Recommendations of the Editorial team
George Martin’s career was long, but his legacy lies primarily in his work with The Beatles as one of the biggest influences on how the iconic band shaped their sound throughout the ’60s. Nevertheless, Martin also produced outstanding works with bands such as Cheap Trick, America and Jeff Beck. And influenced generations of producers after him, such as Rick Rubin.
10. America, “Hearts” (1975)
The wistful, folky and catchy “Hearts” is the perfect embodiment of 70s FM rock. It spawned the classic “Sister Golden Hair.” It took Martin’s influence and flair for simple pop songs into a new decade and beyond his predominant work with the Beatles.
9. The Beatles, “Love” (2006)
The Beatles’ music served as the basis for the Cirque du Soleil show Love, and its soundtrack of remixes and reinterpretations of the band’s classics was co-produced by Martin and his son Giles. “Love” was also Martin’s last work as a producer.
8. Cheap Trick, “All Shook Up” (1980)
Cheap Trick became experimental and separated from their long-time producer Tom Werman for their strange entry into the eighties. The songs were a flamboyant precursor to the hair metal explosion that would dominate the mainstream in the following decade.
7. The Beatles & George Martin Orchestra, “Yellow Submarine” (1969)
As a lighthearted moment between heavier releases, the band scored the animated film “Yellow Submarine” with two previously released singles and some new, lovely songs. On the second side of the soundtrack, Martin prepared orchestral arrangements for the film’s score.
6. The Beatles, “Rubber Soul” (1965)
“Rubber Soul” marked a transition for the Beatles as they transformed from a pop group that mixed covers with elegant, catchy originals to an album-oriented, artful rock band.
The LP combined folk with R&B to create an atmospheric and delicate collection. With Martin at the controls, they were overseen by the same producer who had helped them become the biggest hit purveyors in the world. Her most mature turn to date.
5. The Beatles, “The White Album” (1968)
The Beatles responded to the political turmoil in the world as the band began to disintegrate. Their self-titled double album, best known as “The White Album,” was largely written in India. It showed the group becoming increasingly bitter and satirical in their music.
Although Martin’s relationship with the band also strained, he remains behind many of the instrumental arrangements. He even contributed vocals to the sound collage “Revolution 9”.
4. Jeff Beck, “Blow by Blow” (1975)
Jeff Beck’s second solo album and the first exclusively under his name was a powerful reintroduction of the blues guitarist. Martin supervised the instrumental rock album, which includes a Beatles cover of “She’s a Woman” and two tracks written by Stevie Wonder.
3. The Beatles, “Revolver” (1966)
With “Revolver,” The Beatles and Martin further established themselves as artists who wanted to push the boundaries of what pop music could achieve. Continuing what they started on Rubber Soul, the LP was psychedelic and artsy. However, it remained accessible and dynamic.
Pieces like “Yellow Submarine” and “Tomorrow Never Knows” laid the foundation for the psychedelic excursion “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
2. The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” showed the more fantastical, surreal and avant-garde sides of the Beatles, largely inspired by the Beach Boys and their album “Pet Sounds”. “Without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper would never have existed,” Martin wrote in the liner notes of a Beach Boys box set. “Pepper was an attempt to be on par with Pet Sounds.”
Beyond the influence of another popular band of the time, Martin’s extensive experimentation with signal processing transformed the atmosphere and overall sound of the album. He created technical masterpieces such as “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and the simple and beautiful “A Day in the Life.”
1. The Beatles, “Abbey Road” (1969)
Unsurprisingly, an album considered by many fans to be the Beatles’ best is also considered Martin’s greatest work. “Abbey Road” was the last album that the Fab Four (or rather Fab Five including Martin) recorded together.
Despite band tensions that came to a head during the sessions for what was effectively the final Beatles album, Let It Be, recorded before Abbey Road, the 1969 LP assembled a strong representation of each member’s unique personalities and styles. In addition to classic Lennon-McCartney collaborations, Harrison and Starr also contributed their best songs. In particular, Harrison’s romantic ballad “Something.”
