diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
index cebdd483149e..3a4bf13b1759 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
@@ -1,78 +1,10 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "util/pmu.h"
-#include "util/pmus.h"
-#include "util/evlist.h"
-#include "util/parse-events.h"
-#include "util/event.h"
+#include <string.h>
+#include "../../../util/evlist.h"
+#include "../../../util/evsel.h"
 #include "topdown.h"
 #include "evsel.h"
 
-static int ___evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
-					struct perf_event_attr *attrs,
-					size_t nr_attrs)
-{
-	LIST_HEAD(head);
-	size_t i = 0;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_attrs; i++)
-		event_attr_init(attrs + i);
-
-	if (perf_pmus__num_core_pmus() == 1)
-		return evlist__add_attrs(evlist, attrs, nr_attrs);
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_attrs; i++) {
-		struct perf_pmu *pmu = NULL;
-
-		if (attrs[i].type == PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE) {
-			struct evsel *evsel = evsel__new(attrs + i);
-
-			if (evsel == NULL)
-				goto out_delete_partial_list;
-			list_add_tail(&evsel->core.node, &head);
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		while ((pmu = perf_pmus__scan_core(pmu)) != NULL) {
-			struct perf_cpu_map *cpus;
-			struct evsel *evsel;
-
-			evsel = evsel__new(attrs + i);
-			if (evsel == NULL)
-				goto out_delete_partial_list;
-			evsel->core.attr.config |= (__u64)pmu->type << PERF_PMU_TYPE_SHIFT;
-			cpus = perf_cpu_map__get(pmu->cpus);
-			evsel->core.cpus = cpus;
-			evsel->core.own_cpus = perf_cpu_map__get(cpus);
-			evsel->pmu_name = strdup(pmu->name);
-			list_add_tail(&evsel->core.node, &head);
-		}
-	}
-
-	evlist__splice_list_tail(evlist, &head);
-
-	return 0;
-
-out_delete_partial_list:
-	{
-		struct evsel *evsel, *n;
-
-		__evlist__for_each_entry_safe(&head, n, evsel)
-			evsel__delete(evsel);
-	}
-	return -1;
-}
-
-int arch_evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
-				   struct perf_event_attr *attrs,
-				   size_t nr_attrs)
-{
-	if (!nr_attrs)
-		return 0;
-
-	return ___evlist__add_default_attrs(evlist, attrs, nr_attrs);
-}
-
 int arch_evlist__cmp(const struct evsel *lhs, const struct evsel *rhs)
 {
 	if (topdown_sys_has_perf_metrics() &&
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index 689a3d43c258..ceec0a96d5f0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -1814,130 +1814,25 @@ static int perf_stat_init_aggr_mode_file(struct perf_stat *st)
 }
 
 /*
- * Add default attributes, if there were no attributes specified or
+ * Add default events, if there were no attributes specified or
  * if -d/--detailed, -d -d or -d -d -d is used:
  */
-static int add_default_attributes(void)
+static int add_default_events(void)
 {
-	struct perf_event_attr default_attrs0[] = {
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_SW_TASK_CLOCK		},
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_SW_CONTEXT_SWITCHES	},
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_SW_CPU_MIGRATIONS		},
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_SW_PAGE_FAULTS		},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES		},
-};
-	struct perf_event_attr frontend_attrs[] = {
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_STALLED_CYCLES_FRONTEND	},
-};
-	struct perf_event_attr backend_attrs[] = {
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_STALLED_CYCLES_BACKEND	},
-};
-	struct perf_event_attr default_attrs1[] = {
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_INSTRUCTIONS		},
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_BRANCH_INSTRUCTIONS	},
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE, .config = PERF_COUNT_HW_BRANCH_MISSES		},
-
-};
-
-/*
- * Detailed stats (-d), covering the L1 and last level data caches:
- */
-	struct perf_event_attr detailed_attrs[] = {
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1D		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1D		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_LL			<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_LL			<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-};
-
-/*
- * Very detailed stats (-d -d), covering the instruction cache and the TLB caches:
- */
-	struct perf_event_attr very_detailed_attrs[] = {
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1I		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1I		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_DTLB		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_DTLB		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_ITLB		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_ITLB		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_READ		<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-
-};
+	const char *pmu = parse_events_option_args.pmu_filter ?: "all";
+	struct parse_events_error err;
+	struct evlist *evlist = evlist__new();
+	struct evsel *evsel;
+	int ret = 0;
 
-/*
- * Very, very detailed stats (-d -d -d), adding prefetch events:
- */
-	struct perf_event_attr very_very_detailed_attrs[] = {
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1D		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_PREFETCH	<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_ACCESS	<< 16)				},
-
-  { .type = PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE,
-    .config =
-	 PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1D		<<  0  |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_PREFETCH	<<  8) |
-	(PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MISS	<< 16)				},
-};
+	if (!evlist)
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
-	struct perf_event_attr default_null_attrs[] = {};
-	const char *pmu = parse_events_option_args.pmu_filter ?: "all";
+	parse_events_error__init(&err);
 
 	/* Set attrs if no event is selected and !null_run: */
 	if (stat_config.null_run)
-		return 0;
+		goto out;
 
 	if (transaction_run) {
 		/* Handle -T as -M transaction. Once platform specific metrics
@@ -1947,9 +1842,10 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 		 */
 		if (!metricgroup__has_metric(pmu, "transaction")) {
 			pr_err("Missing transaction metrics\n");
-			return -1;
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
 		}
-		return metricgroup__parse_groups(evsel_list, pmu, "transaction",
+		ret = metricgroup__parse_groups(evlist, pmu, "transaction",
 						stat_config.metric_no_group,
 						stat_config.metric_no_merge,
 						stat_config.metric_no_threshold,
@@ -1957,6 +1853,7 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 						stat_config.system_wide,
 						stat_config.hardware_aware_grouping,
 						&stat_config.metric_events);
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	if (smi_cost) {
@@ -1964,26 +1861,29 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 
 		if (sysfs__read_int(FREEZE_ON_SMI_PATH, &smi) < 0) {
 			pr_err("freeze_on_smi is not supported.\n");
-			return -1;
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
 		}
 
 		if (!smi) {
 			if (sysfs__write_int(FREEZE_ON_SMI_PATH, 1) < 0) {
-				fprintf(stderr, "Failed to set freeze_on_smi.\n");
-				return -1;
+				pr_err("Failed to set freeze_on_smi.\n");
+				ret = -1;
+				goto out;
 			}
 			smi_reset = true;
 		}
 
 		if (!metricgroup__has_metric(pmu, "smi")) {
 			pr_err("Missing smi metrics\n");
-			return -1;
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
 		}
 
 		if (!force_metric_only)
 			stat_config.metric_only = true;
 
-		return metricgroup__parse_groups(evsel_list, pmu, "smi",
+		ret = metricgroup__parse_groups(evlist, pmu, "smi",
 						stat_config.metric_no_group,
 						stat_config.metric_no_merge,
 						stat_config.metric_no_threshold,
@@ -1991,6 +1891,7 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 						stat_config.system_wide,
 						stat_config.hardware_aware_grouping,
 						&stat_config.metric_events);
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	if (topdown_run) {
@@ -2003,21 +1904,23 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 		if (!max_level) {
 			pr_err("Topdown requested but the topdown metric groups aren't present.\n"
 				"(See perf list the metric groups have names like TopdownL1)\n");
-			return -1;
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
 		}
 		if (stat_config.topdown_level > max_level) {
 			pr_err("Invalid top-down metrics level. The max level is %u.\n", max_level);
-			return -1;
-		} else if (!stat_config.topdown_level)
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
+		} else if (!stat_config.topdown_level) {
 			stat_config.topdown_level = 1;
-
+		}
 		if (!stat_config.interval && !stat_config.metric_only) {
 			fprintf(stat_config.output,
 				"Topdown accuracy may decrease when measuring long periods.\n"
 				"Please print the result regularly, e.g. -I1000\n");
 		}
 		str[8] = stat_config.topdown_level + '0';
-		if (metricgroup__parse_groups(evsel_list,
+		if (metricgroup__parse_groups(evlist,
 						pmu, str,
 						/*metric_no_group=*/false,
 						/*metric_no_merge=*/false,
@@ -2025,41 +1928,49 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 						stat_config.user_requested_cpu_list,
 						stat_config.system_wide,
 						stat_config.hardware_aware_grouping,
-						&stat_config.metric_events) < 0)
-			return -1;
+						&stat_config.metric_events) < 0) {
+			ret = -1;
+			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (!stat_config.topdown_level)
 		stat_config.topdown_level = 1;
 
-	if (!evsel_list->core.nr_entries) {
+	if (!evlist->core.nr_entries && !evsel_list->core.nr_entries) {
 		/* No events so add defaults. */
 		if (target__has_cpu(&target))
-			default_attrs0[0].config = PERF_COUNT_SW_CPU_CLOCK;
+			ret = parse_events(evlist, "cpu-clock", &err);
+		else
+			ret = parse_events(evlist, "task-clock", &err);
+		if (ret)
+			goto out;
+
+		ret = parse_events(evlist,
+				"context-switches,"
+				"cpu-migrations,"
+				"page-faults,"
+				"instructions,"
+				"cycles,"
+				"stalled-cycles-frontend,"
+				"stalled-cycles-backend,"
+				"branches,"
+				"branch-misses",
+				&err);
+		if (ret)
+			goto out;
 
-		if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, default_attrs0) < 0)
-			return -1;
-		if (perf_pmus__have_event("cpu", "stalled-cycles-frontend")) {
-			if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, frontend_attrs) < 0)
-				return -1;
-		}
-		if (perf_pmus__have_event("cpu", "stalled-cycles-backend")) {
-			if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, backend_attrs) < 0)
-				return -1;
-		}
-		if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, default_attrs1) < 0)
-			return -1;
 		/*
 		 * Add TopdownL1 metrics if they exist. To minimize
 		 * multiplexing, don't request threshold computation.
 		 */
 		if (metricgroup__has_metric(pmu, "Default")) {
 			struct evlist *metric_evlist = evlist__new();
-			struct evsel *metric_evsel;
-
-			if (!metric_evlist)
-				return -1;
 
+			if (!metric_evlist) {
+				ret = -ENOMEM;
+				goto out;
+			}
 			if (metricgroup__parse_groups(metric_evlist, pmu, "Default",
 							/*metric_no_group=*/false,
 							/*metric_no_merge=*/false,
@@ -2067,43 +1978,65 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 							stat_config.user_requested_cpu_list,
 							stat_config.system_wide,
 							stat_config.hardware_aware_grouping,
-							&stat_config.metric_events) < 0)
-				return -1;
-
-			evlist__for_each_entry(metric_evlist, metric_evsel) {
-				metric_evsel->skippable = true;
-				metric_evsel->default_metricgroup = true;
+							&stat_config.metric_events) < 0) {
+				ret = -1;
+				goto out;
 			}
-			evlist__splice_list_tail(evsel_list, &metric_evlist->core.entries);
+
+			evlist__for_each_entry(metric_evlist, evsel)
+				evsel->default_metricgroup = true;
+
+			evlist__splice_list_tail(evlist, &metric_evlist->core.entries);
 			evlist__delete(metric_evlist);
 		}
-
-		/* Platform specific attrs */
-		if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, default_null_attrs) < 0)
-			return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* Detailed events get appended to the event list: */
 
-	if (detailed_run <  1)
-		return 0;
-
-	/* Append detailed run extra attributes: */
-	if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, detailed_attrs) < 0)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (detailed_run < 2)
-		return 0;
-
-	/* Append very detailed run extra attributes: */
-	if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, very_detailed_attrs) < 0)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (detailed_run < 3)
-		return 0;
-
-	/* Append very, very detailed run extra attributes: */
-	return evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, very_very_detailed_attrs);
+	if (!ret && detailed_run >=  1) {
+		/*
+		 * Detailed stats (-d), covering the L1 and last level data
+		 * caches:
+		 */
+		ret = parse_events(evlist,
+				"L1-dcache-loads,"
+				"L1-dcache-load-misses,"
+				"LLC-loads,"
+				"LLC-load-misses",
+				&err);
+	}
+	if (!ret && detailed_run >=  2) {
+		/*
+		 * Very detailed stats (-d -d), covering the instruction cache
+		 * and the TLB caches:
+		 */
+		ret = parse_events(evlist,
+				"L1-icache-loads,"
+				"L1-icache-load-misses,"
+				"dTLB-loads,"
+				"dTLB-load-misses,"
+				"iTLB-loads,"
+				"iTLB-load-misses",
+				&err);
+	}
+	if (!ret && detailed_run >=  3) {
+		/*
+		 * Very, very detailed stats (-d -d -d), adding prefetch events:
+		 */
+		ret = parse_events(evlist,
+				"L1-dcache-prefetches,"
+				"L1-dcache-prefetch-misses",
+				&err);
+	}
+out:
+	if (!ret) {
+		evlist__for_each_entry(evlist, evsel)
+			evsel->skippable = true;
+	}
+	parse_events_error__exit(&err);
+	evlist__splice_list_tail(evsel_list, &evlist->core.entries);
+	evlist__delete(evlist);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static const char * const stat_record_usage[] = {
@@ -2760,7 +2693,7 @@ int cmd_stat(int argc, const char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (add_default_attributes())
+	if (add_default_events())
 		goto out;
 
 	if (stat_config.cgroup_list) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index f14b7e6ff1dc..bace277fa77d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -319,49 +319,6 @@ struct evsel *evlist__add_sched_switch(struct evlist *evlist, bool system_wide)
 }
 #endif
 
-int evlist__add_attrs(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_event_attr *attrs, size_t nr_attrs)
-{
-	struct evsel *evsel, *n;
-	LIST_HEAD(head);
-	size_t i;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_attrs; i++) {
-		evsel = evsel__new_idx(attrs + i, evlist->core.nr_entries + i);
-		if (evsel == NULL)
-			goto out_delete_partial_list;
-		list_add_tail(&evsel->core.node, &head);
-	}
-
-	evlist__splice_list_tail(evlist, &head);
-
-	return 0;
-
-out_delete_partial_list:
-	__evlist__for_each_entry_safe(&head, n, evsel)
-		evsel__delete(evsel);
-	return -1;
-}
-
-int __evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_event_attr *attrs, size_t nr_attrs)
-{
-	size_t i;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_attrs; i++)
-		event_attr_init(attrs + i);
-
-	return evlist__add_attrs(evlist, attrs, nr_attrs);
-}
-
-__weak int arch_evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
-					  struct perf_event_attr *attrs,
-					  size_t nr_attrs)
-{
-	if (!nr_attrs)
-		return 0;
-
-	return __evlist__add_default_attrs(evlist, attrs, nr_attrs);
-}
-
 struct evsel *evlist__find_tracepoint_by_id(struct evlist *evlist, int id)
 {
 	struct evsel *evsel;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
index bcc1c6984bb5..371dc740ff7a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.h
@@ -102,18 +102,6 @@ void evlist__delete(struct evlist *evlist);
 void evlist__add(struct evlist *evlist, struct evsel *entry);
 void evlist__remove(struct evlist *evlist, struct evsel *evsel);
 
-int evlist__add_attrs(struct evlist *evlist, struct perf_event_attr *attrs, size_t nr_attrs);
-
-int __evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
-				     struct perf_event_attr *attrs, size_t nr_attrs);
-
-int arch_evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
-				   struct perf_event_attr *attrs,
-				   size_t nr_attrs);
-
-#define evlist__add_default_attrs(evlist, array) \
-	arch_evlist__add_default_attrs(evlist, array, ARRAY_SIZE(array))
-
 int arch_evlist__cmp(const struct evsel *lhs, const struct evsel *rhs);
 
 int evlist__add_dummy(struct evlist *evlist);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/stat-display.c b/tools/perf/util/stat-display.c
index cbff43ff8d0f..5402998881c4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/stat-display.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/stat-display.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <perf/cpumap.h>
 #include "color.h"
 #include "counts.h"
+#include "debug.h"
 #include "evlist.h"
 #include "evsel.h"
 #include "stat.h"
@@ -967,6 +968,13 @@ static bool should_skip_zero_counter(struct perf_stat_config *config,
 	struct perf_cpu cpu;
 	int idx;
 
+	/*
+	 * Skip unsupported default events when not verbose. (default events
+	 * are all marked 'skippable').
+	 */
+	if (verbose == 0 && counter->skippable && !counter->supported)
+		return true;
+
 	/*
 	 * Skip value 0 when enabling --per-thread globally,
 	 * otherwise it will have too many 0 output.
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/stat-shadow.c b/tools/perf/util/stat-shadow.c
index 99376c12dd8e..dd709a731574 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/stat-shadow.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/stat-shadow.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void perf_stat__reset_shadow_stats(void)
 	memset(&ru_stats, 0, sizeof(ru_stats));
 }
 
-static enum stat_type evsel__stat_type(const struct evsel *evsel)
+static enum stat_type evsel__stat_type(struct evsel *evsel)
 {
 	/* Fake perf_hw_cache_op_id values for use with evsel__match. */
 	u64 PERF_COUNT_hw_cache_l1d_miss = PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_L1D |
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ static const char *get_ratio_color(const double ratios[3], double val)
 
 static double find_stat(const struct evsel *evsel, int aggr_idx, enum stat_type type)
 {
-	const struct evsel *cur;
+	struct evsel *cur;
 	int evsel_ctx = evsel_context(evsel);
 
 	evlist__for_each_entry(evsel->evlist, cur) {
