Top Country Producers of 21st Century on Hot Country Songs Chart

Beyond his role as lead singer, key songwriter and namesake for Zac Brown Band, Brown’s work in co-producing many of the band’s top hits lands him among the top 25 country producers of the first 25 years of the century. He’s produced eight Zac Brown Band Hot Country Songs No. 1s, among them the group’s breakthrough 2008 hit “Chicken Fried,” “Highway 20 Ride,” “Colder Weather” and “Keep Me in Mind,” melding instrumentations and harmonies that highlight the group’s eclectic, jam-band vibe. —Jessica Nicholson

Nathan Chapman soared into prominence alongside a nascent Taylor Swift as co-producer of her first five albums, giving just the right tone to her country-pop sound, occasionally with a sweet dose of fiddle or mandolin in the early days. Her debut, “Tim McGraw,” peaked at No. 6 on Hot Country Songs, before they reached the pinnacle in 2007 with her third single, the sweetly romantic “Our Song,” which spent six weeks on top. Their winning formula resulted in five more No. 1s, including such signature Swift songs as “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.” Swift may be Chapman’s best-known collaborator, but he has also scaled the summit via The Band Perry’s “All Your Life” and Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert’s “We Were Us.” Plus, Chapman has worked with Sara Evans, Mickey Guyton, Lady A and, more recently, Brett Eldredge. —Melinda Newman

Beginning in the early 2000s, Brett Beavers became a key producer for Dierks Bentley, solely producing his first three major-label albums and helping to shape Bentley’s sound on a bedrock of twangy country-rock and washes of bluegrass. Along the way, he produced nine of Bentley’s Hot Country Songs No. 1s, including rockers “What Was I Thinkin’” from 2003, and “5-1-5-0”; the sensual “Come a Little Closer”; and such rustic tracks as “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go).” Other hits for Beavers include Sunny Sweeney’s barroom weeper “From a Table Away” and Dustin Lynch’s “Cowboys and Angels.” —J.N.

King George had already been claiming Hot Country Songs No. 1s for nearly 20 years by the start of the 21st century, but the hit train kept on rolling for the Texas troubadour, one of the most popular and successful artists in country — or any genre’s — history. All nine of George Strait’s leaders this century were produced with long-time collaborator Tony Brown. “The Best Day,” a nostalgic story about a father and son, spent three weeks at No.1, while other chestnuts such as divorce saga “Give It Away” and the heartfelt, appreciative “I Saw God Today” added to Strait’s chart-topping tally — a record 44 career Hot Country Songs No. 1s as a recording artist — and showed his evergreen ability to tackle diverse subject matter that resonates with fans. —M.N.

In the mid-2010s, Jeff Stevens became the producer synonymous with the rise of Luke Bryan’s chart dominance, contributing production to each of Bryan’s albums and shaping the sound of his hits, from crisp party-starters dipped in rock and hip-hop influences to more introspective ballads, all with Bryan’s twangy Southern vocals and storylines filled with small-town, country imagery. Prior to his work as a producer, Stevens was a recording artist and songwriter, known for penning such songs as John Anderson’s “I Fell in the Water.” Stevens produced 10 of Bryan’s Hot Country Songs chart-toppers over 2000-24, among them the somber “Drink a Beer” and Bryan’s longest-leading smash, the 12-week No. 1 “That’s My Kind of Night.” —J.N.

Michael Knox became an essential part of Jason Aldean’s chart successes beginning with the latter’s self-titled debut album, forming one of country music’s most prominent producer-artist duos. Knox has produced 10 Aldean-recorded No. 1s on the Hot Country Songs chart, including the Kelly Clarkson collaboration “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” “Burnin’ It Down” and “Try That in a Small Town,” also a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1. Along the way, songs such as “She’s Country” brought a more aggressive, rock-fueled edge to country’s mainstream sound. Among the Aldean albums Knox has produced is Aldean’s 2011 CMA album of the year-winning My Kinda Party. Knox has also produced songs for Trace Adkins (“This Ain’t No Love Song”), Montgomery Gentry (“Where I Come From”) and Josh Thompson (“Way Out Here”). Outside the studio, Knox is president of peermusic Nashville. —J.N.

Two-thirds of Rascal Flatts, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney (above) co-produced 12 No. 1 tunes on Hot Country Songs over the first quarter of the century, all recorded by the band. Though the act first left the production work to others, such as on breakthrough hit “Prayin’ for Daylight,” from 2000, the trio soon began co-producing its material with Mark Bright and Dann Huff, creating a warm, bright country-pop sound with LeVox’s vocals front and center. The band’s massive success includes the destiny-filled “Bless the Broken Road,” which spent five weeks at No. 1, Rascal Flatts’ longest-leading hit. —M.N.

After Mark Bright and Marty Williams co-produced Rascal Flatts’ first three albums, Dann Huff joined for 2006’s Me and My Gang. “Looking at Dann’s record, we absolutely knew that he was the man for where we were trying to go,” the band’s Gary LeVox told Billboard that year, noting that they segued from session players. “He pushed us into different areas that we hadn’t been pushed before. Dann said, ‘I think we should cut this record like a band.’ We love that band aspect, so we went in and cut it like a band. Joe Don played guitar on everything … Jay [DeMarcus] played bass on every song on the album. It was a lot of fun. It was a nice change.” — Gary Trust

The other third of Rascal Flatts, Jay DeMarcus, has the same production credits as his bandmates, Joe Don Rooney and Gary LeVox, on the trio’s smooth, harmony-filled hits, including nostalgic “Mayberry” and the aching “What Hurts the Most,” as well as “My Wish” and “Banjo.” He ranks higher on this list, though, owed to his charted production with acts outside Rascal Flatts, including Jessica Andrews, Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and James Otto. He has also produced such acts as Shenandoah and contemporary Christian artist Jason Crabb. —M.N.

By 2000, Mark Wright had made his mark on country music as a label executive, songwriter and producer, producing hits for artists including Mark Chesnutt, Gary Allan and Lee Ann Womack. With production on a dozen Hot Country Songs chart-toppers this century, Wright has extended his hitmaking prowess working with a range of artists, crafting songs of broad appeal, while also placing each artist’s sound in its own lane. He co-produced Gretchen Wilson’s breakthrough hit “Redneck Woman,” as well as her fellow enduring rowdy anthem “Here for the Party,” and spearheaded the smooth swagger of Allan’s “Right Where I Need to Be” and “Man of Me,” among other of his singles. Wright, who has also held executive label roles at Sony Music Nashville and Show-Dog Universal, additionally produced massive Brooks & Dunn hits, including “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” and “Red Dirt Road.” —J.N.

Tony Brown was a keyboardist playing with Elvis Presley in the mid-‘70s before becoming president of MCA Nashville in the ‘90s and propelling artists including Vince Gill, Patty Loveless and Lyle Lovett into the spotlight. In the 2000s, his affiliation with George Strait, with whom he had worked since the ‘90s, continued, yielding nine of Brown’s 12 Hot Country Songs No. 1s this century, including “The Best Day” and “Living and Living Well.”  He also produced such hits as Reba McEntire’s “I’m a Survivor,” which became the theme for her hit sitcom, Reba, Sara Evans” “A Little Bit Stronger” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Play Something Country.” —M.N.

Scott Hendricks has worked in music production since the ‘80s, when he was a producer on Restless Heart’s debut album. He continued building his résumé as one of country music’s most sought-after producers, working with Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill and Alan Jackson throughout the ’90s. He is particularly known in the 21st century for his run of hits with Blake Shelton, marrying Shelton’s traditional country voice with crisp production on songs such as the Trace Adkins collaboration “Hillbilly Bone,” “Honey Bee,” “God Gave Me You” and ”God’s Country.” Hendricks’ Hot Country Songs chart-toppers through 2024 also encompass hits for Dan + Shay, including their smooth, pop-tilted “Speechless” and “Tequila.” Meanwhile, Hendricks’ career has included label executive roles at Capitol Records Nashville and Warner Music Nashville, as well as music publishing company Big Tractor. —J.N.

Paul Worley was already a prominent producer, behind such acts as the Chicks in the ‘90s, and a well-respected label exec at Sony and Warner Bros. before he continued his hot streak in the 2000s with a wide array of artists on 13 Hot Country Songs No. 1s this century. He showed a knack for bringing out the best in female artists with his bright, clean production on such hits as Sara Evans’ soaring “Born to Fly” and “Suds in the Bucket” and Martina McBride’s “In My Daughter’s Eyes,” before producing Lady A’s debut album with Victoria Shaw and the act’s second album, which features the yearning title track “Need You Now,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 and won Grammy Awards including record, song and country song of the year. The 21st century has also brought Worley tremendous success with such hits as the Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” and Big & Rich’s classic “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” which he co-produced with the duo. —M.N.

Whether working with the late Busbee, Nathan Chapman, Dann Huff or other producers, superstar Keith Urban has co-produced 14 21st century Hot Country Songs leaders for himself that showcase his unparalleled musicality and diversity of styles. With his fluid guitar playing always upfront, he’s helmed such hits as the 2017 Country Music Association Awards single of the year and 12-week No. 1 “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” the triumphant “The Fighter,” recorded with Carrie Underwood, and the poignant “We Were Us” sung with Miranda Lambert. —M.N.

Thanks to his work with such acts as Nickelback, Daughtry and Theory of a Deadman, Canadian-born Joey Moi brought a rock sensibility to Nashville with him when he relocated in 2011, quickly infusing country with a heavy edge. One of the co-founders of Big Loud Management, Moi produced Jake Owen’s 2011 Hot Country Songs No. 1 “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” and he was just getting warmed up. He helped define Florida Georgia Line’s high-energy mix of country, pop and hip-hop, fueling the onset of Bro-country, producing such genre-defining hits as 2012’s “Cruise” and 2014’s “This Is How We Roll,” featuring Luke Bryan. Moi reached more heights once he started working with Morgan Wallen, taking their first chart hit together, “Whiskey Glasses,” to No. 1 in 2019 and 2023’s undulating “Last Night” to 25 weeks on top, as well as 16 weeks at No. 1 on the all-genre Hot 100. —M.N.

Late Country Music Hall of Famer Toby Keith wrote the bulk of his catalog since debuting in the ‘90s, but he was also an active creator in shaping the sound of those hits, whether burly, swaggering proclamations or solemn ballads. In the 21st century, the Oklahoma native earned 17 Hot Country Songs No. 1s as a producer, including “My List,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” “I Love This Bar,” “American Soldier,” “God Love Her” and “Beer for My Horses,” his rollicking collaboration with Willie Nelson. Beyond his own hits, Keith produced songs for Carter’s Chord, Scotty Emerick and Trailer Choir and, in 2005, founded the Show Dog Nashville label. —J.N.

Mark Bright has produced for numerous artists over the years, evincing his keen eye for musical talent, but has proven to have a particular knack for producing acts with powerful voices. He has produced 18 tracks since 2002 that reached the pinnacle on Hot Country Songs, including for Underwood, such as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Before He Cheats,” “Cowboy Casanova” and her country/Christian smash “Something in the Water.” He’s also co-produced songs for Rascal Flatts including “These Days,” “Mayberry” and “Bless the Broken Road,” along with Sara Evans’ “A Real Fine Place to Start,” Reba McEntire’s “Consider Me Gone” and Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake It for Me).” Bright’s career has also included label roles at EMI and Word Entertainment. —J.N.

Tim McGraw’s onstage star power is rivaled behind the scenes by his work as a producer, as he notched 18 No. 1s as a producer on Hot Country Songs over the first 25 years of the century. He’s co-produced many of his hits including “Grown Men Don’t Cry,” “Angry All the Time,” “The Cowboy in Me,” “Humble and Kind” and the seven-week Hot Country Songs chart-leader “Live Like You Were Dying,” his longest-ruling single. Beyond helping to craft the sounds of his own songs, he has co-produced cuts for Jo Dee Messina, including leaders “Bring on the Rain,” sung with McGraw, and the sassy “My Give a Damn’s Busted.” —J.N.

Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Keith Stegall is renowned for his work with artists including Country Music Hall of Famers Alan Jackson, George Jones and Randy Travis, refining country music’s soundscape in the process. Stegall has also been key in helping Zac Brown Band formulate its sonic identity. Since 2000, Stegall has produced 19 pinnacle-reachers on the Hot Country Songs chart, including a swath of hits from Jackson, from “It Must Be Love” to “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” which won accolades from the Grammys, CMA Awards and ACM Awards. Stegall also produced Zac Brown Band No. 1s “Chicken Fried,” “Whatever It Is,” “Toes,” “Highway 20 Ride” and “Colder Weather.” Since 2000, Stegall additionally worked on hits for Jamie O’Neal (“There Is No Arizona”), Craig Morgan (“International Harvester”) and Clay Walker (“She Won’t Be Lonely Long”). Further, Stegall is the founder of Dreamlined Entertainment Group. —J.N.

Co-producing his music with his long-time producer Buddy Cannon (and with Norro Wilson in the early years, as well as a handful of other partners), Kenny Chesney has co-produced 20 of his Hot Country Songs No. 1s this century that his No Shoes Nation fans have helped make concert staples, including “The Good Stuff,”  “When the Sun Goes Down” with Uncle Kracker and “Anything But Mine.” He’s also helped bring his instantly recognizable laid-back twang to life by co-helming such hits as “I Go Back,” the bittersweet “Better as a Memory” and the poignant “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter. —M.N.

By the time Buddy Cannon started producing Kenny Chesney in the late ‘90s, he already had a storied career as a member of Mel Tillis’s band; serving as the A&R exec who signed Billy Ray Cyrus to Mercury Records Nashville; and producing such stars as George Jones and Sammy Kershaw. Since 2000, the bulk of Cannon’s 24 No. 1s on Hot Country Songs have come from his partnership with Chesney (sometimes co-producing with Norro Wilson in the early 2000s), including such tunes as seven-week No. 1s “The Good Stuff” and “There Goes My Life.” Also among his catalog: “Yes!” by Chad Brock and “The Little Girl” by John Michael Montgomery. Since 2007, he has also produced more than a dozen albums for national treasure Willie Nelson, including 2022’s A Beautiful Time, which won the Grammy for best country album. —M.N.

Like Tony Brown, James Stroud was a musician who then balanced his production work with running various labels, including Giant’s Nashville division and DreamWorks Nashville, and serving as co-CEO of UMG Nashville. By the 2000s, he had already produced an amazing string of hit songs by the likes of Tracy Lawrence and Clay Walker, and his background as a drummer often gave his production work a rhythmic groove. The hits continued at the turn of the century with a diverse roster of acts, most notably Tim McGraw (whom he co-produced with Byron Gallimore) and Toby Keith, with such Hot Country Songs No. 1s as McGraw’s “My Next Thirty Years,” “Angry All the Time” and “The Cowboy in Me.” His work with Keith highlighted Keith’s burly vocals on songs both comedic and topical, including “I Wanna Talk About Me” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” but the biggest of Stroud’s 25 No. 1s since 2000 was another patriotic ode, Darryl Worley’s tribute to 9/11 and a call to never forget, “Have You Forgotten,” which spent seven weeks at the summit in 2003. —M.N.

One of country music’s most celebrated behind-the-scenes creatives, Byron Gallimore has helped forge defining sounds for Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina, Lee Ann Womack, Randy Travis and more. Since 2000, his production ledger boasts 29 Hot Country Songs No. 1s, among them McGraw’s  “Southern Voice” and “Humble and Kind,” as well as some of Sugarland’s biggest hits, such as “Want To,” “Settlin’ ” and “Stay.” He has helmed essential tracks for Hill (“Mississippi Girl,” the McGraw collaboration “I Need You”), Messina (“Bring on the Rain” with McGraw) and Womack (“I May Hate Myself in the Morning”). Gallimore is also the co-founder of Truth or Dare Music. —J.N.

Rogers has made an indelible impact on country music, tallying 33 No. 1s on Hot Country Songs over the quarter-century. He’s helped fashion the sound of several Brad Paisley songs, including “Mud on the Tires,” “Waitin’ on a Woman” and “Anything Like Me.” Beyond his work with Paisley, Rogers has led production on songs by Josh Turner (“Your Man,” “All Over Me”) and Darius Rucker (“Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” and his sing-along hit “Wagon Wheel”). Combining these with Darryl Worley’s “Have You Forgotten?” and Trace Adkins’ “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and work on recent albums for Rucker and Turner, Rogers cemented his place as one of the genre’s indispensable producers. He also serves as CEO of Spirit Music Nashville and chief creative officer for Spirit Music Group. —J.N.

After attending Belmont College in Nashville, Huff made his way to Los Angeles and earned his living as a top session player on records by Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. That work helped inspire his music-first approach after he returned to Nashville. For the last half-century, he has collaborated with an astounding array of artists — including The Band Perry, Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Riley Green, Lonestar, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Brett Young — to earn a staggering 38 Hot Country Songs No. 1s since 2000, as well as two CMA Awards as producer of the single of the year for Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” and Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” His chart-topping 21st century run started in March 2000 with Lonestar’s “Smile,” followed by four more No. 1s with the group. Swifties know him as co-producer of such chart-toppers as 2012’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together, which spent 10 weeks at No. 1, only to be bested by “Die a Happy Man” logging 17 weeks at the summit for Huff’s longest command. More recently, he’s been hitting the upper reaches of the chart with Brown, Green and Rhett, as he continues to be, per his standing on this recap, the go-to hitmaker in Nashville. —M.N.