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Song Title: As Night Falls Source: Rockschool Original Composer: Jono Harrison Trap is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in the USA in the early ‘90s. It became instantly recognisable owing to its use of electronic effects and synthesised drums, which often featured complicated hi-hat patterns, as heard here in ‘As Night Falls’. The instrumental parts in trap are often sparse and minimalist, leaving space for the singer to be more prominent, with their lyrics clearly audible. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Song Title: Downtown Detroit Source: Rockschool Original Composer: Jono Harrison An off-shoot of soul music, motown rose to prominence throughout the ‘60s, owing to its greater pop appeal and “danceability”. Like most pop music of the time, it borrowed heavily from blues music, with heavy use of 7th chords in the harmony, but set itself apart with unique drum beats that featured a lot of snare hits, as seen here with the “double-hit” on beat 2. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Song Title: Ignite Source: Rockschool Original Composer: Jono Harrison ‘Ignite’ is a hard-hitting alternative rock song, taking its influence from artists of the ‘90s and early 2000s such as Audioslave and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. This era saw a return to the mainstream for rock bands, who had been sidelined in favour of more pop/electronic music. Making use of the classic “four on the floor” drum beat and riffs shared between guitar and bass, the song also explores “funkier” harmonies in the backing parts, which became common practice in this genre. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: WILLOW Source: Ardipithecus (Album, 2015) Genre: Contemporary R&B The final single from her debut album, ‘Wait a Minute!’ gained a resurgence in popularity several years after its release, not once, but twice! Firstly in 2019 as a TikTok dance challenge, then again in 2022 when a sped-up version of the song went viral on the same platform, resulting in the song charting in multiple countries, something it failed to do during its initial launch in 2015. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: The Specials Source: The Specials (Album, 1979) Genre: 2 Tone British-Jamaican musician Dandy Livingstone first released his rocksteady song ‘Rudy a Message To You’ in 1967. The original recording received moderate success, selling around 30,000 units, but it was the 1979 cover by The Specials re-titled ‘A Message to You Rudy’ that reached achieved mainstream success, peaking at number 10 in the UK singles charts. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: Pixies Source: Surfer Rosa (Album, 1988) Genre: Alternative Rock From their certified gold album Surfer Rosa, the laid-back guitar riff combined with offbeat and quirky vocal stylings all contribute to the unique character of Pixies’ signature song ‘ Where Is My Mind?’. It has also been used on soundtracks of several movies and T V series, most notably the 1999 award winning movie Fight Club. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: Ed Sheeran Source: Asylum & Atlantic Records (Album, 2021) Genre: Dance-Pop Following on from the aftermath of the COVID lockdown, Ed Sheeran wanted to write a danceable and uplifting track that could be played in clubs and parties. The outcome of this was his 2021 single ‘Bad Habits’. A far cry from his earlier acoustic pop ballads, it took inspiration more from the worlds of synth and dance music. The song was released as part of his fourth studio album = and has been covered and remixed by a few notable musicians, perhaps most surprising of whom is British metal band Bring Me the Horizon, who went on to perform their cover alongside Sheer an himself at the 2022 BRIT Awards. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: The Track of My Tears Source: Going to a Go-Go (Album, 1965) Genre: Soul/R&B From the late ‘50s onwards, the US record label Motown has been closely associated with some of the most commercially successful soul and R&B songs released in the 20th century. From Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder, the label achieved over 70 top-ten records in the ‘60s alone. One of the era-defining records released during this period was ‘The Tracks of My Tears’ by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, which builds from a simple guitar hook to soulful vocal harmonies and lush orchestration. Whilst only reaching number 16 in the Billboard Hot 100 after release, the song remained popular with radio audiences. Seven decades later, the track’s status as a soul classic is secure, having received numerous accolades, including an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007. Notable cover versions by Linda Ronstadt and Aretha Franklin further add to its legacy. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1

Artist: Nirvana Source: Nevermind (Album, 1991) Genre: Grunge Choosing a worthy follower to the phenomenally successful ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was never going to be easy, and opting for the slower, more melancholic ‘Come as You Are’ was considered a divisive choice, not least due to the song’s similarity to Killing Jokes’ track ‘Eighties’. However, it proved a wise decision, with the song charting in the top 10 in multiple countries. Category by Rockschool Drum Grade 1