Bette Midler

Solo Artist

Photo: Library of Congress Life · CC0
Active 1965-present
Origin Honolulu, Hawaii
Albums 14
Tracks 155
Most frequent collaborator Arif Mardin · 55 tracks
Genres PopTraditional PopVocal
Singer / Performer
3%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 5 of 155 tracks

Does Bette Midler write her own songs?

Almost never. She has a writing credit on five of the 155 tracks across fourteen studio albums. The remaining 150 come from 241 other writers, and no single writer appears on more than four tracks in the whole catalogue.

By the Numbers

14
Studio Albums
155
Tracks Credited
3%
Self-Written
over 30 million
Records Sold
61
Years Active
273
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 5 / 155 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 155 tracks: how many Bette Midler 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.

Bette Midler has a writing credit3%
3%
97%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written5tracks3%
Outside writers150tracks97%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Bette Midler's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 155 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)3%
Composer (music)3%
Producer7%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 3%
0%
0%
18%
0%
13%
10%
0%
0%
0%
9%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1972The Divine Miss M
1973Bette Midler
1976Songs for the New Depression
1977Broken Blossom
1979Thighs and Whispers
1983No Frills
1990Some People's Lives
1995Bette of Roses
1998Bathhouse Betty
2000Bette
2003Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
2005Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
2006Cool Yule
2014It's the Girls!
Early · 6% written
Mid · 4% written
Late · 0% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

6%
1970s
The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler +3 more
10%
1980s
No Frills
0%
1990s
Some People's Lives, Bette of Roses +1 more
2%
2000s
Bette, Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook +2 more
0%
2010s
It's the Girls!

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Bette Midler 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.

Bette Midler
Other artists on the site

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

Aretha Franklin14%
The Jacksons24%
Eric Clapton40%
Michael Jackson51%
Dolly Parton59%
David Bowie88%
Elton John97%
3%Bette Midler
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
The Divine Miss M
Written by Don Raye, Hughie Prince
Outside writers
Do You Want to Dance?
The Divine Miss M
Written by Bobby Freeman
Outside writers
In the Mood
Bette Midler
Written by Joe Garland, Andy Razaf, Wingy Manone
Outside writers
Old Cape Cod
Songs for the New Depression
Written by Claire Rothrock, Allan Jeffrey, Milton Yakus
Outside writers
Strangers in the Night
Songs for the New Depression
Written by Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder
Outside writers
Storybook Children (Daybreak)
Broken Blossom
Written by David Pomeranz, Spencer Proffer
Outside writers
Married Men
Thighs and Whispers
Written by Dominic Bugatti, Frank Musker
Outside writers
Beast of Burden
No Frills
Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
Outside writers
All I Need to Know
No Frills
Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Tom Snow
Outside writers
Favorite Waste of Time
No Frills
Written by Marshall Crenshaw
Outside writers
From a Distance
Some People's Lives
Written by Julie Gold
Outside writers
Night and Day
Some People's Lives
Written by Billie Hughes, Roxanne Seeman
Outside writers
The Gift of Love
Some People's Lives
Written by Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg, Susanna Hoffs
Outside writers
To Deserve You
Bette of Roses
Written by Maria McKee
Outside writers
I'm Beautiful
Bathhouse Betty
Written by Brinsley Evans
Outside writers
My One True Friend
Bathhouse Betty
Written by David Foster, Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager
Outside writers
In These Shoes
Bette
Written by Kirsty MacColl, Pete Glenister
Outside writers
White Christmas
Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Written by Irving Berlin
Outside writers
Fever
Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
Written by Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell, John Davenport
Outside writers

Discography 14 albums

All fourteen studio albums. The soundtracks, live albums and compilations sit outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Bette Midler155 tracks
55Arif Mardin, 55 tracks BM42Barry Manilow, 42 tracks RB23Robbie Buchanan, 23 tracks AE22Ahmet Ertegün, 22 tracks JD22Joel Dorn, 22 tracks MS19Marc Shaiman, 19 tracks SR15Scott Riesett, 15 tracks GH11Geoffrey Haslam, 11 tracks BA11Brooks Arthur, 11 tracks DW11Don Was, 11 tracks CP10Chuck Plotkin, 10 tracks EG4Ellie Greenwich, 4 tracks MK4Moogy Klingman, 4 tracks CK4Carole King, 4 tracks IB4Irving Berlin, 4 tracks JB3Jeff Barry, 3 tracks PS3Phil Spector, 3 tracks JM3Johnny Mercer, 3 tracks BM3Barry Mann, 3 tracks CW3Cynthia Weil, 3 tracks MD3Mack David, 3 tracks BW3Brock Walsh, 3 tracks JG3Julie Gold, 3 tracks BH3Bonnie Hayes, 3 tracks TT3Ted Templeman, 3 tracks FL3Frank Loesser, 3 tracks SC3Sammy Cahn, 3 tracks BL2Buzzy Linhart, 2 tracks MK2Mark Klingman, 2 tracks SM2Shadow Morton, 2 tracks HC2Hoagy Carmichael, 2 tracks BD2Bob Dylan, 2 tracks HA2Harold Arlen, 2 tracks YH2Yip Harburg, 2 tracks AR2Andy Razaf, 2 tracks CS2Charles Singleton, 2 tracks JB2Jerry Blatt, 2 tracks TW2Tom Waits, 2 tracks BM2Bob Merrill, 2 tracks JH2Jessica Harper, 2 tracks BS2Billy Steinberg, 2 tracks MM2Maria McKee, 2 tracks BB2Burt Bacharach, 2 tracks NW2Norman Whitfield, 2 tracks PL2Peggy Lee, 2 tracks JL2Jerry Leiber, 2 tracks MS2Mike Stoller, 2 tracks GG2Gerry Goffin, 2 tracks H2Holland-Dozier-Holland, 2 tracks BF1Bobby Freeman, 1 track BB1Bonnie Bramlett, 1 track LR1Leon Russell, 1 track JK1Jeff Kent, 1 track HA1Harry Akst, 1 track GC1Grant Clarke, 1 track JP1John Prine, 1 track GM1George Morton, 1 track TC1The Collins Kids, 1 track AH1Alex Harvey, 1 track LC1Larry Collins, 1 track DR1Don Raye, 1 track HP1Hughie Prince, 1 track DT1Doris Tauber, 1 track AJ1Al Jackson Jr., 1 track TM1Timothy Matthews, 1 track KW1Kurt Weill, 1 track BB1Bertolt Brecht, 1 track HH1Herbert Hartig, 1 track HS1Herbert Stothart, 1 track AD1Al Dubin, 1 track JG1Joe Garland, 1 track WM1Wingy Manone, 1 track WG1Wardell Gray, 1 track AR1Annie Ross, 1 track CS1Carl Smith, 1 track RM1Raynard Miner, 1 track GJ1Gary Jackson, 1 track BK1Bert Kaempfert, 1 track ES1Eddie Snyder, 1 track PS1Phoebe Snow, 1 track CR1Claire Rothrock, 1 track AJ1Allan Jeffrey, 1 track MY1Milton Yakus, 1 track NH1Nick Holmes, 1 track CM1Carl Malcolm, 1 track CM1Carlton Malcolm, 1 track GN1Gerald Nelson, 1 track FB1Fred Burch, 1 track AJ1Arthur Johnston, 1 track SC1Sam Coslow, 1 track AJ1Arthur Jonston, 1 track M"1Mark "Moogy" Klingman, 1 track EA1Eddy Arnold, 1 track CW1Cindy Walker, 1 track BJ1Billy Joel, 1 track DP1David Pomeranz, 1 track SP1Spencer Proffer, 1 track JC1John Carter, 1 track SH1Sammy Hagar, 1 track on Van Halen's page JC1J. C. Johnson, 1 track AH1Al Hoffman, 1 track JL1Jerry Livingston, 1 track PB1Perry Botkin, Jr., 1 track GG1Gil Garfield, 1 track HN1Harry Nilsson, 1 track CD1Craig Doerge, 1 track JH1Judy Henske, 1 track LG1Louis Guglielmi, 1 track EP1Edith Piaf, 1 track L1Louiguy, 1 track RB1Ray Bauduc, 1 track BC1Bob Crosby, 1 track BH1Bob Haggart, 1 track GR1Gil Rodin, 1 track JT1James Taylor, 1 track TB1Tony Berg, 1 track AN1Aaron Neville, 1 track JR1Jerry Ragovoy, 1 track JB1Johnny Bristol, 1 track RK1Randy Kerber, 1 track MR1Mac Rebennack, 1 track DB1Dominic Bugatti, 1 track FM1Frank Musker, 1 track NG1Nick Gilder, 1 track JM1James McCulloch, 1 track MC1Marshall Crenshaw, 1 track TS1Tom Snow, 1 track MC1Max Carl, 1 track MG1Max Gronenthal, 1 track AG1Andy Goldmark, 1 track RB1Robin Batteau, 1 track GP1Greg Prestopino, 1 track MW1Matthew Wilder, 1 track MM1Moon Martin, 1 track BH1Bill House, 1 track MJ1Mick Jagger, 1 track on The Rolling Stones's page KR1Keith Richards, 1 track on The Rolling Stones's page DS1Danny Sembello, 1 track AW1Allee Willis, 1 track KF1Kye Fleming, 1 track JI1Janis Ian, 1 track RF1Rhonda Fleming, 1 track CP1Cole Porter, 1 track FL1Fran Landesman, 1 track TW1Tommy Wolf, 1 track BH1Billie Hughes, 1 track RS1Roxanne Seeman, 1 track JJ1Jude Johnstone, 1 track DW1Diane Warren, 1 track RR1Richard Rodgers, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 273. BM Barry Manilow · RB Robbie Buchanan · AE Ahmet Ertegün · JD Joel Dorn · MS Marc Shaiman

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

Almost nobody recurs. Across fourteen albums the credits run to 242 different names and the most frequent, Ellie Greenwich, Moogy Klingman, Carole King and Irving Berlin, appear four times each. Midler's own five credits are scattered: two on Songs for the New Depression, one on Thighs and Whispers, one on No Frills, one on Bette. Everything else is chosen rather than written, and the choosing moves era by era. The early records take Andrews Sisters swing, Phil Spector girl groups and Bob Dylan. The nineties take contemporary songwriters, with Julie Gold's "From a Distance" the biggest hit of her career. The 2000s go back to the standards, two whole albums of Rosemary Clooney and Peggy Lee material, and It's the Girls! in 2014 works through sixty years of girl groups. Her three Grammys are all for singing other people's songs.

Quick Facts

  • Midler's shareFive of the 155 album tracks
  • Different writers242 across fourteen albums
  • Most frequentFour credits each, the maximum anyone reaches
  • Studio albumsFourteen, from 1972 to 2014
  • SalesOver 30 million records worldwide
  • GrammysThree, all for singing songs she did not write

Creative Fingerprint

A singer who almost never writes, choosing across sixty years of other people's songs and putting a new set of names on every record.

The Story

Bette Midler has a writing credit on five of the 155 tracks across fourteen studio albums. The other 150 belong to 241 different writers, which makes her one of the purest interpreters in the catalogue.

Awards & Recognition

Three Grammy Awards, for Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "The Rose" and Record of the Year for "Wind Beneath My Wings"
Four Golden Globe Awards
Three Primetime Emmy Awards
Two Tony Awards
Kennedy Center Honor

Frequently Asked Questions Bette Midler

Does Bette Midler write her own songs?
Almost never. She has a writing credit on five of the 155 tracks across fourteen studio albums. The remaining 150 come from 241 other writers, and no single writer appears on more than four tracks in the whole catalogue.
Which songs did Bette Midler write?
Five: "Mr. Rockefeller" and "Shiver Me Timbers" on Songs for the New Depression, "Hurricane" on Thighs and Whispers, "Come Back Jimmy Dean" on No Frills and "Nobody Else but You" on Bette.
Who wrote "From a Distance"?
Julie Gold. Midler's recording reached number 2 on the Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1990.
Who wrote "Wind Beneath My Wings"?
Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar. It came from the Beaches soundtrack rather than a studio album and won her a third Grammy.
How many studio albums has Bette Midler released?
Fourteen, from The Divine Miss M in 1972 through It's the Girls! in 2014.
How many records has Bette Midler sold?
Over 30 million worldwide, with four gold, three platinum and three multi-platinum albums certified by the RIAA.
Which Bette Midler album sold the most?
Some People's Lives, certified double platinum for sales of over two million copies in the US.
Why does she record so many standards?
Two of her albums are devoted to single songbooks, Rosemary Clooney's in 2003 and Peggy Lee's in 2005, and It's the Girls! in 2014 works through sixty years of girl group records.
How many Grammys has Bette Midler won?
Three: Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "The Rose" and Record of the Year for "Wind Beneath My Wings". She has also won four Golden Globes, three Emmys and two Tonys.
Who produced Bette Midler's albums?
Arif Mardin most often, on five records between 1973 and 1998. Barry Manilow co-produced the first two and returned for both songbook albums in the 2000s.

Sources

Wikipedia: Bette Midler Wikipedia: Bette Midler discography