Already a producer of her own hits, “All About That Bass,” her 2014 debut single and Top 10 singles “Lips Are Movin” and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” from her 2015 album Title, Meghan Trainor has mastered ukulele-sprinkled bubblegum pop.
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As a songwriter, Trainor’s range has also expanded beyond her own soulful doo-wop and into country, Latin and dance, R&B, and more through her co-writing of tracks for everyone from Jennifer Lopez, Rascal Flatts, Lauren Alaina, Jason Derulo, Michael Bublé and more throughout her career.
Here are nine songs Meghan Trainor wrote for other artists.
1. “I Like the Sound of That,” Rascal Flatts (2014)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Shay Mooney (Dan + Shay), Jesse Frasure
Trainor broke into the country scene as a songwriter, penning two tracks off Rascal Flatts’ ninth album Rewind—”DJ Tonight” and the hit single “I Like the Sound of That”—both co-written with Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney and music producer, publisher and DJ (DJ Telemitry) Jesse Frasure. Lyrically, the song weaves around all the recognizable and appealing sounds of a lover.
2. “Sledgehammer” Fifth Harmony (2014)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Jonas Jeberg, Sean Douglas
Trainor wrote three tracks for Fifth Harmony’s 2015 debut, Reflection, including “Suga Mama,” and “Brave Honest Beautiful,” to which she also lent vocals on the recorded version. She also co-wrote the group’s hit single “Sledgehammer,” which pushed them into the Top 40 for the first time.
3. “Painkiller,” Jason Derulo, featuring Meghan Trainor (2015)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan
For Jason Derulo’s fourth album, Everything Is 4, Trainor teamed up with Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan, and Derulo for the single “Painkiller.” Derulo decided to feature Trainor on the track after meeting her backstage several times. Everything Is 4 also includes the R&B-country slanted “Broke,” a collaboration with Stevie Wonder and Keith Urban, as well as songs featuring Jennifer Lopez, Julia Michaels, and more.
4. “Ain’t Your Mama,” Jennifer Lopez (2016)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Theron Thomas, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Gamal “Lunchmoney” Lewis, Henry “Cirkut” Walter, Dr. Luke
Originally meant for Trainor’s 2014 album Title, before J. Lo got a hold of it, “Ain’t Your Mama,” Jennifer Lopez’s 2014 single produced and co-written by Dr. Luke and Henry “Cirkut” Walter, is singed with a lush arrangement of synth and percussive Latin beats building around the lyrics, confronting a “mama’s boy” in a relationship— I ain’t gon’ be cooking all day, I ain’t your mama / I ain’t gon’ do your laundry, I ain’t your mama / I ain’t your mama, boy, I ain’t your mama / When you gon’ get your act together?
5. “You Gotta Not,” Little Mix (2016)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Alexander Kronlund, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan
I need a man / A man who can act like a man / So hear me now / I don’t get paid to babysit no one sings Little Mix on their 2016 single, “You Gotta Not.” Following a similar storyline to J. Lo’s “Ain’t Yo Mama,” also co-written by Trainor, “You Gotta Not” was released on the British girl group’s fourth album Glory Days, which also features guest Charlie Puth, Machine Gun Kelly, Kid Ink, Stormzy, and CNCO. The first group to win The X Factor UK, Little Mix released their sixth album Confetti in 2020.
6. “Someday,” Michael Bublé, featuring Meghan Trainor (2016)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Michael Bublé, Harry Styles
Michael Bublé’s ninth album, Nobody But Me, features nine covers—including Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love” and the Beach Boys’ ‘God Only Knows” and “This Love of Mine” by Frank Sinatra—as well as three original songs co-written by the Canadian artist, including lead single “Nobody Like Me,” featuring Black Thought, and the pop-tilted “Someday,” a co-write with Meghan Trainor and Harry Styles. “Someday,” also featuring a duet with Trainor, reached No. 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
7. “Road Less Traveled,” Lauren Alaina (2017)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Lauren Alaina, Jesse Frasure
Off Lauren Alaina’s second album, Road Less Traveled, Trainor co-wrote the country single with the former American Idol runner-up and Jesse Frasure. Addressing Alaina’s struggle with bulimia, the lyrics address finding ones self-acceptance. “It was just one of those days where I went in to write with two of my good friends, and I was super comfortable, and the message of the song is so important to me and what we say in the song is so important to me,” said Alaina. “And I know that Meghan has done a really great job with her artistry by encouraging people, and that’s what this song is all about.”
Why do you keep on staring?
That mirror, mirror, it ain’t fair at all
Dress sizes can’t define
Don’t let the world decide what’s beautiful
8. “Roll the Dice,” Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (2017)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Shy Carter, Bobby Hamrick, James LeBlanc
Still in country mode, Trainor worked with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill on the couple’s first collaborative album together, The Rest of Our Life, co-writing the uptempo, funk- and soul-infused closing track “Roll the Dice.”
9. “More Than Friends,” Jason Mraz, featuring Meghan Trainor (2018)
Written by Meghan Trainor, Jason Mraz, Jonathan Green, Andrew Wells
This chill acoustic track, off Jason Mraz’s sixth album, Know, tells the story of friends who want to take their relationship to another level. Initially, Trainor was inspired by Colbie Caillat’s 2009 single “Lucky” when writing the song. “I listened to a lot of his songs on the album, and they’re all amazing,” said Trainor. “But I was just thinking, ‘I don’t hear a lot of my favorite Jason Mraz on here,’ which is that adorable ukulele pop, like ‘Lucky.’” The title and lyrics were also inspired by a conversation between Mraz and his wife Christina. “My wife, she has these cute things she does, when I make her a cup of coffee,” said Mraz. “I’ll be like, ‘Is it good?’ And she’ll say, ‘Oh, more than friends.’ I thought that was so cute. We were like, ‘Let’s write an adorable love song about being more than friends, and low-key we’ll know this is a wink to your wife.’”
Photo: Ryan Trainor / BB Gun Press
