3 Records Produced by Brian Eno That Every Aspiring Music Producer Must Hear

Brian Eno is the kind of artist and music producer that you only experience once in a lifetime. He worked on so many amazing and diverse albums through the years, and many of those stellar works weren’t even his own solo productions. Let’s take a look at just three albums that Brian Eno produced that are essential listening for anyone who wants to become a music producer themselves.

‘Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!’ by Devo

This one’s a classic. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! was the American new wave band Devo’s very first album, released way back in 1978. Brian Eno, among other producers, expressed interest in putting together the band’s debut album. 

Eno was brought on board and even provided some synthesizer and backing vocal tracks. Nothing like this oddball post-punk album had ever been produced before, and it effectively pushed America onto the new wave train that musicians across the pond had already begun to master.

‘Remain In Light’ by Talking Heads

Remain In Light is by far Talking Heads’ most famous album. Released in 1980, this new wave funk-rock delight is a great example of what a musician can do with stream-of-consciousness concepts and lyrical ideas. David Byrne and Eno previously worked together on My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, and the latter was a shoo-in to produce the album. 

Eno co-wrote most of the songs on Remain In Light with Byrne, and he was responsible for employing the talents of additional musicians to get the full scope of the sound the band was looking for. It was a genius choice in the end.

‘Outside’ by David Bowie

David Bowie and Brian Eno worked together often. There are quite a few works I could include on this list of albums that Brian Eno produced when it comes to that partnership with Bowie, but I decided to go with a somewhat underrated release, the 1995 album Outside. 

If anything, this album is a fine example of what can come of two talented artists working together once they’ve found footing and respect in the industry. There are so many gorgeous elements and inspirations on this album, from outsider art to mythical figures to Gothic drama.

Photo by Erica Echenberg/Redferns

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