Phil Spector

Strictly speaking, Phil Spector wasn't even a performer – he was a musician, but he very rarely released records under his name. As a producer, however – and, to a significant extent, songwriter, label owner, and session player – he influenced the course of rock & roll more than all but a handful of performers. The Wall of Sound that he perfected in the early '60s led to unlimited possibilities for arrangements and sound construction in rock and pop, and his brilliant talents imprinted the discs that he produced with an artistic vision that was much more attributable to him than to the talented performers with whom he worked.

Strictly speaking, Phil Spector wasn't even a performer – he was a musician, but he very rarely released records under his name. As a producer, however – and, to a significant extent, songwriter, label owner, and session player – he influenced the course of rock & roll more than all but a handful of performers. The Wall of Sound that he perfected in the early '60s led to unlimited possibilities for arrangements and sound construction in rock and pop, and his brilliant talents imprinted the discs that he produced with an artistic vision that was much more attributable to him than to the talented performers with whom he worked.