25 essential albums produced by Tony Visconti
No, they're not all David Bowie albums—we tossed in a few T. Rex classics, too
Music Features Tony Visconti
If only for his lifelong collaboration with David Bowie, Tony Visconti would be among the greatest record producers of the rock era. Visconti and Bowie bonded early in the singer’s career and, together, they assembled an adventurous and enduring catalog anchored by such classics as Low, “Heroes,” and Blackstar.
Visconti, who turns 80 on April 24, has a legacy that extends far beyond Bowie, though. He was instrumental in the creation of glam rock, producing every one of T. Rex’s great albums. He proved himself equally adept at delicate folk-rock and thunderous hard rock. He adapted to the new wave, dabbled with alt-rock on both sides of the Atlantic, helped worldbeat singer Angélique Kidjo win a Grammy, and hasn’t rested on his laurels in recent years, either, making memorable records by Esperanza Spalding and Perry Farrell.
Visconti’s 80th birthday gives us the perfect opportunity to look back at his prodigious career. Not every great record he made can be found on this list of 25 albums, but this selection gives a good idea of the range and depth of his remarkable body of work.
11 Comments
some of my favorite records on this list. Glad to see Flo and Eddie get some love. Some of their best work is singing backup for T Rex.
One of the all-time greats. It’s a shame Visconti always gets short schrift for doing the Berlin trilogy, and people assume Eno was the producer.
I love the specificity of this. Niche humour that rewards those who know, but would probably fall flat for anyone else. The Bowie voice is pretty good, but the other two aren’t even trying. This is like a Family Guy cutaway in an alternate universe where they’re not trying to reach the lowest common denominator.Surprised Eno never did a Music For Elevators album. Just seems like exactly the place it would make sense. I could see Apple getting him to write some music for their office elevators. That’s what I would do.
I’d listen to it!
He created the Windows 95 startup theme from the 90’s. He made it on a Mac.
I had forgotten he’d done Badfinger’s Magic Christian Music. Used to love that album, and just recently got it on CD. And – still love it.
You forgot then-wife Mary Hopkin’s 1971 Apple album Earth Song/Ocean Song.
I’ve never seen that John Hiatt album. The cover is way more New Wave than I would have expected from him.
Did STE write this fresh or is this repasted licensed content from allmusic.com? Anyway had the pleasure of meeting Visconti a few times in Williamsburg when he was working with (i forget her name… Styleez or something?) and he was showing up regularly at Union Pool. Nice guy. Personable. Very… confident.
No love for Fandangos in Space?! That album rules