It is a rather new phenomenon for musicians to create their own successful songs. In the past, it was common for popular artists to perform tracks that were penned by others, and singer-songwriters were not considered the prime requirement for fame. Writing one’s own hits is not the only path to success in the music industry, as collaborating with others and performing songs in a unique way are also valuable skills. The linked article highlights several renowned musicians who did not compose their biggest hits.
Ricky Martin
To begin our list, we will start with Ricky Martin, a singer from Puerto Rico. It may be surprising to some that Ricky’s initial success came from being a member of the boy band Menudo before transitioning from Spanish music to English pop. He is most famous for his Latin pop track “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”
Draco Rosa and Desmond Child wrote this song which achieved the top position in more than 20 nations. Following its success, Ricky Martin has collaborated to produce tracks on his predominantly Spanish language album Almas del Silencio.
Reba McEntire
Several prominent figures in country music are excellent at conveying the meaning and emotion behind songs, and this includes the talented Reba McEntire, often referred to as the Queen of Country. With a global record sales figure surpassing 75 million, McEntire also boasts success in the world of acting.
Reba McEntire has achieved numerous chart-topping songs. In 1986, she recorded “Whoever’s in New England,” which was composed by Kendal Franceschi and Quentin Powers. Her 1987 single “The Last One to Know,” penned by Matraca Berg and Jane Mariash, remained on the country chart for 14 weeks.
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa, a hip-hop band from the United States, achieved gold and platinum status as the first female rap group. Additionally, their fourth album became the top-selling album by a female rap group in history at the time. Composed of Sandra Denton, Cheryl James, and Deidra Roper, the band is recognized as The First Ladies of Rap and Hip-Hop.
The renowned song “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa was penned by Hurby Azor and Ray Davies and features words from prominent songs such as “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks.
Dean Martin
In the 20th century, it was prevalent for singers to perform songs that were not their creation. The Great American Songbook, comprising of music genres such as popular songs, show tunes, and jazz standards, was widely used by famous singers. Among them, Dean Martin, a singer, actor, and comedian, made his mark by performing these American Standards in his career.
One of the Rat Pack members, who was widely known as the King of Cool, gained immense popularity as a performer in Las Vegas. His famous song “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.
Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton, who has won the Grammy award seven times, has sold more than 70 million records, placing her among the most successful female artists to date. One of her most popular songs is undoubtedly the 1996 ballad “Un-Break My Heart”, which was penned by the American songwriter Diane Warren.
Toni Braxton has other popular songs in her repertoire such as “Another Sad Love Song”, written by Daryl Simmons and Babyface, and “Breath Again”, which was written by Babyface as well. Additionally, the singer is featured in her own reality TV program that features her family.
The Backstreet Boys
A lot of girl groups and boy bands perform songs that were specifically composed for them, and with their choreography, harmonization, and good rapport, they turn the songs into smashing hits. Backstreet Boys is a prime illustration of this phenomenon. They are considered to be one of the top-selling musicians globally.
Andreas Carlsson and Max Martin wrote the famous song “I Want it That Way” for this boy band. This musical group made history by becoming the first since Led Zeppelin to have their first 10 albums reach the Billboard 200 Top 10. Notably, they are the sole boy band to have accomplished this impressive feat.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley, who is well-known for his performances, did not write his own famous songs but he made them widely popular. The song “Hound Dog” has been recorded more than 250 times, but Elvis’ rendition is the most famous. The songwriters, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, composed it in 1952.
The original recording of the song was done by Big Mama Thornton, and it remained on the R&B charts for a total of 14 weeks. Elvis Presley’s version of the song became one of the most popular singles ever, and it remained at the top of the pop chart for 11 weeks.
Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf, a renowned singer and actor, is widely praised for his impressive and extensive vocal range. His operatic rock classics were mostly written by his frequent collaborator Jim Steinman, an American composer and lyricist who crafted such hits as “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth,” and “Bat Out of Hell.”
In essence, if you mention a popular Meat Loaf song, it’s highly probable that Jim Steinman was the one who composed it. Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman enjoyed a fruitful and enduring musical partnership.
Ella Fitzgerald
During her remarkable music career, Ella Fitzgerald, who was recognized as the Queen of Jazz, accumulated 14 Grammy awards. Like many other artists during her time, she didn’t compose her most popular songs. Nevertheless, she did write several successful pieces for other performers such as Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole.
Some of Lady Ella’s popular songs include “Dream a Little Dream of Me” which was written by Gus Kahn, “Cheek to Cheek” written by Irving Berlin, and her version of the nursery rhyme “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” played a major role in her rise to fame.
Fifth Harmony
Fifth Harmony, a girl group from Miami, rose to fame in 2012 after competing on the television talent show, The X Factor. The original group consisted of Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui, Normani Kordei and Camila Cabello. Although, Camila decided to pursue a solo career and left the group in 2016.
The song “Miss Movin’ On” from Fifth Harmony’s first album was created by a team of songwriters including Mitch Allan, Jason Evigan, Lindy Robbins, Julia Michaels and Ali Tamposi. Another song from the same album, “Sledgehammer,” was written by Jonas Jeberg, Meghan Trainor and Sean Douglas.
NSYNC
It’s time for a new male music group! Although members of NSYNC like Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick have improved their songwriting abilities, a lot of the band’s most popular songs were not written by them. Take for instance, “It’s Gonna Be Me,” which was written by Max Martin, Andreas Carlsson, and Rami Yacoub.
Similarly, the song “Bye Bye Bye” was created by Kristian Lundin, Jake Schulze, and Andreas Carlsson and was launched in 2000. Additionally, NSYNC was responsible for composing and producing multiple songs featured on their third album that was released in 2001.
Aaliyah
Aaliyah, who was a singer, actress, and dancer, played a key role in redefining contemporary R&B. She gained recognition as the Princess of R&B. Aaliyah’s entry into the spotlight dates back to her appearance on the television talent show Star Search when she was just ten years old.
Within a short span of two years, she sealed a contract with a record label, and for her subsequent album, Aaliyah collaborated with prolific music producers Missy Elliot and Timbaland. Together, they composed the popular song, “One in a Million”. Diane Warren was the writer of “The One I Gave My Heart To”.
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick, a famous personality in the entertainment industry, has a remarkable track record in music. Her exceptional talent as a singer has made her one of the top-charting vocalists in history. Moreover, she has sold 100 million records and received six Grammy awards, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her exceptional contribution to music.
Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the award-winning songwriting duo, penned numerous chart-topping hits for Dionne Warwick, such as “Walk on By”, “Alfie”, and “Don’t Make Me Over”, in addition to the evergreen classic “I Say a Little Prayer”.
Nina Simone
It is undeniable that Nina Simone possessed an exceptional talent in conveying the essence of a song. She skillfully blended gospel, pop, and classical genres, delivering them with a captivating contralto voice. Although Nina Simone did create and pen her own music, her most popular songs were written by other composers.
Nina Simone achieved success with the popular jazz tune “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” which was written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn as a jazz standard. Although she had performed it years before, the song gained immense popularity after being featured in a fragrance advertisement.
Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle, a Scottish singer, gained visibility in the TV talent show “Britain’s Got Talent”, and despite not emerging as the winner, her career thrived subsequently. Her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical “Les Miserables” is one of her most celebrated performances.
Susan Boyle has sung a variety of songs by famous musicians and popular Broadway shows. Among them are “Wild Horses,” composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and “I Know Him So Well” from the musical Chess.
Luciano Pavarotti
It is noteworthy that in the genre of opera, it is uncommon for performers to compose their own music. However, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti was able to transition from opera to mainstream music and was able to gather a huge fanbase. Pavarotti, who was referred to as “The King of the High Cs”, gained popularity for his performance of the aria “Nessun Dorma” which was originally composed by opera composer Giacomo Puccini.
Pavarotti’s incredible talent included not reading orchestral scores and instead memorizing his part, which was aided by his perfect pitch. His remarkable career resulted in the sale of over 100 million records.
The Jackson 5
Similar to several other groups on the same list, The Jackson 5 postponed writing their own music until a later stage in their profession. However, it’s worth acknowledging that one of the members, Michael Jackson, eventually composed numerous chart-topping songs.
During the initial phase of their profession, the band’s popular tracks were composed by a songwriting collective called The Corporation. This collective was responsible for penning the hit songs “I Want You Back” in 1969 and “ABC” in 1970. The group achieved an unprecedented feat of having their first four singles top the charts.
Celine Dion
Similar to a few individuals on this roster, Celine Dion, a singer from Canada, has created a few songs by herself. Despite this, the influential figure in the Pop music industry has achieved remarkable success with songs crafted specifically for her. In 1996, Jim Steinman, a long-time associate of Meat Loaf, composed “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” which became one of her biggest hits.
Celine’s most popular and successful song is the powerful ballad “My Heart Will Go On”, which appeared in the famous movie Titanic. It was composed by James Horner and Will Jennings, and it reached the number one spot in more than twenty nations across the world.
Big Time Rush
There are multiple musical groups listed here who have their own television series, including Big Time Rush, consisting of Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson, and Carlos PenaVega, which aired on Nickelodeon between 2009 and 2013.
The band didn’t write their popular songs themselves, however, Kendall Schmidt, a member of the band, later composed some of their later tracks. The track entitled “Boyfriend” was written by Lucas Secon, Wayne Hector, and Francis Zamir while the song titled “City is Ours” was written by Eric Sanicola.
Art Garfunkel
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon collaborated to form the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Simon primarily focused on songwriting, whereas Garfunkel utilized his talent to arrange vocals for the duet. This dynamic pair was highly successful and one of the most profitable music groups during the 1960s.
“The Sound of Silence”, “Mrs. Robinson”, and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” were major hits of the group that were composed by Paul Simon. Initially, Art Garfunkel refused to perform the lead vocals for “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, but it has now evolved into an iconic and timeless song.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra, who is widely recognized as one of the greatest musicians of all time, did not compose any of his songs. The track “Fly Me to the Moon” was written by Bart Howard, while the English lyrics to “My Way” were penned by Paul Anka. “My Way,” performed by Sinatra, remained in the UK Top 40 for an incredible 75 weeks.
One of the famous songs of Sinatra is “New York, New York”. This song was first featured in Martin Scorcese’s movie with the same title in 1977. The performance of Liza Minnelli in the movie was unforgettable. The song was composed by John Kander and Fred Ebb.
98 Degrees
The music band 98 Degrees consisted of four individuals originally from Ohio: Jeff Timmons, Justin Jeffre, and brothers Nick and Drew Lachey. Unlike several other boy bands that are assembled by a record label, this group formed themselves and was later signed.
Collectively, 98 Degrees managed to sell more than 10 million copies of their albums across the globe. One of their famous songs, namely “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” was composed by the trio of Anders Bagge, Arnthor Birgisson, and Claudia Ogalde. Furthermore, they also lent their voices for Mariah Carey’s chart-topping song “Thank God I Found You”.
Tim McGraw
According to country musician Tim McGraw, when it comes to selecting songs to record, he seeks out ones that have an emotional impact on him. He also mentioned that when recording in the studio, they strive to be creative and innovative. Although McGraw has written some songs, his major successes were penned by other songwriters.
The individual who has won multiple awards has achieved 25 top-ranked hits on the Hot Country Songs Charts. “It’s Your Love”, the song featuring Faith Hill, was penned by Stephony Smith.
The Temptations
Moving on, we focus on one of the most accomplished musical bands ever. The Temptations were a Motown band consisting of Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams.
The Temptations were the pioneers among Motown acts as they were the first to receive a Grammy award, and they added two more to the list. The cause of their success was the eminent songwriter-singer Smokey Robinson, who composed several of their chartbusters including “My Girl” along with Ronald White in 1964.
Westlife
In the realm of boy bands, Westlife, an Irish group, has a plethora of accomplishments. Specifically, they hold the record for the most sequential number one albums in the UK and Ireland during a decade, surpassing the Beatles. Additionally, they are one of the highest selling boy bands in history, having earned a Guinness World Record.
The greatest hits of Westlife were not self-composed, but rather written by other songwriters. However, they have also achieved significant success by covering popular songs. One notable example is their rendition of Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl”, which topped the UK chart.
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud, an English-Irish girl group, achieved significant success with their cover songs, such as The Pointer Sisters’ “Jump” and The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You”.
Girls Aloud’s success can be largely attributed to songwriters Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and the production team, Xenomania, who penned most of their other hit songs. They hold the title of “Most Successful Reality TV Group” according to Guinness World Records. The band consists of Kimberly Walsh, Sarah Harding, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Cheryl Tweedy, who were all originally contestants on Popstars: The Rivals.
Leona Lewis
Here’s another successful TV talent show story to share! In 2006, the British vocalist Leona Lewis emerged as the winner of the third season of The X Factor. Her winning track was a rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This,” composed by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid.
In the 21st century, Leona’s debut album, Spirit, holds the record for being the top-selling first album by a female artist. The album’s most famous track, “Bleeding Love,” was created by Jesse McCartney and Ryan Tedder and topped the charts in 35 different nations.
Tom Jones
Tom Jones, the Welsh singer, is well-known for being a judge on TV talent shows rather than competing on them. He has been a regular fixture on the UK’s iteration of The Voice since its inception in 2012.
In the 1960s, the singer rose to fame with a series of popular songs that made it into the Top 10 charts. Similar to numerous musicians from that era, the artist did not compose his own music. “It’s Not Unusual,” Tom Jones’ initial release, was penned by Les Reed and Gordon Mills.
The Monkees
Although The Monkees did eventually compose their own songs, their most well-known hits were authored by other individuals. The band from the 60s was originally formed for a TV program with the same title, and they managed to sell over 75 million albums around the world.
The immensely popular song “I’m a Believer” was penned by Neil Diamond and held the top position on the US charts for a remarkable seven weeks. Similarly, “Daydream Believer” was written by John Stewart and also achieved a number one status. It remained at the top spot in the US for four weeks.
Diana Ross
During the 1960s, The Supremes, an all-girl group led by Diana Ross, became extremely popular and topped the music charts. They have remained as one of the highest selling music groups ever and also hold the honor of being the most successful female group in terms of chart success. A majority of their most popular songs were composed by a trio of songwriters, including Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland.
After establishing herself as a solo artist, Diana Ross sought to collaborate with gifted songwriters. Notably, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was penned by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, and the Gibb brothers composed “Chain Reaction.”
Bette Midler
A lot of the individuals featured in this list have a background primarily in musical theater, where it is typical to perform songs that were authored by someone else. Throughout her career spanning five decades, Bette Midler, a performer renowned for her singing and acting abilities, has achieved success by delivering exceptional performances of already existing melodies.
Bette Midler was awarded a Grammy for her outstanding performance of Amanda McBroom’s “The Rose” in the category of Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Additionally, she earned another Grammy for her interpretation of “Wind Beneath My Wings,” composed by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley.
Sammy Davis Jr.
We have already witnessed a few individuals belonging to the Rat Pack, and at present, we have another important member. Sammy Davis Jr. who was a gifted, versatile artist, would frequently present melodies from the Great American Songbook, along with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
Converting! Wait…
Trace Adkins
Bass-baritone American country singer Trace Adkins has had three number-one hits during his music career. All of these were written by other people. First up, “This Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing” was written by Tim Nichols and Mark Sanders.
It hit the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts in 1997. Some years later, in 2006, Trace Adkins had his next number one with “Ladies Love Country Boys”. This track was written by Jamey Johnson, Rivers Rutherford, and George Tere.
Faith Hill
Sticking with country music, we now turn to Faith Hill. The American singer is one of the most successful country stars of all time, with five Grammys to prove it. Undoubtedly, one of the singer’s most well-known songs is 1998’s “This Kiss”.
The track was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff. Later, in 2001, Faith Hill had a further global hit with “There You’ll Be”. This ballad was written by Diane Warren and appeared on the soundtrack for Pearl Harbor.
The Cheetah Girls
We’ve had The Monkees, we’ve had Big Time Rush, and now we have The Cheetah Girls. Similar to the boy bands already mentioned, this group were created for a Disney movie series. The group was made up of Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, Sabrina Bryan, and Raven-Symoné.
The soundtrack to their first movie is one of the biggest selling Walt Disney Records albums ever. The debut single from the group’s first album was “Cinderella”, written by Lindy Robbins and Kevin Savigar.
The Ronettes
So far we’ve seen lots of amazing girl bands on this list. The Ronettes — made up of Ronnie Spector, Estelle Bennett, and Nedra Talley — was known for their soulful pop tunes. Impressively, The Rolling Stones supported the group when they toured around the UK.
The Ronettes’ biggest hit is definitely 1963’s “Be My Baby”. The track was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. It’s still considered one of the best songs of the ’60s, and one of the greatest pop songs of all time.
Judy Garland
Like other stars from her era, Judy Garland sang songs written by other people. As most people know, the performer had an incredible ability to infuse music with great emotion and depth. The actress and singer was the first woman ever to win the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Judy Garland’s award-winning live album from Carnegie Hall stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for an astonishing 73 weeks. On it, she sang songs from her celebrated movies — The Wizard of Oz and Meet Me in St. Louis.
Jerry Lee Lewis
Known as the Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis was one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century. While the performer did write some of his songs, his biggest hits were penned by other people.
Jerry Lee Lewis’ rockabilly rendition of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” was number one on several charts. It was written by Dave “Curlee” Williams. His hit “Great Balls of Fire” was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer. It was one of the best-selling singles in the US at the time.
Barbra Streisand
The fabulous Barbra Streisand has some of show business’s biggest accolades. With an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, she’s a member of the elite EGOT club. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
Like Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand has a background in theater. Among her number one hits is “The Way We Were”, written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch. “Woman in Love”, released in 1980, was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.
Whitney Houston
From one vocal powerhouse to another, Whitney Houston is up next. Aptly nicknamed “The Voice,” the singer and actress sold over 200 million records worldwide. Additionally, Whitney is the only artist to have seven consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
Of course, one of Whitney’s best-known songs is her stirring rendition of “I Will Always Love You”, written by Dolly Parton. Her first number one hit, “Saving All My Love for You” was written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin.
Olivia Newton-John
Perhaps best known for her acting roles, Olivia Newton-John was also a four-time Grammy award winner. The British-Australian singer and actress had five number one hits, including several tracks from her most famous work, the musical Grease.
Olivia Newton-John won a Grammy for 1974’s “I Honestly Love You”, written by Jeff Barry. Almost a decade later, she released smash hit “Physical”, which was written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick. Interestingly, the song was also offered to Rod Stewart and Tina Turner.
Liza Minnelli
Actress, singer, and dancer Liza Minnelli is another member of the elite EGOT club. She’s also another star that started out in musical theater. Plus, she frequently drew from the Great American Songbook.
Several of Liza Minnelli’s most popular performances are from her movie roles. Both “Maybe This Time”, and “Cabaret” from the Cabaret musical and film, were written by John Kander and Fred Ebb. Liza is also known for her version of “New York, New York”, which was written for her by the same songwriters.
Andrea Bocelli
Classical singer Andrew Bocelli is also a super successful musician that hasn’t written any of his own music. Of course, the singer’s moving interpretations of songs have brought him great acclaim. The Italian tenor’s first compilation album is the biggest selling classical album by any solo artist in history.
Along with Sarah Brightman, Andrew Bocelli released “Time To Say Goodbye” in 1996. The song was originally written in Italian by Lucio Quarantotto. In their hugely popular duet, Bocelli sang in Italian and Brightman in German.
Sister Sledge
There’s just enough space on our list to fit in one more iconic girl group. Disco group Sister Sledge was made up of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. Their most enduring hit is the fittingly titled “We Are Family”, which was written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.
Sister Sledge also had great success with their version of “My Guy”, which was written by Smokey Robinson. This song was first sung by Motown artist Mary Wells in 1964.
Idina Menzel
And here’s yet another Broadway performer who has had great success singing songs written by other people. Singer and actress Idina Menzel has released eight albums and written her own music, but she’s best known for belting musical favorites.
Firstly, Idina’s song “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent was written by Jonathan Larson. Then, Idina is associated with “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, written by Stephen Schwartz. Lastly, she’s celebrated for “Let it Go” from Frozen, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
While the internet has definitely made the world better, it’s not all rosy. Sadly, lots of people experience harassment, threats, and online shaming. And that doesn’t exclude celebs. Social media means that people have much more access to celebrities than ever before. We can literally strike up a chat with our biggest heroes! However, that also leaves our favorite stars open to all sorts of online abuse. Check out these horrible DMs, tweets, private messages, and snaps that celebrities have received.
“Honestly, Wow, Thank You”
Let’s kick things off with TV personality and former model Chrissy Teigen. The star is pretty vocal on social media, and has gotten into some problems of her own. Let’s not forget that Chrissy admitted to trolling Courtney Stodden when the star was just a teen.
Anyway, on this occasion, Chrissy was the victim of some nasty online messages. Underneath this picture of the star with Andy Cohen and Kelly Dodd, someone decided to leave an unsolicited critique of Chrissy’s hair.
What Is Wrong With You?
This online interaction is totally typical of social media. English model and activist Munroe Bergdorf was subjected to this ridiculous string of messages. The trans star received these DMs from someone who strongly disagreed with Munroe’s beliefs.
Interestingly, as soon as the star replies to this person, they back off. As we’ll see throughout this list, most online trolls never expect anyone to reply. It should go without saying but this is not the ideal way to communicate over complex ideas!
“The Very, Very Worst”
During much of lockdown, English actress Kate Beckinsale shared pictures and videos with her beloved cats. The star has two feline pets — one named Clive, and one named Willow. Despite this rather wholesome content, Kate still received very nasty DMs about her furry children.
This very angry person wished that Kate and Clive drove off a cliff and died. Who would wish such a thing?! The star posted the nasty comment on her social media to mock the troll’s typo.
To Someone I Don’t Know
Look, we know that reality star Janelle Evans is a controversial character. We watched her deal with teen pregnancy and motherhood, along with a host of other issues. But, despite what people may think of Janelle, she definitely doesn’t deserve to be harassed or bullied.
The star shared this screenshot of some of the abuse she regularly receives. This particular message insulted her, her mom, her kids, and her partner. Janelle rightly asked her followers, “What makes you think this is ok?”
#YouCan’tStopTheGirl
On several occasions, singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha has been targeted by online trolls. The “Baby, I’m Jealous” singer isn’t afraid to respond though. As these messages show, Bebe was super excited to perform on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. However, someone had to be there to burst her bubble.
Bebe Rexha has also talked about being taken down from within her own industry. The star shared online that male music executives tried to make her take down certain Instagram posts. Leave our girl alone!
“You Are No Role Model”
Unfortunately, lots of nasty online abuse is full of racism, sexism and homophobia. These messages are really hateful, and express all sorts of offensive views. This racist tirade was sent to model and TV presenter Ashley Graham in 2019. The star shared it on her Instagram stories, saying “racism isn’t clickbait, it’s real and evil.”
She continued, “I see what my husband has to go through every day […] Read books; have conversations. Educate yourself.” We couldn’t have said it better Ashley!
“Don’t Be That Person”
It’s in 24 countries across the world, but the British Love Island is the OG and the best. Over the years, mental health has been a real issue with reality stars. They rise to fame super quickly and then have to deal with tons of exposure. And of course, social media makes all of that more intense.
Demi Jones starred on the show in 2020 and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer the following year. Incredibly, vicious online trolls made fun of her for it. Now, she’s cancer-free.
I’m Not the Miserable One
And here’s another reality star that had to learn to adjust to fame quickly! Chrishell Stause is best known for selling hot property at the Oppenheim group. Well, that and her dating life. The star went through an extremely public divorce from Justin Hartley and then started dating her boss and co-star, Jason Oppenheim. The drama!
Because of this, some viewers felt they knew Chrishell’s life more than she did. This nasty DM alleges that the star “can’t accomplish anything without a man.”
You’re Going to Regret It
Compared to some of the nasty messages on this list, this one isn’t so bad. Really, it’s just annoying. Travis Barker has reemerged in the public eye recently because of his whirlwind relationship – and engagement – with Kourtney Kardashian. But, of course, the Blink 182 drummer has been around for decades. And he’s been heavily tattooed the whole time.
Although tattoos are a personal choice, this onlooker decided to tell Travis his tattoos are “ridiculous.” In fact, the drummer had several done after he was in a serious plane crash.
Fighting Battles All Year
Sadly, some people are more likely to receive abuse than others. Women of color tend to get way more harassment and bullying than other groups, and this is especially true when they’re in the limelight. We’ve seen it happen to superstar Serena Williams, and now it’s happening to American tennis star Sloane Stephens.
After her loss at the US open, Sloane was subjected to a torrent of abuse. This horrible DM threatened to damage the star’s legs. She shared it on Instagram to spread awareness.
She Truly Is a Demon
Here’s another celebrity woman of color that’s taken an absolute beating from social media trolls. And let’s be honest – from lots of media trolls too. After the star wrote about her miscarriage in an opinion piece, lots of readers decided not to believe her. We can’t really wrap our heads around this reaction…
In this utterly bizarre comment, someone claims that Meghan’s writing is too descriptive for a sad story. Then, they say she lacks a soul. It seems like she just can’t win!
“I Don’t Mind the Other One”
Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson received so much abuse in her early career that she made a documentary about it. The band came to fame on a talent show. This meant that they were able to attract a huge audience, but also a lot of haters.
Messages about Jesy Nelson have been extremely hateful. The star has been body-shamed since she was just a teenager. We can’t imagine the long-term effects of being treated so horribly by total strangers. These people need to get a hobby!
Why Don’t You Admit?
On reality series Chrisley Knows Best, viewers follow Georgia real estate tycoon Todd Chrisley and his wealthy family. On spin-off series Growing Up Chrisley, Todd’s daughter Savannah and his son Chase stepped into the spotlight. Todd shared these abusive messages that Savannah received.
In response, the Southern star said, “You have some nerve to come at my daughter but after reviewing your profile, I see where the jealousy comes from […] if jabbing her about Botox is the best you got, then you are weak.”
“Used to Be So Beautiful”
We’ve seen some of the abuse that Janelle Evans receives, but what about Cheyenne Floyd? In 2021 the reality star shared messages that attacked her weight just after giving birth. She captioned the post, “When people ask me why I don’t share or post as often.”
Thankfully, some of Cheyenne’s co-stars stepped up to give her some encouragement. Kailyn Lowry wrote, “You look awesome” while Briana DeJesus said, “You look beautiful – Don’t let anyone tell you any different!” Preach!
You Need to Calm Down
More reality stars, more online harassment. This time we’re checking in on Bravo star Scheana Shay. As we can see from these images, Scheana has received huge amounts of toxic and cruel messages.
These screenshots show someone threatening her unborn baby and taunting her over previous miscarriages. When Scheana decided to respond to one troll, they called her an attention seeker for doing so. As always, they can’t win!
Lipstick and High Heels
In case you thought online abuse was just for models, actresses, and reality stars, don’t worry – it’s also directed at news anchors. Investigative journalist Mina Kimes received this extremely chauvinistic and racist message from a viewer.
Apparently, wearing lipstick makes a person incapable of speaking about football. Who knew? According to this genius, women should stick to what they’re “suited for.” In such a case, the very serious business of football should be left to the big boys.
“I Don’t Want to Be Nasty”
Next up is another former resident of Casa Amor that ended up receiving lots of nasty online comments. Amy Hart starred in the 2019 series of the reality dating show. She posted this screenshot to her Instagram, along with the caption, “Wonder what she’d say if she was being nasty?!?!”
This person saw a picture of someone else, picked out every flaw possible, and then messaged them to tell them. In what world is that reasonable human behavior?
I Feel Compelled to Ask
OK, so there’s some backstory to this post. After Taylor Swift eviscerated actor Jake Gyllenhaal on Red (Taylor’s Version), Swifties came for him. You see, Jake dated Taylor when she was just a teen, and he didn’t exactly treat her well.
Likewise, John Mayer dated Taylor around this time, and her songs reveal that he wasn’t a gentleman either. So, after receiving tons of hate messages, John Mayer decided to engage with one angry Swiftie. Eventually, she apologizes, before warning him about the next album drop.
“Absolute Degenerate You Are”
Irish actress Nicola Coughlin has been appearing on our screens more and more. Initially one of the Derry Girls cast, the star then delighted audiences in Bridgerton. Of course, being a woman on-screen means you’re likely to attract some trolls.
Plus, Nicola is outspoken on a number of political issues — as you can guess from this post. This screenshot is one of many that Irish actress Nicola Coughlin receives. Here, she’s called a “Marxist brain dead clown.” That would make a good Twitter bio.
“I’ll Get Right on It!”
It really is amazing the things that people will say. While you might hesitate before speaking your mind, other people just blurt it out. Rather than thinking about an opinion and thinking about sharing it, these people just start typing.
Before they know it, their thoughts are out there for all to see. This completely ridiculous person accused Canadian actress Shay Mitchell of not looking at her child while feeding them. Apparently, that makes the star an attention seeker!
Social Media in a Nutshell
This has got to be one of our favorite interactions with a troll. Of course, we don’t wish trolling on anyone. But this shows us just how thoughtless the act of trolling is. Here we have a screenshot shared by Bravo king Andy Cohen.
It starts off with someone telling him to be a better person for his son. That’s a pretty bold move! When the TV host responds, the person immediately withdraws their criticism. They even apologize! What a spineless troll!
You Seem So Nice
It’s absolutely outrageous that multiple women on this list have been trolled after suffering a miscarriage. It goes without saying that this is an extremely emotional time, and that many women grieve their pregnancy. To try and hurt someone during this time is completely beyond us. Who are these people?!
Hilaria Baldwin was trolled like this after her miscarriage. Then, she shared this screenshot with more nasty messages in 2020. In response, she posted “I’m one of the biggest cheerleaders for body positivity and love.”
Desensitized in the DMs
Influencer and former Casa Amor resident Molly-Mae Hague has been all over the internet recently. The creative director of Pretty Little Thing got in hot water after making some dubious claims about hustle on a podcast.
Plus, she was pulled into a DM war between her boyfriend, boxer Tommy Fury and his opponent Jake Paul. Drama! The English influencer posted this screenshot online showing the nasty comments left on her socials. This DM called the star shallow, vacuous and useless.
A Man Your Age
We’d love to know whether this commenter would say the same thing to Busy Phillipps’ face. We’re willing to bet he wouldn’t. The actress posted this selfie of her working out while wearing simple black leggings and a crop top.
According to this very charming commenter, the star’s “rolls” were showing. How rude! Thankfully, Busy clapped back with a comment of her own. She gave this guy a free grammar lesson, then called him a “bodyshaming loser.” We condone this message.
Where Do Y0u Get Off?
By the way, have you noticed how many people on this list are women? It’s almost like they get hit with more abuse, bullying, threats, and shaming. It’s almost like being a woman in public is threatening to the people that leave these comments.
This screenshot was shared by model Ianthe Rose. She posted a picture of herself in the kitchen, only to be told that she needs to do more squats. How charming! Thankfully she gave them a piece of her mind.
“You Are Not Like This”
As we’ve said, lots of online trolling is full of homophobia, racism, and chauvinism. These people are pretty lazy when it comes to being hateful. This exchange was between a troll, actress Ashley Benson and her then-girlfriend Cara Delevingne.
Someone left a nasty comment under one of Ashley’s posts telling her to choose a “strong handsome religious man” rather than her actual partner. Understandably, this infuriated Cara who stepped in to give them a piece of her mind. We love to see it.
“Like You Hung the Moon…”
Speaking of homophobia, here’s another comment from that unfortunate subcategory. These people seem to get extra irritated when they initially perceive somebody as straight and later find out that isn’t the case.
Footballer and reality TV star Colton Underwood faced a lot of this reaction after he came out as gay in 2021. Colton was the first lead from The Bachelor to come out as gay. This particular message claims that having seen him with girls on TV “just hurts.”
Take Her Down
Astoundingly, there’s been a whole social media campaign focused on bullying teen star Millie Bobby Brown. It all started when someone claimed that the actress refused to take a picture with a fan unless they removed their hijab. This story claims that Millie pulled the hijab from the person’s head.
From there, this became a meme with multiple people wrongly accusing the star of Islamophobia and homophobia. Hashtag Take Down Millie Bobby Brown share posts full of fake stories. This screenshot shows commenters mocking the actress’s body.
“No One Cares”
Unfortunately, we’re not surprised that rapper Cardi B faces nasty online messages. The “Bodak Yellow” singer started off on a reality show and quickly rose to the top of her field.
However, many people refuse to see the star as anything other than a former exotic dancer. Cardi shared these messages from a commenter who called her a fake rapper. However, when Cardi told the person to “go on a diet,” she was hit with backlash for being fatphobic.
“Only the Weekends”
When it comes to celebrity trolls, Lil Nas X is up there. Seriously, there are multiple articles about his skills when it comes to the trolling arts. The “Montero” singer has lots of clapbacks up his sleeve, especially because he’s attacked so much.
Sadly, the gay rapper has also faced homophobia from other celebs. In this exchange, various commenters make homophobic comments about the star. One actually laments that a great person “turned gay.” Thankfully, Lil Nas X takes it in his stride.
“I’m Trying to Figure Out”
Former basketball player Dwyane Wade is a pretty great guy. The star is a father of four, including daughter Zaya, who is trans. When Dwyane posted this family snap with wife Gabrielle Union, the trolls came out full force.
This message shows the disgraceful homophobia, transphobia, and racism directed at the celebrity family. In response, the athlete wrote, “As a parent my only goal is that my kids feel that I see them, love them and support them.”
Over the Edge
Erika Jayne hasn’t exactly had a good year. While she was once flying high with glam teams and music videos, now she’s at the center of a huge federal court case. The star has received multiple death threats, including this one that she shared on Instagram.
Here, a commenter threatens to shoot her, on top of other hideous threats. It’s hard to understand why people think these sorts of messages are a good idea. Really, what good does it do?
Not an Insult, But…
It’s never good news when a message begins with “Don’t take this as an insult, but.” Let’s be serious – that sentence is never going to turn out well. How about if someone could take something as an insult, you just don’t say it?
Anyway, reality star Nicole Polizzi (a.k.a. Snooki) was subject to such a comment. How rude! In response, she wrote, “I’ve been. Three kids destroy your waistline. I’m not trying to be skinny. I’m trying to gain muscle.”
Did You Know?
The Kardashian-Jenners face an absolutely huge amount of online harassment. Those ladies seem to rub people up the wrong way just by existing. Out of the whole gang, Khloé is definitely the sibling that’s faced the most bullying.
She’s been body-shamed for years, and now faces nasty comments about her parenting. In this absurd Instagram comment from 2019, someone accuses the reality star of using her daughter “as an accessory.” As she often does, Khloé replied with exactly what she thinks.
Keep Away From the Keyboard
When English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs started dating actor Robert Pattinson, she faced hordes of abuse. In particular, fans of the English actor made nasty racist comments about their relationship. At the time, Twigs called the abuse “deeply horrific.”
Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs dated from 2014 to 2017. The star has since suggested that R Patz’s fans view him as a kind of “white Prince Charming.” Unfortunately, this type of online abuse towards women of color is all too common.
The Hate of Strangers
Look, when it comes to the ongoing war between the Spears siblings, we’re firmly on Team Britney. However, that doesn’t mean that we condone the nasty and cruel messages sent to her younger sibling, Jamie Lynn.
The star posted this nasty comment on her social media, along with her own response. She wrote, “I’ve gotten beyond use to receiving the love and the hate of strangers, since before I even had a choice.” We agree that this sort of hate shouldn’t be tolerated.
New Message Received
Another star that grew up in the public eye is Kelly Osbourne, daughter of rocker Ozzy and TV personality Sharon. Over the years, Kelly has been bullied for her appearance and body. Sadly, it’s still happening.
After Kelly Osbourne posted about her dad’s Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2019, she received hateful messages. This one said it was “great” that her father was dying. In response, she screenshotted the message and posted it with the caption, “…seems like you need some attention???”
A Wake-Up Call
Reality star Abbie Chatfield is serious in her fight against cyberbullying. The star has revealed hundreds of nasty messages sent to her. In fact, she has a special Google drive full of them. Abbie has been body-shamed online, with commenters saying, “Saggy all over. Shed some pounds or wear clothes that actually suit and fit.”
Abbie reckons that blocking and deleting trolls doesn’t do enough to solve the problem. She’s also adamant that she shouldn’t be pushed off her socials by bullies.
Don’t Feed the Trolls
Horrendously, Lily Allen is another celebrity woman who was attacked online after having a miscarriage. In 2017, the English singer actually took a break from Twitter because of the avalanche of abuse.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — it’s never ok to mock someone after a miscarriage! From where we’re standing, these commenters should have their accounts disabled immediately.
“Y’All Need to Chill”
And we close our list of nasty DMS with another reality star. This time it’s Evan Bass, who shared some of the comments he receives on social media. In this case, someone decided that Evan and his wife Carly Waddell were trying to outdo each other during Easter vacation.
Evan actually had a very thoughtful response to the trolls that attacked him. He said, “It just made me think about empathy and feel so bad for the people that are saying mean things.”
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