Image Credits: Getty Images

Madonna is one of many pop superstars who don’t often receive the credit they deserve for not only rising to the top of the charts and dominating the pop culture conversation, but for actually being the creative voice behind their massive hits. The “Popular” singer has written or co-written pretty much all of her commercial successes—of which there are many.

In fact, Madonna has written so many songs that, sometimes, she decides not to release them on her own for one reason or another. Too often, these tracks languish on a computer or in a vault somewhere, while in other instances, they find their way to another artist.

There aren’t too many examples of Madonna-penned tracks ending up on albums by different acts, but each time it does happen, following the journey these compositions went on is always fun.

And, with her long-awaited career retrospective Celebration Tour kicking off in London over the weekend, we’re feeling nostalgic, so let’s take a trip back in time with 10 songs Madonna wrote for other artists (including a couple she happens to feature on, as well).

Britney Spears – “Me Against The Music (ft. Madonna)”

Okay, this one is a bit of an outlier, as the song actually features Madonna. The superstar didn’t do many collaborations that credited her for much of her early career, but when Britney Spears came calling, it was a different story. The two chart-toppers worked together on “Me Against The Music,” which was rightly touted as a major moment in pop culture. And while it didn’t end up becoming the massive chart-topping hit people were expecting—it barely cracked the top 40 on the Hot 100—it still remains a memorable duet between two of the hottest and most successful women in pop music.

Donna De Lory – “Just A Dream”

Madonna and Donna De Lory worked together for years before this song came to the latter act. De Lory was a backup singer for the pop superstar on several of her tours, and they apparently remained close once she decided to pursue an artist career of her own. “Just A Dream” was originally penned during the Like A Virgin sessions, but Madonna decided it wasn’t quite right for her. The tune ended up as a single from De Lory’s debut album in 1992, and it was a solid hit on the dance charts.

Related*

Gary Barlow – “Love Won’t Wait”

Madonna didn’t just co-write this song, she actually recorded it before ultimately deciding not to share it with the world. Rude! Crafted for her album Bedtime Stories, the track didn’t make the cut, and it sat around for years before Barlow found it among a collection of demos as the Take That member was searching for tracks for his debut solo album. He reworked the lyrics slightly to fit his perspective, but otherwise, Madonna’s “voice” can be clearly heard on this cut. Unlike many of Madonna’s cast-offs, “Love Won’t Wait” went on to become a huge hit. The single worked its way to No. 1 on the U.K. songs chart in 1997.

Jellybean – “Sidewalk Talk”

Before he became an artist in his own right, Jellybean—A.K.A. John Benitez—was a producer and remixer for years. He worked with Madonna on a number of remixes of her seminal hits, as they were introduced very early on in her career. He then went on to produce future smashes like “Holiday” and “Crazy For You.” While his success on the charts was short-lived as an artist, the Madonna-written “Sidewalk Talk” did break into the top 20 on the Hot 100. (Listen closely and you can hear her singing backup about a minute and a half into the song.)

Related*

Kylie Minogue – “Alone Again”

“Alone Again” was originally penned by Madonna and Rick Nowels during the Ray Of Light album sessions, but it never made it onto the record and was instead given to Kylie Minogue. Initially intended to be packaged alongside her future Grammy-winning “Come Into My World”—which became the fourth single from Fever—it ended up being shelved… at least for a time. The mid-tempo electronic track was eventually used in Minogue’s White Diamond: A Personal Portrait Of Kylie Minogue soundtrack, which was released in 2007.

Laura Pausini – “Mi abbandono a te”

A Madonna song… in Italian? It’s true! The chart-topper and Nowels, again, worked on this piece, which was eventually handed over to Italian superstar Laura Pausini. She included it on her eighth album Resta in ascolto, which included both an Italian and Spanish-language version of the tune.

Related*

Marilyn Martin – “Possessive Love”

Patrick Leonard is a very important person in Madonna’s life, as he had a hand in crafting some of her biggest hits, including as “Like A Virgin,” “I’ll Remember,” and “Frozen,” among several others. The two worked together for years, so it makes sense that there would be plenty of unfinished tunes and throwaways from their shared sessions. One, “Possessive Love,” ended up on singer Marilyn Martin’s sophomore album This Is Serious, which Leonard worked on as well.

Nick Kamen – “Each Time You Break My Heart”

Nick Kamen burst into the music industry in the mid-’80s with “Each Time You Break My Heart,” because what better way to launch a career in music than with a Madonna-written synth-pop hit? The tune cracked the top 10 in the U.K., but it was to be one of his only commercial successes. Not only did Madge pen the cut during her True Blue era, but she also provided background vocals as well.

Related*

Nick Scotti – “Get Over”

“Get Over” was going to be the third new song on Madonna’s bestselling Immaculate Collection greatest hits set, but for some reason, it was not included on the title’s tracklist. Instead, actor and model and wannabe musician Nick Scotti got to claim it for his debut album, though it didn’t go on to make him a star, as he likely hoped at the time, and it has largely been forgotten.

Ricky Martin – “Be Careful (Cuidado con mi corazón)”

One of Madonna’s only major collaborations (at least until recently) saw the pop game-changer team up with Ricky Martin when he decided he wanted to go after the English-language market. After becoming one of the top stars in the Latin music world, Martin quickly rose to prominence again with his second self-titled album in 1999. The project produced the major hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and quietly also featured this Madonna duet.

Related*

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Once Monthly Annually

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated