Beyonce’s ‘Irreplaceable’ Was Almost a Country Hit

Was 'Irreplaceable' supposed to have a twang? R&B star Ne-Yo, who wrote the hit song for Beyoncé, says he originally intended for it to be a country song and that his first choice for an artist to cut it was either Faith Hill or Shania Twain. But his co-writer, Tor Hermansen, eventually convinced him to give first dibs to Beyoncé.

"Nobody expected it to be the phenomenon it was, it surprised everyone," Hermansen told VH-1. "For one, it crosses every boundary . . . and it's a song people from all walks of life can enjoy."

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush certainly agree. The duo covers 'Irreplaceable' in many of their live shows and even performed it with Beyoncé on the American Music Awards show.