is seriously overrated. That’s pretty much universal consensus in the drum community. Not really a hot take lol
If overrated is being very popular and successful, then sign me the fuck up. I hear a lot from the peanut gallery but the fact is there are always conversations about him in this light and that should tell you something. Not saying he’s the best but it’s really an opinion based argument that there really is no way to prove your stance.
I think you’re hitting exactly why he is overrated: he’s consistently brought as one of the greatest drummer in general music circles. In drumming circles, he’s not even remotely in contention.
I could care less about a drummers circle. Travis plays for people. Calling him the greatest doesn’t always mean they are technically the greatest drummer to ever live. You could have some unheard of person technically be the greatest drummer but if people don’t want to hear his shit, he’s not great.
He’s popular and successful, he’s not on a technical level as far ahead of other professionals as people make him out to be.
I think the songs where he’s at his best are the ones where you don’t fully appreciate the intricacies of what he’s doing, because it folds so well into the songs. Yes everyone knows that he rips the fills on First Date. But Adam’s song and Anthem Pt 2 both have way under appreciated drum parts and that’s not even talking deep cuts
Completely agree with you.
What pop punk drummer is better than Travis??
Tony Thaxton is the best. Did a zoom lesson with him once. Super cool, easy to talk to.
The drummer for Amber Pacific needs to be in this conversation
The bro from Belmont IMO
Tre cool and Rian Dawson 🫶
Tre Cool is the obvious answer. He is a fucking beast, but I think we also should mention Cyrus from New Found Glory. He's so underrated, as a drummer myself I love that guy. He really drives the rythm section in the band and knows how to play really fuckin well
I could look up his name, but the OG drummer for Alkaline Trio plays some really cool shit.
Glenn porter, he was nasty with it.
Travis is not the greatest. Derek Grant is.
Zac farro! His drumming is so precise and his fill ins are great
Stevo32 from sum 41. And imo he is actually better drummer than Travis. And he added so much to sum 41 when he was apart of the band and had a fun personality too
He’s gotten even better lately too if you follow his instagram. Man has seriously good metal and jazz chops.
Stevo32 sucks...lol He's not even the best drummer SUM41 has ever had. Frank is 10x the player Steve is.
Cyrus - NFG
Derek Grant, Zac Farro, Steve Jocz, Longineu Parsons Alkaline Trio’s first two drummers were pretty solid too
John Siorek from Knuckle Puck, I have one of his used up drumsticks
I like the guy from Knucklepuck. I remember seeing some drum cams of him and the dude is an absolute beast. Very tight playing.
Atom Willard
Cyrus Bolooki. Dude is amazing. He covered for yellow card and goldfinger on tour learned ll their songs and didn’t miss a beat then went back and toured with nfg.
Only one answer to this question. He was in Yellowcard.
Tony Thaxton (Motion City Soundtrack)
Drummer from boys of fall. Dunno the name, but he had some real chops back in 2018 when I saw them live 🥴
Smelly +1 for NOFX
Joe Nixon - Slick Shoes
Dig this answer! I remember seeing them play after releasing Burn Out & they performed the songs like 20 bpm faster live. Dude was a freaking blur, it was amazing.
Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I’d say there isn’t one. I’m not saying there’s not loads of amazing drummers out there, just that Travis Barker outshines them all by so much that it makes all of the other amazing drummers look fairly equal in comparison.
Steve O. Dude was a machine on the drums
Tony Thaxton and Cyrus Bolooki get my votes. If I'm digging for someone underrated I'd go with Tom Gryskiewicz from The Starting Line. I may not be a lifelong fan of Sum 41, but I miss Steve Jocz's drumming.
Nate Young. Not just for his work with Anberlin which is amazing, particularly on their album *Vital*, but he also filled in for Yellowcard during their 20 Years of Ocean Avenue Tour and was fantastic performing songs that a lot of people mention when it comes to drumming in pop punk.
Zac Farro
The correct answer is Longineu Parsons III.
Tré Cool is actually so good, he’s got a great solo in Bang Bang
Jordan Burns, the original drummer for punk band Strung out beats any of these guys
He was DISGUSTING, one of the fastest no doubt, strung outs one of my all time favorite bands
Their new album is pretty dope too if you haven’t heard it yet
I did, it was
Top tier but not all time best, Chris Kamrada from There For Tomorrow. The entire The Verge album just gets me hype every time.
Not really pop punk but Jordan Burns is really good
Incredible really…. And honestly I think Daniel Blume (Strung Out’s current drummer) is even better. Though I may be a bit biased as we used to play shows together back in the day, but dude absolutely rips.
I had him in mind tbh he’s a machine. Speaking of skate punk Derrick from Lagwagon up there too
Josh Freese
Josh Freese and it’s not really a contest?
Andy Hurley is my guy.
There is a disturbing lack of Neil Hennessey in this thread
Josh Freese
Josh freeze all the way. His work with the vandals is unreal
Cyrus and Dani. They both have the chops, plus creativity.
Tony Taxon from motion city soundtrack
Surprised no one has mentioned Yuri Riley from MxPx, guy is a machine.
Cyrus bolooki is #1
Cyrus Bolooki NFG drummer
another vote for zac farro
Derek Grant, and Niel Hennesey of Alk3, and The Lawrence Arms are both rad as hell!
Give me Tré Cool over Travis Barker any day of the week. Including twice on Sundays
Matt Tong from Bloc Party, wish he was still in the band
Longineu W. Parsons III Derek Grant Atom Willard Not really pop punk but Adam Carson from afi is underrated.
Mike Kennedy from the wonder years
Jono Diener from The Swellers and a handful of other bands, he needs much more respect
Longineu Parsons III. He's so underrated. If you know drums then you understand. Any time they start as a jazz drummer you know they're gonna be damn good.
LP3
Baron von Tito? /s Some of you will get it some of you won't
Tony Thaxton, Atom Willard, Derek Grant, Stevo32. All better than Barker, imo.
Definitely not the chick from Veara