6 of the Most Influential Rock Producers

Who an artist chooses as a producer can make or break their project. Sometimes it’s that guiding force behind the scenes that pushes a musician into the perfect creative headspace to deliver their best work yet. And sometimes a producer can become a nagging force behind the scenes that pushes a musician away and leads to turmoil.

In the case of all of the rock producers below, they managed to become heralded by musicians the world over, helping to create landmark album after landmark album. From Mutt Lange to George Martin, these producers garnered a reputation for being some of the most influential forces in rock history.

6. Rick Rubin

Of all the producers on this list, Rick Rubin is the least traditional. Rubin takes a “hands-off” approach to his producing—literally. He rarely touches the soundboard and instead opts to transform an artist’s work by asking thought-provoking questions that open them up to new possibilities.

Rubin has worked in a myriad of genres across his career, but his biggest feats in the rock space were with Black Sabbath, Tom Petty, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. When listening to RHCP’s Californication or Sabbath’s 13, you can hear a marked shift away from their usual sound.

5. Ted Templeman

Ted Templeman started his journey in music with a recording career of his own—though he didn’t make it very far. He then set his sights on a career behind the scenes and took an A&R position at Warner Bros. He later turned that opportunity into one that saw him become one of the most diverse producers of all time.

His most notable work was made alongside Van Halen. Templeman produced the group’s first six records. Elsewhere he produced records for Eric Clapton, The Doobie Brothers, Little Feat, Carly Simon, and more.

4. Mutt Lange

If you were planning on making a blockbuster rock album in the ’80s, you wanted Mutt Lange in your corner. The producer helped to craft albums worthy of a stadium set for AC/DC, Def Leppard, Foreigner, the Cars, and more. To lead these artists to their immense success, Lange married big rock drums, guitars, and vocals with an easily digestible pop sensibility.

He later helped Shania Twain pull off a similar balancing act in the ’90s with three of her biggest albums. Their second effort together, Come on Over, helped her to secure cross-over success into the pop mainstream.

3. Jimmy Iovine

Jimmy Iovine was the puppeteer behind some of the biggest rock albums of the late ’70s and the early ’80s. From Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedos to Stevie Nicks’ solo debut, Bella Donna, Iovine played a large role in crafting these rockers’ iconic sound.

While his guiding hand in the recording studio was clearly effective, according to Iovine, one of his greatest strengths was knowing when to get out of the way. “This is about the artist and it’s about the music,” he once said. “It’s not about you.”

2. Phil Spector

Though Phil Spector’s reputation has become sullied by a murder charge (which he served time for, leading to his dying in prison) he did revolutionize the recording industry. His influence cannot be denied.

Spector’s calling card is the “Wall of Sound” technique, which sees a producer add layer upon layer of vocal lines and instrumentation to a recording. The end result is a rich piece of music that comes through your speakers and hits you hard. No Spector-produced tune is for playing in the background. They demand attention.

That unique perspective helped Spector to secure name-making hits for the likes of George Harrison, The Ronettes, and Ike & Tina Turner.

1. George Martin

George Martin earned a reputation as the “Fifth Beatle,” because his contributions to the Fab Four’s records were so integral. Like most of the producers on this list, Martin revolutionized recording techniques that would go on to shape the Beatles’ sound—namely multi-track recording and tape manipulation.

Outside of his work with the Beatles, Martin helped to secure chart-topping hits for the likes of America, Cheap Trick, Little River Band, and more. Though his work with anyone else will inevitably be overshadowed by his work with the Beatles, his full catalog shows the wide breadths of his ability in the producer’s chair.

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