You don't always see their names on the charts, but they're the ones responsible for beginning the process of lodging catchy songs in your brain: Songwriters.
Some star artists not only perform but also write their own material, including Beyonce, Taylor Swift and T-Pain. Others rely on the talents of songwriters who don't record their compositions, such as Sean Garrett, Scott Storch and the duo billed as Stargate. Whether they sing their own songs or outsource vocals to others, songwriters provide the foundation for every Billboard chart hit, crafting the verses and hooky choruses that make songs memorable.
So, who have been the most successful songwriters over the past decade-plus? Billboard.com counts down the 20 most successful writers based on Billboard Hot 100 chart performance between Jan. 1, 2000, and May 7, 2011. From pop and rock to R&B and country, each genre is represented. Check out the following 20 authors to see who, when it comes to Hot 100 dominance, have truly had the write stuff.
1
Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "SexyBack," Justin Timberlake
Timbaland's Hot 100 career can be defined not just by his staggering chart success, but also by how he become the go-to songwriter and producer in the late 2000s for nearly every pop act in the marketplace. While his early charting hits were mostly with R&B and hip-hop acts like Aaliyah and Missy Elliott, he found an entirely new and stratospheric kind of success with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado in 2006. Thanks to the No. 1s like "SexyBack," "My Love," "Promiscuous" and "Say It Right," Timbaland soon found himself working with everyone from Madonna ("4 Minutes," No. 3, 2008), Shakira ("Give It Up To Me," No. 29, 2009) and Bjork's ("Earth Intruders," No. 84, 2007).
2
Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "TiK ToK," Ke$ha
Dr. Luke has written 10 Hot 100 toppers since 2000, six with the writer at No. 4 on this list, Max Martin. "Apparently my taste is that of a 13-year-old girl," Dr. Luke joked to Billboard last year. "Not really. But my taste is commercial. Sometimes when I talk to people, they're like, 'What is it like making this simple music?' They look down on it. And I'm like, 'No, you don't get it. I actually like this. I'm trying to make songs that I love and make them feel a certain way and go to certain places. It just so happens that a lot of 13-year-old girls like that."
3
Pharrell L. Williams
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Hot in Herre," Nelly
While Pharrell would eventually become a familiar face, guesting on tracks by such luminaries as Ludacris, Mariah Carey and Snoop Dogg, he launched his Hot 100 chart career by co-writing Blackstreet's 1995 hit "Tonight's the Night" with his Neptunes partner-in-crime Chad Hugo. Williams really hit his stride in the 2000s, writing hits for Britney Spears ("I'm a Slave 4 U," 2001), Kelis ("Milkshake," 2003), Ludacris ("Money Maker," 2006) and Madonna ("Give It 2 Me," 2008).
4
Martin Karl "Max Martin" Sandberg
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "I Kissed a Girl," Katy Perry
Martin wrote several hooky '90s power-pop hits for Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion and 'N Sync, as well as his first No. 1, Britney Spears' "…Baby One More Time." In the 2000s, 11 of Martin's songs have topped the Hot 100, the highest sum on this ranking. He penned Spears' latest leader, "Hold It Against Me," his whopping ninth No. 1 as a writer since Katy Perry reigned with "California Gurls," featuring Snoop Dogg, in 2008. Martin even co-wrote the "Glee" cast's first original Hot 100 hit (No. 6), "Loser Like Me." (Keep reading to see where Martin's other collaborative half ranks on the countdown).
5
Rob Thomas
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Smooth," Santana feat. Rob Thomas
The top-ranking rock-based songwriter on the countdown, Thomas wrote Santana's 1999-2000 comeback smash (12 weeks atop the Hot 100) "Smooth," for which he sang lead vocals. With his band matchbox twenty, Thomas added the No. 1 "Bent" (2000). Having released two solo albums since 2005, Thomas has risen as high as No. 5 on his own with "Lonely No More." The future promises to go just as smoothly: "so busy. writing every day," Thomas Tweeted May 18.
6
Alicia "Keys" Augello-Cook
Songs With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Fallin'," Alicia Keys; "My Boo," Usher and Alicia Keys (Both with six weeks)
Keys has locked up the Hot 100's top spot twice for six weeks each as an artist and writer - debut hit "Fallin' " (2001) and "My Boo," with Usher (2004) - while her other two such leaders have each reigned and for five frames - "No One" (2007) and "Empire State of Mind," with Jay-Z (2009). Exhibiting her versatility as a writer, Keys reinvented the lattermost rap smash into a tender, descriptive solo ballad (that reached No. 55 on the Hot 100).
7
Alliaune "Akon" Thiam
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Just Dance," Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis
He's notched two Hot 100 No. 1s of his own - "I Wanna Love You," featuring Snoop Dogg (2006) and "Don't Matter" (2007) - while he also co-wrote the song that launched the career of Lady Gaga, "Just Dance," which spent two weeks on top in 2009. He doesn't claim writing credit on the song, but the Lonely Island's "I Just Had Sex" revealed Akon's humorous side; the song appears on the group's new set, "Turtleneck & Chain."
8
Scott Storch
Songs With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Baby Boy," Beyonce feat. Sean Paul; "Let Me Love You," Mario; "Candy Shop," 50 Cent feat. Olivia (All with nine weeks)
The sounds of Scott Storch were fairly inescapable in the early half of the 2000s, when he co-wrote everything from Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" (No. 3; 2003) and Beyonce's "Baby Boy" (No. 1; 2003) to Terror Squad's "Lean Back" (No. 1; 2004) and 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" (No. 1; 2005). His hitmaking prowess tapered off in the latter half of the decade, as the artist faced increasing personal and professional pressures.
9
Stargate (Mikkel Storleer Eriksen & Tor Erik Hermansen)
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Irreplaceable," Beyonce
Stargate's songwriting success has been wide ranging: they've worked with everyone from Aerosmith ("Jaded," No. 7 in 2001), Katy Perry ("Firework," No. 1 in 2010) and Lionel Richie ("I Call It Love," No. 62 in 2006). They've found tremendous success with their collabs with Rihanna (co-writing eight of her top 10 singles) and Ne-Yo (six of his top 10s).
10
Robert S. Kelly (R. Kelly)
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: ), "Bump, Bump, Bump," B2K & P. Diddy
While R. Kelly has been a constant presence on the Hot 100 since 1992, when he first struck with his former group Public Announcement, his success continued well past 2000, with 25 top 40 hits since then. Most recently, he claimed top 40 success with his Usher duet "Same Girl" (No. 20 in 2007). Earlier in the decade, he notched a No. 1 with the B2K & Diddy collaboration "Bump, Bump, Bump" as well as a long-charting No. 2 hit "Ignition."
11
William "will.i.am." Adams
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "I Gotta Feeling," The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas member has written five Hot 100 No. 1s; three for his group ("Boom Boom Pow," "I Gotta Feeling" and "Imma Be," 2009-10), one for the quartet's Fergie ("Glamorous," featuring Ludacris, 2007) and one for Usher ("OMG," 2010), on which he guested. Will.i.am's 2008 campaign song for (eventual) President Obama, "We Are the Ones," epitomized his respect for the process - and potential effects - of writing: "Bush used words to fear us into voting for him / Terror this, terror that / Those words effected a lot of people's choices. Enough is enough."
12
Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Yeah," Usher
It all started with a song about "Area Codes." Ludacris' No. 24 hit in 2001, which he co-wrote, started off an incredible run of singles on the Hot 100. Since then, he's landed five No. 1s, most recently with his guest turn and co-write on Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" last year. Luda was back on the charts in 2001 courtesy of his featured role on Enrique Iglesias' "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)," which climbed to No. 4 in February.
13
Kanye West
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Gold Digger," Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
While Kanye West first got a taste of Hot 100 chart success as a producer and songwriter for everyone from Jay-Z and Ludacris to Alicia Keys and Monica, he took his achievements to another level when he broke through as an artist with 2003's "Through the Wire" (No. 15). All told, has collected 18 top 10 Hot 100 singles as a writer, including such recent hits as "Runaway" (No. 12; 2010), "Run This Town" (with Jay-Z and Rihanna, No. 2 in 2009) and "Heartless" (No. 9; 2009).
14
Chad Kroeger
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "How You Remind Me," Nickelback
The Nickelback frontman's anthemic sound has made the Canadian band a staple not only at rock, but also pop and adult radio dating its breakthrough hit "How You Remind Me," a four-week Hot 100 No. 1 in 2001. As a soloist, Kroeger reached No. 3 with "Hero," featuring Saliva's Josey Scott, in 2002. His writing talents have also assisted Daughtry ("No Surprise," "Life After You"), hard rock act My Darkest Days ("**** Star Dancing") and even country star Tim McGraw ("It's a Business Doing Pleasure With You").
15
Taylor Swift
Top-Peaking Songs: "You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift (No. 2); "Today Was a Fairytale," Taylor Swift (No. 2)
Not that Taylor Swift's career is defined by her one-time turn as rapper "T-Swizzle" with T-Pain on "Thug Story," a goof on her No. 4 Hot 100 (and No. 1 Country Songs) smash "Love Story." While Swift has yet to top the Hot 100, she has banked nine top 10s and spent 17 weeks atop the Billboard 200 with "Fearless" (11) and "Speak Now" (six). That she has claimed writing credit on every song on her first three albums is an impressive rarity in the country genre (which has often employed, in no small part, the talents of staff writers).
16
Faheem Rasheed "T-Pain" Najm
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Low," Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
Abbreviating his nickname "Tallahassee Pain" (born of his hardships in the Florida city), the writer/singer/producer/Auto-Tune connoisseur has led the Hot 100 with three of his compositions: as a lead artist on "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')," with Yung Joc (2007), and as a featured artist on Flo Rida's 10-week No. 1 "Low" (2008) and Chris Brown's three-week topper "Kiss Kiss" (2007). Exhibiting his influence, he's also collaborated with an unlikely country partner (No. 15 on the countdown)...
17
Beyoncé Knowles
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Independent Women Part 1," Destiny's Child
One of only three women on our list, Beyonce has co-written eight No. 1 Hot 100 hits performed by herself and with Destiny's Child since 2000 including "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," "Irreplaceable," "Check On It" and "Independent Women Part I." She's also earned Hot 100 entries thanks to covers of her songs by the cast of Fox's "Glee" ("Telephone," "Listen," "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Halo"). With a new solo album, "4," on the way, we're prepared to see Beyonce's name written all over the charts once more.
18
Jermaine Dupri
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "We Belong Together," Mariah Carey
Jermaine Dupri burst onto the Hot 100 as a songwriter thanks to his smash hit "Jump" for Kris Kross in 1992, which spent eight weeks lodged at No. 1. He continued his smash success in the '90s, and since 2000 has helped pen everything from Usher's "U Got It Bad" (No. 1; 2001), Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" (No. 1; 2005), Nelly's "Grillz" (No. 1, 2006). Most recently, he helped write longtime collaborator Mariah Carey's holiday hit "Oh Santa!," which hit the list in early January.
19
Curtis J. "50 Cent" Jackson, Jr.
Songs With Most Weeks At No. 1: "In Da Club," 50 Cent; "Candy Shop," 50 Cent feat. Olivia (Both with nine weeks)
As we await his forthcoming fifth studio album, "Black Magic," the rapper has already been money on numerous hits. 50 Cent has scored five Hot 100 No. 1s as a writer, four of which he performed, including the twin nine-week leaders "In Da Club" (2003) and "Candy Shop" (2005). He teamed with fellow rap royalty Eminem and Dr. Dre on the 2009 No. 1 "Crack a Bottle."
20
Sean Garrett
Song With Most Weeks At No. 1: "Yeah," Usher
Garrett has spent 39 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 as a writer since 2004, with his seven No. 1s in that span performed by seven different lead artists. He can take credit for penning the singles that launched the careers of Ciara ("Goodies"), Chris Brown ("Run It!") and Fergie ("London Bridge"; her first hit outside of the Black Eyed Peas), while his longest reign as a writer came courtesy of Usher's "Yeah!" (12 weeks at No. 1, 2004). Garrett's fitting catchphrase, heard on several songs that he has produced? "Smash on the radio, bet I penned it!"
http://www.billboard.com/#/features/...2.story?page=1
@ Rob Thomas! 