You can't front on Ne-Yo's songwriting skills. The Las Vegas-raised singer has penned crossover smashes for Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Mario, but he declared his solo ambitions with 2006's In My Own Words debut album. The project went platinum and spawned a run of hits anchored by his passionate vocals. Showing his experimental side, later albums would make moves into the EDM world, but the core of Ne-Yo's appeal is always about the way he combines heartfelt lyrics with pop-friendly production.