Songs written by other artists can contain a famous name you never associate with the record. Ed Sheeran co-wrote Justin Bieber's “Love Yourself”, Prince wrote The Bangles' “Manic Monday”, and Taylor Swift helped write Calvin Harris and Rihanna's “This Is What You Came For”. These credits add a second cast to familiar songs, without taking anything away from the people performing them.

The person on the radio is only the beginning

You hear a voice, picture a face and attach the song to that person. It is an efficient system. Rihanna sounds like Rihanna. CeeLo Green could hardly be mistaken for anybody else. Once the performance settles into your memory, the writing credits rarely get invited into the picture.

Then somebody mentions the other name behind the hit. Suddenly a line, a melodic turn or the whole mood begins to make a different kind of sense.

These are credited collaborations, rather than anonymous ghostwriting. Several involve teams of writers. The surprise is how easily a very famous contributor can disappear behind an equally memorable performance. Here are five songs worth putting back on, now that you know who else is in the room.

1. Justin Bieber's “Love Yourself” has Ed Sheeran in its corner

The title sounds as though somebody is about to offer encouragement. The performance delivers a much sharper message. Bieber keeps his voice close and measured, which makes the dismissal feel especially pointed. There is very little musical clutter for the attitude to hide behind.

Ed Sheeran co-wrote the song with Bieber and Benny Blanco. The connection is easy to appreciate once it is pointed out: conversational phrasing, an economical guitar setting and a hook that becomes more memorable by sounding almost casual.

In its overview of Sheeran's writing credits, Rayo documents the collaboration and several other songs he helped create for different singers. His catalogue reaches well beyond his own voice.

The entertaining part is imagining an alternative version without needing to declare it better. Sheeran might make the song feel like a rueful account across a table. Bieber's performance brings a cooler distance. The writing provides the situation; the singer decides exactly how uncomfortable the conversation becomes.

2. The Bangles' “Manic Monday” started with Prince

A sleepy Monday morning hardly seems the most obvious destination for Prince's imagination. Yet one of pop's most familiar back-to-work songs came from a writer whose own records could feel as though ordinary working hours did not apply to him.

He originally wrote “Manic Monday” for Apollonia 6 before it reached The Bangles. Their version has such a clear personality that the connection can still feel unexpected. The harmonies and brisk storytelling make everyday frustration sound charming rather than exhausting.

In MusicRadar's interview report, guitarist Vicki Peterson recalls that the band wanted to record the song their own way instead of simply adding vocals to Prince's demo. That detail gives the story more life than a credit alone.

There is an extra twist. When The Bangles reached number two on the US Hot 100 with it, Prince's own “Kiss” occupied the top spot. He was effectively competing with himself.

There is something pleasing about a major artist handing over a song and another band finding its own everyday world inside it. The result feels completely at home with The Bangles. Knowing its origin adds a surprise; the finished recording keeps its identity.

3. Calvin Harris and Rihanna's dance hit has a Taylor Swift connection

“This Is What You Came For” seems to announce its cast clearly. Calvin Harris supplies the production identity. Rihanna supplies the voice. The record feels built for lights, crowds and the moment a restrained section finally opens out.

Taylor Swift is part of the songwriting story too. She originally used the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg for her contribution. In its anniversary feature, Radio FG recalls the unexpected name behind the credit.

The interesting connection is the way the song isolates a tiny social scene. A room full of people matters because of where one person's attention lands. It is a remarkably compact idea for a record that feels so expansive.

Rihanna makes that small scene sound effortless. The production stretches the feeling across a much larger space. Swift's involvement adds another perspective on the writing, while the recording remains a distinctive meeting of the artists named on its sleeve. Pop collaborations can be much stranger, and more enjoyable, than the headline billing suggests.

4. Rihanna's “Diamonds” also carries Sia's name

Here is another Rihanna record with a familiar singer in its writing credits. Sia co-wrote “Diamonds” alongside other collaborators. Once you know that, the song's broad melodic shape becomes an inviting place to make the connection.

The chorus has room to expand. Its central image is direct enough to remember immediately. Rather than cramming in a complicated story, the song gives a small number of ideas a great deal of emotional space.

Rihanna's contribution is the character of the performance. Her voice can give a phrase weight without making every moment sound strenuous. The record feels assured and open, with a sense of scale that arrives through the singing as much as the arrangement.

This is where songwriter trivia becomes more rewarding than a guessing game. You can appreciate Sia's contribution and still hear why Rihanna's recording became so closely associated with her. A song can carry the instincts of one artist and become a defining performance for another.

5. CeeLo Green's “Forget You” includes Bruno Mars among its writers

CeeLo Green sounds so unmistakably in command of this record that it is easy to forget anybody else helped shape it. The grin, the wounded pride and the sheer theatrical enjoyment of the complaint all belong to the performance you hear.

Bruno Mars is one of its credited co-writers. That connection becomes rather delightful when you consider the record's affection for older pop and soul gestures. It moves with a spring in its step even while its narrator is having a spectacularly bad time.

The contrast makes the song fun. A romantic disappointment turns into a performance big enough for other people to join. CeeLo's voice can sound injured and amused almost at once, making the complaint feel like a miniature show.

For another turn through records with that immediate familiarity, browse hit radio stations. The next surprise may be a song you have heard for years. Famous songwriting credits often sit in plain sight until one detail makes you curious enough to look.

Why another writer does not make the song less personal

It is tempting to treat a writing credit as a claim on the entire record. Music is more collaborative than that. A melody, a lyric, an arrangement and a vocal performance can each bring a distinct personality to the same few minutes.

The feature on famous cover versions explores another way a song can find a different identity through a singer. Here, the collaboration often happens before the public has a familiar version to compare.

There is also a practical distinction behind the fun. The guide to music streaming royalties explains why the recording and the composition involve different rights. The name you remember from the radio and the names in the songwriting credits are answering different questions about how the music was made.

That leaves plenty of room for everybody's talent. A great writer can create something another artist makes feel entirely their own. Sometimes the best musical surprise is simply discovering that two people you already enjoy have been collaborating in your headphones for years.

Veelgestelde vragen

Did Ed Sheeran write “Love Yourself” alone?

No. He co-wrote it with Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco.

Who wrote “Manic Monday”?

Prince wrote the song. The Bangles created the familiar hit recording discussed here.

What name did Taylor Swift use for “This Is What You Came For”?

Her original songwriting credit used the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg.

Did Bruno Mars sing the lead on “Forget You”?

No. CeeLo Green is the lead artist. Mars is among the credited songwriters.