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It’s fascinating to me how many famous musicians have penned hits for other celebrities. So much so, in fact, that I recently fell down a digital rabbit hole looking up who wrote what — and, naturally, I had to share my findings with you.
Are there any hits I’ve overlooked? Tell me in the comments! (Inquiring minds need to know.)
The Song: “Diamonds”
Performed by: Rihanna
Written by: Sia
Even if you don’t immediately recognize Sia’s name, you definitely know her voice. The singer, who often wears a wig that obscures her face in public, has is known for her hits “Chandelier” and “Elastic Heart,” and for crushing the chorus on Flo Rida’s “Wild Ones.”
The Song: “Halo”
Performed by: Beyonce
Written by: Ryan Tedder
The OneRepublic songwriter has produced and co-written tons of tracks for other artists, including Taylor Swift, Maroon 5 and Adele. Beyonce is credited as one of the composers of this track, along with Evan Bogart.
The Song: “Forget You”
Performed by: Cee Lo Green
Written by: Bruno Mars
The hitmaker behind “Grenade,” “Just the Way You Are” and “Uptown Funk” proves he can create ultra-catchy songs for other celebs, too. This was Cee Lo’s biggest hit since “Crazy,” back when he was one half of Gnarls Barkley. (Cee Lo is also credited as a writer on “Forget You,” so he deserves some credit, too.)
The Song: “Til The World Ends”
Performed by: Britney Spears
Written by: Ke$ha
Before we all knew K-E-dollar-sign-Ha as the chick who “brushes [her] teeth with a bottle of Jack,” she wrote songs for other celebs, like Brit-Brit.
The Song: “I Do Not Hook Up”
Performed by: Kelly Clarkson
Written by: Katy Perry
Our favorite California Gurl has written multiple songs for Kelly Clarkson, as well as tracks for Selena Gomez, Britney Spears and Jessie James.
The Song: “Little Things”
Performed by: One Direction
Written by: Ed Sheeran
He’s actually written multiple songs for the British boy band, including “18,” “Moments” and “Over Again.”
The Song: “We Found Love”
Performed by: Rihanna
Written by: Calvin Harris
Okay, I had to include another Rihanna song, because the woman is full of hits…that she didn’t write. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, per se. I just find it fascinating to learn who did write these songs. In this case, it’s Taylor Swift‘s bae. (Yup, I wrote ‘bae’ and refuse to apologize for it. Because it’s fun to say. And type.)
Photo: Vevo/Britney Spears