4 Famous Producers Who Revolutionized Rock Music in the 20th Century

Rock music in the 20th century was constantly evolving in cool new directions. And the producers behind that music were just as responsible for its growth as the bands and musicians that physically performed the music. Let’s take a look at a handful of famous producers who helped revolutionize rock in the 20th century. You probably already know of a few of these producers, but a couple might also be new to you!

Owen Morris

Owen Morris might as well be a household name in the UK, but only diehard Oasis fans know of him in the US (for the most part). Morris produced Definitely Maybe, and his role in the rise of Britpop can’t be ignored.

When working on Definitely Maybe, the band struggled to add density and depth to the record. Morris opted to crank things up, almost to the point of the guitars and drums being pure mud. Most producers would avoid potentially clipping their mix, but Morris had a stroke of genius. This technique, known as brick walling, would become a signature part of Oasis’ sound. Without it, I can’t imagine that Definitely Maybe, despite being well-written, would sound nearly as amazing.

Jeff Lynne

Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty went together like two peas in a pod. And few producers were better suited for Tom Petty’s recordings than Jeff Lynne. Full Moon Fever was the result of Petty’s inarguable talent and Lynne’s good ear. He knew how to clean things up properly, resulting in Petty’s work really shining through. Full Moon Fever is still massively influential today. Into The Great Wide Open received a touch of that magic, too.

Mutt Lange

Where would Def Leppard be without Robert John “Mutt” Lange? Nowhere good, apparently. Lange worked with the band on their most successful records. He almost didn’t produce Hysteria, one of the band’s most enduring records. Fortunately, the band fired the producer they had on board and managed to convince Lange to produce one last album with them. Though, he would later work on Adrenalize.

From High ‘N’ Dry to Pyromania to Hysteria, Lange lent a unique edge to the band’s best releases. He might have been pushy about keeping things tight and perfect, but the results speak for themselves. He set the standard for hard rock bands that followed.

Steve Albini

We wouldn’t have Nirvana’s final, incredible album without Steve Albini. Rather than opting for massively famous producers to potentially overproduce their sound and make them sound even more commercial than they did on Nevermind, the band wanted to work with a tried-and-true expert who had experience with their kind of music. Steve Albini was the best possible choice, as he knew how to balance the rawness of their sound with tender moments that made it to the album. In Utero might have been Kurt Cobain making fun of himself for becoming famous, in a way, but Albini kept the direction of the record straight and listenable. More than listenable, I should say.

Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage

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