 In reviewing a compilation album of The Meters' early works, music critic Robert Christgau called Modeliste's drumming "the secret" adding "it's almost as if he's the lead".In 2016 he was listed as the 18th best drummer of all time by the "Rolling Stone" magazine.In describing his drumming style, in 2008 Modeliste said, "It's just a collage of all the drummers that I heard play in my lifetime from [New Orleans]."