Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Black Friday
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
A pair of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro studio headphones on a mixing desk
Headphones Best studio headphones 2025: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
Man presses acoustic bridge pin into an acoustic guitar
Guitar Strings Best acoustic guitar strings 2025: Find your favourite acoustic strings
French DJ, composer and producer David Guetta performs on stage during a concert held on the occasion of France's annual street music festival
Djs “An honour, it means a lot to me”: David Guetta is the World’s Number One DJ – again
dijon
Artists We didn’t expect this rising artist to snag a Producer of the Year nod for the 2026 Grammys - but we’re glad he did
jim-e stack
Tech “You can make the best album ever with just a laptop and plugins”: Jim-E Stack reveals his production secrets
A home music studio with MIDI keyboard, Mac, and dual screens showing a DAW
Recording Best Christmas gifts for music producers 2025: 9 affordable ideas they'll actually use
Lady Gaga and Cirkut
Artists Lady Gaga on why she quickly gelled with "incredibly gifted" Mayhem collaborator, Cirkut
DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Andrew Watt of Earthlings performs live on stage during Ohana Music Festival at Doheny State Beach on September 26, 2025 in Dana Point, California. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)
Artists It took an intervention from Paul McCartney for Mick Jagger to offer Andrew Watt a job with the Rolling Stones
NEW YORK: Todd Rundgren posed at a studio mixing desk in New York in 1974 (Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns)
Artists “Sometimes it’s best not to meet your idols”: Todd Rundgren’s Top 5 favourite album productions
Danny Carey
Drummers 6 of the most inspirational drummers of all time
enya
Artists The making of Enya's Orinoco Flow, the unexpected No. 1 hit that created a New Age superstar
Freddie Mercury holding a Union Jack flag
Artists Which 20th-century band are the top ‘rock’ act in 21st-century Britain?
DarWin
Artists “Most pop music is rubbish now”: Legendary drummer Simon Phillips on producing supergroup DarWin
imad royal
Producers & Engineers “I’m a big preset guy. If a preset’s called Fat Bass, there’s a 90% chance it’s actually a fat bass”: Rico Nasty and Benson Boone producer Imad Royal on saving time and staying focused in the studio
Electronic drum set pioneers: Neil Peart
Electronic Drums 11 trailblazing players who raised the bar for electronic and hybrid drumming
More
  • Pete Townshend on smashing - and fixing - his guitars
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • AI slop hits #1
  • The pain that birthed Don't Speak
  • Europe vs AI
  1. Artists
  2. Djs

The 15 best record producers in the world right now

News
By MusicRadar Team ( Future Music ) published 11 December 2018

Who has reigned on the hit-parade?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

10. Andrew Watt

10. Andrew Watt

The Future Music/Computer Music/MusicRadar Best in music tech 2018 polls received thousands of votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the personalities and gear that have excelled in 2018. Here, we present the best music tech personalities of 2018. 

Taking up positions 15 to 11 are:

15. Tommy Brown
14. Paul Blair
13. Cole M.G.N
12. Mattman & Robin
11. Louis Bell

Kicking off the top 10 we have Andrew Watt...

2018 highlight: Longtime Post Malone collaborator Andrew Watt has been a busy man this year with a string of production credits for the likes of Cardi B, Rita Ora, Future and 5 Seconds of Summer to name but a few.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
9. Joseph Mount

9. Joseph Mount

2018 highlight: The Devon-native and founder of indietronica band Metronomy has very much been a driving force in the production of Robyn’s long-awaited eighth studio album, Honey.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
8. Nate Wonder

8. Nate Wonder

2018 highlight: One half of funk duo Deep Cotton, Wonder has been a major part of the production team that went into creating Janelle Monae’s third and hugely successful album ‘Dirty Computer’.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
7. Chuck Lightning

7. Chuck Lightning

2018 highlight: The other half of funk duo Deep Cotton, Lightning has also been responsible for crafting the sound of ‘Dirty Computer’, which has been nominated for two Grammys this year. Chuck, alongside Nate Wonder and Janelle Monae form The Wondaland Arts Society collective.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
6. Klas Åhlund

6. Klas Åhlund

2018 highlight: Swedish-born Åhlund has worked with the likes of Katy Perry, Alesso, Axwell Ingrosso, Usher and more recently Ellie Goulding and Charlie XCX. This year his work has seen him join up with another finalist, Joseph Mount, on Robyn’s Honey album.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
5. Frank Dukes

5. Frank Dukes

2018 highlight: Adam King Feeney hails from Canada and can boast songwriting and production credits for the likes of Kanye West, Rihanna, Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Fast forward to this year and the in-demand producer has collaborated with Camilla Cabello, The Weeknd, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, to name but a few.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
4. Max Martin

4. Max Martin

2018 highlight: The name Max Martin probably still means very little to much of the general public, despite the fact that the Swedish super-producer can claim to have written more Billboard number one singles than anyone in history other than John Lennon or Paul McCartney. 

From Britney Spears to NSYNC to Usher, the publicity-shy producer has had a hand in some of the biggest pop singles of the past two decades. He rounded off last year with Grammy wins for Album of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
3. Calvin Harris

3. Calvin Harris

2018 highlight: Last year’s winner, Harris continues to define the sound of pop. This year he collaborated on the dancehall-influenced ‘Nuh Ready Nuh Ready', with PartyNextDoor. He then released ‘One Kiss’ with Dua Lipa and ‘Promises’ with Sam Smith.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
2. Mark Ronson

2. Mark Ronson

2018 highlight: Mark Ronson is another producer who continues to sprinkle funky gold wherever he goes. Much talk has been around the collaboration with Miley Cyrus on new single ‘Nothing Breaks Like a Heart’, which will feature on her upcoming seventh studio album.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Winner: Diplo

Winner: Diplo

2018 highlight: It is the will of the people and the will of the people is good (for a change); this year’s best record producer is Diplo, for what has to be the best song of the year, if not decade. Big words, but here at MusicRadar we are absolutely down with Chaka Khan’s ‘Like Sugar’.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
MusicRadar Team
MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

  • GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.
  • TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.
  • STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.
All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more. image
All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more.
Get the latest issue now!
More Info
Read more
French DJ, composer and producer David Guetta performs on stage during a concert held on the occasion of France's annual street music festival
“An honour, it means a lot to me”: David Guetta is the World’s Number One DJ – again
 
 
dijon
We didn’t expect this rising artist to snag a Producer of the Year nod for the 2026 Grammys - but we’re glad he did
 
 
jim-e stack
“You can make the best album ever with just a laptop and plugins”: Jim-E Stack reveals his production secrets
 
 
A home music studio with MIDI keyboard, Mac, and dual screens showing a DAW
Best Christmas gifts for music producers 2025: 9 affordable ideas they'll actually use
 
 
Lady Gaga and Cirkut
Lady Gaga on why she quickly gelled with "incredibly gifted" Mayhem collaborator, Cirkut
 
 
DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Andrew Watt of Earthlings performs live on stage during Ohana Music Festival at Doheny State Beach on September 26, 2025 in Dana Point, California. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)
It took an intervention from Paul McCartney for Mick Jagger to offer Andrew Watt a job with the Rolling Stones
 
 
Latest in Djs
Disclosure
“One of the greatest electronic music songs of all time”: Disclosure officially release their edit of a ‘90s club classic
 
 
Armin Van Buuren piano
“I feel a freedom behind the piano”: Armin Van Buuren on his surprising new musical direction
 
 
Justice
"It saves us 900 hours digging through crates”: Justice on why they gave up sampling
 
 
DJ Seth Troxler performs on stage during the Primavera Sound Festival at Distrito Anhembi on November 5, 2022
“It’s just too emotional”: Seth Troxler is offering €10 an hour to anyone willing to help him clean up his vinyl
 
 
NEW YORK - JULY 11: Mark Ronson performs at the High Line Ballroom on July 11, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Donna Ward/Getty Images)
Mark Ronson on having to come to terms with the fact that he would never be a great guitar player
 
 
French DJ, composer and producer David Guetta performs on stage during a concert held on the occasion of France's annual street music festival
“An honour, it means a lot to me”: David Guetta is the World’s Number One DJ – again
 
 
Latest in News
ValhallaDSP ValhallaFutureVerb
“As close to perfect as we have ever heard”: ValhallaDSP’s new plugin is the product of eight years R&D
 
 
Tidal Upload
Tidal’s new artist-aimed upload service is currently offering ten independent artists $100,000 for publishing directly to the platform
 
 
at the BBC Introcuding SXSW Music Festival Showcase as part of SXSW 2024 Conference and Festivals held at the British Music Embassy - Austin on March 14, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Diego Donamaria/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images)
“So disappointing”: BBC Introducing under fire for featuring artist that uses AI
 
 
babyface
Babyface's recording studio – home to "125 Top 10 hits and 13 Grammy wins" – goes on sale for $7 million
 
 
Rick Rubin and Anthony Kiedis during Lost in Translation DVD Launch Party - Inside at Koi Restaurant in Los Angeles, California, United States. ***Exclusive*** (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
"Anthony sounds old": Rick Rubin's unusual mix feedback on 2006's Stadium Arcadium
 
 
Joshua Olusanya during his record-breaking performance
“My legs began to shake and my fingers cramped": What it’s like to play the trumpet non-stop for 25 hours
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...