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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

Posted in Fun

Author: candacebd

Candace Braun Davison is a writer, editor and recipe developer who divides her time between New York and Florida. She's written articles that have appeared in PureWow, Delish, House Beautiful, Cosmo, Elle, Esquire, Elle Decor, Veranda, Good Housekeeping and more. She's also published and contributed to multiple cookbooks, including a tailgate cookbook specifically designed for USF students. A portion of the proceeds benefitted student scholarships at the university.