Recommended practice songs for intermediate drummers: a collection of tracks to develop expressiveness and performance skills
Playing the drums gets really fun once you can hit a certain level, doesn’t it? Still, many people probably struggle—tripping up on songs with difficult phrases, or finding it hard to express groove and match the feel of the song even with simple patterns.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended practice songs for those who’ve just moved beyond the beginner stage or are aiming to level up further.
We’ve picked plenty of recent popular tracks too, so feel free to use this as a guide when choosing your practice songs.
- [J-Pop] A Compilation of Songs with Awesome Drums [2026]
- [2026] Practice Songs for Beginner Drummers: Easy and Cool Recommendations
- A song with a cool drum intro
- [2026] For Band Beginners! Recommended Songs from Popular Bands That Get the Crowd Going at Live Shows
- Recommended songs for beginner bands: simple and crowd-pleasing tracks.
- Recommended Songs for Beginner Bands at School Culture Festivals
- Speaking of this rhythm! Five Western songs with drum intros that leave a lasting impression!
- Recommended songs for beginner band members by instrument
- Challenge percussion! A collection of songs I want to play on the cajón
- Chosen by professional drummers. Training videos you really should watch.
- [2026] Japan’s Leading Famous Drummers — From Veterans to Rising Stars
- [For Beginners] Recommended Songs for Female Vocal Bands: Great for Choosing Your Setlist! [2026]
- A roundup of cool drum-vocal bands: vocalists who sing while drumming.
Recommended practice songs for intermediate drummers: A collection of tracks to develop expressiveness and performance skills (71–80)
Let Your Hair DownMAGIC
They’re a relatively new band, but they’ve achieved exceptional popularity for a reggae group—so much so that they’re said to have helped revive the genre’s popularity.
Because it’s reggae rhythm, you need to catch the offbeat, which can be a bit challenging for beginner drummers, but it really helps develop a sense of rhythm.
I’m So SickFlyleaf
Flyleaf is a five-piece Christian rock band from the United States, centered around vocals that switch between clean singing and screams.
“I’m So Sick,” included on their first album Flyleaf, is striking for its contrast between aggressive guitar tones and synth sounds that create a sense of weightless space.
The tempo is relaxed and it’s not technically difficult, but the irregular combinations of snare and kick, along with the wide dynamic range, demand playing that is constantly mindful of the song’s atmosphere.
It’s a powerful rock tune I recommend when your band wants to take on an intense Western track.
Wherever you areONE OK ROCK
A four-piece rock band, ONE OK ROCK, whose commanding vocals and hefty rock sound continue to captivate fans in Japan and abroad.
This track, included on their 4th album “Niche Syndrome,” became a hit when it was featured in NTT Docomo’s commercial (the “Family” version).
You can hear how the drums shape the song’s dynamics—from the minimalist, stripped-down beat at the start to the powerful playing in the chorus.
Despite its relaxed tempo, it’s a rock ballad that’s fun to perform, showcasing drum-only expressions like ghost notes that enhance the ensemble and brilliant fills.
Roco LotionORANGE RANGE
From ORANGE RANGE, this is a song that even beginners will enjoy playing.
The groove stays almost constant throughout, and the hits/breaks are easy to catch, making it very approachable from a drummer’s perspective—a perfect entry-level track.
SOULSOUPOfisharu Higedan Dism
Written as the theme song for the 2023 film SPY x FAMILY CODE: White, this track is characterized by the fresh HiGE DANdism vibe and a pleasant groove created by its intricate rhythms.
Since tight rhythm patterns are used throughout the piece, practice repeatedly until your body internalizes them to avoid drifting off time.
There are also plenty of elements you can apply to other songs, such as fills that combine hands and feet, and rhythm patterns that incorporate opening and closing the hi-hat.
