For this week’s PRODUCER MIXTAPE, we’re profiling the 2012 GRAMMY nominees for Producer Of The Year (Non Classical). For this award, the producer is nominated for his/her entire body of work during the eligibility year, and not for one specific recording. The category has been active since 1975, and recent recipients include Danger Mouse (2011), Mark Ronson (2008), The Neptunes (2004), Dr. Dre (2001).

Dan Auerbach
Black Keys – Lonely Boy (2011)
Dr. John – Locked Down (2012)

You probably know Dan Auerbach as the bluesy, bearded, guitar-wielding frontman of The Black Keys. Auerbach is being singled out for his production work on The Black Keys’ El Camino (co-produced with bandmate Patrick Carney and longtime collaborator Dangermouse), as well as his work on New Orleans legend Dr. John’s Locked Up, and San Antonio rock outfit Hacienda.

Jeff Bhasker
fun. – Some Nights (2012)
fun. – We Are Young (2012)

Jeff Bhasker is a producer and multi-instrumentalist from Socorro, New Mexico who got his big break acting as Kanye West’s right hand man in the studio while working on 808s and Heartbreak. Since 808s, Bhasker has gone one to work with the biggest names in music today, including Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Drake, and more. Jeff Bhasker was selected as a 2012 Producer Of The Year nominee based on his work on the breakthrough album Some Nights by Brooklyn pop-rock band fun.

Diplo
Usher – Climax (2012)
No Doubt – Push & Shove (2012)

Wesley “Diplo” Pentz was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, though he spent most of his youth in Florida, daydreaming about dinosaurs (hence the moniker Diplo, short for diplodocus) while working at his father’s bait shop. Since working with M.I.A. on a mixtape called Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1, Diplo has established himself as leading electronic producer with a passion for international genre discovery. The man behind Major Lazer is being recognized for his work this year on a handful of singles by artists including Usher, No Doubt, Justin Bieber, Wale, Snoop Lion and more.

Salaam Remi
Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire (2012)
Miguel – How Many Drinks (2012)

Even though he got his break producing Ini Komoze’s number one dancehall hit “Here Comes The Hotstepper” in 1994, Salaam Remi has proven his musical versatility spanning a spotless twenty year career in music production. His work with The Fugees and Amy Winehouse is classic, but this is the first year Remi has been nominated for Producer Of The Year. Finally, Salaam gets the nod for his work on several projects in 2012, including Alicia Keys’ “Girl On Fire,” Miguel’s “How Many Drinks,” and Nas’ Life Is Good.

Markus Dravs
Mumford & Sons – I WIll Wait (2012)
Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (2011)

Markus Dravs is a German-born producer who is best known for his work with a few little-known rock bands like Coldplay and The Arcade Fire. Dravs started out as the “tea boy” at London’s Parsifal Studios, which would eventually lead to him becoming a long-time collaborator with his hero, a producer by the name of Brian Eno. This year, he’s being recognized for his work on Mumford & Sons Babel and Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto.