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
  • 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
Prince at a press conference where he officially changed his name from the Artist back to Prince. 5/16/00 Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect
Artists Back in 1999, Prince offered his opinion on the new generation of DAW-based musicians and producers
John Mayer [left] plays his signature PRS Silver Sky live onstage in 2025. George Harrison plays a Les Paul during a 1975 live performance.
Artists Don Was on how John Mayer “might” be even better than George Harrison – but they definitely have one thing in common
roger sanchez
Artists "Steve Lukather said: ‘Here’s a record that some DJ turned into a No 1. I can’t stand it.’ He got 90% of the publishing rights, so he can’t have been that mad!": How Roger Sanchez turned an '80s Toto ballad into a 2001 dance anthem
stem splitter
Tech I tested 11 of the best stem separation tools – and you might already have the winner in your DAW
A pair of AKG K712 Pro studio headphones on a Neumann KU 100 dummy head
Headphones Best studio headphones 2026: my pick of cans for mixing, mastering, and monitoring - tested by a working musician and producer
Lana Del Rey
Artists “It was too dark, too personal, too risky, not commercial”: The story of Lana Del Rey’s breakthrough hit
Pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors sat on a case
Studio Monitors Best in-ear monitors 2025: IEMs for stage and studio
An Asus ProArt P16 laptop on a desk with music production gear
Computers Best laptop for music production 2026: For home studios and mobile music-making - tested by experts
An Arturia MicroLab Mk3 on a desk with a pair of headphones
Midi Controllers Best MIDI keyboards 2025: Find the perfect match for your studio workflow
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2026: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
A pair of KRK Systems Kreate 5 studio monitors in a studio
Studio Monitors Best budget studio monitors 2025: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Tech Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
Apple iMac M4
Computers Best PCs for music production 2025: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
A selection of PA systems in out testing studio
Speakers Best portable PA systems 2026: Lightweight and mobile PA solutions for musicians and events
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  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
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
 
 
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
 
 
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
 
 
chris lake
“People have been imitating my sound for a long time, but now someone can type a prompt and make a song that sounds like Chris Lake – that's wild!”: Chris Lake on how AI is putting music-making “under threat”
 
 
MPH
“I got woken up at 3 AM by a fan spamming my DMs. I’m still in disbelief”: UKG phenom MPH on featuring in Thomas Bangalter’s comeback DJ set
 
 
Apple iMac M4
Best PCs for music production 2025: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
 
 
Latest in Djs
Prince at a press conference where he officially changed his name from the Artist back to Prince. 5/16/00 Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect
Back in 1999, Prince offered his opinion on the new generation of DAW-based musicians and producers
 
 
Mick Jagger And Norman Cook- Fatboy Slim- At The David Bowie Party At Pop, Soho Street, London
“It is thoroughly road tested and fit for purpose”: Fatboy Slim’s Satisfaction Skank bootleg is finally released
 
 
Green square on a cream background
"This record shouldn’t, strictly speaking, be possible at all”: Here's Autechre – reinterpreted on acoustic guitar
 
 
user18081971, aka Aphex Twin, on Souncloud
“Got many requests for this one from a few years back”: Aphex Twin uploads new tracks to his Soundcloud page
 
 
Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica
Is God a DJ? Pope makes appearance at religious rave in Slovakia
 
 
Fabric DJ Getty Images
UK electronic musicians aren't getting the royalties they deserve, according to a new report
 
 
Latest in News
Bob Weir in 2023
"There is no final curtain here, not really": Bob Weir, Grateful Dead co-founder, dies aged 78
 
 
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 4: American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, and filmmaker Prince (1958-2016) and American guitarist, singer-songwriter and member of the Revolution Wendy Melvoin perform onstage during the 1984 Purple Rain Tour on November 4, 1984, at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Ross Marino/Getty Images)
How Prince and The Revolution turned the bare bones of Purple Rain into a lighters-in-the-air epic
 
 
 Iconic female rap group Salt-N-Pepa members Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper)
"Did not establish they ever owned the copyrights to their sound recordings": Salt N Pepa lose legal battle with Universal
 
 
DAVID BYRNE AND OLIVIA RODRIGO
“I actually cried when I heard his version of this song”: Olivia Rodrigo on David Byrne's cover of Drivers License
 
 
Buddy Guy [left] smiles as he takes a solo on his Fender Stratocaster. He wears a red jacket and black hat. Billy Gibbons [right] wears shades, a wide-brimmed hat and a red blazer as he plays his custom SG-style electric with the V-style headstock.
Billy Gibbons on the tip Buddy Guy gave him after they jammed a T-Bone Walker classic
 
 
Pat Smear performs onstage during the FIREAID Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at The Kia Forum on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California
“In the classic tradition…”: Pat Smear is out of upcoming Foo Fighters dates after “bizarre gardening accident”
 
 

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...