There\’s no doubt that Calvin Harris knows what it takes to make a hit song, and his constant Grammy nominations and award winnings prove just that. However, Calvin Harris has also worked with tons of artists discreetly. Now, he\’s known for his big name collaborations, but there was a time he was producing songs and never put his name on the track title. The following singles ended up being fairly big, and there was definitely a recipe to their success. Billboard compiled a list of some songs you probably didn\’t know Calvin Harris produced:
1. Chris Brown – Yeah 3x
One of the biggest songs in 2011, this song made its way onto the charts in over 20 countries and has over 200 million views on YouTube for the music video alone. Harris wasn\’t initially credited but since has been added as a songwriter for the track. Now, it isn\’t clear if Harris was brought in for the creative process, but a rework of his single, \”I\’m Not Alone\”, was likely done for \”Yeah 3x\”.
2. Rihanna – Where Have You Been
While Harris holding down the charts with Rihanna and their current single, \”This Is What You Came For\”, it isn\’t the first time these pop sensations worked together. In 2011, Harris actually created the beat for this song alongside Dr. Luke and Cirkut, and there are definitely some electronic vibes in this one. Having sounds similar to old school Afrojack, this tune took everyone by storm and has over 420 million views on YouTube.
3. Cheryl – Call My Name
One of Harris\’ more subtle projects is a record he did for English artist Cheryl. He both wrote and produced this single, and while Cheryl received mixed reviews for this song, it showcases Calvin Harris\’ versatility in music production and this song ended up charting in UK, Ireland and Scotland, and earned a Gold certification in New Zealand. \”Call My Name\” has racked up almost 50 million views on YouTube.
4. Kylie Minogue – In My Arms
Way before Harris had even reached mainstream fame, he had worked with pop sensation Kylie Minogue. This one gives off real old school vibes, with somewhat of a fusion between techno and pop, and quickly rose to international recognition. Harris worked alongside production company Biffco on this one, and critics deemed \”In My Arms\” to be one of the best songs off of its album, \”X\”. This one has been viewed over 12 million times on YouTube.
5. Rita Ora – I Will Never Let You Down
Before Harris was in the headlines for dating Taylor Swift, he was actually in a pretty serious relationship with singer/songwriter Rita Ora. The single was actually written and produced by Calvin himself, and later became Ora\’s fourth #1 hit in the UK. It is said that the two of them had written and produced an entire album, however, when they split, Harris reportedly barred Ora from releasing the album or playing \”I Will Never Let You Down\” live. This single has accumulated over 130 million views on YouTube.
There you have it, a list of some of Calvin Harris\’ songs you never knew about. We\’re not even going to mention the shitstorm that occurred when fans learned Taylor Swift had actually worked on Harris\’ latest hit, \”This Is What You Came For\”, but it\’s pretty clear that Calvin Harris is a very talented individual that doesn\’t need much help to create a popular single.
