6 Huge Songs You Never Knew Prince Wrote

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 22 April 2016

Prince, who died Thursday at the age of 57, was an incredibly prolific musician. He released 39 solo studio albums, recorded under pseudonyms with bands like The Time, the New Power Generation, and The Revolution, and wrote a number of songs that other pop artists recorded, including:

Sinead O'Connor, "Nothing Compares 2 U"

Although Prince wrote O'Connor's breakthrough hit, the Irish singer said in an interview that they didn't get along. "In fact, we had a punch up," she said in an interview (opens in new tab). Prince, she explained, didn't care for the foul language she used in interviews after "Nothing Compares" became a hit.

The Bangles, "Manic Monday"

Prince originally wrote the song for the pop group Apollonia 6 and recorded a demo of the song with them that's still floating around the internet. (You can listen to it here (opens in new tab).)

Alicia Keys, "How Come You Don't Call Me"

The song originally appeared as a B-side to Prince's 1982 hit "1999." Keys recorded it in 2001, and three years later introduced Prince when he was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. "He's the only man that I've ever seen that lights the stage on fire, leaving you to burn within it in a frenzy of movement, lights, electric guitars, slide piano, dancing, voices, splits and songs," she said (opens in new tab). "Oh my god. Songs so powerful that you are forever changed.

Madonna, "Love Song," recorded with Prince

The music icons recorded this song together for Madonna's 1988 album Like A Prayer, and they actually dated briefly in 1985. They then feuded for the better part of the '90s and early 2000s before setting aside their differences in 2011 (opens in new tab). Madonna said in an Instagram post (opens in new tab) on Thursday that she's "devastated" by his death.

Chaka Khan, "I Feel For You"

Prince recorded this song for his 1979 self-titled album, but when Chaka Khan covered it in 1984 the song became an enormous success. Her rendition earned Prince a Grammy for Best R&B song.