In the mid-1990s, Robert John “Mutt” Lange unexpectedly became one of the most buzzed-about producers in country music. He spent years honing his skills in the studio, crafting the sound of some of rock music’s most successful albums of the 1970s and ’80s. Lange used that proven creative vision to mold the sound of his wife and then-burgeoning country star Shania Twain‘s second album, The Woman In Me.
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The success of that 1995 record, along with her genre-bending global hit Come On Over two years later, earned Lange multiple Grammy Awards and elevated him to one of the most in-demand producers of the era.
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Although Lange and Twain’s personal and creative relationship ended in 2008, the music they created together is often cited as his most recognizable work. You might be surprised at how many influential rock LPs he helped bring to life since the early 1970s.
Here are five classic rock albums you didn’t know Mutt Lange produced:
1. Hysteria, Def Leppard
Release in 1987, British rock band Def Leppard harnessed magic with their fourth studio record, Hysteria. The album’s bold, futuristic-inspired sound captured the hearts of rock fans worldwide. Thanks to Lange’s experimental production and hit singles like “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” Hysteria soared to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 20 million copies globally.
2. 4, Foreigner
Co-produced by Lange with band member Mick Jones, 4 exposed Foreigner’s brand of rock music to a whole new audience. The group’s fourth record offered a more polished and accessible sound, echoed in their crossover hits “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Urgent,” and “Juke Box Hero.”
3. Back In Black, AC/DC
This trademark 1980 record from Australian rockers AC/DC is another Lange-produced LP often cited by critics as one of the best rock albums of all time. Back In Black marks an essential moment in rock history not only because of recognizable tracks like “You Shook Me All Night Long.” It also ushered in AC/DC’s rise to mainstream commercial success, which coincided with the tragic death of lead vocalist Bon Scott just months before the album’s release.\
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