Tom Dunne: How Andrew Watt became the hottest producer on the planet

Watt is the speaker of truth to Paul McCartney, Elton John, Madonna, Lady Gaga and many more — but it could have been different

On many albums, Andrew Watt is the producer and co-writer. He often supplies the musicians. He is essentially a human form of generative AI. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Wed, 12 Aug, 2026 - 21:30

Tom Dunne

Tom Dunne is a music-lover extraordinaire who, as well as presenting radio and TV shows, can also be seen in the wild as the lead singer with Something Happens.

“Hey,” said the producer to the singer, “I think you could write better words than them.” Wars have started for less, particularly when the producer is young and the singer has written the lyrics to songs like You Can’t Always Get What You Want and Satisfaction.

Yet Mick Jagger, 83, did as he was asked. The result? The best Stones album since Exile on Main Street in 1972. That’s debatable, but I’m putting it out there. What you can’t debate is that sometimes artists, regardless of stature, need to hear the odd home truth.