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?

I don't think the era of super producer is quite over yet. We still got Diddy holding on strong; DJ Khaled, who is also his own hype man; Not so new-comer Ryan Leslie who consistently has had hot beats (too bad his own album was pushed back cuz I can't wait for it to drop!)

The era of the super producer isn't dead, it's just that some of the best producers in the game right now stay out of the limelight and keep behind the boards. Hi-Tek is still around! Not to mention Danjahandz (Timbaland's right-hand man)... and Brian Michael Cox (who's produced "Confessions" and "Burn" for Usher, "Be Without You" for Mary J. Blige; "Crying out for Me" for Mario and COUNTLESS other R&B hits). These dudes produced a great deal of what's playing these days, but you'd never know it because they're not making cameos in music videos...