Rock stars aren't just about electric guitars and headbanging! We're diving into the surprising world of pop hits penned by unexpected rock musicians. From Prince to Beck, you'll be shocked at who's behind some of your favorite chart-toppers!
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best pop songs penned by those known for their contributions to rock.
00:1510.
00:22Halo-Beyonce It's hard to imagine anyone but Beyonce taking
00:34on this iconic track, given what she's done with it.
00:37While she's made it her own, she wasn't the one who came up with the concept.
00:41That honor goes to Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic.
00:44Primarily known for their smattering of hits throughout the 2000s, the song came to fruition
00:48shortly after he underwent surgery for a previous injury.
00:58Although he was supposed to be recovering from that, he threw his energy into penning
01:02Halo, a gorgeous and heartfelt ballad.
01:05After just a few hours, the Ray LaMontagne-inspired piece had been completed, and after a few
01:10tweaks done by the singer herself, it was transformed into the number we all know and
01:15love today.
01:209.
01:23Crazy-Patsy Cline
01:39Considering how much of an icon he is now, it's hard to believe Willie Nelson got his
01:43start behind the scenes.
01:45While working as a songwriter for a record label, Nelson penned Crazy, a classic country
01:50track inspired by his mental state at the time.
02:00It took less than an hour for him to write, and immediately stood out with its use of
02:04several different chords.
02:05Eventually, the song found its way to Patsy Cline, who infused it with her own vocal style.
02:21This led to a perfect storm of country and big band elements, creating a truly unique
02:26final product.
02:27The single quickly blew up and peaked at number two on the country charts, giving Nelson the
02:32push he needed into the mainstream.
02:398.
02:42Feel Good Time – Pink featuring William Orbit
02:51One last second act of generosity changed the trajectory of a song entirely.
02:56Grammy-winning rock musician Beck initially wrote Feel Good Time for himself.
03:00However, when Pink came into the picture and showed interest in recording a cover, he simply
03:05handed it over to her.
03:11After removing his original vocal track and guitars, and having the pop star sing over
03:16it instead, it was officially used as the main single for the Charlie's Angels full
03:20throttle soundtrack.
03:22The song was then included on Pink's subsequent album.
03:25Beck's association with the track helped it gain a wider audience and critical recognition.
03:30This led to soaring reviews and even a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
03:427.
03:43The Best Damn Thing – Avril Lavigne While rock stars are primarily known for their
03:48grittier sound, some have proven that they can excel at brighter, bubblier songs as well.
03:53This is evidenced by tracks like The Best Damn Thing by Avril Lavigne.
04:03Its sillier elements, such as the spelling of her name and the cheerleader-inspired vocals,
04:08were all thanks to Butch Walker of South Gang and Marvelous 3 fame.
04:12He had made his name through his contributions to various rock scenes throughout the 80s
04:16and 90s before lending his abilities to Lavigne's number.
04:24Walker's experience within the glam scene was instrumental, as elements of the genre
04:30come through in the final product.
04:32His involvement in both the lyrics and production were invaluable, helping it become a standout
04:37on Lavigne's third album.
04:446.
04:48Nothing Compares to You – Sinead O'Connor Although this song was recorded by the original
04:53artist who wrote it, it didn't see any recognition until it was picked up by someone new.
05:02Prince, a star who needs no introduction, crafted Nothing Compares to You for his band
05:09The Family in the 1980s.
05:11When it was first released, it largely went ignored compared to the others on the album.
05:22Less than a decade later, it was covered and transformed by Sinead O'Connor, who helped
05:26turn it into a global phenomenon.
05:28She updated the key, giving it an even more emotional tone in the process.
05:33The success inspired Prince to re-release the number, creating several rousing renditions
05:38that helped remind the world exactly who penned the masterful ballad.
05:455.
05:48Wake Me Up – Avicii This has to be one of the most unexpected
05:52collaborations in recent history.
05:54Avicii was already a household name, but his 2013 single Wake Me Up took his career
06:00to even higher heights.
06:08While the production stood out, that isn't the only element that added to its pop perfection.
06:12A litany of artists across various genres pitched in to help add to the piece.
06:17The acoustic guitar heard throughout was written and performed by Mike Einziger, the guitarist
06:22for Incubus.
06:31He had a hand in creating the progression and melody, two aspects that immediately stood
06:36out in the final product.
06:37The combination of different genres helped its success even more, cementing it as one
06:42of the most successful and interesting dance songs in recent history.
06:504.
06:55She-Wolf – Shakira Some songs are so far removed from one's
06:59original genre that it's hard to believe they had any involvement at all.
07:11Sam Endicott, primarily known for his work with post-punk group The Bravery, proves that
07:16he excelled at much more than just rock.
07:19He had a huge hand in composing the instrumental for She-Wolf, one of Shakira's most successful
07:24singles to date.
07:33Although Endicott didn't initially create it with Shakira in mind, as soon as she asked,
07:37he sent it over without any hesitation.
07:40The singer added her own lyrics to it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
07:44Endicott later gave his seal of approval, praising it for how far it went outside the
07:49box compared to other pop music.
07:563.
08:01Get the Party Started – Pink Some artists are still learning new talents
08:13well into adulthood.
08:14Linda Perry, known as the frontwoman of 4 Non Blondes, has found more recent success
08:19writing ditties for young stars.
08:21She's been successful with rock-adjacent hits with songs like What You Waiting For
08:25by Gwen Stefani, becoming insta-classics.
08:35Perry's first pop creation was 2001's Get the Party Started, which emerged after
08:39she began experimenting with production tools.
08:42She then did the same with the lyrics, peppering in several popular phrases at the time.
09:00After realizing she'd accidentally created the perfect dance track, Perry offered it
09:04to Madonna, who turned it down.
09:07The song eventually found its way to Pink, earning her another top 5 single on the Billboard
09:12Hot 100.
09:212.
09:22Manic Monday – The Bangles Sometimes a crush can lead to so much more
09:26than a potential relationship.
09:35Although it's now primarily associated with The Bangles, Manic Monday was actually written
09:40by Prince in 1984 for another group, Apollonia 6.
09:44While it ended up falling through for them, it still saw the light of day just a couple
09:49of years later.
09:57The star had been a fan of The Bangles up to that point, and a supposed crush on one
10:02of their members led to him offering them the track under a pen name.
10:05The group eagerly accepted, and after putting their own spin on it, it was finally released.
10:11It soon rocketed to the top of the charts, giving The Bangles their first hit single.
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10:381.
10:40Beautiful – Christina Aguilera Although Linda Perry's previously mentioned
10:52work with rock-adjacent stars helped her find her footing in pop, this track cemented her
10:57status with the broader genre.
10:59Her most notable contribution in that field was with Christina Aguilera's heartfelt
11:03ballad, Beautiful.
11:07While it was originally written with the intention of being a solo piece for Perry herself, all
11:15it took was hearing Aguilera sing it once to hand it over to her instead.
11:20She was impressed by the star's vulnerability and raw vocals, which are featured on the
11:24final version.
11:25It ended up becoming one of her signature hits, securing both her place as one of her
11:29generation's best rising stars and Perry's place as an invaluable contributor to the
11:34art form.
11:40Which pop song were you most surprised to learn was crafted by a rock star?
11:43Let us know in the comments below!