Before they were headlining arenas, many of the biggest names in music were sitting in small writing rooms. They were quietly penning the choruses the whole world would soon be singing — for someone else. The history of pop is full of famous singers who wrote hit songs for other artists. These stars handed over career-defining smashes before their own names lit up the marquee.
From Sia’s lightning-fast session that gave Rihanna “Diamonds” to Prince’s secret vault of songs for The Bangles and Sinéad O’Connor, these stories reveal a side of stardom most fans never see. Songwriting royalties, creative overflow and simple generosity all play a part. Here are the most remarkable singers who wrote hit songs for other artists — and the stories of how those songs found their true voices.
Sia: The Reluctant Star Who Gave Rihanna “Diamonds” and Beyoncé “Pretty Hurts”
Long before “Chandelier” made her a household name, Sia was one of the most in-demand songwriters in Los Angeles. Her session with producer Benny Blanco and the Norwegian duo Stargate (Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen) produced “Diamonds” in a reported 14 to 22 minutes, according to Capital FM. Rihanna’s team then turned it into a worldwide No. 1 in 2012. According to reports, Blanco briefly considered Kanye West or Lana Del Rey for the track. Eminem even recorded over the same beat. In the end, Stargate insisted the song belonged to Rihanna. Here is the funniest detail: Sia later mistook Rihanna’s finished vocals for her own demo. That is because Rihanna had copied Sia’s vocal phrasing so closely. Contrary to a popular myth, Sia did not write “Diamonds” to keep for herself. She wrote it for Rihanna from the start.
Her pen was just as busy elsewhere. “Pretty Hurts,” the opening track of Beyoncé’s 2013 self-titled album, was written by Sia with producer Ammo (Joshua Coleman) and Beyoncé herself. Sia originally wrote the song with Katy Perry in mind. Perry reportedly missed the email. The song then sat with Rihanna’s management for eight months. Finally, Beyoncé claimed it — ET Online traced the song’s journey through all three pop giants.
Then there is the tangled tale of “Titanium.” Sia co-wrote the song with David Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort and Afrojack. However, reports conflict over who it was meant for. Her manager has said Alicia Keys. Another insider pointed to Katy Perry, who reportedly passed because it felt too close to “Firework.” Mary J. Blige even recorded a version that leaked in 2011. Sia herself said Guetta released her demo vocal without her knowledge. At that point, she had only wanted to be a behind-the-scenes songwriter.
Bruno Mars: The Smeezingtons Years Before “Just the Way You Are”
Before Bruno Mars became a Grammy-sweeping solo superstar, he was part of a writing and production trio called the Smeezingtons. His partners were Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine. Together, the team quietly shaped some of the biggest hits of 2010. “Nothin’ on You” by B.o.B introduced Mars’s voice to the world as a featured singer. It was written by B.o.B, Mars, Lawrence and Levine, and produced by the trio — Sound on Sound documented the Smeezingtons’ studio process in detail.
The same crew was behind one of the year’s most unforgettable singles: CeeLo Green’s “F*** You.” It was also released in the radio-friendly “Forget You” version. The credits list Green, Mars, Lawrence, Levine and Brody Brown. Mars has often said those years taught him how to build a hit from the ground up. He later used that skill on his own chart-toppers.
Prince: The Purple One’s Secret Songbook
Few artists were as generous — and as mysterious — with their songwriting as Prince. In 1986 he handed The Bangles “Manic Monday.” He credited it to the pseudonym “Christopher,” as the song’s credit history confirms. That was the name of his character Christopher Tracy in the film Under the Cherry Moon. The song had originally been intended for his side project Apollonia 6. Instead, it became The Bangles’ breakout hit.
Even more remarkable is the story of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” Prince wrote it for The Family, a side project on his Paisley Park label. It appeared on their 1985 self-titled album with little fanfare. Five years later, Sinéad O’Connor’s devastating cover changed everything. Released on I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, it became one of the defining ballads of the decade. The songwriting credit remains one of the most famous in pop history.
Taylor Swift: Nashville’s Pen for Hire
Taylor Swift’s songwriting for others leans country. That fits her Nashville roots. “Better Man,” the Little Big Town single that won the CMA Song of the Year award in 2017, was written solely by Swift. She sent it to the group, and they turned it into a Grammy-winning hit — Wide Open Country tells the full story behind the song.
Her behind-the-scenes catalog runs deeper than most fans realize. She co-wrote “Babe” with Train’s Pat Monahan. Sugarland released it in 2018. Swift later recorded her own version for Red (Taylor’s Version). She also wrote “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home.” Miley Cyrus performed it in Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009). The credit is registered with ASCAP, and it surprises even some Swifties.
Ne-Yo and The-Dream: The R&B Architects of the 2000s
Ne-Yo’s smooth solo career almost overshadows his songwriting résumé. He co-wrote Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” alongside the Stargate duo (Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen). Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund and Beyoncé herself also share the credit. In interviews, Ne-Yo has admitted he originally wrote the song for himself — American Songwriter lists it among his biggest gifts to other artists. That decision surely stings a little. After all, it became one of Beyoncé’s signature hits.
The-Dream (Terius Nash) has a similar story with Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” The song was written by The-Dream and producer Tricky Stewart. Jay-Z added the famous rap verse, and Kuk Harrell handled vocal production. The-Dream has said in interviews that he wrote it with Britney Spears in mind. He repeated the claim on Drink Champs in 2017. Her team passed. Mary J. Blige later confirmed on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast in January 2026 that she was also offered the song. Stereogum covered her explanation for turning it down. Like the actors who were almost cast in iconic movie roles, “Umbrella” nearly had a very different voice. Those reported passes rank among the most consequential in pop history.
Lady Gaga, Kesha and Charli XCX: Pop Stars Writing for Pop Stars
Lady Gaga was writing hits for other pop stars before her own debut album dropped. She co-wrote “Quicksand” with Fernando Garibay for Britney Spears. Gaga confirmed it in a 2009 interview, crediting Spears with helping her break into the industry. One correction to a common telling: the song appeared on Spears’s Circus (2008). It was released as a bonus track on European editions — not on Blackout, as is often claimed.
Kesha did something similar for the same superstar. She co-wrote Britney Spears’s “Till the World Ends” with Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Alexander Kronlund. Contrary to rumor, Kesha did not write it for herself. Instead, she has said she wrote it specifically imagining Britney. She pictured “any female musician touring the world” and the rush of that life. Spears, herself a former child star — see our look at 90s child stars: where are they now — ended up with two songs on this list written for her by future headliners.
Charli XCX’s gift to Swedish duo Icona Pop is the stuff of songwriting legend. She co-wrote “I Love It” with producer Patrik Berger during sessions for her own album. She reportedly finished the melody and lyrics in about 30 minutes. Then she handed it to Icona Pop. She even sang on the finished track. It became a global smash in 2012.
The New School: Singers Who Wrote Hit Songs for Other Artists in the 2010s
The 2010s produced a generation of singer-songwriters whose pens were as famous as their voices. Julia Michaels co-wrote two of the decade’s defining pop songs. The first was Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” written with Bieber, BloodPop, Skrillex and Justin Tranter. The second was Selena Gomez’s “Good for You,” written with Tranter, Nick Monson, Nolan Lambroza, A$AP Rocky, Hector Delgado and Gomez.
Skylar Grey wrote the haunting hook of Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie.” Rihanna featured on the track. Grey wrote it over a beat from producer Alex da Kid. She told Songwriter Universe she was working from a cabin in Oregon during their very first collaboration. Eminem cut the track, Rihanna joined, and it hit No. 1 within a month of release.
Bonnie McKee was Katy Perry’s secret weapon during the Teenage Dream era. She co-wrote “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.).” All three came from the 2010 album. She also co-wrote “Roar” from 2013’s Prism, along with “Part of Me” and “Wide Awake.”
Ester Dean’s résumé is just as heavyweight. BMI officially lists her as a co-writer of Rihanna’s “Rude Boy.” BMI’s own profile of Dean details her breakthrough. That was her breakthrough and her first No. 1 as a songwriter. Her credits also include Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass,” Katy Perry’s “Firework,” and Rihanna’s “What’s My Name” and “S&M.” She was named BMI’s Pop Songwriter of the Year in 2012.
Ed Sheeran famously gave away one of the biggest songs of 2015. He co-wrote “Love Yourself” with Bieber and Benny Blanco for his own album ÷ (Divide). But he told Carson Daly in 2017: “It just wouldn’t have made it… Justin took it,” as Music News reported. As for “Shape of You,” Sheeran has said it started as a song for Little Mix. Then, midway through, he thought it could suit Rihanna. In the end, he kept it for himself.
Ryan Tedder, Babyface and Pharrell: The Producer-Singers Who Gave Away Gold
Some of the most prolific givers sit at the intersection of singer and producer. Ryan Tedder, the voice of OneRepublic, co-wrote and produced Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love.” He wrote it with Jesse McCartney, originally for McCartney’s own album Departure (2008). When McCartney’s label Hollywood Records rejected it, Tedder pitched it to Simon Cowell for Lewis. It became a transatlantic No. 1. A persistent rumor says it was first offered to TLC. However, no supporting evidence exists. McCartney later recorded the song as a bonus track himself.
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds built an empire on other artists’ voices. His credits include Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” — he wrote the entire Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. They also include Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road,” Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” Madonna’s “Take a Bow” and Mary J. Blige’s “Not Gon’ Cry.”
Pharrell Williams was writing smashes long before “Happy.” As half of The Neptunes with Chad Hugo, he co-wrote and produced Britney Spears’s “I’m a Slave 4 U.” It was originally intended for Janet Jackson’s All for You. SiriusXM’s rundown of Pharrell’s credits shows just how deep the catalog runs. His other credits include “Boys” for Spears, Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Kelis’s “Milkshake,” Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” and Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”
Lionel Richie belongs in this lineage too. He wrote “Lady” for Kenny Rogers in 1980 after the Commodores passed on it. Rogers heard a rough version and asked Richie to finish it for him. It hit No. 1 on the country, adult contemporary and pop charts.
Why Singers Who Wrote Hit Songs for Other Artists Give Them Away
Why would anyone hand over a hit? The reasons are surprisingly practical. Sometimes the song simply does not fit the writer’s own album. Sheeran’s “Love Yourself” “wouldn’t have made it” onto ÷. Sometimes the money makes the decision. Songwriting royalties pay for decades. A hit for someone else can fund a writer’s own career. For more on how entertainment money really works, see our guide on how much reality TV stars really get paid.
Other times it is about the right voice. A song written for one artist can transform in another’s hands. “Umbrella” was reportedly passed on by both Britney Spears’s team and Mary J. Blige before Rihanna made it iconic. In K-pop, entire songwriting camps exist to match songs with idols, as we explored in our K-pop trainee system explainer.
The Unsung Songbooks Behind Your Favorite Choruses
The next time a chorus gets stuck in your head, check the credits. You might find a superstar hiding there. From Prince’s pseudonyms to Sia’s 14-minute sessions, these singers who wrote hit songs for other artists prove one thing. The biggest voice on a record is not always the one holding the pen. Their generosity — or their good business sense — gave pop music some of its most enduring moments. And somewhere in a writing room right now, tomorrow’s superstar is probably handing today’s hit to someone else.