Ford went to Manchester University, along with other members of Simian.[1]

Ford was a founding member of the group Simian and later a member the spin-off duo Simian Mobile Disco.[1]

He produced the Klaxons album Myths of the Near Future in 2007 which won the Mercury Prize.[2] He also played drums on the album.[citation needed] Also that year, he produced the Arctic Monkeys second album. He has done at least part of the production on each of the band's subsequent albums.[2] He played guitar on Arctic Monkeys' "Only Ones Who Know".[citation needed]

In 2008, he formed the Last Shadow Puppets with Miles Kane and Alex Turner, as both drummer and producer. Their debut album, The Age of the Understatement, earned the group a Mercury Prize nomination and also charted at No. 1 in the UK.[2] Their second album, Everything You've Come to Expect, was released in 2016. Ford once again produced, also playing drums, percussion and keys. The record earned the group their second UK No. 1.

Ford produced and played keys on Arctic Monkeys' fifth album, AM, released in 2013. His work on the album gained him a further Mercury Prize nomination.[citation needed]

Ford has produced the 14th Depeche Mode album Spirit released on 17 March 2017, as well as the fourth studio album of the UK band Everything Everything under the title A Fever Dream, released on 18 August 2017.

In 2018, Ford co-produced the Arctic Monkeys' 6th studio album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, as well as Gorillaz' 6th studio album The Now Now.