Because sometimes it's nice not to have top billing, ever since his late-nineties heyday as the essential D.J. of hip-hop's arriviste moment, Mark Ronson has been looking for something else. What he found was work behind the boards, as an in-demand producer and de facto talent scout. (He played Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse songs on his radio show long before they arrived on American record labels.) Ronson's second solo album, Version (Allido/J), is a collection of eccentric covers of the Kaiser Chiefs, Ryan Adams, Britney Spears, and more. It's not out until early June, but in the meantime, for a primer on Ronson's work, read about him in this week's issue of New York, then listen to our playlist.

Amy Winehouse, "Back to Black" (from Back to Black) [YouTube]

Christina Aguilera, "Without You" (from Back To Basics) [YouTube]

Lily Allen, "Littlest Things" (from Alright, Still) [YouTube]

Mark Ronson, featuring Alex Greenwald, "Just" (from Exit Music: Songs With Radio Heads) [YouTube]

Mark Ronson, featuring Mos Def and M.O.P., "On rhe Run" (from Here Comes the Fuzz) [Are You Gene Hackman?]

Mark Ronson, featuring Santo Gold, "Pretty Green" (from Version) [B-Town Hit Parade]

Rhymefest, "Devil's Pie" (from Blue Collar) [Indietastic]

Robbie Williams, featuring Lily Allen, "Bongo Bong and Je Ne T'Aime Plus" (from Rudebox) [YouTube]
—Jon Caramanica