3 Classic Rockers Who Wrote Hits for Themselves and Others

The world is an interconnected place. One thing doesn’t just happen in an isolated manner. Like dominoes, one act can impact a whole string of others. And such is the case in the world of music, too. Throughout the history of rock music, specifically, there have been plenty of hit songwriters whose songs have also turned into well known tracks for others.

Here below, we wanted to explore three such examples. A trio of tunes that were written by one musician who also ended up writing songs for other big-name performers. After all, sharing is caring, is it not? Indeed, these are three classic rockers who wrote hits for themselves and others.

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Bob Dylan

Over the course of many decades, the Minnesota-born Bob Dylan has become one of the most prolific songwriters and recording artists of all time. To date, he’s released 40 studio LPs, beginning in 1962 with his self-titled release. As a result, some of his more famous songs have been covered many times and used to make hits for many others. But perhaps the most famous example is his song “All Along the Watchtower,” that famous tune about the joker and the thief. It was covered and turned into an even bigger hit when the Seattle-born guitarist Jimi Hendrix made his rendition. And it has since become a staple in classic rock.

Prince

In the 1980s, Prince was at the pinnacle of rock music. The man must have been in the recording studio more than he was anywhere else. And as a result he became known for incredible tracks like “Purple Rain,” “Kiss,” and “When Doves Cry.” But Prince also gave away many songs, from “Manic Monday” to The Bangles and “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which was first released by Prince but later recorded and made more famous by the Irish-born singer Sinéad O’Connor.

David Bowie

The British-born David Bowie is a singular artist. He was a shape-shifter and a dynamo on stage. But he also was an incredible songwriter, from tracks like “Fame” to “Let’s Dance.” But his songs also went on to help make others famous, including his track “The Man Who Sold the World,” which was famously covered by the Seattle-born grunge band Nirvana on their acoustic-driven MTV Unplugged album. Lead singer Kurt Cobain growled the song that Bowie wrote and released decades prior.

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