During an interview with Howard Stern, Pharrell revealed that Cee Lo Green recorded “Happy” before he did. “He burns my version!” he added. Green’s take on the funk song was never released because his team wanted him to focus on his album. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times ; Matt Mills McKnight / Animal Planet)
Pop, rock, R&B or country stars who turned down future hits.
“Umbrella” was originally intended for Britney Spears, but her record label reportedly rejected it because they felt she already had enough material for her album at the time. Rihanna took the single to No. 1, a hit that stayed at the top of the pop singles chart for seven weeks. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times; Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
Spears also passed on “Telephone,” which Lady Gaga had offered to her. After Spears turned it down, Gaga worked it up as a duet with Beyonce and transformed it into a No. 3 pop hit in 2009. (Theo Wargo / Getty Images; Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
Miley Cyrus also shed her Disney idol skin with the help of a gifted song. Jessie J, who was looking for something edgier, relinquished “Party in the U.S.A.” to Cyrus. The hit has been deemed one of the bestselling singles of all time. (Armando Franca / Associated Press; Mike Coppola / Getty Images)
Advertisement
The Neptunes created “Rock Your Body” in hopes of placing it on Michael Jackson’s “Invincible” album, but when Jackson bypassed it, they brought it to Justin Timberlake, who took it to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2003. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times; Jeff Widener / Associated Press)
Carrie Underwood was on the receiving end of good fortune when then better-known country singer Sara Evans turned down “Jesus Take the Wheel.” Underwood’s version became a No. 20 pop hit and spent six weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s country singles chart in 2005. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times ; Andrew Eccles / Arista Records)
