Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
A pair of Sennheiser in-ear monitors lying on a MIDI controller
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
Arturia KeyStep mk2
Midi Controllers Best MIDI keyboards 2026: Find your perfect match for the home studio
A pair of Focal Shape 65 studio monitors on stands in a studio
Studio Monitors Best studio monitors 2026: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
A pair of Kali Audio LP-6 V2 studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best budget studio monitors 2026: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
A Rode NT1 Signature Series microphone with shock mount and pop shield in a studio
Microphones Best vocal mics 2026: Our top vocal microphones for stage and studio
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2026: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
A pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors on top of a carry case
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2026: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
Nord Piano 6
Keyboards & Pianos Best stage pianos 2026: Our pick of the finest keyboards for live performance
A pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones in a studio
Headphones Best DJ headphones 2026: Booth-ready choices from budget to pro-level
Aston Microphones Spirit
Microphones Best condenser mics 2026: My expert picks for home recording, no matter your budget
A man DJs on stage with a laptop
Computers Best laptop for DJs 2026: my choice of PCs, Macs, and Mac-alternatives for playing out
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2026: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
A pair of KRK GoAux studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
More
  • Jimmy Douglass speaks
  • Ultravox's Vienna
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Elektron Tonverk Review
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

The 4 best new drum heads of 2018

News
By MusicRadar Team published 26 November 2018

The best new drum head options for your kit

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

The Rhythm Best in drums 2018 polls received an astonishing 100,000 votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the drummers and gear that have excelled in 2018. Here, we present the best new drum heads of 2018. First up we have the Kentville Kangaroo Skin heads...

We say: With greater tensile strength than calf, native kangaroo hide is an ethical choice for this Australian company. Expensive, but undoubtedly the way to a unique warm vintage sound.

The MusicRadar Best in drums awards are brought to you in association with Allianz Musical Insurance - the UK's Number 1 Specialist Instrument Insurer

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
3. Remo ColorTone

3. Remo ColorTone

We say: Coloured heads occupy a small but significant and fun area. Remo has finally managed to adapt its Skyndeep imaging technology to bring us coloured versions of established favourites.

Read the review: Remo Colortone review

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

We say: Code is a welcome UK-based newcomer to the highly competitive drum head market, offering a clear range of value for money heads that are designed by drummers for drummers. As with any head company, Code will likely stand or fall on the acceptance of its all-purpose single-ply Ambassador-weight Coated DNA head. So this is the acid test and it performs admirably well. It sits cleanly, rotates on the bearing edge comfortably and tunes up quickly and easily. The sound is fractionally crisper, harder, crunchier than a Coated Ambassador.

Read the review: Code Drum Heads DNA Coated Series review

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

We say: The UV1 heads are refreshingly different and so far seem to be living up to Evans’s hyperbole-soaked marketing claims. The UV-cured coating is indeed bright, super-consistent and hard wearing.

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
MusicRadar Team
MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
Read more
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
 
 
Headphones next to electric guitar
Headphones Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
 
 
PDP Concept Clear Acrylic Kit and Snare with acrylic hoops
Drums "Cutting rimshots and controlled overtones": PDP brings a "world-first" to the acrylic drum market with its latest Concept Acrylic Kit and Snare
 
 
Man presses acoustic bridge pin into an acoustic guitar
Guitar Strings Best acoustic guitar strings 2026: Find your favourite acoustic strings
 
 
A pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones in a studio
Headphones Best DJ headphones 2026: Booth-ready choices from budget to pro-level
 
 
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
Tech The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
 
 
Latest in Drum Gear
Zultan 25 series
Cymbals “A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
Drums “An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
Drum Gear These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
 
 
Sleep Token drummer II Drumeo
Drum Gear “I’ve taken inspiration from the UK dance music scene": Mixwave put Sleep Token’s drummer in a plugin
 
 
DW SonicPly
Drum Gear Neil Peart called him 'the Wood Whisperer' and now he's blended metal and timber in DW's new SonicPly shells
 
 
Zultan Cymbals
Drum Gear "Crafted from Heritage. Tuned for Tomorrow": Zultan Cymbals celebrate their 25th birthday with a new high-end 25 series
 
 
Latest in News
pistil
Tech Tame Impala's synth company releases Pistil companion app for Orchid
 
 
Prince embraces Apollonia Kotero in a scene from the film 'Purple Rain', 1984. (Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images)
Artists Prince’s Purple Rain co-star recalls the moment he had the idea for one of his greatest songs
 
 
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Olivia Rodrigo performs with Robert Smith of The Cure on the Pyramid stage during day five of Glastonbury festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 29, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. Established by Michael Eavis in 1970, Glastonbury has grown into the UK's largest music festival, drawing over 200,000 fans to enjoy performances across more than 100 stages. In 2026, the festival will take a fallow year, a planned pause to allow the Worthy Farm site time to rest and recover. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Artists Olivia Rodrigo still has The Cure’s Robert Smith on her mind on new single, Drop Dead
 
 
boc
Artists Boards of Canada are back with their first new music in 13 years
 
 
plugin
Tech You might want to open a window before using The Crow Hill Company's filthy new synth
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: We've found $200 off an accessible Yamaha turntable, $100 off an iconic Korg synth and healthy discounts on guitars and much more
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...