If you follow this column with any degree of regularity, you may have noticed that whatever book I’m currently reading (or re-reading) tends to have a major influence on the subject of Stylus Counsel.
I’m just wrapping up re-reading Life by Keith Richards and I’ve been thinking a lot about their producers. When Mick Jagger and Keith did the job themselves as The Glimmer Twins, the results were quite good, and you have to give credit to driven visionary Andrew Loog Oldham, who helmed a slew of hits despite his greeness. I don’t really have anything against the production of Dirty Work, Steel Wheels, Flashpoint, Voodoo Lounge, A Bigger Bang and Blue & Lonesome by Steve Lillywhite, Chris Kimsey and Don Was. The production of Bridges To Babylon is all over the place and overtakes the music far too often. Hackney Diamonds by Andrew Watt sounds superior to all these, to my ear.
For me, Jimmy Miller was the best producer The Rolling Stones had. The albums and singles they made with him rank among the best of their discography. A good producer manages some key things — gets the project done, gets and keeps the musicians confident and in the right frame of mind, helps shape the songs, and is responsible for making it sound good. Miller’s recordings of the Stones are timeless — Jumping Jack Flash and Beggars Banquet (1968), Honky Tonk Women and Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile On Main Street (1972) and Goats Head Soup (1973).
So, this inspired me to look at some of popular music’s most notable producers, and figure out who the most prolific were, the most successful and some other interesting categories I came up with. Let’s examine the all-stars with some nifty — and yes, incomplete — lists…
Most Production Credits
1 | Arif Mardin (1932-2006) 1,079
2 | Lee “Scratch” Perry (1936-2021) 1,018
3 | George Martin (1926-2016) 885
4 | Rick Rubin (1963- ) 846
5 | Quincy Jones (1933-2024) 738
Most Grammy Nominations (1975 to now)
1 | Jimmy Jam (1959- ) & Terry Lewis (1956- ) 11
2 | David Foster (1949- ) 7
3 | Quincy Jones 7
4 | Babyface (1959- ) 6
5 | Nigel Godrich (1971- ) 5
Most No. 1 Hits
1 | Max Martin (1971- ) 25
2 | George Martin 23
3 | Dr. Luke (1973- ) 18
4 | Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis 16
5 | Mariah Carey (1969- ) 15
Richest Producers (as of 2024)
1 | Sean Combs (1969- ) $1 billion
2 | Dr. Dre (1965- ) $500 million
3 | Berry Gordy (1929- ) $400 million / Max Martin $400 million
4 | Rick Rubin $300 million
5 | Pharrell Williams (1973- ) $250 million
Innovators
• Joe Meek
• Phil Spector
• Rick Rubin
• George Martin
• Brian Eno
• Quincy Jones
• George Clinton
Producers Who Wrote No. 1 Hits
• Joe Meek | Telstar (1962)
• Max Martin | Has written or co-written 27 No. 1s including Baby One More Time by Britney Spears, I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry and Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
• Pharell Williams | Happy (2014)
• Tor Hermansen | Has written or co-written 10 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles including Diamonds by Rihanna, and Irreplaceable by Beyoncé
• Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson | Wrote and produced 18 No. 1 hits for their group ABBA
• Timbaland | Sexyback by Justin Timberlake (2006), Try Again by Aaliyah (2000) + more
• Kanye West | Gold Digger + others
• Allen Toussaint | Southern Nights by Glen Campbell (1977) and Yes We Can by The Pointer Sisters (1973)
• Isaac Hayes | Theme From Shaft (1973), Soul Man by Sam & Dave (1967)
• Jay-Z | Crazy In Love by Beyoncé (2003), Umbrella by Rihanna (2007), Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys (2009), Run This Town by Rihanna & Kanye West (2009)
• Phil Spector | To Know Him Is to Love Him by The Teddy Bears (1958), Da Doo Ron Ron by The Crystals (1963), Chapel Of Love by The Dixie Cups (1964), Be My Baby by The Ronettes (1963)
• Sly Stone | Everyday People (1968), Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (1969), Family Affair (1971)
• Alan Parsons | Eye In The Sky (1983) *Canada only
Producers Who Aren’t Musicians
• Rick Rubin
• Andrew Loog Oldham
Famous Cameo Performances
• Jimmy Miller | Drums on You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Tumbling Dice and Happy by The Rolling Stones + more
• George Martin | Piano on In My Life and harpsichord on Fixing A Hole by The Beatles + more
• Norman Smith | Drums and backing vocals on Remember A Day by Pink Floyd + more
• Bob Ezrin | Piano on Beth by KISS, keyboards on Caught In A Dream by Alice Cooper + more
• Nile Rodgers | Synth and guitar on Material Girl by Madonna + more
• Linda Perry | All instruments on Get The Party Started by P!nk + more
• Daniel Lanois | Guitar on Red Rain, Sledgehammer, That Voice Again, Big Time and Secret World by Peter Gabriel, Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and One by U2, Ring Them Bells and Everything Is Broken by Bob Dylan + more
• Ted Templeman | Organ on Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison, percussion on Jesus Is Just Alright and Listen To The Music, drums on What A Fool Believes by The Doobie Brothers + more
• Todd Rundgren | Guitar and backing vocals on most of Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf, melodica on Summer’s Cauldron and synth on Grass and That’s Really Super Supergirl by XTC
• Mutt Lange | Backing vocals on Back In Black by AC/DC, Juke Box Hero by Foreigner
• T Bone Burnett | Backing vocals and guitar on Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood by Elvis Costello, acoustic guitar and organ on How Will The Wolf Survive by Los Lobos, electric guitar and six-string bass on Gone Gone Gone by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
• Bob Rock | Bass on St. Anger by Metallica
• • •
Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
