11 Easy Drum Songs - Even For Beginner Drummers

Hey there, fellow drum enthusiasts! Let me guess: you’ve recently started playing the drums and want to put your initial progress behind the kit into practice. Does that sound about right? Fantastic, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to look at 11 songs that a beginner can play along to.

The beats below are all relatively simple. I’m sure you’ll recognize them all! You might be surprised that catchy tracks like these were recorded with pretty basic beats. There might be more to a song, but at least for today, we’re keeping it simple and won’t bother with any fills or note-for-note transcriptions.

You can download each beat and play along with the songs in the videos.

Money Beat

Let’s start with the Money Beat! What’s a money beat, you ask? It’s a simple beat that has become a go-to pattern for drummers and producers, often contributing to songs’ commercial success—hence the “money” part. Typically, it consists of a bass drum on beats 1 and 3, a snare drum on beats 2 and 4, and eighth notes on the hi-hat.

A surprising number of songs are built on a Money Beat. Let’s kick it off with a banger:

“Billie Jean” - Michael Jackson

• Tempo: 117 BPM
• Drummer: Ndugu Chancler

“Back in Black” - AC/DC - Basic Groove

• Tempo: 93 BPM
• Drummer: Phil Rudd

You see, a catchy tune doesn’t need complex grooves! And it’s not just for Pop Music. “Back in Black” by AC/DC uses the Money Beat quite extensively:

“Seven Nation Army” - The White Stripes

• Tempo: 124 BPM
• Drummer: Meg White

Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes used the Money Beat, albeit in a slightly modified version. We play eighth notes on the Floor Tom instead of the Hi-Hat.

Seven Nation Army wouldn’t be the same song without the iconic Chorus. The drums are played along with the guitar riff. If you’re a beginner, this can be a fun challenge that is not too hard to play:

“Island In The Sun” - Weezer

• Tempo: 114 BPM
• Drummer: Patrick Wilson

“Island in the Sun” by Weezer is the perfect anthem for a beautiful summer day. It also uses the money beat, alternating with a slightly more complex beat:

Four-On-The-Floor (Disco Beat)

Ah, the disco beat! It’s like the heartbeat of a glittery dance floor. Imagine a drum kit wearing bell-bottoms and platform shoes, strutting under a disco ball. The four-on-the-floor rhythm is so infectious it could make a statue boogie. It’s the beat that says, “Hey, let’s dance until we can’t feel our feet anymore!”

The four-on-the-floor beat is a drummer’s best friend when it comes to keeping the dance floor busy. With the bass drum hitting every quarter note, no wonder your feet get a workout!

“Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees

• Tempo: 114 BPM
• Drummer: Drum machine

What song better exemplifies the four-on-the-floor than the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”?

“Another One Bites The Dust” - Queen

• Tempo: 110 BPM
• Drummer: Roger Taylor

Now that we’ve grooved through the disco era with the Bee Gees let’s transition into the rock-driven beats of the 80s. One band that genuinely defined this era with their unforgettable beats and anthems is Queen. As complex as Freddie’s songwriting was, Roger Taylor could play a dead simple beat and still rock the house:

“No One” - Alicia Keys

• Tempo: 89 BPM
• Drummer: Drum Machine

We’re jumping into the 2000s and observing the disco beat remains as popular as ever. Alicia Keys incorporated this timeless rhythm into her signature R&B style with her song “No One.”

Next Level: Notes on Subdivisions

So far, we’ve just played the bass drum on whole notes, but this is going to change! Let’s try something more involved on the kick:

“Thinking Out Loud” - Ed Sheeran

• Tempo: 80 BPM
• Drummer: Jake Gosling

With this next level, we’re starting nice and slow:

“Free Fallin’” - Tom Petty

• Tempo: 84 BPM
• Drummer: Randall Marsh

Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” was written in just two days with Jeff Lynne. Its simple beat and profound lyrics make it a timeless classic, with a slightly more complex groove, but still manageable tempo. The groove is similar to Ed Sheeran’s. If you’ve managed that one, you’ll be able to play Free Fallin’!

“Yellow” - Coldplay

• Tempo: 87 BPM
• Drummer: Will Champion

One of Coldplay’s hits, “Yellow,” made them a worldwide phenomenon. At 87 bpm, it’s slow enough for beginners to play it.

The Chorus beat in Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ is the same as in Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud.”

Step It Up a Notch

The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” was my first venture into (Punk) Rock Music. This all-time-favorite of mine will be our last challenge for today. We’ll look at the Verse, which should feel manageable, and the two Chorus grooves.

“Should I Stay or Should I Go” - The Clash

• Tempo: 114 BPM
• Drummer: Topper Headon

The Chorus for this song is played in double-time, or the equivalent of 228 bpm. Phew, are you ready?

The Chorus also sports this exciting groove. It adds toms to the mix. While the original kick drum does much more heavy lifting, we use the toms to spice up the groove. You can play it in a reverse paradiddle and play the right hand on the high tom R R L R. For more on paradiddles, check out our Cooking with Paradiddles post.

That should give you enough material to jam for hours. Put on a playliust and play along these hits!

And if all of these were too easy for you, you might want to try yourself at our Foo Fighter’s Everlong for Beginners tutorial.