You’ve seen the thumbnail. Maybe it popped up in your feed between a recipe for sourdough and a video of a cat hitting a doorbell. It’s Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith looking slightly confused, sticks in hand, sitting behind a kit at the Drumeo studios. The title usually screams something about him hearing a song for the first time.
That song was "The Kill (Bury Me)."
The internet went absolutely nuclear over the Chad Smith 30 Seconds to Mars moment. Honestly, it’s rare to see a veteran rock star be that vulnerable and that skilled at the same time. People were asking: Is he joining the band? Did he record the original? Why didn't he know the song?
Let’s set the record straight: Chad Smith is not, and has never been, the drummer for 30 Seconds to Mars. That job belongs to Shannon Leto, who has been holding down the fort since 1998. But what happened in that studio session was a masterclass in musical instinct that basically broke the drumming corner of the web.
The Viral Moment: Chad Smith 30 Seconds to Mars Explained
The premise was simple. Drumeo—a massive online drum education platform—has this series called "For the First Time." They bring in world-class drummers, play them a hit song they’ve supposedly never heard, and remove the original drum track. The drummer has to compose and play a part on the fly.
When they played the intro to "The Kill," Chad’s first reaction was classic.
"What the f*** was that? Is that like My Chemical Romance or something?"
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He didn't know the track. To be fair, if you’ve spent the last thirty years touring the world with the Chili Peppers, you might have missed a few mid-2000s emo-rock staples. But the magic happened the second the chorus hit. Despite never hearing the arrangement, Chad instinctively locked into the 6/8 time signature. He didn't just play it; he "Chili Pepper-ized" it.
He added these ghost notes and a funkier, more aggressive pocket than the original recording. It wasn't "better" or "worse" than Shannon Leto’s iconic part—it was just Chad. By the time the song ended, he had successfully navigated every dynamic shift, from the quiet, moody verses to the explosive "I tried to be someone else" screams.
Why the Internet Lost Its Mind
Most people don't realize how hard it is to play along to a song you don't know when you can't hear the original drums. You have no cues. You don't know when the fill is coming or when the bridge is going to drop out.
The Chad Smith 30 Seconds to Mars video racked up over 28 million views because it proved something about "old school" musicianship. Chad didn't need a click track or a chart. He just listened to the melody and the bass.
It also sparked a huge debate. Some 30STM fans felt like he was "disrespecting" the genre by calling it "some kind of emo thing," while others were just stoked to see a legend give props to the song's structure. Most importantly, it led to a pretty cool full-circle moment just recently.
The 2025 Payback: Shannon Leto Steps Up
Fast forward to late 2025. In a move that felt like the ultimate "uno reverse" card, Shannon Leto finally showed up at the Drumeo studios. The producers did the exact same thing to him. They gave him a track he had to play blind.
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The song? "By the Way" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Watching Shannon try to navigate Chad's chaotic, syncopated funk style was fascinating. But the real kicker? Halfway through the session, Chad Smith himself walked into the room. He didn't say a word. He just sat down on a couch right next to the kit and watched Shannon sweat.
It was a total "Step Brothers" moment.
They eventually hugged it out, and Chad admitted that ever since his Chad Smith 30 Seconds to Mars video went viral, people don't call him "The guy from RHCP" or "Will Ferrell" anymore. They call him the "Drumeo guy."
Comparing the Styles: Smith vs. Leto
If you look at the technical side of things, these two are polar opposites.
Shannon Leto is very much an "architectural" drummer. His parts in 30 Seconds to Mars are meticulously crafted to fit the cinematic, soaring soundscapes Jared Leto creates. He uses a lot of electronics, hybrid triggers, and very specific, driving linear patterns.
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Chad Smith is a "physical" drummer. He hits the drums like they owe him money. His style is rooted in the 70s—think John Bonham mixed with a heavy dose of funk. When he played "The Kill," he brought a level of "swing" that the original version doesn't have. It made the song feel less like a polished radio hit and more like a raw garage jam.
The Takeaway for Musicians
What can we actually learn from this whole Chad Smith 30 Seconds to Mars saga?
First, genres don't matter as much as we think. Chad thought it was emo; he played it like funk-rock; it still sounded great. Good songwriting has a "gravity" that pulls a good musician in, regardless of what they usually play.
Second, listen more than you play. If you watch the footage closely, Chad spends the first 30 seconds of the song just nodding. He’s looking for the "one." He’s finding the pulse. Too many amateur drummers start bashing away immediately.
Finally, don't be afraid to fail. Chad made a few "wrong" choices during that first take, but he committed to them so hard that they sounded intentional. That’s the secret to being a pro.
If you haven't seen the original clip yet, go watch it. Then watch the Shannon Leto "revenge" video from December 2025. It’s a rare look at two guys at the top of their game showing genuine respect for each other's craft.
Next Steps for Drummers:
- Analyze the 6/8 feel: If you're a beginner, practice switching between 4/4 and 6/8. "The Kill" is a perfect track to help you feel that triplet pulse.
- Try the "Blind" Challenge: Grab a song you've never heard, find a "drumless" version on YouTube, and see if you can find the bridge without help.
- Study Chad's Ghost Notes: Look at his left hand during the verses of the 30 Seconds to Mars cover. Those tiny, quiet hits between the main snare cracks are what give it that "shimmer."