Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

If Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were actual wizards, they still couldn't make more musical magic. Friends and collaborators since their high school days in Minnesota, the producing team has used their R&B sorcery to create smashes for everybody from Boyz II Men ("On Bended Knee") to the Human League ("Human"), with an ear for state-of-the-art grooves and a knack for getting down to an artist's very soul. Their pinnacle? "That's the Way Love Goes," the Janet Jackson smash that balances sweet and sexy over a polished-till-it-gleams R&B beat.

Don't stop here — follow the Jam & Lewis hits into Next Steps.

Miss Janet Jackson may be Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' biggest success story, with breakouts like her #1 sing-along "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" to their eternal credit. But Janet's not the only artist to benefit from a Jam & Lewis moment — the pair gave Mariah Carey a tender, sparkling setting all the better to set off her knockout pipes on "Through the Rain," while urban-pop toaster Shabba Ranks rated some prime hip-hugging beats for his "Slow and Sexy" come on.

Next up, head deep into Jam & Lewis territory in Deep Cuts.

When you've proven that you're worth your weight in gold records, everybody wants a piece of the action. So, along with choice cuts for Jam & Lewis regulars Mary J. Blige (the creamy love call "Everything"), New Edition (the hip-hop popper "N.E. Heart Break"), and Usher (the old-school soul sounds of "Truth Hurts"), the production kings have crafted tracks for everyone from R&B icon Barry White ("Come On") to bright-eyed fan girl Gwen Stefani ("Harajuku Girls").

Back when a blizzard kept Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis from making a gig with their band, the Time, they found themselves out of a job. Talk about a blessing in disguise. After going on to produce hits for the likes of Gladys Knight ("Next Time") and Patti Austin ("The Heat of Heat"), Jam and Lewis turned the knobs on a new album by Michael Jackson's little-known little sister, Janet. A left-field smash, Control, featuring the supertight "Nasty," made superstars out of all three, shooting Jam & Lewis to the top of the R&B game and putting them behind the boards of landmark tracks like Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama" and Usher's "U Remind Me." We've collected the best of the pair's legendary output into three playlists packed with fat beats, hot grooves, and a whole lot of soul.