Rewind 13 years to 2007, a British-American producer known as Mark Ronson was just at early stages of his imminent rise to international stardom. The previous year won him widespread recognition for his production on Christina Aguilera‘s Back to Basics, Amy Winehouse‘s Back to Black, Lily Allen‘s Alright, Still, and more. However, it was 2007 that cemented the dawning of Ronson’s electronic legacy—seeing the release of his second studio and No. 2-charting album Version, his highest-peaking single (with the exception of “Uptown Funk”), “Stop Me”, and his first Grammy-nomination. Even living under a rock, anyone could tell: Mark Ronson was the next big thing.
Now, we look back to Mark Ronson’s 2007 Essential Mix days after its 13th anniversary. Reflective of his penchant for disco, hip-hop and electronica, Ronson’s selections inject retro-inspired covers like Britney Spears’ “Toxic”, beat-heavy hip-hop picks from Notorious B.I.G. “Nasty Boy” to Rhymefest’s “Devil’s Pie”, and tracks from collaborators including Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and Robbie Williams. Two hours of high-funk energy cut with doses of nostalgia-inducing sounds, Ronson’s Essential Mix traverses the electronic playground through elements of blaring brass, guitar riffs, rap, and more, driven by an insatiable appetite for the dance-floor and an eclectic taste for good music that undeniably foreshadowed Ronson’s status as one of the most prolific producers today.