You’re humming it. That one melody. It’s stuck in your head, but the problem is that about fifty different artists have decided to name their hit "Stay." If you’re asking who sang the song stay, the answer depends entirely on whether you’re feeling a 2020s pop vibe, a 90s R&B mood, or maybe a classic 60s doo-wop itch.
Honestly, it’s one of the most overused titles in music history.
Most people searching right now are probably looking for the massive global juggernaut by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber. That song didn’t just sit on the charts; it lived there. It moved into the Billboard Hot 100, paid rent, and stayed for 63 weeks. But if that’s not the one, you might be thinking of Rihanna, or Lisa Loeb, or even a deep cut from a Motown legend. Let’s break down exactly which "Stay" is rattling around in your brain.
The Modern Titan: The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
Released in 2021, this version of Stay is a high-octane, synth-pop masterpiece. It’s fast. It’s frantic. It clocks in at just over two minutes, which is basically the musical equivalent of a double shot of espresso. The Kid LAROI, an Australian prodigy who was mentored by the late Juice WRLD, teamed up with Justin Bieber to create something that felt both nostalgic and futuristic.
The production is heavy on the 80s-inspired drums. It was produced by Cashmere Cat, Charlie Puth, Omer Fedi, and Blake Slatkin. Puth actually showed how he came up with the basic riff on TikTok, and it went viral before the song even dropped. If the version you’re thinking of has a frantic "I do the same thing I told you that I never would" lyric, this is your winner.
The Soul-Crushing Ballad: Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
Maybe your "Stay" is a lot slower. A lot sadder. If you’re picturing a piano and a raw, vulnerable vocal performance, you’re thinking of Rihanna.
Released in 2013 as part of her Unapologetic album, this track featured guest vocals from Mikky Ekko. It’s a stark contrast to the EDM-heavy tracks she was releasing at the time. There’s no beat. No bass drop. Just a piano and a story about a complicated, heavy love. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of her most critically acclaimed performances. Interestingly, Mikky Ekko actually wrote the song and wasn't sure if he wanted to give it away, but once Rihanna’s team heard it, they knew it was a career-defining record for her.
👉 See also: What Really Happened to Talia Bishop in The Rookie
The 90s Icon: Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
If you grew up in the 90s, "Stay (I Missed You)" is practically part of your DNA. Lisa Loeb achieved something nearly impossible with this track: she topped the charts without even being signed to a record label at the time.
It was featured in the movie Reality Bites. Ethan Hawke, who lived in the same New York apartment building as Loeb, passed a demo of the song to director Ben Stiller. The rest is history. It’s a wordy, acoustic, conversational track that perfectly captured Gen X angst. When people ask who sang the song stay in a nostalgic context, they are almost always talking about the girl with the iconic tortoiseshell glasses.
The Country Powerhouse: Sugarland
Country fans have their own definitive version. Written by Jennifer Nettles, Sugarland's "Stay" is a masterclass in songwriting.
Unlike most songs with this title—which are usually about begging a lover to remain—this one is told from the perspective of "the other woman." It’s a plea for the man to stay with her instead of going back to his wife. The music video is just a continuous shot of Nettles’ face as she sings live, crying through the final verses. It won two Grammys and changed the trajectory of the duo’s career.
Other Contenders You Might Be Remembering
Music history is littered with "Stays." It’s a short, punchy word that songwriters love.
- Zedd and Alessia Cara: A 2017 electronic dance-pop hit. It’s famous for the "ticking clock" sound that permeates the production.
- Post Malone: A surprisingly stripped-back, acoustic track from Beerbongs & Bentleys. It proved he could do more than just trap-influenced pop.
- Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs: The shortest number-one hit in history! This 1960 classic is only 1 minute and 36 seconds long. You might recognize it from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.
- Jackson Browne: A 1977 cover of the Maurice Williams version, often played as a tribute to the roadies and the fans at the end of a concert.
- Blackpink: For the K-pop fans, this 2016 folk-pop ballad showed a softer side of the group.
Why Does Everyone Call Their Song "Stay"?
It’s a universal feeling. Desperation, love, and the fear of abandonment are the bread and butter of the music industry.
When a songwriter sits down, "Stay" is a natural hook. It’s a one-syllable word that you can belt out. Think about it. You can scream it (LAROI), you can whisper it (Rihanna), or you can harmonize it (The Zodiacs). It fits almost any time signature.
How to Find Your Specific Version
If none of the above sounded right, you’ve got to look at the lyrics.
If the lyrics mention "waiting for the light to change," you’re looking for Florida Georgia Line. If it’s about "a reason to breathe," that’s Miley Cyrus from her Can't Be Tamed era. If it feels like a 1980s power ballad with a lot of hair and leather, you’re likely thinking of Oingo Boingo or Bryan Adams.
The Kid LAROI’s version is currently the most "relevant" in terms of radio play and streaming numbers, but the beauty of this title is its longevity. Every decade gets its own definitive "Stay."
Troubleshooting Your Search
- Check the Tempo: Is it fast? (The Kid LAROI, Zedd). Is it slow? (Rihanna, Sugarland).
- Identify the Gender: Male vocal? (Bieber, Post Malone, Jackson Browne). Female vocal? (Lisa Loeb, Rihanna, Alessia Cara).
- Note the Genre: Is there a banjo? (Sugarland). Is there a synthesizer? (Zedd). Is it just a piano? (Rihanna).
Identifying the Song by Era
Sometimes the "who" is less important than the "when." If you heard it in a movie, that’s a huge clue. Dirty Dancing means you want Maurice Williams. Reality Bites means Lisa Loeb. If you heard it on a TikTok transition, it’s almost certainly The Kid LAROI.
Music evolves, but the sentiment remains. Whether it’s a plea for a one-night stand to last a little longer or a desperate cry to save a failing marriage, the artists who sang the song stay have tapped into a primal human emotion that doesn’t require a complex vocabulary.
Actionable Next Steps
To find your exact song without scrolling through thousands of Spotify results:
- Use Humming Search: Open the Google app and tap the microphone icon. Say "What's this song?" and hum the melody. This is remarkably accurate for "Stay" because the melodies are so distinct between versions.
- Filter by Decade: If you remember the year you first heard it, search "Stay song [Year]" to bypass the current chart-toppers.
- Check Soundtrack Lists: If the song is tied to a specific memory of a film or TV show, use Tunefind to search by episode or movie title. This is the fastest way to identify the exact artist and version used in media.
Once you find the right one, take a moment to listen to the others. It’s a fascinating exercise in how different artists can take the exact same word and turn it into entirely different emotional landscapes. You might find that while you came for the Bieber hit, you actually prefer the 90s vibe of Lisa Loeb.