“My brain is like, ‘Guitar solos are dated because Metallica’s solos are from the ’80s…’ She was like, ‘No, I want a guitar solo’”: Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan producer Dan Nigro explains why today’s pop stars want guitar solos on

Grammy-nominated producer Dan Nigro, has played an integral role in the careers of two of pop’s brightest stars to emerge over the past couple of years: Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan – and their masterfully crafted albums, Sour (2021) and Guts (2023), and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (2023).

With Rodrigo heralding the new vanguard of pop-punk and Chappell Roan bringing the queer experience to the forefront with cleverly crafted, ’80s-tinged pop, Nigro – who was formerly a guitarist in ’00s indie band As Tall As Lions – has established himself as a producer capturing the zeitgeist, and doesn’t shy away from a guitar solo – even if it’s counter to his own instincts.

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