Most people know who Robert Pattinson is, but did you know that he is a songwriter? His songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in music, and some of them even became No. 1 hit songs!
The singer-songwriter was born in London on September 25, 1986. At the age of 11, Robert began playing the guitar and writing songs. While still in school, he recorded a six-track EP with his band, The Rover Girls. The band consisted of his school friends and also included a bass guitar, cello, and violinist. They played mostly covers of popular songs, but also threw in a few originals.
After high school, he went on to study art history at the University of Manchester in England. During his time there, he formed a new band with his lifelong best friend, Charlie Hatton. Together, they wrote and recorded a self-titled EP. It was at this point that Robert Pattinson decided to take the step into songwriting full-time.
The year after he graduated from university, he travelled to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. Although he had some minor appearances in films, he mainly focused on songwriting and recording. It wasn’t until 2011 that he made his acting debut in the movie, House of Gucci. From there, he went on to star in the upcoming movie, How to Catch a Monster. How to Catch A Monster is currently in post-production and will be released in 2020.
Robert Pattinson’s Early Years
When Robert was just four years old, his family moved from London to Los Angeles. The change in scenery helped him grow as a child and develop into the confident and self-assured individual he is today. While he was very happy in Los Angeles, he longed to go back to London and be among people he knew and loved. While he was away at school, his grandmother would bring him presents from England. He loved hearing stories about his family and friends’ lives, and wished he could be a part of whatever was happening. He was a bit of a bookworm as a child and had a very vivid imagination. Often, when he was bored at school, he would create stories and poems in his spare time using the names of famous authors he heard of but had never actually read.
What Is Behind Robert Pattinson’s Success?
With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, it’s no secret that the British rock band, The Beatles influenced Robert. It’s not too difficult to see the influence of this iconic group on his music, as many of his song titles reference the band and their music. For example, his song, Walking in the Rain, is named after one of The Beatles’ most iconic songs. In the song, the narrator compares his life to that of John Lennon, the bassist, songwriter, and lead singer of The Beatles from 1962 to 1970. In 2019, Billboard named Bob Dylan the best-selling artist of the 2010s, and only the third best-selling artist of all time. If you guessed Elvis Presley, you would be exactly right! It wasn’t only about selling records – Dylan wrote some of his most influential songs during this time, and they have remained popular for decades.
The list of artists who have covered songs by Bob Dylan is impressive. It includes The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Animals, The Drifters, The Monkees, Joan Baez, and many more. If you take a look at the list of Top 100 Hits for 1965, which was compiled by The Recording Industry Association of America, you will see that over 40% of the songs are by Bob Dylan. This is an indication of just how influential he was in shaping the sound of the 1960s.
Musical Connections
Even before he became a full-time songwriter, Robert played guitar and wrote songs with various musicians in Los Angeles. He was initially signed to the management company, Maverick, which has signed some of the biggest names in music. His debut album, Made of Metal, was released in 2011 and features performances by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. He also played bass guitar on Keys N Krates’ album, Don’t Make Me Hide It, which was released in 2016 and reached the Top 100 on the Billboard Top Digital Albums chart.
If Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had lived longer, they might have collaborated with their former bandmate on a couple of songs. However, music historians believe that this album represents the pinnacle of their careers. It was the last time the three musicians would work together before John Lennon’s untimely death in 1980, and George Harrison’s death the following year.
Popular Songs By Author
In case you’re curious, here are some of the most popular songs by author. The data for these charts comes from Hitwise, which tracks the digital performance of songs in the United States. To see how songs by an author compare to one another, use the menu at the top to sort the data by album or single.