Producer Howard Benson Talks Hit-Making and His New Judge & Jury Label

Rock producer Howard Benson recalls his early days at Giant Records, a Warner Bros. subsidiary, where he learned that "it's really hard to sell records" and that success depends on delivering hits.

Benson went on to produce multi‑platinum, era‑defining songs for acts such as My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, Daughtry and Halestorm. In 2021 he co‑founded Judge & Jury Records with Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson, giving him full control over all aspects of an artist’s release. He says his enduring goal is simply to "have smashes".

He also shares anecdotes about discovering Gerard Way’s star potential for My Chemical Romance’s breakthrough album, highlighting his belief that spotting a true star changes a project’s trajectory.