Musicians Who Wrote Songs for Other Artists
The music industry has always been a collaborative playground where artists pass songs around like trading cards. Sometimes a track just doesn’t fit the vibe of your album, or maybe you realize another artist could really nail it better than you ever could.
The result is a fascinating web of hits that could have sounded completely different if the original writer had kept them. These stories reveal how interconnected the pop world really is.
Here is a list of musicians who penned major hits for other artists.
Sia
Sia basically became the secret weapon of pop music before launching her own massive solo career. She wrote Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds,’ which became a worldwide smash, and penned Beyoncé’s ‘Pretty Hurts,’ which kicked off Queen Bey’s self-titled album.
Her entire album ‘This Is Acting’ was compiled from songs she’d written for other artists who passed on them, and tracks like ‘Cheap Thrills’—originally written for Rihanna—ended up giving Sia her own number one hit.
Prince
The Purple One wrote ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ in 1984 during a quick studio session, allegedly inspired by either his housekeeper quitting or a friend’s breakup. He gave the song to his side project band The Family, where it went largely unnoticed until Sinéad O’Connor recorded her haunting version in 1990.
O’Connor’s stripped-down cover became one of the biggest ballads of the decade, though she and Prince reportedly had a physical altercation at his house over creative differences.
Ed Sheeran
Sheeran has made a side career out of crafting hits for other artists while maintaining his own success. He co-wrote ‘Love Yourself’ for Justin Bieber, initially penning it for his own album before deciding Bieber could deliver the snarky lyrics better.
He also contributed ‘Make It Right’ to BTS and co-wrote ‘Little Things’ for One Direction years before the track was released.
Jessie J
Before Jessie J became known for her powerhouse vocals, she was paying rent by writing songs for other artists. She co-wrote Miley Cyrus’s ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ with Dr. Luke and Claude Kelly, originally intending to record it herself.
The label thought the song wasn’t edgy enough for her brand, so they passed it to Cyrus, and Jessie later revealed the royalties paid her rent for three years straight.
Taylor Swift
Swift is known for writing her own material, but she’s also penned hits for artists in different genres. She wrote ‘Better Man’ for country group Little Big Town, originally planning it for her ‘Red’ album before deciding it suited them better.
The song won a Grammy and showcased Swift’s ability to craft narratives that work for other voices, even when she’s moved away from country music herself.
Ryan Tedder
The OneRepublic frontman has quietly been behind some of the biggest pop songs of the past two decades. He co-wrote Beyoncé’s uplifting anthem ‘Halo,’ proving his ability to craft songs for artists bigger than almost anyone on the planet.
He also worked on Adele’s ‘Remedy’ and collaborated with Lady Gaga on ‘Sine From Above,’ showing his range across different pop styles.
Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo originally wrote ‘Irreplaceable’ as a country song intended for either Shania Twain or Faith Hill. The track ended up with Beyoncé, who transformed it into an R&B anthem about kicking a cheating partner to the curb.
Ne-Yo reportedly regretted selling the song afterward, which makes sense considering it became one of Beyoncé’s most iconic singles.
The-Dream
Terius Nash, known as The-Dream, co-wrote Rihanna’s breakthrough hit ‘Umbrella,’ which was originally offered to Britney Spears. Spears’ team said she had too many tracks already lined up, so the song sparked a bidding war between Mary J. Blige’s camp and Def Jam Records.
Def Jam won and handed it to their rising star Rihanna, who turned it into the song that launched her into international superstardom.
Bruno Mars
Before Bruno Mars became a household name himself, he co-wrote CeeLo Green’s impossibly catchy ‘Forget You.’ The song perfectly captured that mix of humor and heartbreak about an ex moving on to someone wealthier.
Mars and his collaborators actually considered not finishing the track, but when CeeLo heard it, he knew it was worth completing.
Avril Lavigne
The punk-pop princess co-wrote Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Breakaway,’ which became the title track of Clarkson’s sophomore album. The empowering anthem was a departure from Lavigne’s usual edgy sound, but it resonated deeply with Clarkson’s audience.
Lavigne originally wrote it for her album ‘Let Go,’ but it didn’t quite fit the vibe, so it landed on the ‘Princess Diaries 2’ soundtrack before becoming a Clarkson staple.
Kesha
Back when Kesha was rising to fame with her own hits like ‘Tik Tok,’ she wrote ‘Till the World Ends’ for Britney Spears. She described the process as putting herself in Britney’s mindset and expressing herself as if possessed by the pop icon.
Kesha even appeared on a remix of the track, bringing the songwriting process full circle.
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell has written songs for other artists since he was a teenager, starting with a verse for Wreckx-n-Effect’s ‘Rump Shaker’ when he was just 19. He later wrote Britney Spears’ ‘I’m A Slave 4 U’ and Gwen Stefani’s ‘Hollaback Girl,’ among countless others.
Getting turned down by Prince for ‘Frontin” actually pushed Pharrell to step out from behind the producer booth and launch his own solo career.
Julia Michaels
Michaels built her reputation as a songwriter before becoming a solo artist, penning Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’ from his ‘Purpose’ album. The track became arguably the album’s biggest hit, with its infectious beat and apologetic lyrics.
Her songwriting skills eventually led to her own successful solo career, but she proved her chops writing for others first.
Dolly Parton
Parton wrote ‘I Will Always Love You’ about her professional partner and mentor Porter Wagoner when their working relationship was ending. She even prevented Elvis from covering it because his manager demanded half the publishing rights.
When Whitney Houston recorded her version years later for ‘The Bodyguard’ soundtrack, Parton helped with production, and the song became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Katy Perry
Perry co-wrote ‘Black Widow’ for Iggy Azalea’s album ‘The New Classic,’ adding her signature pop flair to the track. The song featured a memorable chorus and bold production that showcased Perry’s knack for creating catchy, dynamic pop music.
It proved she could craft hits in different styles beyond her own colorful, candy-coated aesthetic.
St. Vincent
Known for her edgier pop-rock sound, Annie Clark stepped outside her usual territory to write ‘Cruel Summer’ for Taylor Swift’s ‘Lover’ album. The song definitely doesn’t sound like a typical St. Vincent original, which makes the collaboration even more surprising.
It shows her versatility as a songwriter and her ability to adapt her craft for artists in completely different genres.
Lady Gaga
Before Gaga became a global phenomenon, she was writing songs for other artists to make ends meet. She penned ‘Quicksand’ for Britney Spears’ ‘Circus’ album, which has unmistakable Gaga vibes throughout.
She also wrote ‘Fever’ for Adam Lambert, though she eventually stopped writing for others once her own career exploded.
When the Pen Changes Hands
The practice of passing songs between artists has shaped pop music in ways most listeners never realize. What might have been a throwaway track for one musician becomes another’s career-defining moment, proving that great songs sometimes just need to find the right voice.
These artists understood that writing hits isn’t about keeping everything for yourself—it’s about recognizing when a song belongs to someone else.
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