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welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
hit songs rejected by other artists this
list we’re considering songs that became
major hits after being passed on by
other artists we’re also considering
songs that were recorded by other
artists but for one reason or another
went unreleased and a different artist
swooped in to make a hit
number ten lean on Major Lazer & DJ
snake featuring Moe offered to Rihanna
and Nicki Minaj this electronic collab
and club favorite peaked at number four
on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent
ten consecutive weeks inside the top ten
for Major Lazer and Cru released in
March 2015 it not only became one of the
biggest hits of the summer but also one
of the biggest hits of the year as its
international appeal made it the fifth
best-selling song of 2015 worldwide
[Music]
who passed on this goldmine none other
than both Rihanna and Nicki Minaj
co-writer Diplo first offered Rihanna a
slower reggae version and then offered
the same to Nicki both rejected it and
instead the world got this amazing
version one Danish singer mo put her
[Music]
number nine what do you want from me
Adam Lambert offered to pink though a
was already relatively well known from
his American Idol days and he’d had a
controversial moment or two from his
first single for your entertainment it
was this song that propelled Adam
Lambert to stardom
[Music]
[Applause]
the second single off his debut album
what do you want from me eventually
peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard
Hot 100 Lambert however was lucky to
originally co-written and recorded by
pink for her album funhouse it didn’t
make the final cut she instead gave it
to Lambert but released her own original
recording on the international version
of her greatest hits album
number eight how will I know Whitney
Houston offered to Janet Jackson this
head was originally intended for Janet
Jackson however she passed on it
considering it weaker than her other
material it was soon given to Houston
who with some altered lyrics turned how
will I know into a pop crossover smash
hit earning Houston her second
number-one hit it spent two weeks
certified gold in the US this jam
finished as the number six song on the
Billboard year-end chart while Jackson
did well that year compared to Whitney
her chart performance was a bit weak
number seven rock your body Justin
written by Neptune’s duo Chad Hugo and
Pharrell this song was originally
intended for Michael Jackson’s final
studio album invincible however he
passed on the song as well as several
others all of which were promptly sent
Timberlake’s way your body became
Timberlake second solo top-ten hit
released as the third single off his
debut album justified rock your body
peaked at number five on the US
Billboard top 100 and charted incredibly
well internationally
[Music]
meanwhile Jackson’s most successful song
of course there’s no guarantee in
Jackson’s version would have been as
smooth as Justin’s number six gold
digger Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx
offered to Shana window broke it’s hard
to imagine this song from a female
perspective but that was Kanye’s
original intention and a beautiful baby
he first made the beat and wrote the
hook for Atlanta rapper Sean as 2004
however she passed on it and not wanting
to waste a great beat
Kanye saved it for himself rewriting the
chorus to reflect a male perspective
assign had to need the Hank and when she
lead only with half it was a great
decision as gold digger went on to break
the record for most digital downloads in
one week spend ten weeks atop the
Billboard charts and earn a Grammy for
Best Rap solo performance number five
umbrella Rihanna featuring jay-z offered
to Britney Spears original riders Tricky
Stewart the dream and cook Harrell
originally had Britney Spears in mind
for this Hey
[Music]
tricky having previously worked with
Spears hope to help Britney move past
her personal problems to a musical
breakthrough however the song never
reached her as label execs believed she
after being floated around a demo of
umbrella eventually reached Rihanna who
immediately loved the song it reached
the right person as her version was not
only critically acclaimed but was a
yes Chris Brown also rejected disturbia
but that pales in comparison to Spears
and umbrella
[Music]
number four happy
Pharrell offered to CeeLo green in the
summer of 2014 it seemed like everyone
couldn’t help but sing along to this
ultra catchy number one hit and yes it
was one hell of a hit as it was the
best-selling song of 2014 with six point
four five million copies sold happy was
billboards year and number one single
while earning a grammy award for best
music video with such success it’s hard
to imagine the song may have been bigger
in the hands of Cee Lo Green Pharrell
originally wrote happy for green and
claimed Cee Lo’s recording is far better
but we’ll never know as greens label
scrapped the song in favor of his
Christmas album Cee Lo’s magic moment
number three since you’ve been gone
Kelly Clarkson offered to pink and
Hilary Duff released as the lead single
off her sophomore effort breakaway since
you’ve been gone peaked at number two on
the Billboard Hot 100 and remained in
the top ten for 20 weeks
[Music]
more than that however it was her most
important to hit since her idle days she
almost didn’t have the song however as
it had to pass not one but two artists
[Music]
originally written for pink she gave up
the song to Hilary Duff who also passed
as she couldn’t hit the necessary high
notes
finally in Clarkson’s hands she added
some heavier guitar riffs and made this
a signature standout hit
[Music]
[Music]
number two baby one more time Britney
Spears offered to TLC this song reached
number one in every country it charted
in was billboards number five song of
the year when certified 14 times
platinum internationally was nominated
for a Grammy and yes like all the others
on this list it was also rejected by
another artist first it was first
offered to hip hop trio TLC but they
rejected it and pretty hard to with
t-boz objecting to the lyrics
[Applause]
[Music]
instead this song launched Brittany’s
career who strangely enough later
benefitted from another rejected song
toxic turned down by Kylie Minogue
before we reveal our number one pick
here are a few honorable mentions think
I don’t love you I just thought you
ought to that’s why I kissed you
[Applause]
number one I don’t want to miss a thing
Arrowsmith offered to silenzio
[Music]
when Liv Tyler was cast in the Michael
Bay film Armageddon Aerosmith frontman
Steven Tyler lives dad needed a single
for the soundtrack but struggled to come
up with the goods instead he chose this
Diane Warren written song
[Music]
originally intended for Silencio Tyler
swooped in to secure the rights the
single went on to earn an Academy Award
nomination but more importantly it
became Aerosmith’s first ever number-one
hit ahead of classics like Walk This Way
it was this rejected song that finally
gave Aerosmith the number-one hit the
so do you agree with our list what do
you think is the biggest hit rejected by
another artist for more fascinating top
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