PRODUCER
Chris Blackwell
1937 - Today

Chris Blackwell
Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell OJ (born 22 June 1937) is a Jamaican-British former record producer and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to which Blackwell was inducted in 2001, he is "the single person most responsible for turning the world on to reggae music." Variety describes him as "indisputably one of the greatest record executives in history." Having formed Island Records in Jamaica on 22 May 1959 when he was nearly 22, Blackwell was among the first to record the Jamaican popular music that eventually became known as ska. Returning to Britain in 1962, he sold records from the back of his car to the Jamaican community. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Chris Blackwell is the 61st most popular producer (down from 52nd in 2019), the 4,047th most popular biography from United Kingdom (down from 3,228th in 2019) and the 4th most popular British Producer.
Memorability Metrics
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Among PRODUCERS
Among producers, Chris Blackwell ranks 61 out of 140. Before him are Harry Saltzman, Yoram Globus, Richard D. Zanuck, Kevin Feige, Bang Si-hyuk, and Mario Cecchi Gori. After him are Robert Chartoff, Bob Weinstein, Sam Spiegel, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, and Oskar Messter.
Most Popular Producers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsHarry Saltzman
1915 - 1994
HPI: 55.99
Rank: 55
Yoram Globus
1943 - Present
HPI: 55.98
Rank: 56
Richard D. Zanuck
1934 - 2012
HPI: 55.92
Rank: 57
Kevin Feige
1973 - Present
HPI: 55.84
Rank: 58
Bang Si-hyuk
1972 - Present
HPI: 55.76
Rank: 59
Mario Cecchi Gori
1920 - 1993
HPI: 55.44
Rank: 60
Chris Blackwell
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 61
Robert Chartoff
1933 - 2015
HPI: 55.39
Rank: 62
Bob Weinstein
1954 - Present
HPI: 55.32
Rank: 63
Sam Spiegel
1901 - 1985
HPI: 55.29
Rank: 64
Charles Roven
1949 - Present
HPI: 55.02
Rank: 65
Emma Thomas
1971 - Present
HPI: 54.99
Rank: 66
Oskar Messter
1866 - 1943
HPI: 54.90
Rank: 67
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1937, Chris Blackwell ranks 398. Before him are Willi Giesemann, Vladimir Makanin, Hassan Habibi, Joseph Wambaugh, Shirley Eaton, and Nina Companeez. After him are Umyar Mavlikhanov, René Kollo, Amparo Baró, Yuriy Poyarkov, Gorilla Monsoon, and Zoltán Berczik.
Others Born in 1937
Go to all RankingsWilli Giesemann
SOCCER PLAYER
1937 - 2024
HPI: 55.61
Rank: 392
Vladimir Makanin
WRITER
1937 - 2017
HPI: 55.59
Rank: 393
Hassan Habibi
POLITICIAN
1937 - 2013
HPI: 55.59
Rank: 394
Joseph Wambaugh
WRITER
1937 - 2025
HPI: 55.52
Rank: 395
Shirley Eaton
ACTOR
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.45
Rank: 396
Nina Companeez
FILM DIRECTOR
1937 - 2015
HPI: 55.43
Rank: 397
Chris Blackwell
PRODUCER
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 398
Umyar Mavlikhanov
FENCER
1937 - 1999
HPI: 55.41
Rank: 399
René Kollo
SINGER
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.40
Rank: 400
Amparo Baró
ACTOR
1937 - 2015
HPI: 55.37
Rank: 401
Yuriy Poyarkov
VOLLEYBALL PLAYER
1937 - 2017
HPI: 55.35
Rank: 402
Gorilla Monsoon
WRESTLER
1937 - 1999
HPI: 55.35
Rank: 403
Zoltán Berczik
TABLE TENNIS PLAYER
1937 - 2011
HPI: 55.33
Rank: 404
In United Kingdom
Among people born in United Kingdom, Chris Blackwell ranks 4,048 out of 8,785. Before him are Charles Blagden (1748), John Wilkinson (1728), John Byng (1704), Edgar Syers (1863), Arthur Smith Woodward (1864), and Ron Tauranac (1925). After him are Brian Murphy (1932), Ben Nicholson (1894), Patrick Malahide (1945), William Henry Smyth (1788), Claire Williams (1976), and George Galloway (1954).
Others born in United Kingdom
Go to all RankingsCharles Blagden
CHEMIST
1748 - 1820
HPI: 55.44
Rank: 4,042
John Wilkinson
INVENTOR
1728 - 1808
HPI: 55.43
Rank: 4,043
John Byng
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1704 - 1757
HPI: 55.43
Rank: 4,044
Edgar Syers
SKATER
1863 - 1946
HPI: 55.43
Rank: 4,045
Arthur Smith Woodward
HISTORIAN
1864 - 1944
HPI: 55.43
Rank: 4,046
Ron Tauranac
ENGINEER
1925 - 2020
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 4,047
Chris Blackwell
PRODUCER
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 4,048
Brian Murphy
ACTOR
1932 - 2025
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 4,049
Ben Nicholson
PAINTER
1894 - 1982
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 4,050
Patrick Malahide
ACTOR
1945 - Present
HPI: 55.41
Rank: 4,051
William Henry Smyth
ASTRONOMER
1788 - 1865
HPI: 55.40
Rank: 4,052
Claire Williams
BUSINESSPERSON
1976 - Present
HPI: 55.40
Rank: 4,053
George Galloway
POLITICIAN
1954 - Present
HPI: 55.40
Rank: 4,054
Among PRODUCERS In United Kingdom
Among producers born in United Kingdom, Chris Blackwell ranks 4. Before him are Simon Cowell (1959), Walter Legge (1906), and David Heyman (1961). After him are Emma Thomas (1971), Mark Ronson (1975), David Barron (1954), Peter Safran (1965), Hugh Padgham (1955), Eric Fellner (1959), and Miles Millar (1967).
Simon Cowell
1959 - Present
HPI: 68.08
Rank: 1
Walter Legge
1906 - 1979
HPI: 59.93
Rank: 2
David Heyman
1961 - Present
HPI: 57.91
Rank: 3
Chris Blackwell
1937 - Present
HPI: 55.42
Rank: 4
Emma Thomas
1971 - Present
HPI: 54.99
Rank: 5
Mark Ronson
1975 - Present
HPI: 52.77
Rank: 6
David Barron
1954 - Present
HPI: 49.30
Rank: 7
Peter Safran
1965 - Present
HPI: 47.66
Rank: 8
Hugh Padgham
1955 - Present
HPI: 46.77
Rank: 9
Eric Fellner
1959 - Present
HPI: 46.66
Rank: 10
Miles Millar
1967 - Present
HPI: 45.84
Rank: 11