One good example of this would be Paul Simon.

The man wrote #1 hits for himself when he was with partner Art Garfunkel (Simon & Garfunkel) with songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Sounds of Silence," and he managed to achieve a solo #1 in 1976 with "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover."

But he wrote hits for other performers, although they didn't become chart-toppers. But some were very close:

1) "Red Rubber Ball" by The Cyrkle (#2 for two weeks in 1966)

2) "Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles (#2 for one week in 1987)

Neil Diamond wrote #1 hits for himself - two, to be exact. 1970's "Cracklin' Rosie" and 1972's "Song Sung Blue." Other artists have recorded his songs, and also enjoyed their time in the Number One position on the Hot 100:

1) "I'm A Believer" by The Monkees (#1 for seven weeks in 1966)

2) "Red Red Wine" by UB40 (#1 for one week in 1988)

I wouldn't say that Paul Simon wrote "hazy shade of winter" for the Bangles. The Bangles just covered the song, and it was featured in a movie (Less Than Zero). The song was performed by Simon & Garfunkel on the Bookends albums.

Springsteen and Prince have also done this:

Bruce - "Blinded By The Light" & "I Came For You" were both big hits for Manfred Mann's Earth Band, although they were on Springsteen albums as well.

Prince - "Manic Monday" by The Bangles & "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor were both Prince penned tunes, and I don't believe that he ever recorded them (at least not until afterwards).

There are many more, I'm sure.

One of the best examples might be Babyface, writing hits for Boyz II Men, TLC, every single R&B group out there.

There was also Missy Elliot and Young MC. I think she wrote hits for TLC or something and he wrote for Tone Loc.

Rob Thomas, wrote for Santana, Mick Jager, Willie Nelson

In 1959, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and J.P. Richardson died in a plane crash. Prior to the crash, only Buddy Holly had achieved a #1 hit - with "That'll Be The Day" in 1957.

After their deaths, both Valens and Richardson saw #1 success, thanks to other artists.

In 1960, "Running Bear" by Preston went to #1, written by J.P. Richardson, aka The Big Bopper.

In 1987, the latino group Los Lobos recorded Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," and took it to #1.

So all three achieved a #1 single, if only as songwriters.

Butch Walker!!

Wrote "Right now" by SR-71
and "Girl all the bad guys want" by Bowling for soup..
Look for a few gems written by Mr. Walker on the next Avril Lavigne album..

Oh..did I mention he has also written for LIT, Injected and Stroke 9

Ryan Adams wrote "This One's Gonna Bruise" for Beth Orton. He has also written songs for and with Caitlyn Cary and Adams Duritz of the Counting Crows. He didn't write "When the Stars Go Blue" for Bono and the Corrs, but it looks like they're the ones who have made a hit with it.

Steve Taylor. Wrote a lot of the Newsboys songs as well as producing their first few albums. Haven't checked recently, but I'm guessing he's still producing at the very least.

Tuan Jim

"You Are Not Alone"
#1 by Michael Jackson in 1995

Written by: R. Kelly

Wow, two alledged pedophiles unite!

Kenny Loggins wrote his own #1 hit "Footloose" in 1984, but he also co-wrote "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers (#1 in 1979).

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Kenny Nolan scored his own chart-topper with "I Like Dreamin'" in the 70's, but he also co-wrote the following #1 hits:

1) "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli in 1975.
2) "Lady Marmalade" by LaBelle in 1975.

Nolan's "My Eyes Adored You" was knocked out the top position by "Lady Marmalade," so he succeeded in besting himself in '75.

Of course, Nolan went to #1 again in 2001 when "Lady Marmalade" was remade by Christina Agulera and Friends.

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John Lennon retired himself from music in 1975 to tend to his newborn son, but before he left the biz, he went out with a bang! before the year 1975 ended:

1) He co-wrote David Bowie's #1 hit "Fame;"
2) He performed backup reggae guitar on Elton John's #1 hit rendition of The Beatles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," as Sir Winston O'Boogie (Winston was Lennon's middle name).

Did he write Little Black Backpack by Stroke 9? If so, he's a great songwriter because I love Right Now and Girl All The Bad Guys Want.

The Gibb brothers

and

Burt Bacharach

It is very hard to find credits for songs on the internet. The only way I have of finding out if someone famous for their own material was the songwriter for a hit performed by someone else is to look in the Billboard Book of Number One Hits, as it will list the songwriter and producer of a #1 hit song. That's how I found out about Diane Warren, Jim Steinman, and the rest.

As far as Top 10 or Top 20 songs, I am in the dark. If the collective thoughts of forum users can contribute this valuable information, please do.

Veronica, a Top 20 hit for Elvis Costello in 1986, was co-written by Paul McCartney.

Wow, another Steve Taylor fan! He wrote the 3 new songs on the Greatest Hits and on the Newsboys last album (not the worship one, but the previous release.)

He's still producing, but I think he's a little out of the loop due to the downfall of Squint from a label to a subsidiary company.

No. He didnt write Backpack...he wrote and produced a song off their new album...

I don't know of any songs off the top of my head, but I constantly hear that NERD basically owns the top hip-hop songs of the past year.