Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Black Friday
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
A Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface on a blue background
Audio Interfaces I’ve tested 12 audio interfaces this year and 5 of my favorites are already on sale for Black Friday with some hefty discounts – find out which is best for your workflow
Kids hands on a beginner keyboard
Keyboards & Pianos Best keyboards for beginners 2025: Get started with our expert pick of beginner keyboards for all ages
Close up of LR Baggs Anthem pickup in an acoustic guitar
Guitar Pickups Best acoustic guitar pickups 2025: electrify your acoustic for stage, studio and sound fx – our top picks for all budgets
Two guitars and a pedal on a blue and white background
Guitars Thomann just carved some serious cash off Harley Benton guitars, pedals and accessories for Black Friday - here's 4 of my favourite deals for you
Two Taylor beginner acoustic guitars lying on a purple floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitar for beginners 2025: Strum your first chords with our choice of beginner acoustic guitars
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2025: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
A pair of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro studio headphones on a mixing desk
Headphones Best studio headphones 2025: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
Close up of a Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar
Acoustic Guitars Best cheap acoustic guitars 2025: Top picks for strummers on a budget
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
Pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors sat on a case
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2025: IEMs for stage and studio
Man in green jumper received a gift from a man in a red jumper
Guitars Best Christmas gifts for musicians 2025: 21 affordable festive present ideas for music-makers (which they'll genuinely love)
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
Man presses acoustic bridge pin into an acoustic guitar
Guitar Strings Best acoustic guitar strings 2025: Find your favourite acoustic strings
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
Roland TD-02K and TD-02KV V-Drums electronic drum sets
Drum Kits Best electronic drum set for kids 2025: child-friendly electronic drum kits
More
  • Black Friday plugin deals
  • Pete Townshend on smashing - and fixing - his guitars
  • AI slop hits #1
  • The pain that birthed Don't Speak
  • Europe vs AI
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

The 4 best new drum heads of 2018

News
By MusicRadar Team published 26 November 2018

The best new drum head options for your kit

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

4. Kentville Kangaroo Skin

The Rhythm Best in drums 2018 polls received an astonishing 100,000 votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the drummers and gear that have excelled in 2018. Here, we present the best new drum heads of 2018. First up we have the Kentville Kangaroo Skin heads...

We say: With greater tensile strength than calf, native kangaroo hide is an ethical choice for this Australian company. Expensive, but undoubtedly the way to a unique warm vintage sound.

The MusicRadar Best in drums awards are brought to you in association with Allianz Musical Insurance - the UK's Number 1 Specialist Instrument Insurer

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
3. Remo ColorTone

3. Remo ColorTone

We say: Coloured heads occupy a small but significant and fun area. Remo has finally managed to adapt its Skyndeep imaging technology to bring us coloured versions of established favourites.

Read the review: Remo Colortone review

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

2. Code Drum Heads DNA Coated series

We say: Code is a welcome UK-based newcomer to the highly competitive drum head market, offering a clear range of value for money heads that are designed by drummers for drummers. As with any head company, Code will likely stand or fall on the acceptance of its all-purpose single-ply Ambassador-weight Coated DNA head. So this is the acid test and it performs admirably well. It sits cleanly, rotates on the bearing edge comfortably and tunes up quickly and easily. The sound is fractionally crisper, harder, crunchier than a Coated Ambassador.

Read the review: Code Drum Heads DNA Coated Series review

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

Winner: Evans UV1 Bass Drum

We say: The UV1 heads are refreshingly different and so far seem to be living up to Evans’s hyperbole-soaked marketing claims. The UV-cured coating is indeed bright, super-consistent and hard wearing.

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
MusicRadar Team
MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
Deals not to miss
A Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface on a blue background
I’ve tested 12 audio interfaces this year and 5 of my favorites are already on sale for Black Friday with some hefty discounts – find out which is best for your workflow
 
 
Two guitars and a pedal on a blue and white background
Thomann just carved some serious cash off Harley Benton guitars, pedals and accessories for Black Friday - here's 4 of my favourite deals for you
 
 
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Best acoustic guitars 2025: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
 
 
A pair of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro studio headphones on a mixing desk
Best studio headphones 2025: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
 
 
Close up of a Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar
Best cheap acoustic guitars 2025: Top picks for strummers on a budget
 
 
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
 
 
Latest in Drum Gear
Zultan 25 series
“A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
“An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
 
 
Sleep Token drummer II Drumeo
“I’ve taken inspiration from the UK dance music scene": Mixwave put Sleep Token’s drummer in a plugin
 
 
DW SonicPly
Neil Peart called him 'the Wood Whisperer' and now he's blended metal and timber in DW's new SonicPly shells
 
 
Zultan Cymbals
"Crafted from Heritage. Tuned for Tomorrow": Zultan Cymbals celebrate their 25th birthday with a new high-end 25 series
 
 
Latest in News
Childish Gambino performs during Camp Flog Gnaw music festival at Dodgers Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025
"I had a really bad pain in my head and did the show anyway,” Childish Gambino reveals he had a stroke in 2024
 
 
Queen perform in concert with Freddie Mercury wearing black leotard at the Forum on December 22, 1977 in Inglewood, California
“I’m very taken with the idea that we can be the original Queen again” Brian May says he's looking at a possible hologram show
 
 
A Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface on a blue background
I’ve tested 12 audio interfaces this year and 5 of my favorites are already on sale for Black Friday with some hefty discounts – find out which is best for your workflow
 
 
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Billie Eilish performs onstage during "Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour" at Kaseya Center on October 09, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Billie Eilish wraps her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour… then immediately confirms the release date for her 3D film
 
 
Jimmy Cliff at Island Records' Studio One in London
“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations”: Jamaica, and the world mourns Jimmy Cliff
 
 
FabFilter screen grab
FabFilter's killer Black Friday sale just launched, including hefty discounts on the essential production tools I reach for with every mix
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...