Charlie Watts

If Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were the brains behind the Rolling Stones, and the late Brian Jones its soul, then the pulse of the legendary British rock group was clearly its drummer, Charlie Watts. From the year of the band's inception in 1963, through its rise to superstardom in the 1970s and well into the 21st century, Watts provided the steady but versatile beat for the band's biggest hits, including "Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Gimme Shelter" and dozens more. Throughout the Rolling Stones' four-decade career, Watts retained an image of classy reserve, which often ran in contrast to the excesses of Jagger and Richards. However, both agreed that without Watts, the Rolling Stones could not exist, which cemented his position as one of rock's most eminent drummers.