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
  • Black Friday
  • 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 home music studio with MIDI keyboard, Mac, and dual screens showing a DAW
Recording Best Christmas gifts for music producers 2025: 9 affordable ideas they'll actually use
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
Virtual drums
Music Production Tutorials How to make virtual acoustic drum performances sound like the real thing
A pair of KRK Systems Kreate 5 studio monitors in a studio
Studio Monitors Best budget studio monitors 2025: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
Quentin testing a Yamaha piano
Keyboards & Pianos Best digital pianos 2025: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
Close up of a Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar
Acoustic Guitars Best cheap acoustic guitars 2025: Top picks for strummers on a budget
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
Man playing Roland TD716 electronic drum set in a studio
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets 2025: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Black Friday is over a week away, and the sales are in full swing - save up to 80%
Santa Claus playing piano in front of a Christmas tree
Keyboards & Pianos Best Christmas gifts for piano players 2025: the ultimate festive gift guide for pianists, covering all budgets
Roland TD-02K and TD-02KV V-Drums electronic drum sets
Drum Kits Best electronic drum set for kids 2025: child-friendly electronic drum kits
Pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors sat on a case
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2025: IEMs for stage and studio
Man in green jumper received a gift from a man in a red jumper
Guitars Best Christmas gifts for musicians 2025: 21 affordable festive present ideas for music-makers (which they'll genuinely love)
Drum kit with a red overlay and blue text saying 'best Christmas gifts for drummers'
Drums Best Christmas gifts for drummers 2025: my pick of affordable festive gifts they'll actually use
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
More
  • Black Friday plugin deals
  • Pete Townshend on smashing - and fixing - his guitars
  • AI slop hits #1
  • The pain that birthed Don't Speak
  • Europe vs AI
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Drums

In Pictures: 25 Years of Rhythm

News
By Rich Chamberlain published 3 September 2010

A look back at the stars that have graced Rhythm's illustrious cover

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

Stewart Copeland

Stewart Copeland

An early one from the vaults (and an absolute legend to kick things off) - The Police's Stewart Copeland.

Page 1 of 26
Page 1 of 26
Sly Dunbar

Sly Dunbar

A rather stylish looking Sly Dunbar on the cover of Rhythm's March 1986 issue, an issue which cost just a quid and included reviews of Yamaha's 9000 series snares, a selection of Istanbul cymbals and a Dynacord electronic kit.

Page 2 of 26
Page 2 of 26
Vinnie Colaiuta

Vinnie Colaiuta

Mr Colaiuta heads up July 1987's issue, in which he tells us about his need to work on projects which he finds "musically stimulating". Judging by the sublime CV he's amassed in the subsequent 23 years we're guessing Vinnie has stuck to this principle.

Page 3 of 26
Page 3 of 26
Terry Bozzio

Terry Bozzio

The king of the oversized kit takes centre stage here on a cover which also features Premier's APK kit and the Roland Octapad II.

Page 4 of 26
Page 4 of 26
Tommy Lee

Tommy Lee

Tommy Lee peering over a Pearl bass drum with the kind of hair cut that screams hair metal on Rhythm's August 1989 issue.

Page 5 of 26
Page 5 of 26
Roger Taylor

Roger Taylor

A stripped back cover that has just about everything you need. A drumming god. Check. A pair of sticks. Check. A rickety stool. Check.

Page 6 of 26
Page 6 of 26
Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Steve Smith shows his love for Zildjian with a rather fetching t-shirt and poses for this cover with one of his beloved pies seemingly sticking out the side of his head.

Page 7 of 26
Page 7 of 26
Jason Bonham

Jason Bonham

Jason Bonham stepped out of his father's sizable shadow at the tail-end of 1992 as he earned his own Rhythm cover interview, and he did it sporting this awesome look.

Page 8 of 26
Page 8 of 26
Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl

The emergence of a drumming god - December 1993 Dave Grohl (and a Tama kit with a simply massive rack tom) dominates the cover of the UK's best-selling drumming magazine.

Page 9 of 26
Page 9 of 26
Larry Mullen Jr

Larry Mullen Jr

Riding high on the success of U2's Zooropa album, Larry Mullen Jr took his place upon Rhythm's cover in November 1994.

Page 10 of 26
Page 10 of 26
Chad Smith

Chad Smith

Never one to be accused of being boring, check out what Chad Smith was happy to do when it came for posing for his November 1995 cover shot.

Page 11 of 26
Page 11 of 26
Steve White

Steve White

The UK drumming institution took to Rhythm's cover in 1996, a year in which that honour was also given to the likes of Frank Beard, Zak Starkey and Ed Thigpen. Steve has graced the cover of five issues of Rhythm.

Page 12 of 26
Page 12 of 26
Peter Criss

Peter Criss

Kiss's original catman put on a bit of slap for this February 1997 cover.

Page 13 of 26
Page 13 of 26
Tre Cool

Tre Cool

Tre Cool brings a much needed luminous green tint to November 1998's Rhythm cover.

Page 14 of 26
Page 14 of 26
Caroline Corr

Caroline Corr

As an integral part of a multi-million album shifting band, Caroline Corr more than earned her place on Rhythm's cover back in May 1999. She was in good company that year, with Sheila E, Keith Moon, Chad Smith, Terry Bozzio and a shedload more gracing the Rhythm cover.

Page 15 of 26
Page 15 of 26
Buddy Rich

Buddy Rich

April 2000 saw us celebrate the life and career of a true drumming master - Buddy Rich.

Page 16 of 26
Page 16 of 26
Steve Gadd

Steve Gadd

Steve Gadd shared his session secrets with us in this 2001 cover interview,

Page 17 of 26
Page 17 of 26
Ginger Baker

Ginger Baker

We stepped inside the crazy life of Ginger Baker in January 2002.

Page 18 of 26
Page 18 of 26
John Bonham

John Bonham

Well, we couldn't have one Bonham without the other, could we? We doff out caps to Bonzo is our December 2003 issue. In this issue we also launched our first ever covermounted disc featuring audio lessons, playalong tracks and loads more. The disc is better than ever today and we recently moved to video lessons and a brand spanking new user interface.

Page 19 of 26
Page 19 of 26
Joey Jordison

Joey Jordison

Slipknot's masked tub-thumper, and recent winner of our Greatest Drummer of the Last 25 Years poll, looks suitably macabre in this June 2004 cover.

Page 20 of 26
Page 20 of 26
Alex Van Halen

Alex Van Halen

Alex Van Halen takes the prime position on a cover filled with drumming talent in March 2005. Aside from AVH there's also Mick Fleetwood, Gary Powell and Mark Richardson. And that's before you've even opened the mag!

Page 21 of 26
Page 21 of 26
Danny Carey

Danny Carey

Judging by the feedback from our recent Greatest Drummer of the Last 25 Years poll you guys love Danny Carey. And as you can see from this June 2006 cover, we love him too

Page 22 of 26
Page 22 of 26
Drum Heroes

Drum Heroes

We let Guest Editor Mike Portnoy loose on this January 2007 cover. For the special issue he chose to interview his heroes Nick Mason, Neil Peart, Bill Bruford and Lars Ulrich.

Page 23 of 26
Page 23 of 26
Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich

Lars Ulrich peeks back at you from behind his shades on October 2008's Rhythm cover.

Page 24 of 26
Page 24 of 26
Mitch Mitchell

Mitch Mitchell

We kicked off 2009 with this stripped-back tribute to the great Mitch Mitchell.

Page 25 of 26
Page 25 of 26
The Drummers of Michael Jackson

The Drummers of Michael Jackson

It was another case of giving you more drum heroes for your money earlier this year as the Drummers of Michael Jackson (JR Robinson, Leon Ndugu Chancler, Ricky Lawson, Jonathan Moffett and Bashiri Johnson) shared July's cover to discuss their contributions to some of the greatest pop music ever recorded.

Page 26 of 26
Page 26 of 26
Rich Chamberlain
Rich Chamberlain

Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).

Deals not to miss
A pair of KRK Systems Kreate 5 studio monitors in a studio
Best budget studio monitors 2025: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
 
 
Close up of a Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar
Best cheap acoustic guitars 2025: Top picks for strummers on a budget
 
 
Quentin testing a Yamaha piano
Best digital pianos 2025: I'm a professional piano and music gear reviewer, and these are my top picks
 
 
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
 
 
Man playing Roland TD716 electronic drum set in a studio
Best electronic drum sets 2025: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Black Friday is over a week away, and the sales are in full swing - save up to 80%
 
 
Latest in Drums
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 19 -- Pictured: Young FIne Cannibals during the musical performance on May 13, 1989 (Photo by Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Fine Young Cannibals confirm that She Drives Me Crazy was recorded at Paisley Park using Prince’s gear
 
 
Roland VAD316
“Roland has always been extremely good at marrying the playability of its samples with the physical feel of its hardware - this kit is no exception”: Roland VAD316 review
 
 
Walrus Audio DFX-1 Percussion Processing Unit next to a cymbal
“For percussionists who want to take matters into their own hands”: Walrus launch the DFX-1, an effects unit built for drummers
 
 
Zultan Alaris cymbals
“Deliver a light, open sound with exceptional stick definition and a gentle, airy wash: Zultan unveil new ALARIS cymbal range
 
 
Roland V-Drums VAD 5 series
Roland's big V-Drum 3 and 5 series drop adds 6 kits to its e-drum range, including V71-lite modules and on-trend acoustic-look options
 
 
Alesis Nitro Ultimater
Alesis's new 9-piece Nitro Ultimate electronic drum kit is its new flagship, and the hi-hat is the star
 
 
Latest in News
An ESP and Kramer electric guitars on a blue background
Thomann just came out firing for Black Friday with up to 70% off a massive line-up of music gear
 
 
Kraftwerk, German electronic band, during a concert, September 16, 1978. (Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)
I went to the Kraftwerk auction to buy their chairs, but came back with a studio's worth of gear instead
 
 
IK Multimedia iLoud Sub
“If the studio fits on a desktop, iLoud Sub fits right in”: IK Multimedia’s new sub is perfect for small setups
 
 
Geoff Barrow
Geoff Barrow on pigeonholing, production and beating imposter syndrome to become a film soundtrack composer
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Black Friday is over a week away, and the sales are in full swing - save up to 80%
 
 
UAD 12 Days of Deals graphic on a pink, red and cream background
With up to 85% off bundles, the 12 Days of UAD early Black Friday sale has some of the best plugin discounts you'll see this year
 
 

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
  • 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...