Put some ‘“respek” on these producers’ names! When it comes to good music, an artist and producer go hand in hand. The music is what can propel any song to the next level! There is always a conversation of who the greatest is online, so it was right on time that Billboard’s staff crafted and released a list of their 50 Greatest Producers of the 21st Century, and it’s filled with some of the best of the best. Producers on this list have created iconic sounds that can’t be duplicated. In addition, they have created timeless music that will forever slap!
Out of 50 notable producers, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Max Martin, The Dream, Tricky Stewart and Mike Will Made-It topped the list. GRAMMY Award-winner Timbaland has hits on hits! Some of his most notable songs came from the late Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, and Justin Timberlake. Billboard’s staff described Timbaland’s sound “as fourth-dimension funk, with rattling drums, squelching bass, unrecognizable and disembodied vocal hooks.”
The Neptunes secured their spot by giving the world songs that have transcended across generations. Like the 2002 hits “Hot in Herre” by Nelly and The Clipse’s “Grindin’.” Pharrell and his partner Chad Hugo always understand the assignment!
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The Dream and Tricky Stewart have given the world some of the best R&B songs ever! Their clientele ranges from Rihanna and Justin Bieber to Beyoncé. In 2008 their hit “Umbrella” had everyone singing their hearts out. Billboard breaks down their sound as chart-conquering jams, fusing the two genres at an atomic level with zooming keys and gentle-but-insistent percussion.
Mike Will Made-It, who is holding it down for the millennials, elevated the sounds of Future, Rae Sremmurd, and Miley Cyrus. Mike produced Rae Sremmurd’s Hot 100 smash hit “Black Beatles,” which had everyone doing the “Mannecan challenge.”
Out of all the great producers on the list, pop music producer Max Martin landed at number one for working with Taylor Swift on one of the biggest albums of the 2010s.
