The Highest Paid Producers In The Music Industry

Whether you’re tapping your feet to Rihanna’s songs, bobbing your head to Eminem’s rap or dancing in the club on a rock number, one usually gives all the credit to the singer or musician of the song. Only a few people give consideration to the producer, who had actually spent enormous amounts of time and effort before the song came out. Producers are actually the backbone of the song. They make sure that every detail of the song sound clear and crisp to the audience. They make relevant changes in the lyrics, music notes and even artists, in order to deliver only the highest quality product.

Be it movies or music, producers are hardly acknowledged for the work they do to bring out the product. This is because their major share of work begins right from the time when the project is completely raw. Producers are bestowed with the responsibility of shaping the uncut diamond into a princess cut. They spend enormous time in developing the skills of artists to match the expectations of critics, fans and record labels.

In this post, we have listed down top 10 music producers who may or may not have gained the credit for all of their songs in their career journey, but definitely enjoyed a remarkable stand in the industry. All the listed producers have dedicated a major part of their lives in finding, developing and honing the skills of various famous artists like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Madonna and many more. You’ll be surprised to know how significant of a role they all have played in bringing out the best music to your ears. Let’s take a look at the best and highest paid producers in music of all time.

10. T-Bone Burnett- Net Worth $15 Million 

Joseph Henry Burnett, famously known as T-Bone Burnett is an American soundtrack producer, record producer and songwriter. Burnett has an estimated net worth of $15 million. He is a legendary music producer in the industry, with a record of three decades in this successful career. He is enormously experienced in delivery traditional American soundtracks. His associations have always been with some of the top stars of the industry like The Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Allison Krauss, Elvis Costello, just to mention a few.

9. The Neptunes- Net Worth of $155 Million

A group consisting of two talented gentlemen, Chad Hugo and Pharell Williams was formed in 1990. Initially, it was a group of four people, but later downsized to two. The duo has recorded many top artists in U.S. including Britney Spears, Busta Rhymes, Robin Thicke, Clipse, Justin Timberlake and more. They have helped many artists to re-launch their careers in the late 1990′s-2000′s. In 2009, The Neptunes ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s list of Top 10 music producers of the decade.

8. Butch Vig- Net Worth of $60 Million 

Before he attained the position of music producer, the American music producer, Butch Vig was a singer-turned-drummer. He is best known as the producer of Nevermind by Nirvana. Nervermind was a diamond selling album in 1991. With his recording studio, Smart Studio, Butch got the opportunity to work with some of the biggest music artists in the Indie region including: The Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, The Foo Fighters and Nirvana. He is known to deliver some astonishing hit grunge records. Vig also produced the featured song on the Twilight Saga film Eclipse, “Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)” by the English rock band Muse. The net worth of Butch Vig is $60 million, which he earned as a music producer and drummer of the band, Garbage.

7. Daniel Lanois- Net Worth of $55+ Million 

Daniel Lanois is a Canadian record producer, songwriter, vocalist and guitarist. Lanois has produced a number of successful albums with Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and many more artists. He is well known for his works for “The Unforgettable Fire” by U2 and Peter Gabriel’s “So”. He is one of the most subtle and sought after producers of urban rock bands. Lanois has an estimated net worth over $55 million.

6. Phil Spector- Net Worth of $100 Million 

In the 60′s, Phil Spector emerged as an exceptional musician, songwriter and instrumentalist. After making his mark as a musician, he went ahead to form associations with big stars of that time like John Lennon, Tina Turner, John Lenno, George Harrison, and the Ramones. Spector has an estimated net worth of $100 million.

He was a co-founder of Philles Records, and later became the sole owner. He has earned a major share of his net worth as a record producer and songwriter for various well-known artists.

5. Max Martin- Net Worth of $250 Million 

Born in 1971, Max Martin is a Swedish music producer and songwriter that has an estimated net worth of $250 million. The major part of his net worth is earned by writing songs for popular bands such as The Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears and many more. However, he got his breakthrough success with a series of Backstreet Boys songs which includes, “I want it that way”, “Quit playing games” and “Everybody”. “It’s my life” by Bon Jovi was another super hit that made him a celebrity producer of the decade. His collaborations with Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Pink and others made him one of the top music producers.

4. Dr. Dre- Net Worth of $360 Million

Dr. Dre may not have launched any new albums in the last decade, but his contribution as a music producer cannot be neglected. He has reaped numerous awards in his career for delivering successful albums with 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Tupac and Ice Cube. This super-producer and rapper, has an estimated net worth of $360 million. He expanded his wealth by forming associations with Beats headphone and the HP laptop line. His total earning as of 2012 was $110 million.

3. Berry Gordy- Net Worth of $345 Million 

Berry Gordy, a record executive, record producer, and film producer has an estimated net worth of $345 million dollars. He is the founder and president of Motown Records. Gordy is responsible for shaping the career of various artists which includes Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Marvelettes and The Jackson 5.

Gordy had a successful approach to launch and market the African American music that appealed to all audiences worldwide.

2. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis- Combined Net Worth of $55 Million 

Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam are known to make their every single piece a hit. This is a team of two super talented songwriters and record producers. Since 1980, the duo has enjoyed huge successes with various artists like Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, The Human League, The SOS Band, Prince and many more. Recently a documentary film, Flyte Tyme was made focusing on their label and achievements. The net worth of Jimmy Jam is $30 million, while Terry Lewis enjoys the net worth of $25 million. Both of them have earned their share of money through writing and producing records.

1.Rick Rubin- Net Worth of $400 Million 

Rick Rubin, an American music producer with a net worth of $400 million. Rick Rubin is one of the top-notch music producers in the industry working on American music style. He is the co-president of Columbia Records. He also founded Def Jam Records during his college days with partnership of his friend Russell Simmons. Together, they revolutionized the music industry by launching the hip-hop musical genre. Rubin has produced records for a diverse range of artists which includes, Beastie Boys, Metallica, the Dixie Chicks, Kanye West, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Jay Z and many more.