Chris Stapleton’s Songwriting for Other Artists: Hits He Wrote Before Going Solo

Before he was the bearded crooner belting out songs about mental health and other social issues and winning the inaugural ACM artist-songwriter of the decade, he was quietly running Nashville behind the scenes. Chris Stapleton's songwriting career kicked off long before his own records did, with the Kentucky native penning hundreds of tracks for some of the biggest names in the country music industry. Before Stapleton became a household name, your favorite country stars might have already been singing his words.   

Stapleton moved to Nashville in 1996 to study biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University, but dropped out to pursue songwriting after discovering it could be a career (fortunately!) He signed with Sea Gayle Music, which was founded by Brad Paisley, Frank Rogers, and Chris DuBois.  He’s a versatile songwriter who worked across multiple genres (even for Adele!), and he had approximately 50 album cuts before achieving success with “Your Man” by Josh Turner.   

Stapleton found success as a songwriter long before he ever stepped into the spotlight as a singer. He co-wrote six number-one singles for other artists on the Hot Country Songs chart. One notable single is “Never Wanted Nothing More,” which climbed the charts at an impressive speed, reaching number one in just its eighth week. He also co-wrote Kenny Chesney’s fastest No. 1 single, “Never Wanted Nothing More,” and Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song.”  

These hits established him as a premier songwriter in Nashville and gave him his first taste of chart success alongside the artists who recorded them.  

Stapleton’s significant songwriting successes with major country artists include the following:  

Stapleton wrote “Never Wanted Nothing More” with Ronnie Bowman in 2007. Aside from becoming Chesney’s fastest No. 1 single to reach No. 1, it was also certified Platinum by the RIAA.  

“Your Man” gave both Stapleton and Turner their first No. 1 single.   

Co-written with Jesse Frashure, this Thomas Rhett hit reached No. 2 on Hot Country Songs, was Rhett’s fourth No. 1 single, and is a certified Double Platinum by the RIAA.  

Co-written with Jim Beavers, Luke Bryan described the song as “the coolest sad song ever.”  

Stapleton co-wrote Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song” with Trent Willmon and ended up being one of Rucker’s most well-known songs.  

Stapleton also worked on other genres. He collaborated with artists like Adele and Joss Stone, demonstrating his range and adaptability. Adele’s “If It Hadn’t Been for Love” was an original Stapleton and included in his 2008 debut album when he was still part of a bluegrass group, The SteelDrivers. The mezzo-soprano British singer recorded the song and included it as a bonus track on her 2011 album, 21.  

He also worked on Joss Stone’s “Don’t Start Lying to Me Now.” Described as a song filled with jazzy funk and fierce soul, the fiery R&B track was included in Stone’s 2011 album, LP1.  

Before his career as a singer, Stapleton already made a name for himself as a songwriter and one of Nashville’s most valuable behind-the-scenes storytellers. The songs he penned continue to be performed and celebrated, contributing to his legacy.   

Listen to these songs and discover Stapleton’s songwriting catalog and how his extensive songwriting experience for country legends to pop superstars prepared him for solo stardom.