Mark Ronson Essentials

Mark Ronson's varied production credits prove his pop-omnivore bona fides, but his eponymous work reveals his deep affection for classic soul. His 2007 album, Version, takes modern standards like Radiohead's “Just” and The Smiths' “Stop Me” to Motown; he added the Dap-Kings' crisp horns and Amy Winehouse's wounded wail to The Zutons' “Valerie”, turning it into a hip-shaking plea. His later work brought ‘80s influences into the mix: “Record Collection” winks at the yuppie ideal over blippy Latin freestyle, and the Bruno Mars-led smash “Uptown Funk” pays joyful tribute to the strutting grooves of The Time and The Gap Band.