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Weekend Rock List: Best Producers

8/15/08, 4:32 pm EST

Record producers have been big in the news these last few weeks. Rick Rubin joined the MOG board, Brian Eno produced new albums by Coldplay, U2 and David Byrne, Kanye West is behind the knobs for Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3, Dr. Dre is readying his Detox and the music world lost icon Jerry Wexler. In honor of all those masterminds behind the scenes, this week’s Rock List is dedicated to the best producers of all time. Tell us your favorites, and on Monday we’ll count the votes and reveal your picks. Here’s our favorites:

• Brian Eno
• Jerry Wexler
• Rick Rubin
• Nigel Godrich
• Steve Albini

[Photo: Getty]

Daniel Kreps

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Comments

TOM HARPER | 10/6/2008, 9:21 pm EST

JEFF LYNNE

Jungleland | 8/18/2008, 2:26 pm EST

How was Brendan O’Brien not on that list?

overuse of compression…that’s why

Q | 8/18/2008, 2:00 pm EST

Daniel Lanois
Robert “Mutt” Lange

__-__ | 8/18/2008, 1:06 pm EST

Brian Eno
Rick Rubin
Steve Lillywhite
Flood
Daniel Lanois
Jacknife Lee
T-Bone Burnett
George Martin

come sail away | 8/18/2008, 11:47 am EST

flood
martin birch
john leckie
hugh padgham

Anonymous | 8/18/2008, 11:14 am EST

David Briggs

Erock08 | 8/18/2008, 10:26 am EST

How has there not been a single whisper of David Bottrill?

Tool’s Ænima/Lateralus?
Silverchair’s Diorama?

Come on.

Hole | 8/18/2008, 9:36 am EST

Steve Lillywhite
Butch Vig
Brian Eno
Josh Harris

Richy | 8/18/2008, 6:53 am EST

The Neptunes
Dr Dre
Kanye West
Quincy Jones

mr roboto | 8/17/2008, 10:50 pm EST

Flood
Martin Birch
Hugh Padgham
John Leckie

philippeBilleaudeaux | 8/17/2008, 6:47 pm EST

Brian Wilson
Phil Spector
Tom Wilson
George Martin
Brian Eno

mr roboto | 8/17/2008, 6:19 pm EST

Flood
Martin Birch
John Leckie
Hugh Padgham

TheDirector217 | 8/17/2008, 6:02 pm EST

Dr. Dre
Timbaland
DJ Premier
Brian Eno
Jimmy Page
Steve Lillywhite
Quincy Jones
The Neptunes
George Martin
Brendan O’ Brien
Rick Rubin
Kanye West
Nile Rodgers
Glimmer Twins

kyle | 8/17/2008, 5:47 pm EST

whats the matter with you, you left out quincy jones, george martin, and phil spector? sure, i understand why they didnt put spector, with the trial and all, but george martin mede the beatles sound like they do, and quincy jones: HE PRODUCED THE BEST SELLING ALBUM OF ALL TIME!!!! also brian wilson, he should have been mentioned

Seth | 8/17/2008, 4:11 pm EST

Sam Phillips, the originator
Brian Wilson
Martin Hannett
Brian Eno
George Martin
Daniel Lanois
Phil Spector
Nigel Godrich

Satan | 8/17/2008, 3:21 pm EST

Timbaland

luke | 8/17/2008, 3:02 pm EST

BRIAN WILSON

iean | 8/17/2008, 2:47 pm EST

patrick leonard
butch vig
john shanks

SScott | 8/17/2008, 1:12 pm EST

I agree with your Rick Rubin choice

George Martin, definitely

Roy Thomas Baker, who produced some of my favorite music from my youth, including the Cars and Queen

Don Dixon, ditto, for the Smithereens, Guadalcanal
Diary (I think) and others

His sound eventually became overused and rather stale or
predictable but Jeff Lynne did produce some great
tunes and albums

Glyn Johns

Steve Lillywhite

Brendan O’Brien

Bill Szymczyk

Butch Vig

Danger Mouse

Phil Ramone

Bob Ezrin

Brett | 8/17/2008, 9:29 am EST

Guy Stevens
Jimmy Miller
Stephen Street
Martin Hannett

BBH | 8/17/2008, 9:24 am EST

What about Steve Lillywhite (U2, Gabriel, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, etc…)????

Japie | 8/17/2008, 5:58 am EST

Kanye West for sure.

Japie | 8/17/2008, 5:58 am EST

Kanye West for sure.

Four Nick Eight | 8/16/2008, 9:55 pm EST

Steve Lilywhite
Garrett “Jacknife” Lee
Flood

Joe | 8/16/2008, 7:21 pm EST

Nile Rodgers’ work is vastly underrated, especially on Duran Duran’s RIO

Clayton | 8/16/2008, 4:56 pm EST

Some of the best in the game today:
Danger Mouse
The Neptunes
Mark Ronson
Madlib
RJD2
Raphael Saadiq
Jon Brion
Brian Eno
will.i.am
Dan The Automator
Zero 7

Some of the best of all-time:
Rick Rubin
Quincy Jones
DJ Premier
Pete Rock
Trevor Horn
George Martin
Brian Wilson

The Graveyard | 8/16/2008, 4:06 pm EST

I can not believe nobody’s mentioned Martin Hannett! Absolutely genius producer that revolutionized the way music sounded in the late 70s, especially drums.

Buzzcocks, Joy Division, New Order, U2, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, OMD, Durutti Column…if Martin Hannett doesn’t get a mention this whole thing is a sham.

Also, Kevin Sheilds for My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Loveless’ - the best production I’ve ever heard.

burnz | 8/16/2008, 3:41 pm EST

Tom Dowd
Jimmy Miller
Tom Wilson
Joel Dorn
Todd Rundgren

Fozzie Bear | 8/16/2008, 1:50 pm EST

Producers get too much credit when a record sounds good and not enough blame when it sounds like crap. WOCKA WOCKA WOCKA!!!

BOB | 8/16/2008, 11:48 am EST

How was Brendan O’Brien not on that list? Other than that, big difference between Rock producers and hip hop…can’t compare. Rick Rubin is the most over hyped producer of all time. The only good thing he touched that blew me away was Blood Sugar Sex Magic…but Brendan O’Brien was heavily involved there too.

your mom | 8/16/2008, 9:41 am EST

George Martin (Beatles)
Rick Rubin (RHCP, Slayer, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Dixie Chicks)
Dr Dre
Steve Albini
Phil Spector
Brendan O’Brien

and STEVE LILLYWHITE (U2, Morrissey, Rolling Stones, Travis, Siouxsie and the Banshees, XTC, Crowded House, Peter Gabriel, The La’s)

JeremyTheJollyJew | 8/16/2008, 3:34 am EST

Ross Robinson

paulee | 8/16/2008, 3:32 am EST

T-Bone Burnett
Daniel Lanois
Joe Henry
Phil Spector
George Martin

Pff | 8/16/2008, 1:49 am EST

Nigel Godrich

Hey Now. | 8/16/2008, 1:08 am EST

Phil Spector
Phil Ramone
Jack Nitche
The Dust Brothers
Quincy Jones
Nile Rodgers

Tim | 8/16/2008, 12:31 am EST

Bob Ezrin; Lou Reed’s Berlin, Alice Cooper’s Love It To Death, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, NIN’s The Fragile

TD | 8/15/2008, 10:54 pm EST

Godrich
Albini

True masters!

Travis | 8/15/2008, 9:15 pm EST

George Martin
Dave Sardy
Rick Rubin
Glyn Johns

thezero | 8/15/2008, 8:56 pm EST

timbaland

teddy reilly (new jack swing y’all)

jimmy jam and terry lewis

rick rubin

terry date

babyface

and, you gotta give ross robinson some props…

Mike L | 8/15/2008, 8:56 pm EST

Brian Eno
Nigel Godrich
George Martin

S.O. | 8/15/2008, 7:59 pm EST

Flood

crob3888 | 8/15/2008, 7:58 pm EST

George Martin
Rick Rubin
Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse
Kanye West
Nigel Godrich

JW | 8/15/2008, 7:55 pm EST

George Martin
Phil Spector
Brian Wilson
Tony Visconti
Norman Petty
Sam Phillips

Jim | 8/15/2008, 7:45 pm EST

Alan Parsons
Bob Ezrin
Rob Cavalo-very underrated

Jake | 8/15/2008, 7:44 pm EST

Um, George Martin?

spencer | 8/15/2008, 7:35 pm EST

phil spector
brian wilson
george martin
daniel lanois
brian eno
rick rubin

A | 8/15/2008, 7:24 pm EST

Jim diamond
Shel talmy
Brian Eno
Steve albini
Tony visconti
Tommy Dowd

pq | 8/15/2008, 6:10 pm EST

One vote for me

George Martin

Simply brilliant!

dkaocdafwerc | 8/15/2008, 6:09 pm EST

DANGER MOUSE

Kurt | 8/15/2008, 6:03 pm EST

Daniel Lanois
Glyn Johns
Rick Rubin
Brendan O’Brien

anonymous | 8/15/2008, 5:40 pm EST

rick rubin
george martin
“Jack Frost”

ted | 8/15/2008, 5:16 pm EST

jerry wexler!!!!

Brendan | 8/15/2008, 5:12 pm EST

Butch Vig

J.T. | 8/15/2008, 5:10 pm EST

Brendan O’Brien
Daniel Lanois
George Martin
Rick Rubin
Brian Eno
Spector

Dave | 8/15/2008, 5:07 pm EST

Daniel Lanois

Jughead | 8/15/2008, 5:03 pm EST

Nigel Godrich - Radiohead’s mastermind
Phil Spector

Chris | 8/15/2008, 5:03 pm EST

George Martin
Brian Wilson
Phil Spector

PP | 8/15/2008, 4:37 pm EST

Jack Dougla

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