Matt Cameron Leaves Pearl Jam After 27-Year Drumming Era

Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron is departing the band after nearly three decades.

"After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam," Cameron wrote in a statement on social media.

He offered "much love and respect" to frontman Eddie Vedder, guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready, and bassist Jeff Ament for welcoming him into the group in 1998.

"And for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, one filled with friendships, artistry, challenges and laughter.

"I am forever grateful to the crew, staff and fans the world over. It’s been an incredible journey. More to follow.

"Thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

The 62-year-old drummer did not disclose specifics for his departure, nor did the remaining Pearl Jam members offer further explanation, instead celebrating Cameron in
their own statement
.

"He has propelled the last 27 years of Pearl Jam live shows and studio recordings. It was a deeply important chapter for our group and we wish him well always.

"He will be deeply missed and is forever our friend in art and music."

Before joining Pearl Jam, Cameron was a member of Seattle-based rock bands Skin Yard and , performing on all the latter’s studio albums.

Following Soundgarden’s initial break-up in 1997, Cameron was invited to tour with
fellow grunge-era icons
Pearl Jam on their 1998 Yield tour.

He became a permanent member, replacing Jack Irons — the latest in a series of departing Pearl Jam drummers — who had left to focus on health and family.

Cameron then permanently joined the line-up and his first album with Pearl Jam was their sixth, Binaural, released in 2000.

He played on the group’s next six albums, the most recent being
2024’s Dark Matter
, which brought Pearl Jam —
regular visitors to Australian shores since 1995
— back down under last year.

When Soundgarden reunited in 2010, Cameron recorded and toured as drummer for both bands until Soundgarden broke up permanently following the
death of frontman Chris Cornell in 2017
.

Hailed by Rolling Stone for playing that was "as thoughtful as it is heavy" when they ranked him 52nd on their list of the
100 Greatest Drummers of All Time
, Cameron is a two-time Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, with both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

There is no indication who might fill Cameron’s drum stool in Pearl Jam, but there are certainly a lot of options floating around.

In the past six months, several high-profile rock bands have parted ways with their drummers.

In May, Foo Fighters dismissed Josh Freese, who had drummed with Dave Grohl and co
since the death of Taylor Hawkins in 2022
, telling him they planned "
to go in a different direction with their drummer
".

The Who’s drummer of nearly 30 years, Zak Starkey — son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr — was
fired from the band in May for a second time
, following an earlier firing and reinstatement in April 2025.

In March, Guns N’ Roses announced the "
amicable exit
" of their drummer of 19 years, Frank Ferrer. "I will have immense gratitude and love always for Axl [Rose, frontman] and the band," Ferrer
wrote on social media
, "while at the same time, disappointment that this chapter came to an end".

Other drummers looking for work include Chris Sharrock, who was not invited to join Oasis for their current reunion tour, Bob Dylan’s long-term drummer Jim Keltner, ex-Primus drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander, Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain and several more in a trend that US music publication Stereogum dubbed the "
Drumpocalypse
".