Is The Era Of The Super Producer Over?

I think this question is rhetorical, but is the era of the super producer completely over? I can’t help but feel that whole idea is a product of the old music industry, the one that is being disregarded and left for dead more and more as each day passes.
The one hit wonder, with a big record that breaks regionally before spreading nationally, or comes to life via myspace or a youtube video- the one hit wonder has put the super producer out of business. And why? Probably for a few reasons, but the main one being that super producers just aren’t very reliable when it comes to making hits anymore. They recreate a sound that worked once, over and over again, and consumers are too smart for that nowadays. They’re not buying it. You have to be more creative. You can’t just keep selling them the wheel. You really do have to reinvent it.

Notable current and former super producers who I think are stuggling for relevancy, regardless of whether they’ve had hits recently:

1) swizz beats- his sound is just not interesting anymore. Too much yelling, not enough substance.

2) the neptunes- better as a rock band

3) scott storch- where’s this guy been?

4) lil jon- see above. Crunk really is dead.

5) Dr. Dre- headphones> songs he produced in last three years

Who else is struggling for relevancy? Who are the new super producers that have taken their place?

Comment by MUNCHY on October 9, 2008 at 12:18am: jim jonsin, rick ruben, timbo, and don cannon still puttin out hot shit...scott storch went bankrupt...dre is known for comin out every 5 years and lil jon is on hyphy and that shit aint get too much play

Comment by Aqua Tha Drumma on October 9, 2008 at 9:19am: Swizz Beatz Over The Board Is Not Well Liked Anymore As Far As Producing Hits. Drum Squad, Drumma Boy & His Protege 808 Are Pretty Tight They Are Consistent With Making Hits Industry Wide, and Not Sounding The Same All The Time DB & 808 Are Very Similiar To What Timbaland & Danja Handz Used To Be.

Comment by Jordan M. on October 9, 2008 at 9:21pm: Danja Handz, Timbo, Drumma Boy are still making new hits, Bangledesh is now starting to recognized. The Runners have been sounding the same lately, same with Polow too.

Comment by DSE on October 11, 2008 at 11:01am: One reason why producers sound the same or make one hit is because everyone is using the same keyboard thinking that if they use what everyone else is using, its fine. I feel as though producers need to be more creative by searching for sounds that no one is using or make your own sounds. There are too many soft synths out there to be using one keyboard. When the Fantom came out a while back, everybody was on it which was a bad thing. Producers need to use what works for them, not what everybody is using. If you use the same keyboard that other producers are using, then you will sound just like them. People catch on to things like that quick.