4 Catchy and Memorable Pop Songs That Were Written by Rock Musicians

On the surface, rock and pop might seem like polar opposites—but there are some musicians and songwriters who move seamlessly between them. Some major pop hits, in fact, were penned by rock musicians. Their contributions to pop music aren’t just testaments to their own talents, but they’re also proof that music is universal and the lines between genres aren’t always so clearly defined.

“Wake Me Up” by Avicii

In 2013, Swedish DJ and producer Avicii had a huge hit with “Wake Me Up”. The track has since become the highest-performing dance single in history. The catchy track was written by Mike Einziger. You might know him as a member of the rock band Incubus. He also contributed acoustic guitar to the recording. It was also just one of several songs the two worked on together.

“I am hoping someday people will get to hear because, to me, they are some of my favorite pieces that I’ve ever written,” Einziger said after Avicii’s death in 2018.

“Manic Monday” by The Bangles

As the lead single for their second album, The Bangles chose “Manic Monday.” The song was actually written by Prince, under the pseudonym “Christopher.” That would be a reference to his character of Christopher Tracy from the movie Under The Cherry Moon. Prince originally wrote the song for the group Apollonia 6 but instead presented it to The Bangles, who loved it. The band made some minor changes to make it sound more like their own, and it became one of their biggest hits.

“Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera’s 2002 album, Stripped, included the acclaimed ballad “Beautiful,” with a powerful message about self-worth. The song was written and produced by Linda Perry, the frontwoman and guitarist for 90s band 4 Non Blondes. She originally intended to record it herself, then played it for Pink before deciding to give it to Aguilera. Perry ultimately did release her own version of the song in February 2026 as part of her solo album Let It Die Here.

“She Wolf” by Shakira

Shakira’s hit “She Wolf” was written in collaboration with producer and songwriter John Hill, best known for his work in alternative rock, and Sam Endicott, frontman of the band The Bravery. Shakira penned the lyrics, while Hill and Endicott contributed music they’d already written. Although, they didn’t necessarily have her in mind at the time. “We just made the thing independently of her, and then she liked it a lot, and she sang over it,” Endicott said of the writing process.