Who wrote The Monkees' #1 hit "I'm a Believer"?

Neil Diamond wrote The Monkees' #1 hit “I'm a Believer.”

The Monkees released their recording in 1966, with Micky Dolenz singing lead and Jeff Barry producing. It became a defining song of the group’s career, reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks. The single was also the biggest-selling record of 1967 in the United States.

Diamond wrote the song before he had become a major solo star. He reportedly initially imagined it for country singer Eddy Arnold, so its transformation into a bright pop-rock hit for a television-created band was unexpected. The Monkees’ version helped establish Diamond as a successful songwriter as well as a performer; he later recorded his own version.

A common mix-up is confusing “I'm a Believer” with “Daydream Believer.” The latter was another major Monkees hit, written by John Stewart, but it was not written by Diamond. “I'm a Believer” also gained a new generation of listeners through Smash Mouth's energetic 2001 cover, featured in the film Shrek.