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10. Brody Green – Southern Empire

That Southern Empire rhythm section really took my notice. I love the cymbal work and deft, quick playing that Brody offers, and how it makes the band’s entire sound feel flowing and rich.

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9. Dylan Lynch – Soda Blonde

Any art pop album needs a terrific drummer, and Soda Blonde has exactly that. Dylan’s playing is full of fervor and bounce, and yet he doesn’t detract from the vocals, melodies, or general classiness of the music. But when the music really needs a kick in the ass, he’s there for that, too.

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8. Tom Gadonna – [STÖMB]

[STÖMB] offers some truly vivid and diverse music, and things get seriously wild at times. Tom handles it all with a wonderfully thrilling style that takes the complexity in stride. I love hearing him play.

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7. Jesse Guterman  – Half Shell

As with the band’s bass, Half Shell’s drumming is addictive. Jesse’s drums are nuanced, though, not bombastic, and he plays like a scientist, if that make sense. I should also mention that he provides the keys for the bands beautiful, melodic sound, and so he is an all-around important player here.

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6. Martin Pisko – IONS

Martin hits hard with his terrific and even complex style. The music on IONS’ debut is more complicated than it seems, and I love to hear Martin’s rocking performance as its heart and soul.

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5. II – Sleep Token

II has such a wonderful presence that lends itself to the sacred and worshipful tones in Sleep Token’s sound. I like his deceptively simple fills, and the way he transitions back and forth between both complex and simple beats, and also rock and R&B styles. He really has various approaches down to a science.

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4. Ryan Van Poederooyen

– Shadow Circus

Ryan is a true beat on the new Shadow Circus album. I love how he toys with blast beats like they are nothing at all, and he fills in various spaces in the music with mesmerizing skill. His drumming is such a pleasure.

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3. James Stewart – Sermon

James offers an intricate, complex style that can break into a fury of beats at a moment’s notice. I like his cymbal work and quickness the most of all. I think his playing is my favorite part of the recent Sermon album.

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2. Joey Waters

– Dream The Electric Sleep

Joey hits harder than most drummers out there. That’s not an overstatement. But hitting hard doesn’t automatically make for great drumming. Joey is a veteran at expressive and deft beats and fills, and his playing can be felt in all corners of the latest album.

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**1. Tom Jackson

– The Emerald Dawn**

There’s just something about Tom’s performance on the new The Emerald Dawn album that has me hooked. It is bulky when it needs to be, and intricate when the music calls for it. He can be heard creating light, immersive beats in moments both rock and ambient, like he is the tie that binds everything together into a terrific package. I love the way he plays and his performance is the most memorable from 2023 for me.

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