3 Songs Taylor Swift Co-Wrote But Didn’t Originally Perform

Have you ever heard of Taylor Swift? Of course, that’s a joke. Even people who live under rocks these days have heard of the pop star. She is responsible for the biggest music tour ever—The Eras Tour—and is one-half of perhaps the most famous relationship in popular culture today (along with football star Travis Kelce). But more than anything, she is a standout songwriter.

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Not only has she written seemingly countless hits for herself, she’s also written songs for other big-name artists. Here below, we wanted to explore three such examples. A trio of tracks that Swift has composed for others to shine. Indeed, these are three songs Taylor Swift wrote but didn’t originally perform.

[RELATED: How Taylor Swift Created a National Anthem for Heartbreak]

“Best Days of Your Life” by Kellie Pickler from Kellie Pickler (2008)

This lively pop country hit, which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, was co-written by Taylor Swift and the song’s performer Kellie Pickler. Not only that but Swift sings backup vocals on the track. Lyrically, the offering is a breakup song. But it’s also one that is two-pronged. On the one hand, Pickler sings about wishing her ex well with his new love interest. And on the other, she notes that any new relationship doesn’t change the past. What she had with her former man remains. Indeed, on the tune, which has been certified Platinum, Pickler sings,

Cause I’ll be there, in the back of your mind
From the day we met ’till you were making me cry
And it’s just too bad, cause you’ve already had the best days
The best days of your life

Ain’t it a shame?
A shame that every time you hear my name
Brought up in a casual conversation
You can’t think straight

“This Is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris and Rihanna (Single, 2016)

Released in 2016 as a standalone single, the track later appeared on Calvin Harris’ 2024 LP 96 Months. Co-written by Swift (under the pen name Nils Sjöberg) and Harris, the track features global music star Rihanna. And on the tune, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, RiRi sings about a woman who stands out, moves fast, and is on the cutting edge of pop culture. Something both she and Swift certainly know a lot about. A dance song befitting the club, Rihanna offers a glamorous appeal as she offers the sticky lyrics,

Baby, this is what you came for
Lightning strikes every time she moves
And everybody’s watchin’ her
But she’s lookin’ at you, ooh, ooh
You, ooh, ooh, you, ooh, ooh
You, ooh, ooh, you, ooh, ooh
You, ooh, ooh
Ooh

“You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” by Miley Cyrus from Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)

This song was co-written by Swift and Martin Johnson and performed by Miley Cyrus as her television persona Hannah Montana for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. That’s a mouthful! But that’s what happens when you bring in two marquee names like Cyrus and Swift to a project. The song itself is a mouthful, too. On it, Cyrus, who is the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, sings with a twang about staying true to where you come from. On the offering, she belts,

You wake up, it’s raining and it’s Monday
Looks like one of those rough days
Time’s up, you’re late again so get out the door

Sometimes you feel like running
Find a whole new life and jump in
Let go, get up and hit the dance floor

But when the lights go down it’s the ending of the show
And you’re feeling like you got nowhere to go
Don’t you know?

You can change your hair and you can change your clothes
You can change your mind, that’s just the way it goes
You can say goodbye and you can say hello
But you’ll always find your way back home

Photo by Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images