Foo Fighters bring in Ilan Rubin as drummer

Foo Fighters have named Ilan Rubin as their new drummer after Josh Freese's exit.

The Foo Fighters have officially enlisted Ilan Rubin as their new drummer, announcing the change this week after Josh Freese exited earlier in May with little explanation.

The band confirmed the swap, which saw Freese return to Nine Inch Nails to join their upcoming Peel It Back tour.

The post from NIN featured a celebratory image captioned: “Let’s fucking go.”

Ilan Rubin, 37, has performed with NIN as their touring drummer since 2009 and became the youngest member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 with the band.

He’s also collaborated with Paramore, Angels & Airwaves, and Danny Elfman.

Freese's departure followed a two‑year tenure with Foo Fighters, as the drummer who replaced the late Taylor Hawkins in 2023, and was described by the band as a shift in musical direction. Freese later expressed that he was surprised by the decision but held no ill will.

It remains unclear whether Rubin’s role is permanent or exclusively for the upcoming Asia 2025 tour, which starts in Jakarta on October 2, with appearances in Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, and Mexico City.

With the swap finalized, the Foo Fighters continue to mark their 30th anniversary, having recently released a new track, Today’s Song. The song included a note of gratitude to Freese and previous drummers, highlighting the band's evolving legacy.