Would You Have Known Skylar Grey’s “Love the Way You Lie” Was a Hit? (Listen & Download)

Posted by Nathan S. on 02/02/11 | Filed under Top Stories, Downloads, Rap Nerdery, Skylar Grey

A virtual unknown just a year ago, quasi-emo/rock/whatever singer Skylar Grey's become of the most sought after songwriters/singers in the rap game, lending her talents to T.I.'s "Castle Walls", Diddy Money's "Coming Home" and, of course, "Love the Way You Lie", the uber-number one hit for Rihanna and Eminem (Rihamenem?). Yesterday Skylar revealed that the record was initially intended as a demo for herself before Rihanna snatched it up.

"I wrote the demo initially for myself because I thought, 'Oh, I have this big song, and now I have a little bit of a launching pad to put out my own stuff,'" Grey said in an interview with Pop Eater. "As soon as Rihanna and her team heard my demo, they were like, 'Oh, we want it for Rihanna's album,' so I had to make the decision if I was going to let them have it or not. But I did and so it was on Rihanna's album, too."

First off, considering your demo probably wouldn't have gone far and you're now both reasonably rich and reasonably famous, yeah, it'd say letting Rihanna use the song was a pretty fucking good decision. Second, that means "Love the Way You Lie" was initially Rihanna's record first, but Eminem somehow released his version first, probably because his album was coming out sooner, making Rihanna's version "Pt. 2".

Anyway, the more interesting question here is whether you would have heard a hit in Skylar's initial demo. Would you have heard Skylar's demo and thought, "Damn, if we could get Eminem and Rihanna on this it'd be a smash." Would you have? Really? If I'm being perfectly honest, I don't think I would have.

Both versions are below for compare and contract purposes. Enjoy.

Download "Love the Way You Lie (Original)" Directly

Play Skylar Grey - Love the Way You Lie (Original)

Play Rihanna ft. Eminem - Love the Way You Lie

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bitcloud7	I much do prefer this version. Call me weird, but I felt the Eminem version was forced. This version flows seamlessly.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

SmokinAces	I could definitely see this version being a top 20 hit. It depends if you think what made the song a hit was the fact Rihanna and Eminem were on it or that the song was hit regardless. IMO, she could've gave this to Taylor Swift and would've had a hit. The song stands on it's own.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

discostu007	I prefer Skylar's singing to Rihanna's actually. But I admit, when it came to the brief piano break, I was waiting for Em's verse, and disappointed when it of course wasn't there.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

SunBear	How about a Christina Aguilera version?
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

x20nickel	No she would not have a hit because nobody knew who the fuck skylar grey was. The names behind the record gave love the way you lie more fame.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

SmokinAces	^you know at one point Eminem and Rihanna were artists who nobody knew. All it takes is one hit. This could've been the hit Skylar needed to get on as a soloist.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

iMg	I don't think this would've been Skylar Grey's big hit, but I like her version better than Rihanna's.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

Nathan S.	To jump in on the debate, I'd agree that this wouldn't have been the song that made Skylar a star - giving it to Rihanna and Em has actually made her a star. I honestly don't know if I would have thought to flip this into a more cinematic, r&b/hip-hop joint, if I'm being completely honest. I think I could have let it be as a really good piano rock track.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

rtufton	Before she was Skylar Grey she was called Holly Brook and has an album called Like Blood Like Honey which i got a few years back. Worth a listen! She has a great voice.
	Posted on Feb 03, 2011

That Dude Devin	You can hear it in the chorus...its got magic written all over it. And she's white...Rhianna covers white female voiced demos well I bet. Why you think she's so famous? White is right lol.
	Posted on Feb 04, 2011

Young Mo Fo

I would have never even known who she was if it wasn't for Eminem's version. Maybe if it was posted on this site I MIGHT have heard it, but I doubt it. I judge books by covers, and when I give chances, it had better be phenomenal.

Am I the only one who sees that inner freak in her eyes? I'm no sex guru but I'm 90% sure that she has the inner freak. I'd ask her but I'm not famous, she'd just turn me down and smack me in the face. lol

Posted on Feb 04, 2011

omgit'sdevan!	I definitely prefer skylar's version, i just don't feel the same passion in rihanna's but i don't know if it would've boosted her to superstardom. @sunbear, i definitely agree a Christina version would be dope.
	Posted on Feb 04, 2011

Sonic Flood	Skylar Grey's actually the chorus singer of Fort Minor's smash "Where'd you Go", as Holly Brook. That was pretty sick; didn't know that before.
	Posted on Feb 04, 2011