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Top 5 Drum Instruments in 2021: A Survey of 4,536 Users

Gear & SoftwarePublished 2021.06.06Updated 2026.07.17
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This 2021 survey guide compares popular third-party drum instruments, from first-place Addictive Drums to fifth-place Steven Slate Drums. Of 7,526 music makers surveyed, 4,536 used third-party drum instruments and formed the audience for this ranking. We compare each product's sound, features, and prices as described in the original June 2021 article, alongside recordings of a real drum kit. Listen to the examples and compare presets, usability, and sonic character to find an instrument that suits your music. Product specifications, prices, and our observations below describe the versions tested in 2021, rather than current releases.

Comparing popular software drum instruments

Part of our survey series featuring 7,526 music makers.
Here, we present the ranking of third-party drum instruments.

Beyond the ranking itself, we compare each product's sound, character, and features to help readers choose a drum instrument.

Of the 7,526 respondents, 4,536 said they used third-party drum instruments.
This ranking focuses on those 4,536 users.

Even respondents who used several drum instruments were asked to choose just one favorite.
Let's look at the results.

5th: Steven Slate Drums — 231 users; US$149 in 2021

Steven Slate Drums

  • Professionals: 46 (19.91%)
  • Amateurs: 185 (80.09%)

The survey results prompted us to explore this instrument properly for the first time. We found its balance of sound quality and usability excellent.
Its extensive rhythm patterns and presets make it approachable for beginners, and its price was affordable, too.
It is particularly useful when you want powerful drum sounds, especially for rock.

Product URL: https://www.stevenslatedrums.com

4th: BATTERY — 332 users; ¥26,800 in 2021

  • Professionals: 59 (17.77%)
  • Amateurs: 273 (82.23%)

BATTERY is a capable sampler that handles all kinds of audio material, not just drum kits.
Alongside the included kits for various genres, you can load and process your own samples.
This flexibility made it the most popular choice among electronic-music producers in our survey.
We left it out of the listening comparison because we are comparing acoustic-style drum instruments here. However, it is a useful tool for expanding what you can do with audio samples.

Product URL: https://www.native-instruments.com/jp/products/komplete/drums/battery-4/

3rd: SUPERIOR DRUMMER — 401 users; US$453 in 2021

SUPERIOR DRUMMER 3

  • Professionals: 93 (23.19%)
  • Amateurs: 308 (76.81%)

This drum instrument includes more than 200 GB of sampled sounds.
Alongside detailed velocity layers, it offers a wide variety of drum articulations and sounds.
Extensive sound-shaping options, including microphone and effect controls, let it cover many genres on its own.

Product URL: https://bit.ly/2SALZ0w

2nd: BFD — 595 users; US$349 in 2021

  • Professionals: 142 (23.87%)
  • Amateurs: 453 (76.13%)

BFD, a pioneer of sampled acoustic drum instruments, takes second place.
Like SUPERIOR DRUMMER, it includes a large sample library capable of producing a wide range of drum sounds.
As a somewhat older instrument in this 2021 comparison, some aspects of its pattern and editing workflow felt less convenient than the alternatives. However, carefully shaping each kit sound can produce highly individual rhythm tracks.

Product URL: https://bit.ly/3frP3oI

1st: Addictive Drums — 1,015 users; US$169 in 2021

Addictive Drums

  • Professionals: 144 (14.19%)
  • Amateurs: 871 (85.81%)

Our first-place instrument, Addictive Drums, stands out for its distinctive sonic character.
Its sharp attack, defined sound, and characteristic decay made a big impression. You can recognize that Addictive Drums sound almost immediately! (Laughs.)
Many presets already sound polished, and its affordable price also made it a good option for beginners.

Product URL: https://bit.ly/3fndDav

Comparing the sound of each instrument

Next, let's listen to the instruments.
For reference, we also miked and recorded a real drum kit in a studio. Session drummer and drum instructor Kuniaki Suzuki kindly performed for us. The following background is from the original 2021 article.

In 2009, he was selected by audition as a supporting musician for DREAMS COME TRUE and joined the WINTER FANTASIA 2009 tour.
From 2010 through the time of the original article, he worked with Seiko Matsuda on annual tours, television appearances, and recordings.
He also supported artists including Sayaka Kanda, Mika Nakashima, Tokyo Girls' Style, the Bubblegum Brothers, and amiinA. His work extended to performances with Artist Company Hibikibito and drum instruction on television programs.
Alongside artist support and session performances, he shared drum lesson videos and performances on his YouTube channel.

He was also a drum instructor in the Rock & Pops course at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.

More information: https://bit.ly/34vaDm9

For this comparison, we prepared versions with and without vocals, with vocals kindly provided by Mary, who is also popular on YouTube.

YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3c7PhiZ

Let's listen to the examples.
Each sound is available in two versions: with and without vocals.
Please keep the following points in mind.

  • Fourth-place BATTERY is omitted because it is a sampler rather than the type of acoustic drum instrument compared here.
  • We kept the programmed performances as consistent as possible.
  • We also matched the microphone conditions, including ambience, as closely as possible.
Real drums

With vocals

Real drums — with vocals

Without vocals

Real drums — without vocals

1st: Addictive Drums

With vocals

Addictive Drums — with vocals

Without vocals

Addictive Drums — without vocals

2nd: BFD

With vocals

BFD — with vocals

Without vocals

BFD — without vocals

3rd: SUPERIOR DRUMMER

With vocals

SUPERIOR DRUMMER — with vocals

Without vocals

SUPERIOR DRUMMER — without vocals

5th: Steven Slate Drums

With vocals

Steven Slate Drums — with vocals

Without vocals

Steven Slate Drums — without vocals

Each instrument has its own character, making this an interesting comparison.

Steven Slate Drums sounded particularly good to us and seemed especially well suited to rock.
BFD tended toward a somewhat harder sound, while SUPERIOR DRUMMER sounded softer. We felt that the intended genre could guide the choice.
Addictive Drums has an assertive sound, including its attack, so finding the right way to blend it into the backing track seems particularly important.

Comparing instrument features

After comparing the sounds, let's look at the features in the versions tested for this 2021 article.

Number of kits

First, let's compare the number of included kits.

  • Steven Slate Drums had by far the most drum kits in this comparison.
  • BFD and SUPERIOR DRUMMER emphasize extensive sample libraries, with detailed velocity-dependent changes that make expressive performances and nuances easier to achieve.
  • BFD and SUPERIOR DRUMMER offered a broad selection of articulations, including brushes.
  • Additional kits were sold for all the products, allowing their sound libraries to be expanded.
Interface and included rhythm patterns

Next, we compare the included rhythm patterns and the tools for finding them.

  • For selecting and using kits, we did not find major differences in ease of use.
  • The rhythm patterns included with Steven Slate Drums were particularly good and easy to use in songs.
  • Each product offered its own approach to finding patterns, although BFD sometimes felt less convenient to us.
  • Buying expansion kits could also expand the available patterns. Addictive Drums also offered pattern-only purchases.
Articulations

These are the playing techniques available for each kit.
The key is whether the instrument supports the techniques needed for the genre you want to produce.

SUPERIOR DRUMMER, in particular, supports many articulations, as its extensive sample library suggests.
In this comparison, we would recommend SUPERIOR DRUMMER to producers working across a range of genres.

Round-robin behavior is also important: alternating samples when the same drum is triggered repeatedly helps avoid a mechanical, machine-gun effect. The following observations describe our 2021 test setup, rather than every library or current version.

This also matters for double-kick patterns.

  • Steven Slate Drums: up to four alternating samples in our test.
  • Addictive Drums: one sample only; no round-robin alternation observed in our test.
  • SUPERIOR DRUMMER: up to three alternating samples, with timing randomization observed.
  • BFD: up to two alternating samples, with volume randomization observed.

These were the differences we observed.
For a more acoustic-style performance with the Addictive Drums setup tested here, avoid repeatedly triggering the same key; use equivalent drum hits mapped to different keys instead.

Recorded microphones

Next, let's compare the recorded microphone channels available for editing.

  • BFD and SUPERIOR DRUMMER offer many microphone channels, making it easier to shape the sense of space.
    However, they can require drum-recording knowledge, which may present a challenge for beginners.
  • In Addictive Drums, cymbal sounds are included in the overhead microphone channels, which can limit editing flexibility in some situations.
  • SUPERIOR DRUMMER's stereo snare-bottom recording helps create a snare sound that cuts through a mix.
Volume, pitch, and effects

  • All the products in this comparison supported volume envelopes for shaping the sound's decay and damping.
    BFD gained this support in the update current at the time of the article.
  • A pitch envelope changes pitch over time. It is not usually necessary simply to reproduce acoustic drums.
    It is more often useful for creative sound design, such as electronic music.
  • The Steven Slate Drums version tested here had no onboard effects section; its kit sounds were already heavily processed.
    That could actually make it easier for beginners to use.
  • Addictive Drums offered less freedom in effects routing.

Final thoughts

What did you think of the comparison?
Here are our overall impressions from the 2021 test.

BFD and SUPERIOR DRUMMER stand out for their large sample libraries and flexible sound editing, but they often call for knowledge of drums and recording.
BFD, in particular, felt designed around the expectation that users would shape the sounds themselves.

With SUPERIOR DRUMMER, we felt the included presets could help users avoid that initial hurdle.
Steven Slate Drums was a newer option at the time, and its strong sound and straightforward editing also made it suitable for beginners.

These are personal impressions, but for working across many genres or professional production, we favored SUPERIOR DRUMMER for its kits, articulations, sound editing, and pattern-search tools.

For rock or powerful drums, Steven Slate Drums offered strong sounds and easy operation.

And if you love the sound of Addictive Drums, choose Addictive Drums! (Laughs.)

Those were our preferences after considering the points above.
We hope this comparison helps you choose a drum instrument.

Next in the series, we move from drums to our top five bass instruments.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What matters most when choosing a drum instrument for music production?

Balance your musical genre, budget, and preferred workflow. In this 2021 comparison, Addictive Drums was an accessible choice for beginners thanks to its presets and affordable price. For more detailed sound shaping, consider large-library instruments such as SUPERIOR DRUMMER or BFD.

Q2. Which drum instrument ranked first in the 2021 survey?

Addictive Drums ranked first with 1,015 users, followed by BFD with 595 and SUPERIOR DRUMMER with 401. Addictive Drums has a sharp, distinctive sound and was also popular among beginners.

Q3. Which drum instrument suits electronic music production?

BATTERY is a flexible sampler that processes many kinds of audio material. It was popular among electronic-music producers in the survey and suits producers who value customization.

Q4. Which instruments offer realistic acoustic drum expression?

SUPERIOR DRUMMER and BFD offer large sample libraries, detailed velocity layers, and varied articulations for realistic drum expression, together with microphone and effect controls. The article identifies SUPERIOR DRUMMER's library as exceeding 200 GB; it does not independently establish that size for BFD.