DAR Music: 10 Greatest Albums Produced By Timbaland

By @TrueGodImmortal

Timbaland is one of the greatest producers in the history of music. Over the years, he's managed to craft tons of hits for various artists and his catalog is extensive. One thing about his catalog that is special IMO is the fact that he has worked closely with artists over the years to help them craft projects personally. One listen to an album entirely produced by Timbaland, and you can see he influenced the vision and the lyrics as well as the sound. While he's produced for numerous artists, his greatest accomplishment might actually be the albums he had a huge hand in. Those are the projects we are here to discuss today. Let's take a look at the 10 greatest albums produced by Timbaland.

10. Ms. Jade- Girl Interrupted (2002)

-So, this album isn't a classic. It isn't even great in essence. If I asked you who Ms. Jade was, you would probably be confused and look at me as if I was crazy, but real ones know. Ms. Jade was a part of the collective that Timbaland was building up, as she was a Philly female rapper who actually had some skills. Timbaland handles about 95% of the album's production and of course, he doesn't disappoint on this one. I think Ms. Jade actually did well over these Timbo tracks with booming production on songs like "Ching Ching", Dead Wrong", "Feel The Girl", and more carrying the way for a very solid debut effort that doesn't get enough credit.

9. Timbaland And Magoo- Welcome To Our World (1997)

-Well....I had to include this album on the list off production alone. Yes, Timbaland and Magoo weren't that great as lyricists and would walk the line between far too playful and just plain bad, but the production on this album is impossible to ignore. Released during the Timbaland prime era, tracks like "Up Jumps The Boogie", "Clock Strikes", and "Luv 2 Luv Ya" made the album an enjoyable listen and honestly, if not for the bad lyrics and verses on this album, it could actually rank a bit higher. Timbaland doesn't disappoint with the production here.

8. Ginuwine... The Bachelor (1996)

-I am of the belief that the debut from Ginuwine is a near classic album. The chemistry displayed with Timbaland is top notch and that entire crew of Missy, Aaliyah, Playa, Ginuwine, and Timbo had it locked for a minute. The debut from Ginuwine would introduce his vocals to the world, but it would also be another notch in the belt of Timbaland, who was just starting to come of age in music at the time. With tracks like "Pony", "Tell Me Do You Wanna", "I'll Do Anything/I'm Sorry", and more, Timbaland provides Ginuwine with a perfect sound to craft hits and due to the perfect marriage between the music and vocals, this album is special. It was a tough choice putting it at no. 8, but I'll explain why this didn't crack the top 5-7 when I look into the other choices. Still, The Bachelor is a great album regardless.

7. Bubba Sparxxx- Deliverance (2003)

-A surprising choice for me consider I wasn't ever a fan of Bubba and his music. However, this project is special. One of the more underrated albums of the 2000s, Bubba and Timbaland (with some assistance from Organized Noize), crafted something that felt true to the roots of Bubba and provided a blend between country music and hip hop. This would see Timbaland stretch out as a producer and experiment a little more with different styles, and the result is actually pretty enjoyable. With tracks like "My Tone", "Hootnanny", the title track, and "Overcome", among others, Bubba and Timbaland created something that still stands out in the genre. Is Deliverance an album I would listen to over and over? Not at all, but it is a landmark moment as a producer for Timbaland.

6. Justin Timberlake- FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)

-I have to be honest. I wasn't the biggest fan of this album when it came out. I'm still not a huge fan. However, I have to recognize the power that is within the album and how it changed music for the moment and the sound. It would rank higher on my list here if it actually was a great album, but it was just solid. The sound however was slightly futuristic, with Timbaland providing his adlibs and accompanying vocals alongside Timberlake, and it all blended well enough. Whether it was a booming hit like the T.I. featured "My Love", the horrible yet extremely popular "SexyBack", or an amazing ballad like "Until The End Of Time", there was a good amount of versatility in the sound of this album, and for that, plus the impact the sound of the album had, this has to make the list (Timbaland didn't contribute enough to Justified for it to make the list).

5. Missy Elliott- Da Real World (1999)

-I have always been a fan of the music that Missy made, and I think this album is extremely slept on when talking her catalog. Her other albums produced by Timbaland were great, but it's something about this one that takes the cake for me as her second greatest project. Now, the beauty of listening to Timbaland's production on multiple Missy albums is that it shows his progression as a producer and the sound. This album is full of different features and as such, the sound accompanies each feature, with tracks like "All N My Grill", "She's A Bitch", "Hot Boyz", "U Can't Resist", and more helping to make this album feel more complete. Da Real World is a gem in the Timbaland production catalog.

4. Ginuwine- 100% Ginuwine (1999)

-Quite possibly my favorite album on the list, I think this album is the peak of the Ginuwine and Timbaland partnership and it's nearly perfect. A classic album that took Ginuwine to even higher heights, Timbaland would give him a bevy of different sounds from melodic ballads and infectious rhythms that would stay in your head all day. The dark yet rhythmic vibes of "So Anxious" or the pace of the production on "No. 1 Fan" alongside the extremely smooth style on "Same Ol' G" all provide different sounds for Ginuwine that complete an album that I would put up against nearly any other R&B album from the 90's, it's that good.

3. Justin Timberlake- The 20/20 Experience (2013)

-That's right. The 20/20 Experience is top 3. That's that. Now, many people didn't like this album, or at least the second part of it. However, this project is a class in true production vision, as Timbaland doesn't miss once on this musically. Timberlake was great in his execution of course, but the fact remains, Timbaland is the true anchor of this album. While the lyrics are good, the production carries the sounds of "Suit And Tie", "Pusher Love Girl", "Spaceship Coupe", and my favorite "That Girl", all of which are wonderfully crafted compositions. Simply put, while this is up there with JT's best work (possibly his best), it is also up there with Timbaland's greatest production work and the evolution of his sound.

2. Aaliyah- One In A Million (1996)

-The sophomore album from Aaliyah is a classic, and it's her best project by far. Unknown to us at the time, the chemistry between Timbaland and Aaliyah would be top notch and some of the best we've heard in R&B at that time. Aaliyah had a smooth voice and it fit perfectly over the Timbaland production. Whether it was booming title track that still gets played today some 22 years later, the underrated "Hot Like Fire", or "If Your Girl Only Knew", the signature sound of Timbaland was birthed through this album and honestly, if you had this album at no. 1 on your own list, I wouldn't blame you. This is a classic album and honestly, there was something special about the musical chemistry between Aaliyah and Timbaland that hasn't been duplicated by a female artist and their producer in R&B since.

1. Missy Elliott- Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

-Of course, this is my choice for no. 1 and that wasn't tough to figure out. While the other projects I listed were truly amazing in their own right, there was something different about the arrival of Missy to the music world that has yet to be duplicated by a female rapper that isn't named Lauryn Hill. Missy and Timbaland gave us one of the better gems of the 90's, and combining the eclectic sound of Timbaland and his production with the eccentric style and vocals of Missy was an instant win clearly. Whether it was the classic gem "The Rain", or the slept on "Sock It 2 Me", or "Beep Me 911", nothing sounded quite like this album at the time. It was a pioneering album where two talents that were one of a kind combined to give the world something they would never forget. 21 years later and that still rings as true. Supa Dupa Fly is the greatest album produced solely by Timbaland. Period.

-True