After nearly three decades of steady contribution, drummer Matt Cameron has officially stepped away from Pearl Jam, bringing an end to one of the most stable periods in the band’s turbulent drumming history. His departure, confirmed quietly earlier this year, has reopened a conversation long familiar to the group: who will take the stool next?
From the beginning, Pearl Jam’s rhythm section has seen more turnover than any other part of the band. The original drummer, Dave Krusen, joined the group in 1990 and played on Ten, the band’s breakout debut. His drumming carried a raw, emotionally vulnerable edge that helped define early hits like “Alive,” “Even Flow,” and “Black.” But his time was short. Krusen exited the band in May 1991, citing struggles with alcoholism, just months before the album’s release.
Matt Chamberlain, a versatile session drummer, was brought in next. Though he only played a few shows and appeared in the video for “Alive,” Chamberlain helped bridge the gap during a critical moment in the band’s emergence. He declined a permanent spot and moved on to other projects, including a position with the Saturday Night Live house band.
Later in 1991, the group brought in Dave Abbruzzese, whose energetic, technical drumming would help propel Vs. and Vitalogy, the band’s second and third studio albums. Abbruzzese played a central role during Pearl Jam’s rapid rise to global fame, including their iconic MTV Unplugged set. However, disagreements about the band’s direction and internal conflicts led to his departure in 1994.
Jack Irons came next, joining in 1994. A founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and a longtime friend of the band, Irons brought a more restrained, groove-driven style that shaped No Code (1996) and Yield (1998). His rhythms supported a more introspective, experimental period for Pearl Jam. Still, touring demands took their toll, and Irons stepped away in early 1998.
That same year, Matt Cameron, fresh off the end of Soundgarden’s run, joined the band on short notice. He learned Pearl Jam’s setlist in less than two weeks and joined mid-tour. He would remain for 27 years, recording seven studio albums and becoming a creative cornerstone in the band’s later evolution. From Binaural to Dark Matter, his precise, hard-hitting style gave Pearl Jam its most consistent rhythmic foundation to date.
With his departure in 2025, Pearl Jam faces a familiar but no less significant turning point. No successor has been named.