Most frequent collaboratorJerry Wexler · 137 tracks
GenresSoulR&BGospelPopBlues
Singer / Performer
14%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 61 of 427 tracks
Did Aretha Franklin write her own songs?
Mostly no, and that is the point. Aretha Franklin is credited on only about 14% of her catalogue. She was one of the greatest interpreters in music history, taking songs written by others, like Otis Redding's 'Respect' and Carole King's 'Natural Woman,' and making them definitively her own. She did write some classics herself, including 'Think,' 'Rock Steady,' and 'Day Dreaming.'
By the Numbers
41
Studio Albums
427
Tracks Credited
14%
Self-Written
more than 75 million
Records Sold
57
Years Active
555
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 61 / 427 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 427 tracks: how many Aretha Franklin wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
Aretha Franklin has a writing credit14%
10%
4%
86%
Sole author43tracks10%
Co-written18tracks4%
Outside writers366tracks86%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Aretha Franklin's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 427 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)14%
Composer (music)14%
Producer21%
Performer96%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Aretha Franklin's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 14%
0%
0%
8%
8%
0%
0%
8%
0%
36%
18%
0%
20%
10%
0%
0%
10%
42%
30%
0%
33%
44%
18%
11%
10%
0%
50%
11%
30%
33%
20%
13%
0%
22%
11%
25%
22%
9%
27%
0%
17%
0%
1961Aretha
1962The Electrifying Aretha Franklin
1962The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin
1963Laughing on the Outside
1964Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington
1964Runnin' Out of Fools
1965Yeah!!!
1966Soul Sister
1967I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
1967Take It Like You Give It
1967Aretha Arrives
1968Lady Soul
1968Aretha Now
1969Soul '69
1969Soft and Beautiful
1970This Girl's in Love with You
1970Spirit in the Dark
1971Aretha Live at Fillmore West
1972Amazing Grace
1972Young, Gifted and Black
1973Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)
1974Let Me in Your Life
1974With Everything I Feel in Me
1975You
1976Sparkle
1977Sweet Passion
1978Almighty Fire
1979La Diva
1980Aretha
1981Love All the Hurt Away
1982Jump to It
1983Get It Right
1985Who's Zoomin' Who?
1986Aretha
1989Through the Storm
1991What You See Is What You Sweat
1998A Rose Is Still a Rose
2003So Damn Happy
2008This Christmas, Aretha
2011A Woman Falling Out of Love
2014Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics
Early · 8% written
Mid · 21% written
Late · 15% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
7%
1960s
Aretha, The Electrifying Aretha Franklin +13 more
22%
1970s
This Girl's in Love with You, Spirit in the Dark +11 more
18%
1980s
Aretha, Love All the Hurt Away +5 more
15%
1990s
What You See Is What You Sweat, A Rose Is Still a Rose
14%
2000s
So Damn Happy, This Christmas, Aretha
9%
2010s
A Woman Falling Out of Love, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Aretha Franklin sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
Aretha Franklin
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 549. JW Jerry Wexler · CO Clyde Otis · RM Robert Mersey · JH John Hammond
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Despite her iconic status, Aretha Franklin was primarily an interpreter rather than a songwriter. The vast majority of her catalog consists of songs written by professional composers, from Otis Redding's "Respect" to Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Her Columbia years presented a versatile pop-jazz vocalist; Atlantic reframed her as the defining voice of soul. The separation of performer and songwriter was standard in 1960s R&B, and Franklin's catalog embodies that tradition more fully than almost any other artist.
Quick Facts
SalesOne of the best-selling artists ever, with more than 75 million records sold worldwide
GrammysWon 18 Grammy Awards, including the first eight Best Female R&B Vocal Performance trophies
Rock Hall firstIn 1987 became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
RespectTurned Otis Redding's song into a feminist and civil rights anthem
Her own penWrote signature songs herself, including 'Think,' 'Rock Steady,' and 'Day Dreaming'
Creative Fingerprint
One of music's greatest interpreters, not a writer: Aretha Franklin is credited on only about 14% of her catalogue, transforming songs written by others into definitive versions while writing a handful of her own classics.
The Story
Known as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942 and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She began her recording career at Columbia Records in 1960 before a landmark move to Atlantic Records in 1967, where she produced a string of era-defining soul and R&B classics including "Respect," "Chain of Fools," and "I Say a Little Prayer." Her four-octave vocal range and gospel-rooted phrasing made her one of the most celebrated vocalists in history, spanning 38 studio albums over five decades across Columbia, Atlantic, and Arista Records. She passed away in Detroit on August 16, 2018.
Awards & Recognition
Won 18 Grammy Awards, including the first eight Best Female R&B Vocal Performance awards (1968-1975)
In 1987 became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
One of the best-selling music artists of all time, with more than 75 million records sold
Widely regarded as the greatest singer in the history of popular music
Frequently Asked Questions Aretha Franklin
Did Aretha Franklin write her own songs?
Mostly no, and that is the point. Aretha Franklin is credited on only about 14% of her catalogue. She was one of the greatest interpreters in music history, taking songs written by others, like Otis Redding's 'Respect' and Carole King's 'Natural Woman,' and making them definitively her own. She did write some classics herself, including 'Think,' 'Rock Steady,' and 'Day Dreaming.'
Did Aretha Franklin write 'Respect'?
No. 'Respect' was written and first recorded by Otis Redding in 1965. Aretha Franklin's 1967 version reworked it, adding the 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T' spelling and the 'sock it to me' backing, and it became a feminist and civil rights anthem far bigger than the original.
Who wrote 'Think'?
'Think,' from Aretha Now (1968), was written by Aretha Franklin with her then-husband Ted White. It is one of her own compositions and a signature song, later revived in The Blues Brothers film.
Why is Aretha Franklin called the Queen of Soul?
The title reflects her unmatched command of soul and gospel singing. It was cemented when Chicago radio host Pervis Spann crowned her at a 1960s performance, and it has been her defining nickname ever since.
How many Grammys did Aretha Franklin win?
Aretha Franklin won 18 Grammy Awards from 44 nominations, including the first eight awards ever given for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, from 1968 through 1975.
How many albums did Aretha Franklin release?
This catalogue covers dozens of studio albums across six decades, from her 1961 debut through her final years, spanning soul, gospel, R&B, and pop.
Was Aretha Franklin in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes. In 1987 Aretha Franklin became the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognising her towering influence on soul and popular music.
What genre is Aretha Franklin?
Aretha Franklin sang soul, R&B, and gospel with pop and blues influences, bringing church-rooted power to secular songs like 'Respect,' 'Chain of Fools,' and 'Natural Woman.'
Aretha Franklin
