Hit Songs Originally Written For Another Artist
#1 What the hell were they thinking??? Makes one wonder..
#2 “Rock Your Body” by Justin Timberlake
Originally written for: Michael Jackson
This one is kind of sad in a way, maybe if Jackson didn't pass on all those Neptunes-produced tunes, including "Rock Your Body", his life would have made a mega comeback instead of becoming a mega tragedy. Luckily for fans of poppy dance tracks, JT ran with the tunes and took his rightful place as heir to the 'King of Pop' throne.
#3 "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus
Originally written for: Rihanna
Can you imagine how many annoying things we could have avoided talking about last year if Rihanna had just recorded the damn song? Jeez. Here's what one of the co-writers, Mike Will Made It (I can't even with that name) had to say about the track, "It was kind of crazy 'cause ... when I originally worked on 'We Can't Stop,' we had did it for Rihanna.
#4 “Umbrella” by Rihanna
Originally written for: Britney Spears
Apparently "Umbrella" writer/co-producer The-Dream offered the song to Britney as a surefire comeback hit. But her management nixed the track, which went to Rihanna and took her career into the stratosphere. And Rihanna's been making good decisions ever since! Well, except for that 'taking Chris Brown back' one.
#5 “Gold Digger” by Kanye West
Originally written for: Shawnna
Okay, I don't know who Shawnna is and that's probably because she passed on this HUGE hit. How do you hear "Golddigger" and not want to record that? Very, very big mistake Shawnna. And clearly Kanye learned nothing from the warning in the song's lyrics. Maybe Kim isn't a golddigger, but famedigger...yup. What do I know though, maybe Kimye's love is true.
#6 “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson
Originally written for: Pink/Hilary Duff
So initially this was meant for P!nk and when she truned it down it was offered to ... Hillary Duff? Um, not the most logical second choice but okay. Luckily, Clive Davis convinced the songwriter to give it to Kelly Clarkson for her "Breakaway" album. And all was right in the world. I like Hillary Duff, but her singing that song would have been all faux-edge.
#7 “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears
Originally written for: TLC
TLC rejected the tune for their "Fan Mail" album, and then it went to Britney making her the biggest pop star around at the time. Of all the songs on this list, this one I have the hardest time imagining anyone other than Britney performing. I mean other than me at karaoke, of course. I swear I friggin' kill it.
#8 “Telephone” By Lady Gaga (with Beyonce)
Originally written for: Britney Spears
Gaga originally wrote "Telephone" for Spears to record for her album "Circus". When Spears nixed it, Gaga recorded it for her album "Fame Monster", then made a crazy video with Beyonce for it.
#9 “Halo” By Beyonce
Originally written for: Leona Lewis
Okay, so this one has a bit of controversy to it. Apparently Simon Cowell was desperate to get "Halo" for Leona, but when she was too busy to record it, songwriter Ryan Tedder gave it to Beyonce and Simon got PISSED. But according to Tedder, the song was always originally for Beyonce and Leona was just a second choice in case Bey rejected it. BURN!
#10 "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith
Originally written for: Celine Dion
How do we make a cheesy song even cheesier? I believe getting Celine Dion to sing it is always the answer. I still have nightmares after seeing her perform AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long". She can make even cool songs cheesy. Very gifted cheesemaker, that Celine Dion.
#11 “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen
Originally wrote for: an unnamed artist
Bruce originally wrote it for a movie called "Light of Day" but he ended up keeping it for himself and submitting a different song for the film.
#12 "Toxic" by Britney Spears
Originally written for: Kylie Minogue
Co-written by Cathy Dennis, who also had a hand in Kylie's million-selling Number 1 Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Toxic was thought to be the perfect song for Kylie to carry on her chart domination.
On hearing a demo, Kylie wasn't so sure, so the song was passed on to Britney, who made it her own it's one of her biggest hits, shifting over 400,000 copies. Kylie has since said "stupidity" led to her turning the song down, but went on to say: ""Hey, Britney did a fantastic job. Maybe it wouldn't have been the same with me."
#13 "Miss Independent" by Kelly Clarkson
Originally written for: Destiny's Child
Miss Independent was Kelly's breakthrough hit in the UK back in 2003, but the tune was originally earmarked for Destiny's Child, under the title Miss Independence.
Perhaps Beyoncé thought that she and the girls had already covered the independence tip with their Number 1 Independent Women, as it was then passed on to Christina Aguilera. Even though Miss Independent sounds tailor-made for Xtina, the power-lunged diva passed on the track, so it was Kelly's in the end!
#14 "We Found Love" by Rihanna
Originally written for: Leona Lewis
She may not have got to lend her lungs to We Can't Stop, but she did eventually get her hands on this Calvin Harris-penned melancholy rave-up. We Found Love, thanks to its irresistible beat, super catchy lyrics and a brilliant video, gave Rihanna a million-seller (she has four altogether) and a massive Number 1. But it could all have been so different
Two leading ladies claimed the song was originally theirs. First Leona Lewis, who lost out on Ellie Goulding's Burn, laid claim to We Found Love, saying in an interview: "It was the same version and production but mine's better". Ooh, fighting talk indeed.
#15 "Whataya Want From Me" by Adam Lambert
Originally written for: Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger Turned Down "We Found Love"
In an interview with Notion Magazine, Nicole said that she was tired of dance music, and that's why she ended up passing. The song was a huge hit for Lambert.
#16 "Call Me" by Blondie
Originally written for: Stevie Nicks
Disco producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Fleetwood Mac's lead songstress to help compose lyrics and deliver vocals for his latest dance confection, but when contractual issues prevented the collaboration from happening, Moroder turned to Debbie Harry, who co-wrote "Call Me." Nicks scored a huge hit two years later with "Edge of Seventeen," but could she have guided "Call Me" to its No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, as Blondie did?
#17 "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls
Originally written for: Paris Hilton
The salacious single was originally offered to both the Sugababes and Paris Hilton before ending up with the Pussycat Dolls, who used the track as the lead single from their 2005 debut album "PCD." Hilton's 2006 debut LP "Paris" never scored a hit on the level of "Don't Cha," and could have used the track as an introduction to her short-lived sonic style.
#18 "Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks
Originally written for: Mark Chesnutt
While Brooks claimed in the liner notes of "The Hits" that "Friends in Low Places" was originally held for him, Mark Chesnutt, who enjoyed a run of success in the early 90s, also recorded the song. His version appears on his 1990 debut "Too Cold at Home" -- released only a month after Brooks' "No Fences" -- and was the B-side to his 1991 single "Broken Promise Land."
#19 "Fire" by The Pointer Sisters
Originally written for: Elvis
Bruce Springsteen originally wrote it for Elvis, who died before he recorded it. So, Bruce gave it to The Pointer Sisters to see what they could do with it, and their version became a hit. He also recorded it himself, but had recently recorded his own "I'm On Fire" and did not want two similar titles back to back.
