Check Ya Vocals: 7 Songs That Would’ve Sounded Better If Someone Else Sang Them

By Justin Ray

There are important elements to a hit song like a beat that will bring you out of your seat and a bass line that will cause you to make a funky face. However one of the most important parts of a song is the vocals. Sometimes a song that should have been a hit will lose its thunder because of a singer who can’t match the flavor. The beat can be Hot as hell but paired with the wrong singer the whole track can become a dud. Take a look at these songs that would sound better if someone else recorded the vocals.

Snoop Dogg “Sensual Eruption” (aka Sensual Seduction)

First of all, the thought of rappers singing is already a bad idea. It’s awkward when a tatted gangster rapper begins to sing like a choirboy. Snoop Dogg’s 2007 single “Sensual Eruption” just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, not because of the song itself but because it’s Snoop singing. It’s hard to see the man who made “Gin and Juice” sing in autotune. Speaking of, T-Pain would have been such a better choice for the track. Regardless, we can’t hate that much. The track broke the top ten on the Billboard charts and went gold.

Ashanti “Good Good”

Jermaine Dupri sure can make a smooth track. The production on Ashanti’s Good, Good” is impeccable and the song has flow, however Ashanti’s deadpan vocals make the song utterly unexciting. Her singing is like the standard image inside of a picture frame when you buy it in the store. The Billboard charts suggest that her minimalist style of singing has worked on tracks but the quality ended up being less Aaliyah and more Cassie. Forget Xanax, this song could put anyone to sleep. Kelly Rowland would have torn up this track if she would have been asked to lay down the vocals—then again, what song wouldn’t Kelly tear up?

Nick Minaj “Right Through Me”

You know what I’m gonna say. Nicki Minaj can write a great line, but let’s admit it that she’s not the best vocalist. She can carry a tune but next to someone who can really sing, her vocals look a little Crayola. I’m not hating but the song had the potential of being a great hit if a true singer had performed it. Minaj’s raps could easily be sung rather than spoken. Maybe if Mya sang the song it would have worked. The tune doesn’t have a wide range and let’s face it, Mya needs the break. I can’t even name a song she’s had since “My Love is Like…”

Christina Milian “Say I”

Right off the bat this should have been a Keyshia Cole song. Don’t get me wrong, Christina Milian has better vocals than anyone gives her credit for, however her 2006 collaboration with Young Jeezy would have exploded if someone with rougher pipes had sang it. The song’s empowering message translates to a track fitting for a Pantene Pro-V commercial because of Milian’s delivery. Cole would have made it an anthem. Hell, we know she loves doing those runs with her voice like she does on “Love.” It’s a shame because the song was pretty good. It performed decent on the charts, bowing out at 21 on the Hot 100, but the track had more potential than it was given the chance to show.

Why do rappers try to sing? Do you see Patti Labelle trying to flow on a beat? Lil Wayne sings on his well known ballad to women relayed thanks to some autotuning. It’s strange to see the same man who said, “Woman of my dreams, I don’t sleep so I can’t find her,” make a sweet tune with the exact opposite view. The single went double platinum and became one of his best charting songs, however that can be explained by how well written the song is. If Chris Brown had performed it, ladies everywhere would have been swooning. Instead, we get an awkward look into Lil Wayne’s sweet side.