At its core, Back to Black is a brilliant exercise in sonic time travel. Produced primarily by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, the album bridged the gap between 1960s girl-group pop—think The Supremes and The Shangri-Las—and contemporary hip-hop sensibilities.
Winehouse's music is deeply rooted in the traditions of soul and jazz. Her vocal style, which combines elements of Etta James, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald, is a testament to her love of classic American music. The album's instrumentation, which features a range of jazz-inflected arrangements, including horns, piano, and guitar, adds to the album's timeless, soulful sound.