From Blondie to Selena Gomez: a playlist of songs Charli XCX wrote for other artists
Last summer, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie had the world in a chokehold, with people everywhere dressing in their finest pink outfits to watch Margot Robbie bring our childhood favourite doll to life. For many, it was a summer defined by ultra femininity and an overwhelming love for all things wholesome and pink. This year, the overarching trend is ‘Brat Summer’, a term inspired by Charli XCX’s latest album, Brat, a largely hedonistic record encouraging listeners to be “365 party girls”.
Videos of the singer DJing the hottest clubs across the globe or performing her club-ready hits live have circulated the internet over the past few months, helping to define this summer as one of reckless partying and being a little bit messy—but who cares if you look good doing it? That’s the motto that has defined Brat summer, helping XCX become an even bigger star than before.
Everyone remembers XCX’s chart hits from around a decade ago, ‘I Love It’ with Icona Pop, ‘Fancy’ with Iggy Azalea, and ‘Boom Clap’, but since then, XCX has refined her image and sound. She has established herself in the world of hyperpop and experimented with the kinds of sounds that are far from what she was once known for, as displayed on songs like ‘pink diamond’.
Blending electropop, anthemic choruses, sleazy synthetic sounds and lyrical musings on everything from driving cars, drugs and partying to her body clock potentially running out, XCX has established herself as a modern pop icon. When XCX isn’t writing her own songs, she can be found penning tracks for other popular artists. From classic bands like Blondie to TikTok-stars-turned-musicians such as Addison Rae, you can find XCX’s name on the credits of many songs – some more surprising than others.
In 2011, before releasing her debut studio album True Romance, she co-wrote ‘End of the World’ with Alex Metric, one of the earliest instances of her appearing as a featured artist on someone else’s song. When it comes to the songs she appears on as a featured artist, such as ‘Just Desserts’ by Marina or ‘Float On’ by Danny Brown, she almost always has a writing credit, too.
However, she has also written songs for people that she does not appear on. Her contributions have spanned genres, and some might be surprised to discover she penned the K-Pop song ‘Girls Like Us’ by the girl group Twice in 2019. Even more surprising, she has a writing credit on James Blunt’s ‘When I Find Love Again’.
Then there are the beloved pop artists like Selena Gomez and Camila Cabello who have found success with songs co-written by XCX, such as Gomez’s chart hit ‘Same Old Love’. The singer has also written songs for artists as wide-ranging as The Japanese House, Easyfun, will.i.am, and Madison Beer.
Discover the complete list of songs Charli XCX has penned or co-written for other artists below.
The songs Charli XCX wrote for other artists:
- ‘Ringtone (Remix)’ – 100 gecs featuring Charli XCX, Rico Nasty and Kero Kero Bonito
- ‘Britpop’ – A.G. Cook
- ‘Lucifer’ – A.G. Cook
- ‘Xcxoplex’ – A.G. Cook with Charli XCX
- ‘2 Die 4’ – Addison Rae featuring Charli XCX
- ‘End of the World’ – Alex Metric with Charli XCX
- ‘Dance For Me’ – Alma featuring MØ
- ‘Phases’ – Alma with French Montana
- ‘Jealous’ – AlunaGeorge
- ‘Someone New’ – Astrid S
- ‘I’m a Dream’ – BC Unidos featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Boyfriend Material’ – Bella Thorne
- ‘Smile’ – Benga
- ‘Drama’ (Remix) – Bladee with Mechatok featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Gravity’ – Blondie
- ‘Tonight’ – Blondie featuring Laurie Anderson *not on Spotify
- ‘Block’ – Brooke Candy
- ‘XXXTC’ – Brooke Candy featuring Charli XCX and Maliibu Miitch
- ‘My Sex’ – Brooke Candy featuring Mykki Blanco, Pussy Riot, and MNDR
- ‘Dream Glow’ – BTS and Charli XCX
- ‘Scar Tissue’ – Camila Cabello
- ‘OMG’ – Camila Cabello featuring Quavo
- ‘Welcome to My Island’ (Remix) – Caroline Polachek featuring Charli XCX and George Daniels
- ‘Float On’ – Danny Brown featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Dirty Sexy Money’ – David Guetta and Afrojack featuring Charli XCX and French Montana
- ‘Bang Bang’ – DJ Fresh and Diplo featuring R. City, Selah Sue and Craig David
- ‘No Body’ – Easyfun
- ‘Charger’ – ELIO with Charli XCX
- ‘Diamonds’ – Giorgio Moroder featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Spicy’ – Herve Pagez and Diplo featuring Charli XCX
- ‘I Love It’ – Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Beg For It’ – Iggy Azalea featuring MØ
- ‘When I Find Love Again’ – James Blunt
- ‘Moments Noticed’ – Jim-E Stack
- ‘Deadstream (Rostam Version)’ – Jim-E Stack featuring Charli XCX and Rostam
- ‘Out Out’ – Joel Corry and Jax Jones featuring Charli XCX and Saweetie
- ‘Genjitsu Camera’ – Kalen Anzai
- ‘Repeat’ – Karen
- ‘Be Right Here’ – Kungs and Stargate featuring Josh Golden
- ‘911’ (Remix) – Lady Gaga featuring Charli XCX and A.G. Cook
- ‘Moonlight’ – Lil Xan with Charli XCX
- ‘OK’ – Madeon
- ‘Hurts Like Hell’ – Madison Beer featuring Offset
- ‘Just Desserts’ – Marina with Charli XCX
- ‘If It’s Over’ – MØ featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Hand in the Fire’ – Mr Oizo featuring Charli XCX
- ‘1 Night’ – Mura Masa featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Live Forever’ – Nasty Cherry
- ‘Win’ – Nasty Cherry
- ‘Her Body’ – Nasty Cherry
- ‘Six Six Six’ – Nasty Cherry
- ‘So Alive’ – Neon Jungle
- ‘Spinning’ – No Rome with Charli XCX and The 1975
- ‘Flash Pose’ – Pabllo Vittar featuring Charli XCX
- ‘I, U, Us’ – Raye
- ‘Joan of Arc’ – Ricky Reed
- ‘OctaHate’ – Ryn Weaver
- ‘Same Old Love’ – Selena Gomez
- ‘Señorita’ – Shawn Mendes with Camila Cabello
- ‘You For Me’ – Sigala featuring Rita Ora
- ‘Friends’ – The Japanese House
- ‘Bullets’ – Thy Slaughter
- ‘Heavy’ – Thy Slaughter
- ‘Hot in It’ – Tiesto and Charli XCX
- ‘100 Bad’ (Remix) – Tommy Genesis with Charli XCX
- ‘Girls Like Us’ – Twice
- ‘We Lost the Summer’ – TXT
- ‘Drop That Kitty’ – Ty Dolla $ign featuring Charli XCX and Tinashe
- ‘Love Gang’ – Whethan featuring Charli XCX
- ‘Boys and Girls’ – will.i.am featuring Pia Mia
- ‘Tears and Tantrums’ – Xylø
- ‘Crazy Crazy’ – Yasutaka Nakata featuring Charli XCX and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
- ‘Blow You Up’ – Yogi featuring AlunaGeorge and Less Is Moore
