20 Easy Drum Songs (That Aren’t Too Fast For Beginners)

If you’re new to drumming and looking for some fun, easy songs to learn, we’ve got you covered! We’ve rounded up 20 of the best, easy drum songs for beginners that are sure to get you started on the right foot.

Not all songs labeled as “beginner” on popular lists are actually suitable for true beginners. Many of these songs are still too fast, have too many parts to learn, or are too complicated. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 20 easy drum songs that are perfect for true beginners. They’re not too fast, they have only a few parts to learn and are extremely achievable.

(By the way, many of these songs are featured in our Song Library with detailed breakdowns, video play-alongs and more. Click here to learn more 🙂

Grab your drumsticks, crank up the volume, and get ready to have some fun! Here’s our list of 20 easy songs to drum to, for beginner drummers.

1. “Stay With Me” – Sam Smith

Tempo: 84 bpm

Drummer: Jimmy Napes

Perfect For First Timers

This song is perfect for beginners who struggle to balance their listening between their drumming and the music. It has a very repetitive, simple 1/4 note pattern. This allows the drummer to focus on basic coordination and playing in time with the music, without having to worry about complex rhythms or tricky transitions. Additionally, the tempo is slow enough that the drummer can take their time and really focus on feeling the pulse of the music.

Song Structure (Form)

It’s also a great song choice for learning about song structure. It is very simple and repetitive in nature, making it easy to hear the verses, choruses and bridge sections. It also has a catchy melody that makes it easier to remember the structure of the song. When choosing easy drum songs for someone to play to music for the first time ever, this is one of my go-to choices. 

Notation:

2. “We Will Rock You” – Queen

Tempo: 81 bpm

Drummer: Roger Taylor

Easy To Rock Out

This is another great song to practice listening and syncing with music. The famous stomps and claps are super fun to play this way:

Stomps = Bass Drum + Toms (I like Floor Tom and High Tom).

Claps = Both hands on the Snare. Play a Flam if you have learned what this is. If not, both hands playing the Snare is all you need.

Kids Love It!

This is one of the best easy drum songs for younger kids. It’s super fun, physical and it gets them playing their foot together together with their hands which is a basic coordination skill.

Notation:

3. “No One” – Alicia Keys

Tempo: 90 bpm

Focus On The Crash Cymbal

Moving from the Hi-Hats to the Crash Cymbal and back is tricky for most beginners. This song has a simple, repetitive 1/4 note beat pattern over a 4-bar instrumental loop. The Crash Cymbals are played on every downbeat (beat 1) with a few extra crashes in the 4th bar (optional if crashing on beat 1 and keeping the beat is challenging enough).

4-Bar Loop

So much of music is built on repeating 4-bar phrases and loops. This is a perfect example and will get you listening to and getting familiar with a 4-bar musical phrase.

Notation:

4. “Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran

Tempo: 79 bpm

Drummer: Jake Gosling

Syncopated Bass Drum

Working on 1/8th note groove patterns beyond the basics? This song is perfect for you. The Bass Drum is played on the “and” of beats 2, 3. That takes some getting used to. Try this simple song to lock in these fundamental rhythms with your Bass Drum.

Song Structure & Rests

Of all the easy drum songs for beginner drummers to practice, this is another one that is great for memorizing the structure of the song. Listen to the meoldies and identify the Verses, Choruses and Bridge while you play. Don’t forget to learn where the rests are, (when the beat stops). Practice to keep time through the rests.

Notation:

5. “Two” – Ryan Adams

Tempo: 77 bpm

Drummer: Brad Pemberton

Cymbal Transitions

This is one of my favourite easy songs for drums to practice cymbal transitions. I mean switching a beat pattern from the Hi-Hats to the Ride Cymbal with a Crash on beat 1. It’s a good song to practice keeping a beat pattern consistently correct while you transition from one side of the kit to the other.

Pre-Chorus

On the topic of song structure, this is a good song to listen for a Pre-Chorus section. The drums transition here and for beginners who are only used to Verse/Chorus songs, this one offers a new possibility.

Notation:

6. “Yellow” – Coldplay

Tempo: 86 bpm

Drummer: Will Champion

Multiple Beat Patterns

This is one of the best easy songs for drums to practice multiple groove patterns. They aren’t difficult to play, but switching froom one groove to another is a good thing for beginners to practice.

Cymbal Subtleties

This song has it all. Tight Hi-Hats, open Hi-Hat notes, slushy Hi-Hats, Crashes and the Ride Cymbal. If you’re wanting to work on your musicality and cymbal playing, this is the song for you. 

Notation:

7. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”

– Otis Redding

Tempo: 104 bpm

Drummer: Al Jackson Jr.

Bass Drum Change in Chorus

The groove pattern in this song is simple and a basic one that you probably know. There is an interesting change in the Bass Drum rhythm however, in the last bar of every Chorus. Changing and varying a Bass Drum rhythm is an important skill to have and this is the perfect song to practice that.

Build in the Bridge

The Bridge section ends with a simple “build-up” fill played with the Snare Drum and Hi-Hats. Another great song for listening to the structure and nailing these two details.

Notation:

8. “Island In The Sun” – Weezer

Tempo: 115 bpm

Drummer: Patrick Wilson

2-Bar Groove Pattern

This song is super fun to play along to and rock out. The groove pattern is made up of two basic grooves, combined to for a repeating 2-bar groove! An excellent choice of song to practice playing grooves that are longer.

Crashing On Beat 4

At the end of every Verse and Chorus, the drummer plays a Crash on beat 4 along with the Snare. Then in the Bridge section the entire groove is played on the Crash Cymbal.

Notation:

9. “Another Brick In The Wall Pt.2” – Pink Floyd

Tempo: 104 bpm

Drummer: Nick Mason

Dropping Out The Snare

This iconic song features a “four on the floor” groove pattern throughout the song. At the guitar solo in the latter half however, the drummer stops playing the Snare on beat 2 and only plays it on the 4. This shift in momentum is fun and easy to practice.

Song Structure (Form)

There are many points where the drummer crashes on beat 1 but it doesn’t always follow a typical 4-bar phrase. That makes it unpredictable. You will need to follow the melody in order to know when to Crash.

Notation:

10. “No Diggity” – Blackstreet (ft Dr. Dre, Queen Pen)

Tempo: 89 bpm

Dropping The Beat

This is one of my favourite easy songs for drums to practice in a hip-hop style. You need to get to know the song and lyrics in order to know when the beat drops out. When it does, keep counting so that you can bring the beat back in on time.

Tight Closed Hi-Hat 

This is also a good song for a beginner drummer to practice playing with a tight Hi-Hat feel. It requires constant pressure with your toes on the Hi-Hat pedal and can distract you from the beat and music.

Notation:

Did You Know?

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More Easy Drum Songs For Beginners  

Let’s turn it up a notch shall we? The next 10 songs are super fun and easy as well. They are however, a slight step up in difficulty from the 10 I listed previously. These songs have a few more fills, multiple beat patterns and/or more details that outline the song structure.

11. “I Won’t Back Down” – Tom Petty

Tempo: 114 bpm

Drummer: Phil Jones

One Simple Build-Up Fill

Looking for a song with a drum fill that is played over and over again? You found it. This song features a build-up fill played using the Snare and Floor Tom that is followed up by some easy Crashes. Once you learn the fill, you can practice this song and try nailing it all 8 times that it is played.

Irregular phrases

We get so used to songs that follow a 4-bar phrase. This one has several parts where the musical phrase is extended and doesn’t fit the 4-bar standard. Learn to follow the melody and you won’t get lost.

Notation:

12. “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes

Tempo: 124 bpm

Drummer: Meg White

Simple Tom Beat, Simple Crash Beat

If you’re looking for a song that’s more upbeat but easy to keep up with, this is the one. The Verse has a 1/4 note beat played on the Floor Tom and Bass Drum. The Snare comes in half way through.

Build up along with the guitar using your Crash and Bass Drum and then you’re into the Chorus. This part is played as a 1/4 note beat with Bass Drum and Snare Drum alternating. There is a triplet rhythm every other time through the riff that can be tricky to catch, but if you mimic the sound of the guitar riff.

Jam With Others!

This is one of the best easy drum songs for musicians to jam together. If you know a friend or family member who plays guitar or bass, ask them to practice this song with you. It’s easy to pick up and super fun to rock out to.

Notation:

13. “Another One Bites The Dust” – Queen

Tempo: 110 bpm

Drummer: Roger Taylor

Iconic Snare Fill

This is another opne of those easy songs on drums that has the same drum fill played many times. It’s is a short burst of 1/16th notes on the Snare Drum. They begin on the 3 “e” with your left hand and end on beat 4 with your right, immediately followed by the Bass Drum on the “e” of beat 4.

Breakdown

The breakdown in this section is tons of fun and a little tricky for some beginners to time just right. The drums play a beat with a doubled Snare then it breaks down to the Snare on beats 2 and 4, for 4 bars. You will need to listen for Freddie’s cue.

Notation:

14. “Can’t Feel My Face” – The Weeknd

Tempo: 108 bpm

Open Hi-Hats and A Short Fill

The 4-bar loop in this song features an open Hi-Hat note on the 4 “and” in bars 2 and 4. There’s also a short drum fill in the 4th bar that often serves as a pick-up fill when the beat kicks in.

Finger Snaps and Breakdowns

There are a few sections in this song where the beat drops out and the Hi-Hats are played only on beats 2 and 4. This means you need to follow the melody and know the structure of the song to get it right.

Notation:

15. “Knock On Wood” – Eddie Floyd

Tempo: 105 bpm

Drummer: Al Jackson Jr.

A Drum Fill With Rests

Nothing challenges a beginner’s sense of time more than rhythms that are combined with rests. This song has a simple fill that is played before every Chorus. It starts with the Bass Drum on beat 1 (with the word “knock”) and the Snare Drum playing 1/8th notes from the 1 “and” until beat 3. That means starting with your left hand and ending with your right.

“Straight 4” Snare Groove

The Bridge section features a straight 4 Snare groove which means that you are playing 1/4 notes on the Snare Drum, while the 1/8th notes continue on the Hi-Hats. 

Notation:

16. “Born Under A Bad Sign” – Albert King

Tempo: 91 bpm

Drummer: Al Jackson Jr.

Just a Few Simple Snare Fills

This song uses a simple groove pattern. You will love learning the short and sweet fills that are played on the Snare Drum. Each one is a cluster of 1/16th notes on the Snare.

12 Bar Blues

We’ve had a ton of Verse/Chorus style songs on this list, but none of them were a 12-bar blues. This song form is incredibly necessary to know and it has nothing to do with drums or counting bars. You’ve got to follow the chord changes that you hear in the music. 

Notation:

17. “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”

– Creedence Clearwater Revival

Tempo: 116 bpm

Drummer: Doug Clifford

Groove Follows The Riff

The groove pattern in this song is simple but every once in a while it follows the riff with the rest of the band. This is achieved by changing the Bass Drum rhythm only for the last bar. 

Crashing On 2 and 4

Adding the Crash cymbal along to your Snare backbeat on beats 2 and 4 is a really rock n’ roll thing to do. In the last Chorus, the drummer does exactly that, to lift the final Chorus to a climax.

Notation:

18. “In My Life”

– The Beatles

Tempo: 103 bpm

Drummer: Ringo Starr

Hi-Hat To Ride Transitions

This list of easy drum songs for beginners wouldn’t be complete without a song by The Beatles. In this song, the groove pattern has a repeating Kick and Snare pattern with a Hi-Hat accent instead of a steady 1/8th note rhythm. This is a bit unusual and the timing might take a little practice, but it’s simple once you get it.

Cymbal Bell Melody

In the Choruses, the steady 1/8th notes finally arrive on the cymbal bell when the groove kicks in after the cymbal bell melody. This cymbal melody is an interesting break that highlights the lyrics. Another fantastic song to practice following a song’s structure.

Notation:

19. “Hells Bells” – AC/DC

Tempo: 108 bpm

Drummer: Phil Rudd

Kick and Snare Variation

Virtually all of the lists of easy songs for beginner drummers that I’ve seen include Back In Black…but not this one. That’s because there’s an even easier song by this legendary band that it 1/8th notes the whole way through…”Hell’s Bells”.

The tempo of this song is much more relaxed and easy for a beginner to play along to. The groove patterns are straight forward once you’ve practiced the Kick and Snare variations in the Pre-Chorus and Choruses.

Crash-mania!

In the Choruses you will be crashing on every 2 and 4 with the Snare, plus a few on the 4 “and” which push into the next bar. The guitar solo gets even heavier, with te Crashing on the off-beats towards the end.

Notation:

20. “Every Breath You Take” – The Police

Tempo: 117 bpm

Drummer: Stewart Copeland

A Brisk Tempo For Beginners

It’s good to try playing a little faster once you solidify some basics. Stewart Copleand is a profoundly unique drummer who’s mastery is unparalelled. Most of his drumming is too difficult for a beginner. This song however, is quite simple, uses only 1/8th notes and is a good tempo that is achieveable for most beginners, with a bit of practice.

Tom Flams and Crash on Beat 4

There’s a great fill to play using Flams on your Toms and a Crash on beat 4 with the Snare. Even if you haven’t learned about Flams, it’s still easy to play. The fill happens in the bar before the Bridge and then it is repeated in the Outro a few more times.

Notation:

And that’s it! 20 easy drum songs for beginner drummers (that aren’t too fast).

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Grow Your Repertoire  

A repertoire is a list of songs that you know well enough to perform. When you learn to play simple songs, you are practicing to balance your attention between the drum parts and the structure of the song. This is a great way to gain musical experience and strengthen your musical intuition.

The result is most noticeable in a musical situation, like a band, church or jam session with friends. You will be able to listen and learn the music quickly and be better at balancing your attention between yourself and the other musicians.