The earliest known drums date back to 5500 BC in China, discovered at a Jiahu site in Henan Province, and were crafted from alligator skin.

Virtually every culture on Earth shares very few things collectively, yet nearly all have some form of drums.

The world’s largest drum, the CheonGo in South Korea, measures 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter.

A standard drum kit was not established for rock and roll but rather for jazz in the 1920s. Some of the earliest kits included makeshift items such as cowbells, woodblocks, car horns, and whistles.

The snare drum was invented for military signaling in Europe.

Ringo Starr of The Beatles made the Ludwig drum kit world famous after the band achieved massive success.

Many musicians call drums the heartbeat of music.

Canadian drummer Tom Grosset played for 120 hours without stopping, setting the world record for the longest drum solo in 2015.

O-daiko drums in Japan are so heavy that they weigh up to 1,500 pounds.

Neil Peart of Rush had a unique 360-degree drum kit designed for his performances.

Some Native American tribes consider drums sacred and forbid recordings during ceremonies, as they view the drums as living spirits.

Slaves in the American South were banned from owning drums. Enslaved Africans used them to communicate, sending messages to plan escapes and organize resistance.

Drumming burns about 400–600 calories per hour, comparable to cycling or running.

The Dundun drum of West Africa can actually emulate human speech.

Spiritual drums in East Asia are often said to represent the voice of Buddha.

For learners, the drum roll—though famous—is one of the hardest techniques to master.

At 813 pieces, Dr. Mark Temperato of the United States owns the world’s most complex drum kit, which takes days to set up.

Communities in the Caribbean and Africa often link drums to spiritual forces and even attempt to use them to influence the weather.

In some hard-partying rock bands, drummers have been known—though rarely—to duct tape drumsticks to their hands when too drunk to play properly.

Steve Trasher once performed a drum solo during a skydive, striking 120 drum beats while free falling.

Lars Ulrich of Metallica is notorious for being inconsistent as a drummer. He has frequently dropped his sticks, and is constantly defended by his fellow band mates.

Marching drummers in parades must be careful, as a single fall can cause a domino effect and collapse an entire formation.