Like any instrument, the drums can be quite difficult when you’re starting out, and finding songs to learn as a new drummer can be intimidating. They can be too fast, too complex, and just over all discouraging if you can’t seem to get it right.
Here are 10 easy drum songs for beginners, 5 older (before 2000) and 5 newer (after 2000), that will help you gain your bearings starting out on your new instrument.
To help you practice and learn, you can make play-along tracks by isolating the drums, change the BPM, speed, remove the drums altogether from the song, and other tools all with Moises for drummers!
1. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
Release Date: 2010 Genre: Pop BPM: 120
Teenage Dream is an easy drum song that needs a few bass drum strokes and snare hits. The beat is very catchy and has an easy rhythm moving between the bass and snare, which makes it a great song to play on the drums for beginners.
The quick movement will require you to learn consistency and play with strength. A technique to master here (and with all drumming) is moving your arms rather than the sticks, doing this will help build your strength and play with more accuracy.
2. Levitating - Dua Lipa
Release Date: 2020 Genre: Pop BPM: 103
With this song it’s okay to simplify before trying the more advanced techniques used. Remember, these are professional drummers playing these drum lines!
The most important elements of the drum part here are the bass drum and snare backbeat. There’s a snare hit on the ‘and’ of beat 3 every measure, once you get that down, you’ll be well on your way to nailing this one.
3. Vultures - John Mayer
Release Date: 2005 Genre: Blues Rock BPM: 97
This song has a lot of subtle elements that make it really fun to play. The intro is a 2 measure phrase; the bass drum part lines up perfectly with the guitar, but when the verse kicks in it changes slightly to work around John Mayer’s vocals. The chorus has the same groove as the intro, just keep a listening ear for those transitions with the open hi-hats. Overall, a very easy drum song for beginners.
4. Yellow - Coldplay
Release Date: 2000 Genre: Pop/Rock BPM: 186
This song is very easy to play on drums thanks to its half-time, straight beat throughout the entire song. It has a relaxed feel, but don’t make the mistake of playing too slow. There are a few changes throughout; the intro is played with loose hi-hats, while the verse is played with closed hi-hats. The chorus switches to the ride and has a more sparse bass drum pattern.
5. The Less I Know the Better - Tame Impala
Release Date: 2015 Genre: Alternative Rock/Punk BPM: 117
This is a more simplified drum track that beginners can enjoy jamming along to. Once you get into the rhythm of the kick, snare, and hi-hat, you can easily add your own fills. It helps that the bass riff is extremely catchy, making it even easier to play along to.
6. Back in Black - AC/DC
Release Date: 1980 Genre: Rock & Roll BPM: 188
AC/DC is one of the best band’s for beginner drummers to play along to. Back in Black is a very easy drum song for beginners to learn, because it doesn’t deviate from the straight rhythm on the hi-hat, kick and snare throughout.
7. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Release Date: 1982 Genre: Pop/Rock BPM: 117
Because the vocals and other instruments were very prominent in this song, the drums are very simple on this track, giving space for the others to shine. This is one of those classic drum lines that everyone knows, and it’s important to keep it steady without adding too much extra stuff.
The intro and first two verses are a simple backbeat, and the hi-hats are opened on the ‘and’ of beat 4 in the last measure before the pre-chorus. In the second bar of the chorus, there’s a floor tom additive on the ‘and’ of beat 3, this can be a little tricky so work on it slowly before building to full speed.
8. We Will Rock You - Queen
Release Date: 1977 Genre: Rock/Classic Rock BPM: 81
This iconic song is one of the rare pieces of music that is well-known for its drumbeat. With the kick-kick-snare pattern, it’s highly recognizable along with being perfect as a beginner drum song. The drums change slightly but the main beat stays the same throughout.
9. Free Fallin' - Tom Petty
Release Date: 1989 Genre: Pop/Folk Rock BPM: 83
This track is also an easy drum song that includes a very enjoyable drum beat that encourages you to pay attention to the slight nuances of your playing. Thankfully this song essentially stays the same throughout, allowing you to get the hang of the basic rhythm. In the last verse, the drummer switches to playing 16th notes on the snare while keeping his hi-hat pedal playing. This skill is highly valuable for beginners, as it makes your hands and feet more independent from one another.
10. Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Release Date: 1981 Genre: Punk/Alternative Rock BPM: 113
This song starts very simply, with a basic pattern played on the hats, kick and snare. When the chorus comes in, the drums switch to double time with a syncopated (displaced) beat. Because the chorus is a little trickier, a great option is to practice the tempo at a slowed down pace. That way it’s easier to get the groove and rhythm down before gradually speeding it back up again until you can play with the track at full speed.
How Moises Can Help You Practice Drums
A great way to slow down the speed of your song is using Moises. Not only that but you can use our Smart Metronome - a feature that detects the BPM for you automatically. It is incredibly easy to adjust the speed and enable click tracks with just ONE click!
Moises is the all-in-one drummers app, making it possible to play along with drumless tracks, generate metronome counts, switch up a playback speed, remove or isolate drum backing tracks and more. Whether you’re a professional drummer or a music student, creative control is now yours.
Use Moises to practice or play live, slow down your drum track so you can learn that challenging technique, and then speed it back up again when you’re ready to play along! Or remove it completely from the song so you can play with the song yourself!
Moises can make any song an easy-to-play drum song. Download the Mobile App today or use our Web App Version!
