What do u guys think?

I don't agree but this is an interesting argument.

The Technological Exhaustion Of Music : Why Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis Are The Best Producers Ever

“Terry and Jimmy aren’t into the Minneapolis sound. They’re into making every single one of their records a hit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, we’re just different.”

- Prince

“Music is the art, the craft, and the science of organizing sound and silence in the framework of time.”

- Michael Miller

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 12: (L-R) Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam attend BET Honors 2013: Red Carpet Presented By Pantene at Warner Theatre on January 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Image credit: Getty Images for BET via @daylife)

My six years of public insistence that Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis are the greatest music producers of all-time may be styled as a hobby horse born of either great delusion or divine inspiration. I lean to the latter of course, and have never been moved by suggestions that Beatles’ producer Sir George Henry Martin or the songwriter-producer partnership of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for Elvis Presley are superior.

And what of Phil Spector or Joe Meek - are they on the level of Jam & Lewis?

As Jadakiss says on “Oil Money Gang,”child please.

LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. (R) hits Canelo Alvarez in the fifth round of their WBC/WBA 154-pound title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 14, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather won by majority decision. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

But I do understand the initial resistance to my G.O.A.T. nomination- which I inevitably wear down with Mayweather-like precision. Those who argue against FlyteTyme‘s seat on the throne usually do so without a full knowledge of their catalog and a hint of dismissal for their musicianship. So when the case is made, the stats are displayed (100 Billboard top 10 songs 16 #1 Hot 100 hits and 26 R&B #1s) and the evidence mounts, the resistant party leaves debate not insulted or irritated but in awe and Canelo Alvarez-like confusion – not only at the sheer output of the tandem but even more so because they did not know about it. It all just adds to the mystique of the song-writing team par excellence –who’ve been everywhere and yet no where, at the same time.

But the head-shaking is not reserved to Jam & Lewis non-believers. Even supposed die-hards like myself can be caught slipping. My latest episode comes courtesy of the streaming music service Rhapsody which in an August ‘Producer’s Spotlight’ curated a Jam & Lewis track list (a primer I highly recommend). Unbeknownst to me, an under the radar favorite of mine from 1983 - “When You’re Far Away...; The Pips appeared.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/cedricmuhammad/2013/09/30/the-technological-exhaustion-of-music-why-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewis-are-the-best-producers-ever/

They are massive and possibly the greatest ever, sure! So many great hits...

No.

those who are saying no should post who they believe are better.

lowkey said:

those who are saying no should post who they believe are better.

Prince.................for starters.

Graycap23 said:

lowkey said:

those who are saying no should post who they believe are better.

Prince.................for starters.

I knew that was coming.

Better as an artist yes but better as a producer hellllll no.

phunkdaddy said:

Graycap23 said:

Prince.................for starters.

I knew that was coming.

Better as an artist yes but better as a producer hellllll no.

He produced the Best artist that ever lived.............

Graycap23 said:

They're a great talent, its so nice to see them get props and recognition. However the "best" "ever" shit is so played out, its highly subjective especially by genre. The only winner should be the ears of the listener! I lurve JJTL.

BlackCat1985 said:

Graycap23 said:

He produced the Best artist that ever lived.............

Who Michael Jackson??? I wasn't aware of this....Lol y'all be trippin'

Ohh larwd............

TheGoldStandard said:

They're a great talent, its so nice to see them get props and recognition. However the "best" "ever" shit is so played out, its highly subjective especially by genre. The only winner should be the ears of the listener! I lurve JJTL.

I'll have 2 agree.

Graycap23 said:

phunkdaddy said:

I knew that was coming.

Better as an artist yes but better as a producer hellllll no.

He produced the Best artist that ever lived.............

I didn't know Prince produced Sun Ra

BlackCat1985 said:

Graycap23 said:

He produced the Best artist that ever lived.............

Who Michael Jackson??? I wasn't aware of this....Lol y'all be trippin'

I may be mistaken but there is never any qualification provided as to what makes Jam and
Lewis the best producer ever, right? Sure, they've got tons of hits but hits alone makes
one the "best"?

phil spector ?

There is no such thing as the "best" of anything. It's all asubjective matter of opinion.

[Edited 6/26/15 17:23pm]

purplethunder3121 said:

There is no such thing as the "best" of anything. It's all asubjective matter of opinion.

[Edited 6/26/15 17:23pm]

End thread here...

Cinny said:

purplethunder3121 said:

There is no such thing as the "best" of anything. It's all asubjective matter of opinion.

[Edited 6/26/15 17:23pm]

How about the most diverse producer?

tony visconti

phunkdaddy said:

Graycap23 said:

Prince.................for starters.

I knew that was coming.

Better as an artist yes but better as a producer hellllll no.

I agree with this.Prince is a musical genuis,but as a producer of other artists....the results are mixed.

I would say that Gamble and Huff are the greatest producers.....with Thom Bell being a close second.

phunkdaddy said:

laurarichardson said:

phunkdaddy said:

I knew that was coming.

Better as an artist yes but better as a producer hellllll no.

I guess you forgot he produced the The Time and they ripped his sound for Janet.

Not at all Laura. What you're not realizing is Jimmy and Terry expanded their production

style beyond the Minneapolis sound. Case in

point Right Kind of Lover Patti Labelle, Money Can't Buy Love Ralph Tresvant, Janet Jackson You

Ain't Right. I'm not even saying Prince wasn't great at production or Jimmy and Terry were

the best ever, I'm just saying Jimmy and Terry were a little better than Prince on the production

end of it even though Prince was the teacher.