The past year has been jam-packed with exciting new music releases. Drake, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and many more extremely popular artists have come out with brand new albums filled with track after track of fresh and original songs. Over the last few months, as I have replayed these new songs over and over, I have started to listen more closely for what it is that makes this music sound so impressive to me.

Despite not having a musical background, as I get older, I find myself listening to music more analytically than in the past. I try to identify what it is that makes certain songs more appealing than others. Through having conversations with my friends who have been enjoying the same new music as myself, I have finally come to the conclusion that good production is what makes me want to listen to certain music.

After further research, I learned that some of my favorite popular rap songs this year, such as “Nonstop” by Drake, “Look Alive” by BlocBoy JB featuring Drake, “Don’t Come Out the House” by Metro Boomin and 21 Savage, and of course “Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott featuring Drake, were all produced by Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, also known as Tay Keith. Of course, vocals and lyrics are incredibly important, but the music and beats backing the vocals are what make us all want to get up and dance.

Writing lyrics is often not a one-person job, and many people have to pitch in to write a hit song, including the singer themself. There are many tasks left up to artists themselves. Honing those incredible vocals like Ariana Grande or Lady Gaga takes immense discipline, extensive practice and sometimes even classical training. Rappers have to spend years tweaking their flow until they get the right sound. But music producers, who are responsible for creating beats and background music and editing and meshing vocals with said music, can make or break a song. No amount of work put in by vocalists or musicians can replace the work of a producer. Remarkably, there are quite a few popular music producers who are self-taught. Music production software is not a simple tool and has infinite layers and features to explore.

Some of the most influential and important figures in music are people who we don’t even know to recognize. Music producers deserve as much, if not more recognition than some of our favorite musical artists. For example, Savan Kotecha is a songwriter and music producer who is extremely popular within the industry. Chances are, you’ve never heard his name before. But Kotecha has co-written and produced many songs for popular artists like Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Ellie Goulding and Demi Lovato.

Of course, our favorite singers, rappers and bands have great ideas, but we should also remember those working behind the scenes to make musical artists’ dreams a reality.