Avicii

Solo Artist

Photo: Shawn Tron · CC BY-SA 2.0
Active 2006-2018
Died April 20, 2018
Origin Stockholm, Sweden
Albums 4
Tracks 42
Most frequent collaborator Arash Pournouri · 11 tracks
Genres ElectronicEDMDanceProgressive houseFolk EDM
Complete Artist
98%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 41 of 42 tracks

Did Avicii write his own songs?

Yes, on nearly all of his music, but almost always with co-writers. Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, produced his tracks and holds a writing credit on around 98% of them, though he rarely wrote a song entirely alone. He co-wrote hits like 'Wake Me Up,' 'Hey Brother,' and 'Waiting for Love' with a tight circle of Swedish songwriters and guest vocalists.

By the Numbers

4
Studio Albums
42
Tracks Credited
98%
Self-Written
12
Years Active
88
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 41 / 42 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 42 tracks: how many Avicii 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.

Avicii has a writing credit98%
98%
2%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written41tracks98%
Outside writers1tracks2%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Avicii's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 42 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)98%
Producer100%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Avicii's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 98%
90%
100%
100%
100%
2013True
2015Stories
2017AVĪCI (01)
2019Tim
Early · 96% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

98%
2010s
True, Stories +2 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Avicii 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.

Avicii
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Katseye0%
BLACKPINK13%
The Pussycat Dolls21%
Rihanna44%
One Direction57%
Kesha77%
Massive Attack90%
98%Avicii
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Wake Me Up
True
Written by Tim Bergling, Aloe Blacc, Mike Einziger
Co-wrote
You Make Me
True
Written by Tim Bergling, Arash Pournouri, Vincent Pontare, Salem Al Fakir
Co-wrote
Hey Brother
True
Written by Tim Bergling, Arash Pournouri, Vincent Pontare, Salem Al Fakir, Veronica Maggio
Co-wrote
Waiting for Love
Stories
Written by Tim Bergling, Simon Aldred, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, Martijn Garritsen
Co-wrote
Lonely Together
AVĪCI (01)
Written by Tim Bergling, Ali Tamposi, Brian Lee, Benny Blanco, Cashmere Cat, Andrew Watt, Andrew Wotman
Co-wrote
Without You
AVĪCI (01)
Written by Tim Bergling, Carl Falk, Vincent Pontare, Dhani Lennevald, Salem Al Fakir, Sandro Cavazza
Co-wrote
SOS
Tim
Written by Tim Bergling, Albin Nedler, Kristoffer Fogelmark, Kandi Burruss, Tameka Cottle, Kevin Briggs
Co-wrote

Discography 4 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Avicii42 tracks
11Arash Pournouri, 11 tracks 8Vincent Pontare, 8 tracks 8Salem Al Fakir, 8 tracks CF6Carl Falk, 6 tracks AN5Albin Nedler, 5 tracks 4Mike Einziger, 4 tracks KF4Kristoffer Fogelmark, 4 tracks SC4Sandro Cavazza, 4 tracks JJ4Joseph Janiak, 4 tracks AP3Ash Pournouri, 3 tracks RY3Rami Yacoub, 3 tracks DL3Dhani Lennevald, 3 tracks AB2Aloe Blacc, 2 tracks SF2Sterling Fox, 2 tracks SA2Simon Aldred, 2 tracks CM2Chris Martin, 2 tracks on Coldplay's page OJ2Oskar Jonas Wallin, 2 tracks MT2Marcus Thunberg Wessel, 2 tracks JB2Joakim Berg, 2 tracks VM1Veronica Maggio, 1 track MD1Mac Davis, 1 track JK1Josh Krajcik, 1 track KM1Karen Marie Orsted, 1 track JK1Jonas Knutsson, 1 track BD1Bruce Driscoll, 1 track ED1Erica Driscoll, 1 track PD1Peter Dyer, 1 track AM1Audra Mae, 1 track NR1Nile Rodgers, 1 track AL1Adam Lambert, 1 track AH1Anohni Hegarty, 1 track MG1Martijn Garritsen, 1 track MH1Matt Hartke, 1 track AD1Alex Drury, 1 track AB1Adriano Buffone, 1 track GO1Gerrard O'Connell, 1 track CW1Celeste Waite, 1 track ZA1Zak Abel, 1 track AE1Alex Ebert, 1 track ZB1Zac Brown, 1 track on Zac Brown Band's page ET1Eric Turner, 1 track NM1Niko Moon, 1 track NB1Noonie Bao, 1 track EJ1Earl Johnson, 1 track GD1Gavin DeGraw, 1 track SK1Savan Kotecha, 1 track MP1Mike Posner, 1 track MM1Matthew Miller, 1 track WJ1Wyclef Jean, 1 track DA1Daniel Adams-Ray, 1 track HJ1Henrik Jonback, 1 track CP1Carl Petter Tarland, 1 track WH1Wayne Hector, 1 track AT1Ali Tamposi, 1 track BL1Brian Lee, 1 track BB1Benny Blanco, 1 track CC1Cashmere Cat, 1 track AW1Andrew Watt, 1 track HL1Hillary Lindsey, 1 track NC1Nathan Chapman, 1 track BR1Billy Raffoul, 1 track AF1Aluna Francis, 1 track FF1Felix Flygare Floderer, 1 track CS1Carl Silvergran, 1 track KB1Kandi Burruss, 1 track on Xscape's page TC1Tameka Cottle, 1 track on Xscape's page KB1Kevin Briggs, 1 track IA1Isak Alverus, 1 track LV1Lucas von Bahder, 1 track ZC1Zachary Charles, 1 track DL1David Labuguen, 1 track NE1Nathan Esquite, 1 track PB1PJ Bianco, 1 track AJ1Andrew Jackson, 1 track HN1Hachidai Nakamura, 1 track RE1Rokusuke Ei, 1 track JV1Justin Vernon, 1 track SS1Samuel Smith, 1 track JN1James Napier, 1 track WP1William Phillips, 1 track JL1Jeff Lynne, 1 track TP1Tom Petty, 1 track DR1Dan Reynolds, 1 track on Imagine Dragons's page WS1Wayne Sermon, 1 track on Imagine Dragons's page BM1Ben McKee, 1 track on Imagine Dragons's page DP1Daniel Platzman, 1 track on Imagine Dragons's page MS1Martin Svensson, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. CF Carl Falk · AN Albin Nedler

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Nearly every track across Avicii's albums features a guest vocalist who also co-wrote the lyrics, giving him a rare profile in EDM: strong composer scores but low lyricist scores. The exception is 'You Make Me' and a handful of instrumentals, tracks where the production itself is the statement.

Quick Facts

  • GrammysTwo nominations, for 'Levels' and 'Sunshine,' no wins
  • Wake Me UpReached number one in over 20 countries and became Spotify's most-streamed song, the first to pass 200 million streams
  • Signature blendFused EDM with folk, country, and soul, often via live vocalists
  • CollaboratorsCo-wrote with a tight Swedish circle and vocalists from Aloe Blacc to Chris Martin
  • Passed awayDied on April 20, 2018, at age 28

Creative Fingerprint

A producer who co-wrote everything: Avicii built his tracks with a close circle of Swedish songwriters and guest vocalists, credited on nearly all of his music but rarely writing a song entirely alone.

The Story

Avicii (Tim Bergling) was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer who pioneered the fusion of EDM with folk, country, and acoustic music. His debut album True brought a rootsy warmth to dance music that made him a crossover sensation. He passed away in April 2018; his posthumous album Tim was completed by his family using unfinished demos.

Awards & Recognition

Two Grammy Award nominations, for 'Levels' and 'Sunshine'
'Wake Me Up' (2013) reached number one in over 20 countries and became Spotify's most-streamed song, the first to pass 200 million streams
'Wake Me Up' was certified diamond by the RIAA and spent 14 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart
One of the most influential figures in the 2010s EDM boom

Frequently Asked Questions Avicii

Did Avicii write his own songs?
Yes, on nearly all of his music, but almost always with co-writers. Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, produced his tracks and holds a writing credit on around 98% of them, though he rarely wrote a song entirely alone. He co-wrote hits like 'Wake Me Up,' 'Hey Brother,' and 'Waiting for Love' with a tight circle of Swedish songwriters and guest vocalists.
Who wrote 'Wake Me Up'?
'Wake Me Up' (2013) was co-written by Avicii with Aloe Blacc, who sang it, and Mike Einziger of Incubus. It became Spotify's most-streamed song at the time and topped charts in over 20 countries.
What was Avicii's real name?
Tim Bergling. He was a Swedish DJ and producer who took the stage name Avicii, and he is still credited under his real name in his songs' writing credits.
When did Avicii die?
Avicii died on April 20, 2018, in Muscat, Oman, at the age of 28. His final album, Tim, was completed and released posthumously in 2019.
Who did Avicii work with?
He co-wrote and recorded with a wide range of collaborators, including his Swedish songwriting circle of Vincent Pontare, Salem Al Fakir, and Carl Falk, plus guest vocalists like Aloe Blacc, Zac Brown, and Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Who wrote 'Heaven'?
'Heaven' (2019) was co-written by Avicii with Chris Martin of Coldplay, who also sang it. The song was finished and released after Avicii's death, on his posthumous album Tim.
How many albums did Avicii release?
This catalogue covers his 4 studio releases: True (2013), Stories (2015), the AVĪCI (01) EP (2017), and the posthumous Tim (2019).
What genre was Avicii?
He was a leading figure in EDM and progressive house, but he stood out for blending dance music with folk, country, blues, and soul, most famously on 'Wake Me Up.'
Did Avicii win a Grammy?
No. He received two Grammy nominations, for 'Levels' and 'Sunshine,' but did not win.
What is Avicii's most famous song?
'Wake Me Up' (2013), his collaboration with Aloe Blacc, is his signature track. It topped charts worldwide and helped push EDM into the pop mainstream.

Sources

AllMusic - Avicii discography MusicBrainz - Avicii Discogs - Avicii Wikipedia: Avicii