Showing posts with label George Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George Martin. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

The Top 50 Producers of All Time

Producers:

Top 50

These are the top 50 record producers (with some of the best-known artists they’ve produced in parentheses) as determined by aggregating the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

See other lists of Acts/Music Makers by Categories.

1. George Martin (America, The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney)
2. Phil Spector (The Beatles, John Lennon, The Righteous Brothers, The Ronettes, The Shirelles)
3. Dr. Dre (Mary J. Blige, Eminem, 50 Cent, NWA, Snoop Dogg)
4. Rick Rubin (Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run-D.M.C.)
5. Sam Phillips (Howlin’ Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley)
6. Brian Eno (David Bowie, Coldplay, Talking Heads, U2)
7. Butch Vig (Garbage, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth)
8. Robert “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Bryan Adams, The Cars, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Shania Twain)
9. Quincy Jones (Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra)
10. Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland (Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Martha & the Vandellas)

11. Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys)
12. Timbaland (Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake)
13. Todd Rundgren (Cheap Trick, Grand Funk Railroad, Meat Loaf, New York Dolls, XTC)
14. Chris Thomas (INXS, Pretenders, Roxy Music, Sex Pistols)
15. T-Bone Burnett (John Mellencamp, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, The Wallflowers)
16. Daniel Lanois (Bob Dylan, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, U2)
17. Tom Dowd (Allman Brothers Band, James Brown, Eric Clapton, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Rod Stewart)
18. Lee “Scratch” Perry (The Clash, Bob Marley & The Wailers)
19. Jerry Wexler (Ray Charles, The Drifters, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave)
20. Glyn Johns (Eagles, Steve Miller Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who)

21. Tony Visconti (Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Sparks, Talking Heads)
22. Jimmy Page (The Firm, Led Zeppelin, John Mayall)
23. Trevor Horn (The Buggles, Paul McCartney, Simple Minds, Yes)
24. Berry Gordy Jr. (Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder)
25. Brendan O’Brien (Black Crowes, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Stone Temple Pilots)
26. John Hammond (Count Basie, Charlie Christian, Bob Dylan, Bilie Holiday, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan)
27. David Foster (Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, Chicago, Celine Dion, Josh Groban)
28. Norman Whitfield (Gladys Knight & the Pips, Rose Royce, Edwin Starr, The Temptations)
29. John Cale (The Modern Lovers, Patti Smith, Squeeze, The Stooges)
30. Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd)

31. Eddie Kramer (Peter Frampton, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, Led Zeppelin)
32. Joe Meek (Ritchie Blackmore, Tom Jones, singer, Screaming Lord Sutch)
33. The Neptunes (Kelis, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake)
34. Alan Parsons (Ambrosia, The Hollies, Pink Floyd, Al Stewart)
35. Shel Talmy (David Bowie, The Kinks, The Small Faces, The Who)
36. Ted Macero (Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald)
37. Steve Albini (Breeders, Nirvana, Pixies)
38. Jimmy Iovine (Dire Straits, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Simple Minds, U2)
39. Phil Ramone (Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, James Taylor)
40. Jimmy Miller (Spencer Davis Group, The Rolling Stones, Traffic)

41. Dave Edmunds (Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stray Cats)
42. Kanye West (Common, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, John Legend)
43. Kenneth Gamble/Leon Huff (The Jacksons, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, The O’Jays) 44. Ted Templeman (The Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Van Halen)
45. Hugh Padgham (Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, The Police, Sting)
46. Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Del Shannon, Traveling Wilburys)
47. Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller (The Clovers, The Coasters, The Drifters, Jay & the Americans)
48. Owen Bradley (Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty)
49. Bob Rock (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Metallica)
50. Mark Ronson (Adele, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse)

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 3/14/2012; last updated 1/26/2022.

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Sunday, March 22, 2020

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Music Maker Inductees (March 2020)

Originally posted 3/22/2020; last updated 5/21/2021.

January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog! To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This fifth batch of music maker inductees celebrates the top 10 music makers who made their names primarily as producers and record executives.

Clive Davis (1932-)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Record producer and executive born 4/4/1932 in Brooklyn, NY. President of Columbia Records from 1967-72. Founder/president of Arista Records from the late 1970s to 2000. Founder of J Records. Chairman and CEO of RCA Music Group from 2003-08. Has produced albums for Air Supply, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny G, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Santana, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, Luther Vandross, and Dionne Warwick. Read more.

Buddy DeSylva (1895-1950)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Songwriter, film producer, and record executive born George Gard DeSylva on 1/27/1895 in New York City, NY. Also known as B.G. DeSylva. Founded Capitol Records with Johnny Mercer. His songwriting credits included Al Jolson’s “April Showers” and “Sonny Boy,” both featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953. Read more.

Brian Eno (1948-)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Rock keyboardist and producer born Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno on 5/15/1948 in Woodridge, England. Was a member of Roxy Music (1972’s Roxy Music, 1973’s For Your Pleasure) and an ambient solo artist (1975’s Another Green World) before producing for acts including David Bowie (1995’s Outside), Coldplay (2008’s Viva La Vida, Devo (1978’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo), Talking Heads (1980’s Remain in Light), and U2 (1987’s The Joshua Tree 1991’s Achtung Baby). Read more.

Berry Gordy, Jr. (1929-)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Record executive, producer, and songwriter born 11/28/1929 in Detroit, Michigan. As the founder of Motown Records, he launched and/or signed the Four Tops (1966’s “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”), Marvin Gaye (1969’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”), the Jackson 5 (1970’s “I Want You Back”), Michael Jackson (1972’s “Ben”), Martha & the Vandellas (1964’s “Dancing in the Street”), the Miracles (1965’s “The Tracks of My Tears”), the Supremes (1965’s “Stop! In the Name of Love”), the Temptations (1964’s “My Girl”), and Stevie Wonder (1972’s “Superstition”). Read more.

Mutt Lange (1948-)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Rock and pop producer born Robert John Lange on 11/11/1948 in Mufulira, Northern Ireland. Has worked with AC/DC (1979’s Highway to Hell, 1980’s Back in Black), Bryan Adams (Waking Up the Neighbours), Def Leppard (1987’s Hysteria), Celine Dion (1999’s All the Way…A Decade of Song), Foreigner (1981’s 4), Lady Gaga (2011’s Born This Way), and Britney Spears (2000’s Oops!...I Did It Again). Also married and produced country star Shania Twain (1995’s The Woman in Me, 1997’s Come on Over, 2002’s Up!). Read more.

George Martin (1926-2016)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Pop/rock producer born 1/3/1926 in Highbury, London, England. Died 3/8/2016. Best known for working with the Beatles (from 1962’s Please Please Me through 1969’s Abbey Road), but also worked with America, Jeff Beck (1975’s Blow by Blow, Cheap Trick, Little River Band (1981’s Time Exposure, Paul McCartney (1982’s Tug of War, and Kenny Rogers, Read more.

Jimmy Miller (1942-1994)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Record producer born 3/23/1942 in Brooklyn, New York. Died 10/22/1994. Best known for working with the Rolling Stones on what is considered one of the best four-album runs in history with Beggars Banquet (1968), Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), and Exile on Main Street (1972). He also worked with Ginger Baker (1970’s Air Force, Blind Faith (1969’s Blind Faith), Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (1969’s On Tour with Eric Clapton), Primal Scream (1991’s Screamadelica), Johnny Thunders, and Traffic (1967’s Mr. Fantasy, 1968’s Traffic). Read more.

Sam Phillips (1923-2003)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Producer born 1/5/1923 in Florence, AL. Died 7/30/2003. His Sun Records label launched the careers of Elvis Presley (1954’s “That’s All Right, Mama”), Johnny Cash (1955’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” 1956’s “I Walk the Line”), Jerry Lee Lewis (1957’s “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”), Roy Orbison (1956’s “Ooby Dooby”), Howlin’ Wolf, and Carl Perkins (1956’s “Blue Suede Shoes”). He also produced “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (1951), which some consider the first rock and roll song. Read more.

Rick Rubin (1963-)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Record executive (Def Jam, American Recordings, Columbia) and producer born Frederick Jay Rubin on 3/10/1963 in Long Beach, NY. Best known for his work with heavy metal groups and rap artists. Did production work for AC/DC, Adele (2011’s 21, Audioslave, Beastie Boys (1986’s Licensed to Ill), Black Crowes, Sheryl Crow, Dixie Chicks (2006’s Taking the Long Way), Eminem, Jay-Z (2003’s The Black Album), Linkin Park, LL Cool J, Metallica, Tom Petty, Public Enemy (1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back), Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik), Run-D.M.C. (1986’s Raising Hell), Shakira, Ed Sheeran (2014’s Multiply), Slayer (1986’s Reign in Blood), System of a Down, Justin Timberlake (2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds), Kanye West. Revived the career of Johnny Cash in the 1990s (1994’s American Recordings). Read more.

Phil Spector (1939-2021)

Inducted March 2020 as a “Top 10 Producer.”

Pop/rock producer born 12/26/1939 in Brooklyn, NY. Noted for developing the "Wall of Sound" approach to recording. During the ‘60s, he worked with the Crystals (“Da Doo Ron Ron,” “He’s a Rebel”), the Dixie Cups (“Chapel of Love”), Ben E. King (“Spanish Harlem”), the Ramones, the Righteous Brothers (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “Unchained Melody”), the Ronettes (“Be My Baby”), and Ike & Tina Turner (“River Deep, Mountain High”). He also produced the Beatles’ last album (1970’s Let It Be) and solo albums for John Lennon (1970’s Plastic Ono Band, 1971’s Imagine), and George Harrison (1970’s All Things Must Pass). Read more.

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Sunday, January 13, 2019

Today in Music (1969): The Beatles released the Yellow Submarine soundtrack

Yellow Submarine (soundtrack)

The Beatles

Released: January 13, 1969

Recorded: 1966-1968

Peak: 2 US, 3 UK, 12 CN, 4 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK, 5.94 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: pop/rock

Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

You can check out the Beatles’ complete singles discography here.

  1. Yellow Submarine [2:40]
  2. Only a Northern Song (Harrison) [3:23]
  3. All Together Now [2:08]
  4. Hey Bulldog [3:09]
  5. It’s All Too Much (Harrison) [6:27]
  6. All You Need Is Love [3:48]
  7. Pepperland (George Martin) [2:18]
  8. Sea of Time (Martin) [3:00]
  9. Sea of Holes (Martin) [2:16]
  10. Sea of Monsters (Martin) [3:35]
  11. March of the Meanies (Martin) [2:16]
  12. Pepperland Laid Waste (Martin) [2:09]
  13. Yellow Submarine in Pepperland (Lennon/McCartney, arranged by Martin) [2:10]

Songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney unless noted otherwise.

Total Running Time: 39:16

The Players:

  • John Lennon (vocals, guitar)
  • Paul McCartney (vocals, bass)
  • George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
  • Ringo Starr (drums, vocals) George Martin (orchestral works)

Rating:

2.895 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)

Awards:

Yellow Submarine (songtrack)

The Beatles

Released: September 13, 1999

Recorded: 1965-1968

Peak: 15 US, 8 UK, 12 CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 1.28 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: pop/rock

Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

You can check out the Beatles’ complete singles discography here.

  1. Yellow Submarine [2:40]
  2. Hey Bulldog [3:09]
  3. Eleanor Rigby [2:11]
  4. Love You To [3:00]
  5. All Together Now [2:08]
  6. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds [3:28]
  7. Think for Yourself [2:19]
  8. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [2:02]
  9. With a Little Help from My Friends [2:44]
  10. Baby You’re a Rich Man [3:03]
  11. Only a Northern Song [3:23]
  12. All You Need Is Love [3:48]
  13. When I’m Sixty-Four [2:37]
  14. Nowhere Man [2:44]
  15. It’s All Too Much (Harrison) [6:27]

Total Running Time: 45:31

The Players:

  • John Lennon (vocals, guitar)
  • Paul McCartney (vocals, bass)
  • George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
  • Ringo Starr (drums, vocals)

Rating:

3.678 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

About the Album:

This is the most unnecessary entry in the Beatles’ catalog. This soundtrack was released to accompany their 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine. Unfortunately, it only featured four new Beatles’ songs (none of which are vital) alongside two previously released songs (“Yellow Submarine” and “All You Need Is Love”) and a whopping seven orchestral pieces by George Martin. It wasn’t the first time a Beatles’ soundtrack had been padded with unnecessary filler from Martin; he also had numbers featured on the U.S. soundtracks for A Hard Day’s Night and Help! However, both of those could be avoided by going with the UK versions that were fully realized Beatles albums.

A Keno’s Classic Rock Album Review in February 2018 says the album “isn’t anywhere as bad as some Beatles fans make it out to be.” KN However, Keno acknowledges that “if you aren’t into orchestral music, you won’t care for it at all.” KN

An Overshadowed Release

The movie premiered in London in July 1968. However, the soundtrack wasn’t released until January 1969. The album was apparently delayed so it wouldn’t clash with The Beatles (aka “The White Album”). However, that album wasn’t released until November 1968. A soundtrack – ideally an EP of just the new songs – could easily have been released to coincide with the movie and not take away attention from an album that was released four months later.

The eventual release of the soundtrack was not considered very significant, and it was the only Beatles album to fail to top either the UK or U.S. album chart.

A Potential EP

An EP of the four new songs was considered for September 1968, which would have been a far better plan – and more respectful of fans. That plan, however, was scrapped, again because of plans to release The White Album. Once again, however, there were plans to release an EP, which would have also included the then-unreleased “Across the Universe,” in March 1969. Unfortunately, that release was scuttled as well. WK1

Yellow Submarine “Songtrack” Album

In 1999, a re-envisioned version of the soundtrack was released that kept the six Beatles songs but eliminated the George Martin orchestral pieces, replacing them with the Beatles’ songs actually featured in the film, with the exception of “A Day in the Life.” It was omitted to avoid over-representation of songs from the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

The New Songs

Here are details on the four new songs from the soundtrack.

Only a Northern Song

The Beatles

Writer(s): George Harrison

Lead vocals: George Harrison

Released: Yellow Submarine (soundtrack, 1/13/1969)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.59 streaming

About the Song:

On the “subpar” KN “Only a Northern Song,” George sounds like he “might fall asleep before he finishes up singing the song.” KN It’s “really the only poor track on the entire album.” KN

All Together Now

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: Paul McCartney with John Lennon

Released: Yellow Submarine (soundtrack, 1/13/1969)

Peak: 22 CL Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.95 streaming

About the Song:

A

Hey Bulldog

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon with Paul McCartney

Released: Yellow Submarine (soundtrack, 1/13/1969)

Peak: 11 CL Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.10 streaming

Covered by: Dave Grohl with Jeff Lynne (2014)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

John Lennon’s “Hey Bulldog” is “an excellent tune.” KN

It’s All Too Much

The Beatles

Writer(s): George Harrison

Lead vocals: George Harrison

Released: Yellow Submarine (soundtrack, 1/13/1969)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.40 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

George Harrison wrote this about the Summer of Love, which took place in 1967. KN

Resources/References

  • KN Keno’s Classic Rock Album Reviews
  • WK1 Wikipedia page for the Yellow Submarine soundtrack
  • WK2 Wikipedia page for the Yellow Submarine “songtrack” album released in 1999

    Related DMDB Pages:

    First posted 8/20/2025.

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    Thursday, June 1, 2017

    Today in Music (1967): The Beatles “A Day in the Life” released on Sgt. Pepper’s

    A Day in the Life

    The Beatles

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    Monday, February 13, 2017

    Today in Music (1967): The Beatles released “Strawberry Fields Forever”

    Strawberry Fields Forever

    The Beatles

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    Friday, August 5, 2016

    50 years ago: The Beatles released “Eleanor Rigby”

    Eleanor Rigby

    The Beatles

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    Friday, December 18, 2015

    50 years ago: The Beatles “We Can Work It Out” hit #1 in UK

    We Can Work It Out

    The Beatles

    Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

    Released: December 3, 1965

    First Charted: December 9, 1965

    Peak: 13 US, 14 CB, 12 HR, 1 CL, 15 UK, 11 CN, 17 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.)

    Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 1.42 UK

    Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, 114.5 video, -- streaming

    Awards:

    Click on award for more details.

    About the Song:

    “We Can Work It Out” was recorded during the sessions for the Rubber Soul era and released in the UK as a stand-alone single in December 1965. In the U.S., the song appeared on the album Yesterday…and Today, sort of a hodge-podge of singles and album cuts which hadn’t been released stateside in album form. The song, backed by John Lennon’s “Day Tripper,” soared to #1 on December 18 in the UK and January 8 in the United States.

    The song was inspired by an argument Paul McCartney had with his then-girlfriend Jane Asher. He offers “passive-aggressively, pleading for his significant other to see things from his perspective in the same breath as he threatens to bolt out the door.” SG However, the song also showcases Paul’s typically “upbeat, optimistic verses” KL about how “we can work it out.” As John Lennon said, “You could say that he provided a lightness, an optimism, while I would always go for the sadness.” FB

    Indeed, John “crashes in with the bitter-sweet middle eight which gives the song its bite.” KL He contributes lines here such as “Life is very short / And there’s no time / For fussing and fighting, my friend.” As John explained, “I’d be the one to figure out where to go with a song – a story that Paul would start. In a lot of the songs, my stuff is the ‘middle eight,’ the bridge.’” FB Producer George Martin affirms that the two “never really collaborated. They were never Rodgers and Hart. They were songwriters who helped each other out with little bits and pieces.” FB

    Recorded at the beginning of their more experimental phase, the song showcased how the Beatles could “take a simple-enough tune about a romantic disagreement and use it as a way to futz around with organ sounds and time signatures – to keep things interesting for themselves, or maybe to let their audience grow with them.” SG

    Resources:

    • DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Beatles
    • DMDB page for “Day Tripper”
    • FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 191.
    • KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh. (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press: London, UK.
    • SG Stereogum (8/24/2018). “The Number Ones” by Tom Breihan

    Related Links:

    First posted 6/23/2022.

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    Thursday, December 3, 2015

    Today in Music (1965): The Beatles “In My Life” released on the Rubber Soul album

    In My Life

    The Beatles

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    Friday, October 9, 2015

    50 years ago: The Beatles hit #1 with “Yesterday”

    Yesterday

    The Beatles

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    Saturday, January 19, 2013

    Today in Music (1963): The Beatles “Please Please Me” charted in UK

    Please Please Me

    The Beatles

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    Thursday, October 11, 2012

    Today in Music (1962):The Beatles “Love Me Do” charted in UK

    Love Me Do

    The Beatles

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    Wednesday, February 29, 2012

    The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s wins the Grammy for Album of the Year: February 29, 1968







    Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band rates as the best album of all time according to many sources (just check out its list of awards below). Dave’s Music Database, for one, ranks it as the best album of all time (see the DMDB’s top 100 albums of all time list). However, when Sgt. Pepper’s found itself amongst the nominees for Album of the Year for the Grammys’ 10th annual celebration there was no guarantee it would go home a winner. After all, according to a DMDB blog post last December (“Past Album-of-the-Year Grammy Winners Ranked and Revisited”), the Grammys have picked the wrong album 31 out of 53 times. Considering their strong anti-rock stance in the early years, would it have been surprising to see the Beatles go home losers?





    The most celebrated rock group of all time did win a dozen Grammys over the years, including Best New Artist in 1964 and Song of the Year in 1966 for “Michelle”. Still, a look at the list of those who’ve won the most Grammys reveals some of the Grammy bias. The Beatles’ 12 trophies doesn’t even rank them in the top 10. Georg Solti has the most wins with 31. Alphabetically, here are the acts who have taken home at least 17 Grammys: Pierre Boulez, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Chick Corea, Aretha Franklin, Vince Gill, Vladimir Horowitz, Quincy Jones, Alison Krauss, Henry Mancini, Pat Metheny, Al Schmitt, Georg Solti, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Sturr, U2, Kanye West, John Williams, and Stevie Wonder. There are some impressive names on this list, to be sure. However, would you rank all of these artists ahead of The Beatles? The next time you find yourself in an argument about the greatest musicians of all time, see how well it goes over to claim that polka musician Jimmy Sturr is better than the Beatles.

    However, for the 1968 Album of the Year prize, the Grammys got it right. By they way, here’s what The Beatles were up against:
    • Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim by Frank Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
    • It Must Be Him by Vikki Carr
    • My Cup Runneth Over by Ed Ames
    • Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry

    While there are notable names amongst the nominees, none of these four albums comes close to Sgt. Pepper’s. While that album ranks #1 of all time according to Dave’s Music Database, none of the others even ranks in the top 1000. Thanks for getting this one right, Grammy.



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