Drummers often get the short end of the (drum)stick when it comes to songwriting credits. However, plenty of expert drummers through the years have penned and performed absolutely incredible tracks. Let’s celebrate drummers by looking at just a few legendary songs written by drummers!
1. “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins
Phil Collins is, obviously, so much more than a drummer. He’s more than proved himself as an incredible songwriter and soloist. “In The Air Tonight” is one of his most successful solo releases, and the song is still a bop decades after it was released in 1981.
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When you consider the fact that Collins wrote it after divorcing his first wife, the darkness looming under the surface of the song becomes all the more understandable. That drum solo is iconic, too.
2. “Moby Dick” by Led Zeppelin
“Moby Dick” makes it to our list of songs written by drummers for good reason. John Bonham knew how to jam and improvise with his instrument of choice, and with that skill came the ability to write some incredible songs.
“Moby Dick” was the result of Jimmy Page recording Bonham’s jam sessions and piecing them together to make a complete composition. It’s one of the band’s best instrumental tracks, featuring one of the greatest drum solos of all time.
3. “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M.
This iconic tune from R.E.M. was mostly written by the band’s drummer, Bill Berry. Fun fact: Even though Berry wrote it, he doesn’t actually appear on the recorded track. A drum machine was used instead. It was a smart creative decision, as the drum machine mimics a metronome and adds to the human and not-so-human alternating vibes of the song.
4. “Scars” by Rush
Songs written by drummers often have a focus on the drums, but this track written by Rush’s Neil Peart has a broader scope than that. Peart’s drum arrangement is complex, both electronic and acoustic, and beautifully written. However, the heart of the song was inspired by tribal rhythms that Peart heard while on an expedition across the African continent. When asked about the song, Peart described “Scars” as an ode to “pleasurable scars” that stay with you through life.
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