The 800,000,000-streamed song Stevie Nicks never got to sing
Stevie Nicks nearly recorded “Call Me”, the song Giorgio Moroder wrote for Blondie, but declined it. Debbie Harry went on to sing it, and the article argues that Nicks’s choice helped steer her away from mainstream pop towards the rock career she wanted.
The article places the near-miss in the context of Nicks’s work with Fleetwood Mac and her 1981 solo album, *Bella Donna*. It describes her balancing songs she wanted to make with pressure to deliver hits, including “Edge of Seventeen” and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”. “Call Me” has since been streamed more than 800 million times, according to the headline.
- Nicks passed on “Call Me”.
- Debbie Harry recorded the hit for Blondie.
- The choice reflected Nicks’s preference for rock over pop.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Turning down “Call Me” can be seen as a considered act of artistic self-definition: Nicks was pursuing a rock-led solo career and did not want a song that might pull her towards a more overtly commercial pop image. The choice helped her focus on music that felt true to her ambitions, even though it meant passing up a major hit.
The case against
Declining “Call Me” also meant passing on a rare opportunity to reach a vast audience with a song that became a lasting pop success. A thoughtful advocate might argue that recording it need not have compromised Nicks’s identity; it could have broadened her audience while leaving her free to continue making rock music.