4 Massive Pop Hits That Almost Belonged To Someone Else
Somewhere in the universe, there is a version of pop music that sounds completely wrong.
Britney Spears never became Britney Spears, Halsey never sang a song everyone heard 500 times at a barbecue, and someone else is probably standing in a field looking dramatically into the distance while singing “We Found Love.” Before these songs became iconic, they were passed around the music industry like a group chat nobody wanted to reply to.
Closer – The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey
The 2016 song that made everyone suddenly nostalgic for an ex they definitely didn’t want back almost had a different voice. Before Halsey turned “Closer” into a massive hit, The Chainsmokers offered the song to Zara Larsson, who decided to pass.
Looking back, it was a risky move, because the song went on to spend 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining pop songs of the decade. Zara didn’t reject a song, she accidentally avoided having it follow her everywhere for years.
Telephone – Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé
Before Lady Gaga and Beyoncé turned “Telephone” into a nine minute fashion apocalypse, the song was meant for Britney Spears.
Gaga originally wrote it with Britney in mind, and she even recorded a demo before it was ultimately not used.
Gaga took the song back, added Beyoncé, and created one of pop’s most memorable music videos. Somewhere, there is a timeline where its Britney that is escaping a futuristic prison instead...and that timeline probably has some incredible choreography.
...Baby One More Time – Britney Spears
The song that launched Britney Spears into superstardom almost became a TLC track. The group was offered “...Baby One More Time” but decided it wasn’t right for them.
Britney recorded it instead, and the rest became pop history. One rejection from TLC accidentally created one of the biggest teen pop moments ever — proving that sometimes the difference between a normal song and a cultural reset is just the right person saying yes.
We Found Love – Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
Rihanna’s “We Found Love” became one of the biggest hits of the 2010s, but she wasn’t the first artist linked to the song. Several singers were considered before it reached Rihanna, including Leona Lewis.
Once Rihanna got hold of it, the song became impossible to escape. It was in clubs, commercials, radio stations, and probably playing somewhere while someone was dramatically running through a field.
Music history is full of these accidental victories. Some artists create the perfect song and some create history simply because someone else turned it down first.
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