What You Get with a Modern Drummer Subscription

Updated

A Modern Drummer subscription gives you the magazine plus access to the site's subscriber content: exclusive artist interviews, gear reviews, drum lessons, VIP/backstage material, and community features like the Readers Poll and Drummer Hall of Fame. The site currently advertises a new-member offer of two months free with an annual plan, and a promo code (HOLIDAY10) for 10% off subscriptions plus a free Mike Portnoy Artist Pack. Whether it's worth it depends on how much you use the magazine versus the free portions of the site.

What the subscription includes

Modern Drummer describes the subscription as joining "the greatest community in drumming," with these benefits listed on its subscribe page:

  • The magazine — issues delivered as part of the subscription
  • Gear reviews — equipment coverage from the magazine
  • Exclusive interviews — artist features and conversations
  • VIP access / backstage — backstage content and meet-and-greet entry
  • Drum lessons — educational content
  • Community features — Readers Poll, Neil Peart Scholarship, Drummer Hall of Fame

The site's navigation also points to sections like MD Planet, Cover Archive, Videos, Metal Sticks, Rig Rundowns, and the Shop (back issues, books, bundles, apparel), so a subscription sits alongside a broader content and merchandise operation rather than being the only way to engage.

What the free site already offers

Some of what the magazine covers is visible without subscribing. The homepage currently surfaces full feature articles, including:

  • Godsmack's Sully Erna and the "Battle of the Drums"
  • Mike Mangini: In Perpetual Motion
  • Cindy Blackman-Santana on her record Coherence
  • The Warped Tour Then and Now with Joe Sirois and Chris Hesse

If your main interest is reading occasional artist features, the free articles may cover much of that need. The subscription's distinct value is in the magazine itself, the VIP/backstage access, and the member-facing community programs.

Current offers and how to evaluate them

Offer What it means Condition
2 months free with annual plan New members get two extra months on a yearly subscription Stated as a new-member special
HOLIDAY10 10% off subscriptions Promo code shown on the site
Free Mike Portnoy Artist Pack Bundled with the subscription promotion Tied to the same offer

Pricing amounts and payment options aren't specified in the available site information, so check the subscribe page for current rates before deciding. The offers above are promotional and may change.

Who should subscribe

  • Subscribe if you want the print/digital magazine, plan to use the lessons and gear reviews regularly, and value backstage or meet-and-greet access.
  • Skip it for now if free feature articles and videos satisfy your interest, or if you mainly want gear information you can find in reviews elsewhere.
  • Consider the annual plan if you're confident you'll stay engaged for a year, since that's the plan carrying the two-months-free offer.

To start, visit the subscribe page, choose a plan, and apply the promo code if it's still active; you'll see the final price and terms at checkout.