Daniel Platzman: Bio, Drum Gear, Albums & More

In the world of the 21st century, it’s impossible to talk about modern rock music without mentioning the earth rumbling pop rock band, Imagine Dragons.

With their anthemic choruses, captivating lyrics and electrifying beats, this American band has become a household name and dominates charts around the world.

Daniel Platzman is the name of their drummer who pounds explosive beats into their music and into the hearts of their audiences. He is also a songwriter, record producer as well as a composer.

Early Life

Born on September 28, 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia, Platzman grew up in a classical music family and he originally started off with learning the violin at 8 years old. It was then his brother, who played the bass suggested he take up the drums instead.

After finding his passion for music, he went on and took it seriously as he did his degree in film scoring at the Berklee College of Music. While he was there, he was far from being an ordinary student, he played in the Urban Outreach Jazz Orchestra, the Berklee Rainbow Big Band, and the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra.

At a relatively young age, he was already receiving awards showing his promise such as the Michael Rendish Award in Film Scoring as well as the Vic Firth Award for Outstanding Musicianship. It was during college that he met his future band mates, Wayne Sermon and Ben McKee.

Career

At the final semester of Platzman’s time at college in 2011, Sermon reached out to McKee and Platzman to join his band. Without much hesitation, they dropped everything they had and moved out to Los Angeles to join Sermon and completed the lineup for Imagine Dragons.

As the band progressed and continuously performed shows, they earned themselves a ton of local awards, accolades and recognition. It wasn’t long until they reached mainstream success with the release of their debut album, “Night Visions” in 2012 and reached number two on the Billboard 200 Chart and won the Best Rock Album in 2014 by the Billboard Music Awards.

To many, they have already made a huge achievement. To them, it was only the beginning and they used that opportunity to propel themselves further and continuously thrive to make generational-lasting music. As of 2023, they have released about 6 studio albums, 4 live albums, 27 singles, and 6 promotional singles.

This includes soundtracks for famous movies such as Iron Man 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Transformers, and Me Before You.

In 2017, the band released a song called “Believer" under the album “Evolve”. The song turned into a massive success and it became Imagine Dragon’s third top ten single after “Radioactive” and “Demons'' peaking at number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

It was heavily played everywhere on movies, television trailers, and advertisements including the Nintendo Switch Super Bowl LI advertisement. As of 2023, the song has reached up to 2.3 billion streams on Spotify alone.

Drum Gear

Drums

Throughout his career Daniel Platzman has played on the following drums:

SJS Custom Drum Kit
Custom Chicago Custom Percussion (CCP) Drumset
Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad
Gretsch Catalina Club Rock (Black Galaxy Sparkle)
SJC Daniel Platzman Evolve Tour SJC Drums Drum Kit

Cymbals

Daniel uses Zildjian cymbals exclusively:

Zildjian K Sweet Crash
Zildjian 13 ¼” Custom Hybrid Hihats
Zildjian 20” K Crash Ride
Zildjian 22” K Constantinople Bounce Ride
Zildjian 18” K Custom Dark Crash
Zildjian K Constantinople 22” Medium Thin, High Ride
Zildjian 23” K Sweet Ride
Zildjian 15” K Sweet Hihats
Zildjian 18” A Avedis Crash/Ride

Drumsticks

Daniel Platzman plays the drums with Vic Firth 2B and 5B drumsticks.

TV Appearances

Aside from appearing on our screens on 23 music videos. Platzman broadened his experience as an entertainer and an actor on Project Almanac (2014), voiceover on Wreck it Ralph (2018), and appeared on Imagine Dragons: Smoke + Mirrors (2016).

He’s also appeared on multiple talk-shows including Saturday Night Live and Late Night Show With David Letterman among others.

Awards and Nominations

Aside from the awards he received during his time at Berklee’s College of music, he has also earned highly reputable nominations and awards from other award ceremonies. This would include 4 nominations from the Grammy Awards with 1 win for the Record of the Year in 2014 credited to his contribution to the song, “Radioactive”.

He’s also been nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) in 2016 for the Best Original Song in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film Category as he contributed to the song “Sucker for Pain” in the movie “Suicide Squad”.

Daniel Platzman videos

Platzman playing the song "Believer" which is one of our recommended beginner drum songs.

Daniel playing "Hear Me" by Imagine Dragons.

Drum solo by Daniel Platzman.

Discography

Albums

1990: Power Hits
2006: Kids Hits
2008: I Love Rock
2010: Kidz Bop Halloween Party with Kidz Bop Kids
2012: Night Visions with Imagine Dragons
2012: Continued Silence with Imagine Dragons
2013: Kidz Bop 24 with Kidz Bop Kids
2013: Demons with Imagine Dragons/TELYKast
2014: Transformers: Age of Extinction [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] with Steve Jablonsky
2014: Now That's What I Call Music! 2014
2015: Smoke + Mirrors with Imagine Dragons
2015: Shots with Imagine Dragons
2015: Clarkston a Cappella, Vol. 1 with Clarkston a Cappella
2016: Suicide Squad: The Album
2016: Sucker for Pain with Imagine Dragons/Lil Wayne/Wiz Khalifa
2016: Smoke + Mirrors Live with Imagine Dragons
2016: Me Before You [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
2017: Whatever It Takes with Imagine Dragons
2017: Walking the Wire with Imagine Dragons
2017: Thunder/Young Dumb & Broke with Imagine Dragons/Khalid
2017: Thunder with Imagine Dragons
2017: The Acoustic Sessions with Jason Gray
2017: Party Tyme Karaoke: Super Hits, Vol. 30
2017: Now, Vol. 28
2017: Now That's What I Call Music! 64
2017: Now That's What I Call Music! 63
2017: NOW That's What I Call a Workout 2018
2017: Live at AllSaints Studios with Imagine Dragons
2017: Kidz Bop 36 with Kidz Bop Kids
2017: Evolve with Imagine Dragons
2017: Believer with Imagine Dragons
2017: 8-Bit Versions of Imagine Dragons with 8-Bit Misfits
2018: Zero [From the Orignal Motion Picture "Ralph Breaks the Internet"] with Imagine Dragons
2018: Spring Party 2018
2018: Ralph Breaks the Internet [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] with Henry Jackman
2018: Origins with Imagine Dragons
2018: Now That’s What I Call Music! 68
2018: NOW, Vol. 66
2018: NOW That's What I Call a Workout 2019
2018: NOW Hits & Remixes 2018
2018: Limitless with The Piano Guys
2018: La Chanson de l'année 2018
2018: Kidz Bop Halloween [2018] with Kidz Bop Kids
2018: Kidz Bop 38 with Kidz Bop Kids
2018: Kidz Bop 37 with Kidz Bop Kids
2018: Kidz Bop 2018 with Kidz Bop Kids
2018: Born to be Yours with Imagine Dragons/Kygo
2018: AH Performs Imagine Dragons with Acoustic Heartstrings
2018: 2018 Grammy Nominees
2019: Tim with Avicii
2019: Super Hits 33 with Party Tyme Karaoke
2019: Sunday Morning Breakfast Music
2019: Now That's What I Call Music! 70
2019: Ma voie with Angelina
2019: Lullaby Renditions of Imagine Dragons with Rockabye Baby!
2019: Kidz Bop World Tour with Kidz Bop Kids
2019: Kidz Bop 40 with Kidz Bop Kids
2019: Kidz Bop 39 with Kidz Bop Kids
2019: Kidz Bop 2020 with Kidz Bop Kids / Kidz Bop Kids U.K.
2020: Work at Home
2020: Trending Now
2020: Kidz Bop Party Playlist with Kidz Bop Kids
2020: Covers, Vol. 1 with Tommee Profitt
2020: Board Games Music
2020: AiSh, Vol. 4 with Aish
2020: 2000s Throwbacks
2021: Now That's What I Call Music!, Vol. 80
2021: Nine in the Morning
2021: Mercury: Act 1 with Imagine Dragons
2021: Live in Concert with Kidz Bop Kids
2021: Kidz Bop Megapop with Kidz Bop Kids
2021: Kidz Bop All-Time Greatest Hits with Kidz Bop Kids
2022: Mercury: Acts 1 & 2 with Imagine Dragons
2022: Mercury: Act 2 with Imagine Dragons
2022: Kidz Bop Ultimate Playlist with Kidz Bop Kids
2022: Kidz Bop Super Pop with Kidz Bop Kids
2022: KIDZ BOP Halloween with Kidz Bop Kids
2022: Bones with Imagine Dragons

Frequently asked questions

At what age did Daniel Platzman start playing the drums?

Daniel Platzman started playing the drums in 1994 at the age of 8.

How long has Daniel Platzman been playing the drums for?

Daniel Platzman has been playing the drums for 29 years now.

Which drum brands does Daniel Platzman use?

Throughout his career Daniel Platzman has used Zildjian, SJC, CCP, Roland, Gretsch, Meinl, Vic Firth, Coles, Shure and Blue.

What genres is Daniel Platzman known for?

He is known for playing Indie Rock, Alternative Rock and Pop Rock.

How many recordings has Daniel Platzman been featured on?

Counting all his Albums, Daniel Platzman has been featured on at least 78 recordings.