What Does Benny Blanco Do? A Look at His Career as a Producer and Songwriter

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Many music fans wonder what does benny blanco do when they see his name on hit tracks. He co-wrote Eastside, a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This guide will show his steps using Pro Tools in the studio, his songwriting style and label work with Interscope Records and Mad Love Records.

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Key Takeaways

Benny Blanco co-wrote #1 hits like “TiK ToK” (2009), “Moves Like Jagger” (2011) and “Love Yourself” (2017). His single “Eastside” reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2018.
He works in Pro Tools and Logic Pro with stars such as Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran and Selena Gomez.
He earned 11 Grammy nominations, won Album of the Year for Teenage Dream (2011), Song of the Year for “Love Yourself” (2017) and the Hal David Starlight Award (2013).
He founded Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets under Interscope, relaunched A&M Records in early 2024, and signed acts like Juice WRLD and J Balvin.
Born March 8, 1988 in Reston, Virginia, he made beats at age six and got engaged to Selena Gomez on December 11, 2024.

Benny Blanco’s Career as a Producer

He cut tracks for Katy Perry and Maroon 5, forging “Moves Like Jagger” into a smash in Logic Pro with Dr. Luke. His studio magic at Universal Music Group and on his indie imprint sparked a wave of hits that shook up modern pop.

Early collaborations with major artists

Benny Blanco started making beats at age six, inspired by Nas’s “The World Is Yours” and All-4-One’s “I Swear.” He teamed with Baltimore rappers Spank Rock in 2007 to drop the EP Bangers & Cash, digging into Pro Tools, sampling, and drum programming.

That EP lit a fire under him, sharpening his mixing chops for pop hooks.

He scored a spot on Britney Spears’ Circus album in 2008, fine-tuning the title track’s rhythms. Katy Perry tapped his music producer skills for Teenage Dream, adding bright synths and catchy drums.

Billboard Hot 100 soon showed his name next to major hits, and the music industry took notice.

Breakthrough hits and notable productions

2011 saw him produce Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger,” featuring Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera. It shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He also worked on Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts,” which climbed to number four on that chart.

He teamed up with Dr. Luke on both tracks, and Pro Tools sessions in Los Angeles brought those hits to life.

A year prior he shaped Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” a record that reached the top of the Hot 100. He even produced Kesha’s “TiK ToK” back in 2009, a single that spent nine weeks at number one.

He co-wrote under his real name, Benjamin Levin, alongside collaborators like Claude Kelly. Fans on Tik Tok still spin those catchy beats.

Work across multiple music genres

Benny Blanco shifts between pop, R&B and hip-hop like a chameleon.

A digital audio workstation hums under his fingers as he builds hits for Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran and Rihanna.

Pop star collabs, like “Cold Water” with Major Lazer and Juice WRLD, show how he balances club beats and melodic hooks.

His remix for Katy Perry’s “Overexposed” added a sleek electronic edge to her pop heat.

His touch on Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love” fuses soulful chords with bright pop polish.

Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets, his labels at Interscope, give him room to explore new sounds.

Benny Blanco’s Career as a Songwriter

Benny Blanco pens hooks that climb the Billboard Hot 100 and snag top spots for stars like Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, and J Balvin. He sketches fresh melodies in Logic Pro, locks them in with Pro Tools, and shapes each line to feel like an old friend in your ears.

Chart-topping songs written for other artists

Pop star Justin Bieber scored a No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Love Yourself,” co-written with Blanco. British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran rode his own wave with “Don’t,” which peaked at No.9, and “Castle on the Hill” at No.6 after Blanco pitched the chords.

Barbadian vocalist Rihanna poured emotion into “Diamonds,” topping the chart in 2012 and cementing Blanco’s knack for melodies. Avid Pro Tools and Logic Pro served as his musical toolbox, driving audio engineers wild in the studio.

Mad Love Records and Interscope Records tapped Blanco for more chart magic. He co-wrote “Lonely” for Bieber in 2020, a raw ballad that hit No.1 in eight countries and smashed 100 million YouTube views in days.

Cashmere Cat called on Blanco for “I Can’t Get Enough” with Selena Gomez and J Balvin, pushing it into Top 10 on streaming charts. Swae Lee praised Blanco backstage at a Juice WRLD tribute show, calling him a “melody wizard” who writes hooks fast as lightning.

Signature songwriting style

Benny Blanco writes hooks that stick. Hooks land like catchy jingles in your head. Melody rises from a soft piano chord or a beat in his DAW. A guitar riff jumps in at just the right moment.

Lyric themes hit home, with lines you still sing in the shower. Song structure moves fast, but stays clear. Katy Perry’s fans spot his mark in songs like Teenage Dream. Britney Spears caught his pop magic too, years ago.

Dr. Luke teamed with him on several hits. Their tracks topped the Billboard Hot 100 more than once.

His lyrics sound like real talk, not a sales pitch. He once scribbled a verse on a napkin at midnight, then turned it into I Can’t Get Enough. ‘Same Old Love’ got a fresh twist when Selena Gomez joined in.

Juice Wrld hooks found new strength under his pen. A steamy beat with j balvin showed his range. Fans on Billboard Hot 100 made his name a staple. Hal David Starlight Award arrived in 2018 for his songwriting flair.

Songwriters Hall of Fame talks floated his way after 29 number one credits. Mad Love Records and Interscope Records lined up to back his next idea.

Collaborations with global superstars

Rihanna and Katy Perry let Benny Blanco, a top music producer, shape new hooks in Pro Tools sessions that scaled the Billboard Hot 100. Justin Bieber tapped him for “Lonely.” Fans praised his catchy melodies.

BTS and Snoop Dogg teamed up on “Bad Decisions,” with Blanco adding crisp MIDI melodies and hip hop grooves. Eminem and Halsey sought his Logic Pro mixes. Ed Sheeran and Kesha also praised his pop sense.

Benny Blanco as an Artist

He flipped his studio chops into a solo single built in Logic Pro, dropped it on Spotify, and shows a new side to his craft—keep reading to get the scoop.

Transition to releasing his own music

Benny Blanco left the boards and stepped into the spotlight. July 2018 saw release of “Eastside”. It entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album Friends Keep Secrets dropped in December 2018 on his imprint, in partnership with Interscope Records.

Fans saw his shift from music producer to solo artist.

Benny used skills honed with Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Selena Gomez. Co-writing hits like “Same Old Love” and “I Can’t Get Enough” built his confidence. Links with J Balvin and Ed Sheeran showed his range.

Teaming with Lil Dicky on album tracks added a fun twist. Every tune offered catchy hooks and solid beats.

Key singles and album projects

Under the Benny Blanco tag, he has dropped hits. He also rolls out full album projects.

Eastside hit number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It features Halsey and Khalid.
Friends Keep Secrets reached RIAA platinum certification. It proved he could own a full record.
I Said I Love You First launches in 2025 as a joint record with Selena Gomez. Fans watch its rollout.

Record Labels Founded by Benny Blanco

Benny runs Friends Keep Secrets and Mad Love Records under Interscope Records, uses streaming platforms like Spotify to boost new talent—read on.

Overview of his record labels

He launched Mad Love Records in partnership with Interscope Records. That imprint, Friends Keep Secrets, aimed to develop breakthrough acts. Both labels ceased operations in early 2024.

Blanco then oversaw the relaunch of A&M Records under the Interscope banner.

Those imprints backed artists across pop and hip hop. They pushed songs onto the Billboard Hot 100. Studio teams used Pro Tools and Logic Pro in key sessions. Fans across the music industry felt their impact.

Promoting new talent in the industry

Benny Blanco used his Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets labels to scout emerging talent in pop and R&B. He signed acts at Interscope Records, then threw them into sessions with Ed Sheeran and J Balvin.

He guided Juice WRLD through his own studio sessions. He helped them land spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Blanco shaped the careers of rising stars long before they hit the stage. He pushed Selena Gomez on “Same Old Love” and let her team record “Better to Lie.” He linked Taio Cruz to top producers, then watched them hit big charts.

His label deals turned demo tapes into hits and turned newbies into chart champs.

Awards and Recognitions

He scooped Grammy wins, grabbed a Hal David Starlight Award, punched his ticket into the writers club, and even topped the main chart—read on to see the full list!

Grammy nominations and wins

Benny Blanco stands among the top music producers. His craft wins him top Grammy awards.

11 Grammy nominations marked his run at the Grammys.
Teenage Dream with Katy Perry won Album of the Year in 2011.
Love Yourself took Song of the Year in 2017, a track he wrote with Ed Sheeran.
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical came in 2017.
All the awards boosted his name on the Billboard Hot 100.

Songwriters Hall of Fame honors

Scoring the Hal David Starlight Award in 2013 gave him major cred. It saluted his knack for catchy melodies.

Songwriters Hall of Fame honored his mark on the music industry. He stood among peers who write hits for stars like Katy Perry and Britney Spears.

Media and Public Appearances

He hops on late-night shows, demos tricks in a digital audio workstation and beat-making software, shares sampling tips in lectures, banters on podcasts, and cracks a joke about MIDI quirks, so you’ll want to read more.

Guest appearances and interviews

Benny Blanco grabs mics and cameras. Fans tune in as he spills studio secrets.

A cameo in a TV comedy series “Dave” saw him bantering with Lil Dicky on set, he cracked beats and jokes in equal measure.
A spot in a music documentary “JUICE WRLD: INTO THE ABYSS” let him recall writing “Lucid Dreams,” he brought raw emotion to the storyline.
Credits on a late night talk show “The Eric Andre Show” delivered offbeat humor, he riffed on chart records, Billboard Hot 100 wins, and pop hits.
Video platform cooking series gave him a new stage, he chopped peppers, he grilled salmon, he sprinkled in tales of Mad Love Records and Interscope Records days.
Podcast guests hear him detail weeks spent in sessions for Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” era and Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” he name dropped Dr. Luke and Taio Cruz with a wink.
Music industry panels at Songwriters Hall of Fame events found him sharing riffs with Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, Selena Gomez and discussing his path from Friends Keep Secrets label to chart fame.
Radio interviews let him map his journey from early beats to producing for Juice WRLD and writing “Same Old Love” for Selena Gomez, he marked each hit with pride.
Conference stages for music producer workshops showed him demo new plugins, he taught tricks on mixing, he spoke on mic setups and audio tools.
Magazine pages featured his quotes, he looked back at collaborations, he teased albums and talked about upcoming singles for his own artist releases.

Educational contributions, including guest lectures

Students flocked to benny blanco’s guest lectures on music production at Berklee College. He broke down Pro Tools sessions and Logic Pro tracks in class. Live demos on Instagram Live and YouTube streamed to thousands.

Aspiring artists picked up tips on beats and hooks from a Grammy-winning music producer. His stories from writing for Selena Gomez and Katy Perry kept students laughing. He showed how Juice WRLD climbed the Billboard Hot 100 to explain hit making in the music industry.

Collaborations Beyond Music

He scored a Marvel trailer, lent tracks to a top streaming app’s ads, and even popped up on Lil Dicky’s streaming special—keep reading to catch all the details.

Partnerships with other entertainers

Benny Blanco teamed up with Lil Dicky to write music for the series Dave. They injected humor into each track. Viewers downloaded the songs on Spotify. Fans shared clips on TikTok, and the label Friends Keep Secrets got more buzz.

Mad Love Records saw new talent gain streams after the show aired.

He joined Snoop Dogg on the single Bad Decisions. Streams on the Billboard Hot 100 jumped after radio spins. Peers in the music industry sought his knack for cross-genre hits, from pop to hip hop.

Big names like Ed Sheeran and J Balvin chatted with him in studio halls.

Friendship with Lil Dicky and media projects

Blanco shines with Lil Dicky in the TV series Dave. The duo trades zippy lines on camera. Their friendship spills into studio work. They co-create media projects, like short films and sketches.

A mixing board hums as they map out each scene. Friends lean on each other to sharpen every clip.

Beats, jokes, and bright visuals merge in their art. This partnership shows how a music producer can rock TV. It brings the music industry into living rooms. Fans spot cameos across two new projects this year.

Each brief turn feels like a wink to diehard listeners.

Personal Life

He juggles studio runs on Pro Tools, late-night dates with Selena Gomez, and friendly banter with Lil Dicky, so stick around to read more.

Key milestones and relationships

Benny Blanco grabbed national attention when People named him one of their “Sexiest Men Alive” in 2024. That honor came alongside a Hal David Starlight Award. A nod from the Songwriters Hall of Fame praised his hits for Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Ed Sheeran.

Sessions in Ableton Live and digital audio workstations led to spots atop the Billboard Hot 100.

Selena Gomez met Blanco at a studio session in June 2023, and they clicked over laughs and beats. He popped the question on December 11, 2024, and she said yes. Both dig Taio Cruz jams, Juice WRLD tunes, and late nights at Mad Love Records.

Fans spot them at Interscope Records showcases, or during hangouts with Lil Dicky, Dr. Luke and J Balvin.

Connections with Selena Gomez

He helped Gomez shape “Same Old Love,” a track that hit the top ten on Billboard Hot 100. Selena also co-wrote “Kill ’Em With Kindness” under Benny Blanco’s guidance. Fans still spin both songs on streaming apps today.

Plans call for a joint album “I Said I Love You First” in 2025 on Friends Keep Secrets. They tease more pop hooks and honest lyrics, lifting her voice and his beats. Studio chats revealed romantic sparks after a few sessions, and they flashed ring fingers on Instagram.

Exploring Benny Blanco’s Background

Born March 8, 1988, in Reston, Virginia, Benny Blanco began making melodies as a child. At age six, he used a basic DJ mixer and a cheap keyboard. Blanco started producing music in a makeshift garage studio.

Camp Airy in Maryland hosted his summer music sessions. He met peers and practiced beats among pine trees. Blanco learned to use Logic Pro and Pro Tools by tinkering after school. Selena Gomez tapped his skills when he broke into the music industry.

Takeaways

Every track he touches feels fresh. Critics praise his work on the Billboard Hot 100 time and again. He shapes sounds in a DAW, layering beats with sampling skills. Fans spot his name on songs across pop and hip hop charts.

His journey shows how a craftsman, a songwriter and a label head can thrive together.

For more insights into his heritage, explore our article on Is Benny Blanco Jewish?.

FAQs

1. What does benny blanco do?

He is a music producer and songwriter. He makes songs and builds tracks. He also runs his label, Friends Keep Secrets, with Mad Love Records and Interscope Records.

2. Who has he worked with?

He works with top artists like katy perry and britney spears. He helped shape katy perry’s sound on big hits. He wrote Same Old Love for selena gomez. He teams up with Ed Sheeran, Taio Cruz, J Balvin, Juice Wrld, and Lil Dicky.