Top 20 Smash Hit Songs REJECTED by Other Artists
#20: “Call Me” (1980)
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Blondie, Offered to Stevie Nicks Legendary Italian producer Giorgio Moroder composed the music of “Call Me” as part of the soundtrack for the “American Gigolo” movie. Once done, Giorgio needed a leading artist to bring the song to life, and he turned to Fleetwood Mac vocalist Stevie Nicks. Sadly, Nicks turned down the offer, reportedly to avoid a contractual breach. The song then landed in the lap of Debbie Harry, whose band Blondie was experiencing one of the highest points of their career. The group released “Call Me” in 1980 and it became an unstoppable hit, topping the charts in the U.S., Canada and the UK.
#19: “Thinkin Bout You” (2012)
Frank Ocean, Offered to Bridget Kelly Frank Ocean’s modern classic debut studio album “Channel Orange” established him as one of the most ingenious musicians of his generation. Its lead single “Thinkin Bout You” received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for the Grammy for Record of the Year. But it’s crazy to think that all of that may have never happened. The song was initially written by Ocean for Roc Nation signee Bridget Kelly. However, he ended up posting his own recording online before ultimately fine-tuning it and featuring it on his album. But if you want to hear the Kelly version, just check out her 2011 EP “Every Girl,” and play “Thinking About Forever.”
#18: “Don’t Cha” (2005)
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The Pussycat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes, Offered to Paris Hilton The song that we’ve all come to know as the Pussycat Dolls’ smash debut hit was actually first released by singer Tori Alamaze. That version failed to achieve much success and it was refurbished as the hit single for the Pussycat Dolls. But before it became the number two Billboard hit that launched the group into the celebrity stratosphere, “Don’t Cha” was offered to Paris Hilton. Hilton turned down the song as she reportedly didn’t care for it. But according to the billionaire heiress, she wouldn’t have hesitated to take the song if she’d heard the version we all jam along to now. Boy, don’t cha think she wishes she could turn back time?
#17: “Wrecking Ball” (2013)
Miley Cyrus, Written for Beyoncé What could we say about this song that you aren’t already aware of? Well, probably that it wasn’t even intended to be performed by the one and only Miley Cyrus. “Wrecking Ball,” which appeared on her “Bangerz” album, was actually penned during a songwriting session for Beyoncé. But apparently, the writers could immediately tell it wasn’t right for her. So it was promptly offered to Cyrus, who was in the process of transforming her public image from teen idol to a mature pop star, instead. Could we see Beyoncé on a wrecking ball and licking a sledgehammer? Eh, not quite, so we guess some songs eventually end up with the artists they were destined for.
#16: “Danger Zone” (1986)
Kenny Loggins, Offered to Toto, Bryan Adams, REO Speedwagon, Jefferson Starship & Corey Hart The wild success of the hit soundtrack to 1986’s “Top Gun” is largely attributed to the popularity of its single “Danger Zone.” The song, which was composed by Giorgio Moroder, was offered to a slew of artists before reaching Kenny Loggins. They reportedly included rock bands Toto, REO Speedwagon, and Jefferson Starship, as well as singers Bryan Adams and Corey Hart. But all these folks either exited the project or turned it down for various reasons. So Loggins, who had recorded the number-one soundtrack hit “Footloose” just two years earlier, stepped in as a last-minute replacement. He managed to strike gold again, sending “Danger Zone” to the number-two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and creating a long-lasting legacy for the “Top Gun” franchise.
#15: “Alive” (2015)
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Sia, Rejected by Adele Sia’s songwriting skills are second possibly only to her vocal prowess. The Australian artist has become known as one of the 21st century’s most prolific songwriters, having crafted tunes for everyone from Rihanna to Beyoncé, and even Adele. For the latter’s third album “25,” Sia co-wrote this synth-pop power ballad. Adele, another one of the tune’s writers, ultimately turned it down. When putting together her 2016 album “This is Acting,” which featured songs she had penned for different artists, Sia decided to also include “Alive.” And we couldn’t be more grateful that she did. Her raw and rousing vocals perfectly communicate the emotions of the song, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else singing it.
#14: “Holiday” (1983)
Madonna, Offered to Mary Wilson In the early ‘80s, Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens, both from the band Pure Energy, wrote a song titled “Holiday,” which ended up being pitched to other artists. The song was presented to Mary Wilson, one of the founding members of The Supremes, but she chose to pass on it. It then found its way into the hands of a young Madonna, who was still very much in search of a breakout hit. In “Holiday,” she found what she was looking for. The track, which was rearranged to fit her style, became a huge success and made an international star out of her. It was a chart success in multiple countries, and even snagged the number one spot on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart.
#13: “It’s Raining Men” (1982)
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The Weather Girls, Offered to Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Cher & Barbra Streisand After penning “It’s Raining Men” in just a matter of hours, Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer offered the song to the Disco Queen herself, Donna Summer. As a Born Again Christian, Summer felt the track conflicted with her beliefs, viewing it as “blasphemous,” and turned it down. Jabara and Shaffer also apparently pitched it to Cher, Diana Ross, and Barbra Streisand, and got resounding nos from all of them. But in the hands of the Weather Girls, all of that was washed away. Although they initially disliked it, the duo ended up recording “It’s Raining Men” for their third album “Success.” And indeed, that’s exactly what it was, charting extremely well both in the United States and abroad.
#12: “Rock Your Body” (2002)
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Justin Timberlake, Offered to Michael Jackson Justin Timberlake joined forces with Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams to write “Rock Your Body,” which was meant for Michael Jackson. But not every song can make the cut, and this was among those that was rejected by the King of Pop when he was putting together his “Invincible” album. Likely not wanting to waste such a well-written track, Timberlake included it on his first solo album “Justified.” “Rock Your Body” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and was an international hit, as well. While Timberlake’s version is extremely groovy in its own right, we can’t help but imagine what heights Jackson would’ve taken the song to.
#11: “God Is a Woman” (2018)
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Ariana Grande, Offered to Camila Cabello Ariana Grande’s 2018 pop hit “God Is a Woman” was almost recorded by somebody else. The pop star only got the chance to perform the song after it was passed on by Camila Cabello. Cabello said she was given the song when it only had a chorus. She then added her own verses and recorded it, but ended up not really feeling the result, so she decided to give it up. It was then given to Ariana Grande, who fleshed it out with different verses and put her signature sultry spin on it. The track hit the top ten in almost twenty countries and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.
#10: “What’s Love Got to Do with It” (1984)
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Tina Turner, Offered to Cliff Richard, Phyllis Hyman & Donna Summer After a tumultuous period in her career, Tina Turner made a phenomenal comeback when her 1984 single “What’s Love Got to Do with It” hit the top of the charts. But as synonymous as the song now is with Turner’s name, it went on quite the journey before getting into her hands. It was reportedly presented to Cliff Richard, but the British singer decided not to move forward with it. The writers are then said to have passed it on to Phyllis Hyman and later Donna Summer, but neither of those options panned out, either. Thankfully, Turner eventually got her hands on the track, and the rest is pop music history.
#9: “Let’s Get Loud” (1999)
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Jennifer Lopez, Rejected by Gloria Estefan These days, we know Jennifer Lopez as a successful dancer, actress, singer, and businesswoman. It all began with projects like “Selena,” and this salsa-infused song. Featured on her very first studio album, “Let’s Get Loud” was co-written by none other than Gloria Estefan. Though Estefan was reportedly going to use the song for herself at the start, she ultimately decided to go in a different artistic direction. So Lopez got it. Of course, it earned her a Grammy nomination, and remains one of her most beloved works. Curious fans can still check out Estefan’s take on the song on the Target version of her “Miss Little Havana” album, though!
#8: “Whataya Want from Me” (2009)
Adam Lambert, Rejected by Pink Co-written by Pink, alongside Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback, “Whataya Want from Me” was originally intended to appear on Pink’s “Funhouse” album. In fact, she had already recorded the song, but it was ultimately scrapped from the track list. Instead, it was handed over to Adam Lambert, who was fresh off his “American Idol” run and was putting together his debut studio album “For Your Entertainment.” “Whataya Want from Me” became a huge success for Lambert, cracking the top ten in many areas and receiving a Grammy nomination. Pink’s version still appears on select releases of her compilation album “Greatest Hits... So Far!!!”
#7: “How Will I Know” (1985)
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Whitney Houston, Offered to Janet Jackson This song, which has been highlighted as one of Whitney Houston’s standout tracks, very nearly wasn’t recorded by her. “How Will I Know” was penned by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, and the intended recipient wasn’t Houston, but Janet Jackson. The songwriters presented the material to Jackson and her team, but they rejected it, leaving the duo rather disappointed. Still, all hope was not lost, as the track eventually found its way into the hands of Arista Records executive Gerry Griffith, who was crafting Houston’s first album. It was then reworked to suit Houston’s style, becoming a smash hit that climbed to the very top of the Billboard Hot 100 following its release.
#6: “Gold Digger” (2005)
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Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx, Offered to Shawnna Believe it or not, Kanye West’s award-winning collaboration with Jamie Foxx was initially written to be sung from the female perspective. West had co-produced the beats and crafted the chorus for rapper Shawnna’s debut album “Worth tha Weight.” But after Shawnna decided not to use the song, West kept it for himself and made some tweaks to tell the story from a male point of view. Upon its release, “Gold Digger” became a critical and commercial success. It was heavily praised by music critics and reached what was then a record-breaking number of digital downloads in one week. West scored a number one single on the Hot 100 with this track, and earned a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.
#5: “Umbrella” (2007)
Rihanna feat. Jay-Z, Offered to Britney Spears Back in 2007, Britney Spears was going through a heavily publicized rough period in her personal life. When songwriters Tricky Stewart, The-Dream and Kuk Harrell conceived the song “Umbrella,” they intended to secure the pop star’s next big hit. However, Spears’ team turned it down. Apparently, they felt adding another track to her upcoming “Blackout” album was unnecessary. The demo floated around for a bit until it eventually reached Rihanna, who connected to the song almost instantly. She recorded it for her “Good Girl Gone Bad” album, and the result was a worldwide chart topper and a Grammy-winning tune.
#4: “Happy” (2013)
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Pharrell Williams, Offered to CeeLo Green Pharrell Williams scored one of the most successful songs of the 2010s with the uptempo “Happy,” which topped the charts in over twenty countries around the world. The extremely catchy song also won two Grammy awards and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. All of this glory could’ve easily slipped from Williams’ hands had the song been recorded by the intended artist - CeeLo Green. Williams had crafted the number earlier for Green, who recorded his own version but was prevented from releasing it. Apparently, Green’s label wanted to focus their energy on his upcoming holiday album, instead. We bet they aren’t so happy with that decision now.
#3: “Since U Been Gone” (2004)
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Kelly Clarkson, Offered to Pink & Hilary Duff Everyone’s favorite breakup song had to pass through not one, but two rejections before it landed in the right hands. Right from the point of inception, Max Martin and Dr. Luke had intended to give “Since U Been Gone” to Pink. But when the pop rock goddess passed on the track for unknown reasons, they decided to offer it to Hilary Duff instead. However, it ended up not being the right fit for her vocal range, so nothing concrete came of that. After some deliberation, the track finally found its home with Kelly Clarkson. She made it her own by amping up the rock elements, turning it into a phenomenal anthem.
#2: “I Don't Want to Miss a Thing” (1998)
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Aerosmith, Intended for Celine Dion Veteran songwriter Diane Warren penned this rousing ballad for the 1998 blockbuster movie “Armageddon.” Conceptually, she intended for it to be sung by a woman. She’s named Celine Dion – who at the time was riding the tide of “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic” – as a vocalist she had in mind. Of course, things ended up going in a different direction, as Aerosmith recorded the track. It couldn’t have hurt that frontman Steven Tyler’s daughter Liv was one of the movie’s leads! The band made the track fit their style but retained all of the raw emotion Warren had written into it. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” was a resounding hit, promptly snagging the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
#1: “...Baby One More Time” (1998)
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Britney Spears, Offered to TLC A widely popular music group passed on “...Baby One More Time” before it was recorded by a then-unknown Britney Spears. Indeed, after writing the lyrics to the song, Max Martin offered it to TLC. They, however, declined to take it on. A few other names were reportedly considered, but the track was ultimately given to Spears, who immediately loved it and jumped at the opportunity to record it as her debut single. Still a teenager, she was launched onto the global stage with the release of the song, which was a hit not just in the States, but internationally too. It wouldn’t be the only time a rejected song became a Britney Spears classic, either. Just ask Kylie Minogue how she feels about “Toxic” now.