If Swedish producer and hit songwriter Max Martin sat next to you at a restaurant, you might not know who he is or that he’s responsible for pop music’s biggest hits from the past 25 years.
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You may not know him, but you’ve heard Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, The Weeknd, Katy Perry, the Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC perform his songs.
Martin has, in fact, written an astounding 27 Billboard Hot 100 singles, second only to Paul McCartney. (John Lennon has 26 No. 1 singles).
In 1996, Martin’s pop breakthrough happened with the Backstreet Boys on their self-titled debut. His No. 2 hit, “Quit Playing Games (with My Heart),” kickstarted his impressive run while the former Swedish hair-metal singer was just 24.
Surprisingly, some of Martin’s finest songs didn’t reach the top spot. His work with the Backstreet Boys didn’t reach No. 1, while “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson peaked at No. 2.
Here are the top 5 Max Martin No. 1 hits.
5. “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry
Katy Perry began her career recording a contemporary Christian pop album before a whiplash-like change to her first pop single, “I Kissed a Girl.” Perry’s second studio album, One of the Boys, landed in 2008, and “I Kissed a Girl” caused a pearl-clutching ruckus all the way to No. 1. Martin co-wrote the glam pop hit with Perry, Dr. Luke, and Cathy Dennis. As this list continues, you’ll notice how many Martin-penned hits became pop culture touchstones.
It’s not what I’m used to
Just wanna try you on
I’m curious for you
Caught my attention
I kissed a girl, and I liked it
The taste of her cherry Chapstick
4. “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
Martin joined The Weeknd and a team of writers to create the colossal “Blinding Lights” from the artist’s fourth studio album After Hours. The record-breaking hit became Billboard’s No. 1 song of the year in 2020 and is currently the most-played song on Spotify, with more than 4 billion streams. Additionally, The Weeknd’s dark new wave banger showcases how Martin impressively turns a musical scale into an earworm with equal parts math and emotion.
I look around, and Sin City’s cold and empty (oh)
No one’s around to judge me (oh)
I can’t see clearly when you’re gone
I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights
No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch
3. “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift wrote “Blank Space” with Martin and his frequent collaborator—and fellow Swede—Shellback. Critics obsess over how Swift’s romantic partners became the subject of her songs, and in 2013, The New York Times wondered if the “breakup song specialist” was “going through a quarter-life crisis.” Meanwhile, Swift knocked herself from the top spot with “Blank Space,” replacing another Martin and Shellback 1989 song, “Shake It Off.”
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They’ll tell you I’m insane
But I’ve got a blank space, baby
And I’ll write your name
2. “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears
Britney Spears’ debut single was Martin’s first No. 1 hit, and “…Baby One More Time,” with its iconic video, changed pop culture. Moreover, thanks to MTV’s cultural dominance in 1998, Spears paved the way for Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, and Mandy Moore, and created a “Smells Like Teen Spirit”-style pop event. The song topped Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time list in 2020, and Spears rocketed to become the world’s biggest pop star.
My loneliness is killing me (and I)
I must confess I still believe (still believe)
When I’m not with you, I lose my mind
Give me a sign
Hit me, baby, one more time
1. “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
It’s worth mentioning again this is where “Since U Been Gone” should be. Alas, it fell just short of the top spot. Still, The Weeknd’s 2015 electro hit “Can’t Feel My Face” echoes a darker version of Michael Jackson, while Martin’s pop instincts transformed the Canadian artist from an alternative R&B singer into a superstar. The song follows Martin’s trademark blend of Euro dance and pop with R&B music. Like his other hits, “Can’t Feel My Face” is an undeniable pop hook that develops quickly within a taut arrangement. Furthermore, he meticulously crafts familiar melodies as memorable as a child’s lullaby.
I can’t feel my face when I’m with you
But I love it, but I love it, oh
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