Education
8 Grunge and ’90s Rock Songs Every Drummer Should Learn
Oct
The early ’90s changed rock drumming. Grunge drummers threw out the flashy fills of the ’80s and replaced them with something simpler and heavier: quiet verses, explosive choruses, big tom fills and a raw, powerful sound. These songs are still some of the best for learning dynamics and building power – and they are favourites with every cover band.
Here are eight grunge and ’90s alternative songs, roughly from easiest to hardest, and what each one teaches.
1. Come As You Are – Nirvana
Dave Grohl’s groove on Come As You Are is steady and powerful at around ♩ ≈ 120 – a perfect first grunge song. Focus on a solid backbeat and clean transitions between the verse and chorus.
2. Lithium – Nirvana
Lithium is the textbook “quiet verse, loud chorus” song. Keep the verses controlled and let the choruses explode – without speeding up. It is one of the best dynamics exercises in rock.
3. Man In The Box – Alice In Chains
Sean Kinney’s groove on Man In The Box is heavy and patient at around ♩ ≈ 100. It teaches you to play with weight: let every hit sound full, and leave space.
4. Learn To Fly – Foo Fighters
Moving into the late ’90s, Taylor Hawkins’ driving groove on Learn To Fly is upbeat and steady – great for building a confident rock feel with even eighth notes.
5. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
Matt Cameron’s part on Black Hole Sun is slow, moody and heavy. The challenge is feel: keep the restrained verses steady and make the choruses huge.
6. Even Flow – Pearl Jam
Dave Krusen’s part on the album version of Even Flow is busy and full of fills at around ♩ ≈ 105. It teaches you to keep a busy groove in the pocket while the fills flow in and out.
7. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
The anthem of a generation. Smells Like Teen Spirit starts with one of the most famous drum fills in rock, and its choruses need real stamina. Learn the intro fill slowly, then build up the power.
8. Monkey Wrench – Foo Fighters
On Monkey Wrench, Dave Grohl plays fast and relentlessly. It is the stamina test of this list: practise the main groove for several minutes at a time before you play it with the record.
How to practise grunge dynamics
- Use three volume levels. Practise each groove soft, medium and loud with a metronome, keeping the tempo identical.
- Practise the jump. Loop the last bar of a verse into the first bar of a chorus – that is where drummers rush.
- Record yourself. Grunge sounds simple, so small timing problems are easy to hear on a recording.
Get all eight songs
The Grunge & 90s Alternative Drum Sheet Music Collection includes all eight songs at 35% off the single-song price. You can also explore each band: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest grunge song to play on drums?
“Come As You Are” by Nirvana is a great first choice – a steady groove at a comfortable tempo.
Are grunge songs good for beginners?
Yes. The grooves are usually simple, and the songs teach dynamics and power, which are useful at every level.
Is this the album version of each song?
Yes – every song is transcribed note-for-note from the original studio recording.
Start with the grunge collection – or order a custom drum transcription of any ’90s song you want to learn.
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