It's pretty common for popular singers of today to write their own songs. Fans like hearing the singer's own perspective when listening to their music. It becomes a very personal experience for the listener, who feels a deeper connection to the song and artist as a result.
That doesn't mean that popular singers only write songs for themselves. Sometimes singers will write songs with another artist in mind. Other times, singers will write songs for themselves, but allow another artist to record them instead.
Here are eight artists whose songs were recorded by other famous singers.
8 Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga took over the pop charts during the early 2010s. She helped usher in a new era of dance-pop dominance during that time. Before she broke through, Gaga scored a songwriting deal, penning songs for other artists. One of the artists Gaga wrote for was Britney Spears. "Quicksand," a song Gaga wrote, was recorded by the pop princess and included as a bonus track on her album Circus. Gaga also wrote "Telephone" for Spears. However, when Spears didn't use the song, Gaga recorded it herself and it became a huge hit.
7 Sia
Sia has racked up several hits of her own in her career. She has also brought her trademark songwriting and vocal style to several other pop stars. She wrote and produced songs for Britney Spears' 2013 album Britney Jean, including the single "Perfume." She also wrote songs for Jennifer Lopez's 2014 album A.K.A., including the song "Expertease (Ready, Set, Go)." Rihanna's "Diamonds" was also written by Sia. Beyoncé's song "Pretty Hurts" from her self-titled album was written by Sia as well.
6 Charlie Puth
Charlie Puth rose to fame thanks to the track "See You Again" with Wiz Khalifa. He released his debut album in 2016 and racked up even more hits. Puth made an even bigger impression with his sophomore album Voicenotes in 2018. It included the hits "Attention" and "Done For Me." Puth's latest release came this year with his self-titled album Charlie. It featured the hits "Light Switch" and "Left And Right." To most people's surprise, Puth was also a writer on the song "Stay" by Justin Bieber and The Kid LAROI. It was one of the biggest hits of 2021.
5 Jessie J
Jessie J is known for her big voice and catchy hooks. She's also made a name for herself in the U.K. as a very successful singer. She started her career when she was only 11, appearing in the West End musical, Whistle Down the Wind. One of her biggest international hits is "Bang Bang," with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj. But while Jessie J can write hits for herself, she can also write hits for other artists as well. Jessie J is one of the writers on Miley Cyrus' hit song "Party in the U.S.A." Jessie J was going to sing the song originally, but later decided to give it to Cyrus.
4 Kesha
Kesha burst onto the scene in the early 2010s with her signature dance-pop hits. Her party girl image made her a stand-out star at the time. Over the years, Kesha has matured and delivered music that showcases a different side of her personality. She has proven herself to be a talented singer and songwriter. As a songwriter, Kesha has contributed to other artists as well. She helped co-write Britney Spears' 2011 hit "Till The World Ends." Kesha also appeared on the song's remix with Spears and Nicki Minaj.
3 Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams initially became well-known as part of the hip-hop duo The Neptunes with Chad Hugo. Together, the two wrote a ton of hits for other artists. The most famous example is the Britney Spears hit "I'm a Slave 4 U." Williams also worked with Madonna on her 2008 album Hard Candy, co-writing several songs with the Queen of Pop. Williams also collaborated with Ariana Grande on her 2018 album Sweetener. Williams wrote and produced many of the album's tracks, including "R.E.M," a song originally recorded by Beyoncé.
2 Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne released her debut album Let Go in 2002. The album contained the hits "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi," and "I'm With You." Lavigne became an icon of the time, going against the pop star image that so many female artists were boxed into back then. She continued to release albums and rack up hits over the years. One of them was a song called "Breakaway." It was originally written and recorded by Lavigne for her debut album, but was left unreleased. It was eventually recorded by Kelly Clarkson in 2004. Lavigne recently released her version in celebration of her debut album's 20th anniversary.
1 Katy Perry
Katy Perry is one of the biggest pop stars from the 2010s. Her initial burst of fame came when she released the single "I Kissed a Girl." The song became a huge hit and she kept the hits coming with her Teenage Dream album. The album is second only to Michael Jackson's Bad for racking up five number one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Perry co-wrote the 2009 hit "I Do Not Hook Up," which was recorded by Kelly Clarkson. She also co-wrote the song "Passenger," which was included on Britney Spears' 2013 album Britney Jean.
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