I’m sure throughout the years, we’ve all listened to the same classic 2010s pop hits. Thinking, ‘Wow, this artist is so good; I love their music, they write great songs.’ Pause. Wait. Rewind, I’m about to spill some necessary truth. Most of these performers (notice how I don’t say artist) didn’t write their biggest hits; I’m sure some contributed by advocating for themselves and their voices. But in terms of composing, writing, and producing, nope.
So, who wrote these songs? Who are the musical masterminds behind these hits, who wrote those timeless tracks that now give us a sense of nostalgia? Welcome back to eliseOffTheRecord, where I discuss all things music industry-related. Today, we’re diving into the importance of recognizing songwriters and producers while highlighting the careers of Benny Blanco, Bonnie McKee, and Amy Allen, the producer-songwriters behind some of pop’s biggest hits, because their recognition is just as critical as the performer’s.
Bonnie McKee:
Teenage Dream, Roar, Part of Me, California Gurls, Last Friday Night. All those songs we sing our hearts out to, yeah, that’s Bonnie. Bonnie co-wrote the majority of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album.
Bonnie has that confident pop girl sound. Literally half of Teenage Dream was written by Bonnie. Her style is bold, infectious, and full of pop energy. And that album didn’t just top the charts; it defined an entire era of pop music that we still sing our hearts out to in the car.
Bonnie wasn’t just writing hits; she was writing anthems that shaped a generation of listeners. And yet, her name rarely gets mentioned alongside the stars she helped elevate. That’s the issue. Bonnie McKee deserves just as much recognition as the artists she wrote for, because without her, pop’s golden age wouldn’t have sounded the same.
Amy Allen:
Amy Allen is everywhere lately, and not in a loud way in your in-your-face way. She’s just quietly behind some of the best pop songs out there.
She’s written and co-written Back to You for Selena Gomez, Without Me for Halsey, Adore Me for Harry Styles and APT. for Bruno Mars and Rosé. But let’s talk about her work with Sabrina Carpenter, especially on emails i can’t send and now her most recent album Short n’ Sweet. Amy co-wrote and composed songs for Sabrina, including “because i liked a boy,” which was a major turning point for Sabrina (I talked about this in a previous post). That song alone showed a completely different side of her.
And she’s still in Sabrina’s corner, Amy co-wrote and composed multiple tracks for the Short n’ Sweet album including Espresso. Amy’s writing is clever, emotional, and sharp, like if heartbreak and humor were mixed into a perfect little pop song.
Amy has this gift for helping artists sound like themselves, but clearer, stronger, and more intentional. She’s not just writing hits; she’s helping shape identities. And it’s not just fans who are noticing. This year, she was named the 2025 Songwriter of the Year, making history as the first woman to win in this category, and giving her the overdue credit she has deserved for years.
Benny Blanco:
If you’ve been alive during the last fifteen years, you’ve definitely heard his work. He’s the mastermind behind radio-dominating hits like Moves Like Jagger (Maroon 5), Tik Tok (Kesha), California Gurls (Katy Perry), Love Yourself (Justin Bieber), and Diamonds (Rihanna) and many many more. His influence spans genres and generations, producing and co-writing songs that defined the late 2000s through the 2010s.
What makes Benny stand out isn’t just that he makes songs sound good, it’s that he makes them sound right for the artist. He’s incredibly versatile, which is why his name appears across various genres. He can do emotional ballads, summer anthems, and pop perfection, whatever the vibe calls for, he gets it.
The fact that someone with a catalog that iconic can still be overlooked speaks volumes about how credit in the music industry is distributed. Benny Blanco helped build the soundtracks of our lives, and it’s time more people actually knew that.
Credit Where Credit is Overdue
If you have to question the importance of recognizing songwriters, then clearly you don’t understand how the work and dedication of these writers is the reason pop music hasn’t crumbled. They are in the studio day and night, songwriting is their life and none of this would exist without them. Espresso gone. Teenage Dream erased. And still, no one seems to care about the names behind the scenes when they are the artist.
The Grammys have only had the Songwriter of the Year category for two years. Are you kidding? The Grammys have been around for nearly 70 years, and they’ve only recently decided songwriters deserve their own category? These artists, because that’s what they are, artists, could’ve collected a few of those awards during their reign of pop music.
Again, it must be reiterated that none of this would exist without them. And I’m not coming after performers or vocalists because it’s their job to perform and embody these songs. It’s the industry that needs to change.
I feel like we’ve forgotten that music is about illuminating people’s passions and talents, with performers, vocalists, songwriters, and producers shaping the sound, the feeling, and the message. Each role complements the other, working together to create songs that define moments and memories.
One should never be valued more than the other, because in the end, it’s the collaboration between them that makes music what it is: powerful, emotional, and unforgettable. Giving credit and recognition isn’t just about fairness. It’s about respect. So the next time you’re listening to music, I urge you to check the credits (if there are any), because if you love a song, you deserve to know who made it, not just who sings it.
Thanks so much for reading, I appreciate you <3
-Elise