Does Bob Marley Write Their Own Music? Songwriting Credits & Scores

By the Numbers

12

Studio Albums

124

Tracks Credited

85%

Self-Written

75M+

Records Sold

18

Years Active

41

Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 105 / 124 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 124 tracks: how many Bob Marley 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.

Bob Marley has a writing credit85%

68%

17%

15%

Sole author84tracks68%

Co-written21tracks17%

Outside writers19tracks15%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Bob Marley's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 124 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)75%

Composer (music)85%

Producer71%

Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 124 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

Member	Lyrics	Music	Production	Performance
Robert Nesta Marley Died May 11, 1981	0%	75%	71%	0%
Winston Hubert McIntosh Died 1987-09-11	0%	6%	0%	0%
Neville O'Riley Livingston	0%	2%	0%	0%
Carlton Lloyd Barrett Died 1987-04-17	0%	3%	0%	0%
Aston Francis Barrett	0%	2%	0%	0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 85%

67%

92%

83%

100%

70%

67%

40%

100%

1965The Wailing Wailers

1970Soul Rebels

1971Soul Revolution Part II

1973Catch a Fire

1973Burnin'

1974Natty Dread

1976Rastaman Vibration

1977Exodus

1978Kaya

1979Survival

1980Uprising

1983Confrontation

Early · 84% written

Mid · 69% written

Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

67%

1960s

The Wailing Wailers

84%

1970s

Soul Rebels, Soul Revolution Part II +7 more

100%

1980s

Uprising, Confrontation

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Bob Marley 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.

Bob Marley

Other artists on the site

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

Elvis Presley1%

Aretha Franklin14%

The Jacksons24%

Rihanna44%

Dolly Parton59%

Bob Dylan76%

Lauryn Hill94%

85%Bob Marley

Pure Performer0%

Songwriter~50%

Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Roots, Rock, Reggae

Rastaman Vibration

Written by Vincent Ford

Island Records / Tuff Gong

10 tracks

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Bob Marley124 tracks

CB28 RH25 CS12 AS10 EB10 PT7

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. CB Chris Blackwell · RH Rainford Hugh Perry · CS Clement Seymour Dodd · AS Alex Sadkin · EB Errol Brown · PT Peter Tosh

The Writers & Producers Behind Bob Marley 6 key collaborators

CB

Chris Blackwell

Producer

Catch a Fire / Burnin' / Natty Dread28 tracks

RH

Rainford Hugh Perry

Producer

Soul Rebels / Soul Revolution Part II / Confrontation25 tracks

CS

Clement Seymour Dodd

Producer

The Wailing Wailers12 tracks

Confrontation10 tracks

PT

Peter Tosh

Songwriter

The Wailing Wailers / Soul Rebels / Catch a Fire / Burnin'7 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Marley's publishing credits are unusually complex. Official songwriter credits on many of his most famous recordings were assigned to close associates, including Vincent Ford, Rita Marley, Carlton Barrett, Aston Barrett, and Allen Cole, rather than to Marley himself. This practice stemmed partly from a dispute with Cayman Music (controlled by manager Danny Sims) that effectively locked Marley out of royalties from his early Island-era compositions, and partly from his practice of sharing income with loyal associates by placing their names on publishing documents. The credits in this database reflect the official published credits, not necessarily the true authorship, which was overwhelmingly Marley's own.

Quick Facts

RecordsSold over 75 million records, one of the best-selling artists of all time
Rock HallInducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994
GrammyReceived the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001
LegendHis greatest-hits album Legend is the best-selling reggae album of all time
I Shot the SheriffHe wrote it; Eric Clapton's cover hit number one in 1974

Creative Fingerprint

A songwriter and reggae pioneer: Bob Marley wrote the vast majority of his catalogue himself, from 'Redemption Song' to 'Exodus,' co-writing only occasionally with the Wailers, like Peter Tosh on 'Get Up, Stand Up.' Some official credits went to associates for royalty reasons, but the songs were his.

The Story

Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945-11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist widely regarded as the greatest and most influential reggae artist of all time. Born in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, he co-founded The Wailers in 1963 alongside Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, beginning with ska and rocksteady before developing the reggae sound that defined his legacy. Signed to Island Records in 1972 by Chris Blackwell, his international breakthrough came with Catch a Fire and Burnin' (both 1973). His subsequent albums, particularly Exodus (1977), Survival (1979), and Uprising (1980), fused Rastafari spirituality with pan-Africanist politics, earning him global acclaim as both a musical icon and a symbol of resistance. He died of melanoma on 11 May 1981 at age 36, leaving behind one of the most enduring catalogs in popular music.

Awards & Recognition

Sold over 75 million records worldwide, one of the best-selling music artists of all time

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994

Received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001

His greatest-hits album Legend (1984) is the best-selling reggae album of all time

The most influential figure in the history of reggae and a global cultural icon

Frequently Asked Questions Bob Marley

Did Bob Marley write his own songs?

Yes, the vast majority. Bob Marley wrote around 85% of his catalogue, most of it entirely on his own, from 'Redemption Song' and 'Exodus' to 'Is This Love.' He occasionally co-wrote with his fellow Wailers, such as Peter Tosh on 'Get Up, Stand Up.' A few of his official credits were assigned to friends for royalty reasons, but the songs were his own work.

Did Bob Marley write 'I Shot the Sheriff'?

Yes. 'I Shot the Sheriff' (1973) was written by Bob Marley for the album Burnin'. Eric Clapton's 1974 cover became a US number-one hit and helped introduce Marley and reggae to a global audience.

Who wrote 'No Woman No Cry'?

'No Woman No Cry' (1974) is officially credited to Vincent Ford, a friend of Marley's who ran a soup kitchen in Trenchtown. It is widely believed Marley wrote it and assigned the credit to Ford so the royalties would support him.

Who wrote 'Redemption Song'?

'Redemption Song' (1980) was written entirely by Bob Marley for his final studio album, Uprising. Its acoustic, solo-guitar arrangement makes it one of his most personal and celebrated songs.

Did Bob Marley co-write with the Wailers?

Sometimes. Early on he shared writing with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, the other founding Wailers, on songs like 'Get Up, Stand Up.' After they left, Marley wrote nearly everything himself.

How many albums did Bob Marley release?

This catalogue covers 12 albums, from the early Wailers records through the classics Catch a Fire, Exodus, and Uprising, up to the posthumous Confrontation (1983).

How many records did Bob Marley sell?

Over 75 million worldwide, and his greatest-hits album Legend is the best-selling reggae album of all time.

When did Bob Marley die?

Bob Marley died on May 11, 1981, at the age of 36, from melanoma. His influence on reggae and global music has only grown since.

Is Bob Marley in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Yes. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

What genre is Bob Marley?

He is the defining artist of reggae, and his music also drew on ska and rocksteady, blending spiritual and political themes rooted in Rastafari.

Sources

Wikipedia: Bob Marley