10Dr.

Dre
Leaving aside Andre Romelle Youngs astounding career as an artist in his own right (first in N.W.A. then solo with the Grammy-winning debut The
Chronic), Dr Dre has left an indelible mark on hip hop and urban music through countless other acts. The Real Slim Shady and In Da Club are just the
tip of the iceberg.
Walk This Way
RunD.M.C.
Rick Rubin van NME

Walk This Way

3:31

Angel Of Death

4:51

Fight For Your Right

3:27

Chop Suey!

3:30

RunD.M.C.
Slayer

Beastie Boys

System of a Down

9Butch Vig
Thought Nevermind was a bit good? Youve got this behind-the-scenes genius to thank. Garbages drummer was the driving force behind many of the
best grunge and alt rock albums of the early nineties, including The Smashing Pumpkins Gish, and Sonic Youths Dirty. TC
To Know Him Is To Love Him
The Teddy Bears
Phil Spector van NME

To Know Him Is To Love Him

2:29

Shake It up Baby

2:08

Be My Baby

2:40

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Single Version

3:44

Unchained Melody

3:35

River Deep Mountain High

4:04

Rock 'N' Roll High School - Remastered

The Teddy Bears

Phil Spector

The Ronettes

The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers
Ike & Tina Turner
Ramones

2:17

8Brian Wilson
While the world loves Good Vibrations, Wouldnt It Be Nice, God Only Knows and the rest, few consider quite how groundbreaking Brian Wilsons
studio techniques were in the mid-60s. Hand written notations, multi-track experimentation, flirtations with echoes and reverb and the concept of the studio
itself as an instrument all joined forces to produce an LP, Pet Sounds, that would baffle most producers today.

Le Freak
CHIC
Nile Rodgers van NME

Le Freak

5:29

Good Times

3:43

I Want Your Love

6:55

He's The Greatest Dancer

6:15

Upside Down

4:05

I'm Coming Out

5:26

China Girl - 1999 Remastered Version

5:33

CHIC
CHIC
CHIC

Sister Sledge
Diana Ross
Diana Ross

David Bowie

7Brian Eno
Brian Enos management refer to him as a sonic landscaper rather than a producer, but while that may sound howlingly pretentious coming from most
quarters, with him it kind of fits. The man previously known as Roxy Musics keyboardist has left popular music, and the outlying territories of sound, an
awful lot, from Windows start up theme to U2s most epic work, as well as Coldplays bombast.
Summertime - Live Version
Miles Davis
Quincy Jones van NME

Summertime - Live Version

2:58

It's My Party

2:20

Billie Jean - Single Version

4:54

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

6:03

Just Good Friends - 2012 Remaster

4:06

Dirty Diana - 2012 Remaster

4:40

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Single Version

6:05

Miles Davis

Lesley Gore

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

6Rick Rubin
One of Rick Rubins greatest strengths as a producer, aside from his technical know-how and his way with a mixing desk, is his ability to get on with
anyone and coax the best from them, regardless of genre. His seven Grammy wins (and numerous nominations) stretch across all types of music, from rap
to metal and country. Run DMC, Slayer, and the Dixie Chicks are just three wildly diverse acts from an astonishing number that owe him a serious debt.

How Do You Do It? - Re-Recording

Gerry & The Pacemakers
George Martin van NME

How Do You Do It? - Re-Recording

Live And Let Die

3:04

You're My World (Il Mio Mondo)

2:59

Bond Meets Solitaire

2:18

Vision Is a Naked Sword

14:17

Scatterbrain - Live

7:27

Gerry & The Pacemakers

Paul McCartney
Cilla Black

George Martin

Mahavishnu Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra

Jeff Beck, Jan Hammer, Dennis Weinreich

1:51

5Phil Spector
Writing, singing on, and producing a chart-topping hit record before your 20th birthday aint a bad way to kick start a career, and thats exactly how Phil
Spector announced himself to the world with The Teddy Bears To Know Him Is To Love Him. His CV stretches from The Ronettes to The Beatles Let
It Be, Tina Turners River Deep Mountain High, Imagine and Happy Xmas (War Is Over) but his true legacy is of course his pioneering wall of
sound technique, what he referred to as a Wagnerian approach to rock n roll, a devasting sonic approach thats influenced everyone from Springsteen
to the shoegazers. Its precisely that kind of creative approach that elevates a producer from knob-twidldler to a key member of the band, whoever the band
might be. NB: The Beatles, Harrison and Lennon only absent from the Spotify player as they just dont have them.
Telstar
Tornadoes 74
Joe Meek van NME

Telstar

3:12

Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O

2:17

Cumberland Gap

1:59

Just Like Eddy

2:50

Johnny Remember Me

2:44

Tornadoes 74
The Vipers Skiffle Group
Lonnie Donegan
Heinz

John Leyton, The Western All-Stars

4Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers CV from the 80s reads like a whos who of who was hot and on top during that decade. Having resucitated disco with Chics raft of hi-NRG
hits (Le Freak, the astonishingly good I Want Your Love and Good Times, which also went on to pretty much define hip hop via the Sugahill samples)
he went on to produce a frankly embarrassing wealth of riches. Diana Ross Upside Down, David Bowies China Girl and Madonnas Like A Virgin
were just three of the biggest; INXS, The B-52s, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Mick Jagger and countless others also benefitted from his deft
hands. The guy refuses to give up, too. Having fought off cancer for the time being hes still belting out disco good times live and just worked on a project
with Daft Punk. A true legend.

Le Freak
CHIC
Nile Rodgers van NME

Le Freak

5:29

Good Times

3:43

I Want Your Love

6:55

He's The Greatest Dancer

6:15

Upside Down

4:05

I'm Coming Out

5:26

China Girl - 1999 Remastered Version

5:33

CHIC
CHIC
CHIC

Sister Sledge
Diana Ross
Diana Ross

David Bowie

3Quincy Jones
Where to even begin with this one? 55 years in the business, 79 Grammy nominations, 110 million record sales (and thats just for Thriller) Quincy is
about as legendary as they come. Yes he was the guy responsible for Billie Jean but old QJ (as hes known to his mum) did so much more than that. 33
film scores for a start, from writing The Italian Job to producing John Williams work on the E.T. soundtrack. Then theres the illustrious trumpet-playing
career, the philanthropic endeavours, the numerous first African American to landmarks, and the desk/arranger duties for Andy Williams, Ray Charles,
Little Richard, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and Frank Sinatra. We Are The World? Yep, that was him too. But if hes always pigeonholed as the guy
that sprinkled magic onto the biggest-selling album of all time, it could be worse.
Summertime - Live Version
Miles Davis
Quincy Jones van NME

Summertime - Live Version

2:58

It's My Party

2:20

Billie Jean - Single Version

4:54

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

6:03

Just Good Friends - 2012 Remaster

4:06

Dirty Diana - 2012 Remaster

4:40

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Single Version

6:05

Miles Davis

Lesley Gore

Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson

2George Martin
What is it that makes a truly great producer, beyond the ability to successfully commit a bands ideas to tape? If its to bring new ideas to the table, such as
the strings on Yesterday, or to provide orchestration and instrumentation on a complete variety of tracks, or to translate an artists vague ideas and hopeful
humming into a tangible melody on a proper instrument (as he did with Penny Lanes piccolo solo), or to explore new studio techniques, equipment, time
signatures and dynamics and create masterful new sounds and ideas in the process, or simply to be behind no less than 30 Number Ones in the UK alone,
then its hard to argue against Sir George Henry Martin CBE as the greatest producer of all time. NB: The Beatles dont exist on Spotify, so heres a
selection of some of his greatest work.

1Joe Meek
To truly appreciate Meeks genius, and understand why hes placed above usual favourites Martin and Spector, we have to go back to Matt Bellamys dad,
and his band The Tornados. Their early hit, Telstar, was the first single by a British band to reach the top spot on the Billboard 100 (and this was before
the tragic days of 1D). The reason? It was unlike anything anyone had heard before, packed full of claviolines, bizarre distortions and weird sonic effects,
all achieved in Meeks home recording studio above a shop on Holloway Road. In an era of nerdy white coat-wearing studio techs, Meek was a complete
trailblazer, attempting endless new ideas in his search for the perfect sound. Multiple over-dubbing, close miking, compression, echo, reverbs and sampling
are all techniques that can be traced back to Meek and his maverick approach to making music. That he passed up the chance to work with Bowie and The
Beatles, or eventually shot and killed his landlady and then himself, is by-the-by. The legacy of his endless experimentation is writ large over most of your
favourite music today.
Telstar
Tornadoes 74
Joe Meek van NME

Telstar

3:12

Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O

2:17

Cumberland Gap

1:59

Just Like Eddy

2:50

Johnny Remember Me

2:44

Tornadoes 74
The Vipers Skiffle Group
Lonnie Donegan
Heinz

John Leyton, The Western All-Stars

50-41
40-31
30-21
20-11
10-1

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