With a hand in records by Jay Z, Daft Punk and Robin Thicke, no producer had a more dominant—or exciting—year than Skateboard P. But that’s nothing new. Pharrell’s killer catalog stretches back over 22 years. What better way to honor music’s man of the year than with an exhaustive look back on his catalog? Dive in.
Pharrell’s footprints are everywhere. A musician, visual artist and forward-thinking creative, he’s compared himself to a designer in the past and it’s an appropriate analogy—not just because of his fashion-forward style, but also because of his musicianship. He’s tailor-made projects for artists of various genres and styles with the vision and meticulousness of the best visionaries. He’s assisted writers, singers, rappers and producers of all kinds, amassing a dynamic discography over the past few decades.
Beyond his recent success, Pharrell has developed a career that balances diversity with cohesion, from his early work with Surrounded By Idiots where he teamed up with Timbaland and Magoo in high school, to his more recent string of hits alongside Robin Thicke, T.I. and Daft Punk. Throughout the years, Pharrell has consistently released hit after hit, whether working with N.O.R.E. or Gwen Stefani, Busta Rhymes or Britney Spears.
But he’s also consistently evolved. From the Q-Tip-inspired flow of his SBI days to the film score work of his recent years, Pharrell has managed to change while staying true to his sound’s foundation. He’s revived careers by helping others to reinvent themselves, but he’s done the same for himself, year after year, stretching the limits on his range. This ability to transform, to change with the times while maintaining his essence, is what has separated Pharrell from the pack, particularly in 2013. With each season, he’s outfitted radio with something new, inventive and fresh while keeping a classic Pharrell style intact. As this year’s most celebrated producer and artist, here’s a breakdown of every song he’s ever touched.
VOLUME 1
The Pharrell Collection, 1991–1994
At the onset of his career, P experimented in the studio with fellow Virginian Timbaland, recording tracks in the studio under the group name Surrounded By Idiots. Working closely with Teddy Riley, he ghostwrote and ghost-produced for the superstar, contributing to tracks for SWV and Blackstreet.
VOLUME 2
The Pharrell Collection, 1995–1997
P was still finding his footing as a producer, working with Mystikal early on in his career. His output picked up in 1996, when he hit the lab with Total and SVW, scoring notable placements on records from Ma$e, The LOX and Keystone. He was developing his sound on a mainstream platform, but he wasn’t quite in top shape just yet.
VOLUME 3
The Pharrell Collection, 1998–1999
This period marked when Pharrell and Chad Hugo started to pick up steam as a production force to be reckoned with. The two contributed to remixes and tracks for Kid Rock, MC Lyte and N.O.R.E., the latter of which they laced the classic “Superthug.” In 1999, they produced their first full-length albums, Clipse’s Exclusive Audio Footage and Kelis’ Kaleidoscope, proving that they were just as capable of breaking artists as they were cooking up boundary-pushing tracks.
VOLUME 4
The Pharrell Collection, 2000–2002
The Neptunes had become a hot commodity in the game, and they started breaking out of the urban world with contributions to Beenie Man’s Art and Life (“Girls Dem Sugar,” “Jamaica Way”). But they hit the mainstream charts with Jay Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” and Ludacris’ “Southern Hospitality,” as well as Britney Spears’ first grown-up album, Britney. Additionally, they introduced their group N.E.R.D. to the world with their debut project, In Search Of…, which was released in two forms.
VOLUME 5
The Pharrell Collection, 2003–2005
Already known in the game, The Neptunes scored the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) in 2004. But it was their work through this time period that truly earned them the trophy. The two collaborated with and produced for top-shelf talent including Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z. N.E.R.D. also released its sophomore album Fly or Die, and The Neptunes released its debut LP The Neptunes Present… Clones.
VOLUME 6
The Pharrell Collection, 2006–2008
Everyone from Beyoncé and Gwen Stefani to The Hives and Kenna got a piece of that Neptunes pie during these three years. Pharrell stepped away from his production partner for his debut solo album In My Mind, but shared his talents with artists on marquee projects from Madonna and Britney Spears. The third N.E.R.D. album, Seeing Sounds, released at the end of this time period.
VOLUME 7
The Pharrell Collection, 2009–2011
International stunting was a recurring theme from 2009 to 2011. The Neptunes put in work for Shakira’s She Wolf and Gloria Estefan’s Little Miss Havana, and N.E.R.D continued with its fourth album Nothing. But Pharrell truly stepped outside of his comfort zone with his work on the Despicable Me soundtrack, his first try at scoring a film.
VOLUME 8
The Pharrell Collection, 2012–2013
Pharrell has never been one to slow down, and yet even with his production output maintaining a steady quip, he arguably had the most success during 2012 and 2013. From scoring Despicable Me 2 to filming a 24-hour music video for “Happy,” P also crafted some of the new millennium’s biggest hits: Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” He rightfully earned his spot on the throne as producer of the year.
