Photo of Diplo
Photo: mtheory LLC · CC BY-SA 3.0

Solo Artist

Diplo

Active2001-present
OriginTupelo, Mississippi, USA
Albums6
Tracks75

Most frequent collaborator: Thomas Wesley Pentz  ·  26 tracks

ElectronicEDMTrapHouseMoombahtonCountry Pop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 75 of 75 tracks

Does Diplo write his own songs?

Diplo works as a DJ and producer, so he keeps composition and production credits on nearly every track while the featured vocalists usually write and sing the lyrics. He does move into genuine lyric co-writing on his country-leaning Thomas Wesley albums, working with collaborators like King Henry and Ryan Tedder, but his electronic releases are built around outside singers handling their own words.

By the Numbers

6
Studio Albums
75
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
25
Years Active
223
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 75 / 75 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 75 tracks: how many Diplo 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.

Diplo has a writing credit100%
27%
73%
Sole author20tracks27%
Co-written55tracks73%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Diplo's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 75 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)84%
Composer (music)68%
Producer99%
Performer36%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2004Florida
2020Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil
2020MMXX
2022Diplo
2023Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 2: Swamp Savant
2026d00mscrvll
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2000s
Florida
100%
2020s
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil, MMXX +3 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Diplo 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.

Diplo
Other artists on the site

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

Metro Boomin0%
Britney Spears32%
Rihanna44%
One Direction57%
David Guetta74%
John Legend83%
Miley Cyrus92%
100%Diplo
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Heartless
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil
Written by Diplo, Morgan Wallen, Henry Agincourt Allen, Ryan Vojtesak, Ernest, Ryan Hurd, Thomas Pentz, Ernest Keith Smith
Co-wrote

Discography 6 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Diplo75 tracks
TW26 MJ18 KH12 M11 HA8 DE8

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. TW Thomas Wesley Pentz · MJ Maximilian Jaeger · KH King Henry · M MAKJ · HA Henry Agincourt Allen · DE Daniel Etienne

The Writers & Producers Behind Diplo 6 key collaborators

TW
Thomas Wesley Pentz
Songwriter
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 2: Swamp Savant / d00mscrvll26 tracks
MJ
Maximilian Jaeger
Producer & Songwriter
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil / Diplo / Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 2: Swamp Savant18 tracks
KH
King Henry
Producer
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil / Diplo / Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 2: Swamp Savant12 tracks
M
MAKJ
Songwriter
d00mscrvll11 tracks
HA
Henry Agincourt Allen
Songwriter
Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil8 tracks
DE
Daniel Etienne
Songwriter & Producer
d00mscrvll8 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Diplo's authorship model reflects the modern producer-as-artist paradigm: he retains composer and producer credits on nearly every track but relies almost entirely on outside vocalists for lyrics. His solo releases break into two modes: the country Thomas Wesley chapters, where he co-wrote lyrics with collaborators like King Henry and Ryan Tedder, and the electronic albums (MMXX, Diplo 2022), where he handled all composition and production with a rotating cast of featured vocalists handling their own words. The legal name Thomas Pentz appears consistently in writing credits across all projects.

Quick Facts

  • Real nameThomas Wesley Pentz, from Tupelo, Mississippi
  • GrammysThree wins across dance and electronic categories
  • ProjectsFounder of Major Lazer, half of Jack Ü with Skrillex, and part of LSD and Silk City
  • LabelsRuns the Mad Decent and Higher Ground labels
  • Produced forBeyoncé, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Drake, BTS and many more
  • Solo albumsSix, from Florida (2004) to d00mscrvll (2026)

Creative Fingerprint

A producer-as-artist: Diplo keeps the composition and production credits on nearly every track while outside vocalists write and sing the words, shifting to genuine lyric co-writing only on his country Thomas Wesley chapters.

The Story

Diplo (born Thomas Wesley Pentz Jr. on November 10, 1978) is an American DJ, record producer, and label head from Tupelo, Mississippi. He built his reputation in Philadelphia's underground scene in the early 2000s before achieving international recognition through his Major Lazer collective and a series of solo releases. As sole operator of the Mad Decent and Higher Ground labels, Diplo has produced records for artists ranging from M.I.A. and Beyoncé to Usher and Bad Bunny. His solo catalog spans ecletic hip-hop and global bass (Florida, 2004), ambient electronic (MMXX, 2020), country pop under the Thomas Wesley moniker (Chapters 1 and 2), polished tech house (Diplo, 2022), and the hip-hop project d00mscrvll (2026).

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, 'Where Are Ü Now' with Skrillex and Justin Bieber (2016)
Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü (2016)
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, 'Electricity' with Mark Ronson and Dua Lipa (2019)

Frequently Asked Questions Diplo

Does Diplo write his own songs?
Diplo works as a DJ and producer, so he keeps composition and production credits on nearly every track while the featured vocalists usually write and sing the lyrics. He does move into genuine lyric co-writing on his country-leaning Thomas Wesley albums, working with collaborators like King Henry and Ryan Tedder, but his electronic releases are built around outside singers handling their own words.
How many Grammys has Diplo won?
Diplo has won three Grammy Awards: Best Dance Recording for 'Where Are Ü Now' with Skrillex and Justin Bieber, Best Dance/Electronic Album for Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü (both 2016), and Best Dance Recording for 'Electricity' with Mark Ronson and Dua Lipa in 2019.
What are Diplo's main groups and projects?
Beyond his solo work, Diplo leads the dancehall collective Major Lazer, forms the duo Jack Ü with Skrillex, and is part of the supergroups LSD (with Sia and Labrinth) and Silk City (with Mark Ronson). Much of his best-known music comes out under these project names rather than his own.
Who wrote 'Heartless' by Diplo?
'Heartless' was co-written by Diplo with Morgan Wallen, who sings lead, along with additional writers, and it appears on the 2020 album Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil. It was one of the biggest songs from his country crossover project.
Which artists has Diplo produced for?
Diplo has produced for a long list of major artists including Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Britney Spears, Drake, and BTS. His production work outside his own records is a major part of his career.
How many solo albums has Diplo released?
Diplo has released six solo studio albums: Florida (2004), the two Thomas Wesley country chapters Snake Oil (2020) and Swamp Savant (2023), the ambient MMXX (2020), the house record Diplo (2022), and the hip-hop project d00mscrvll (2026).
Why is he called Diplo?
The name Diplo is short for Diplodocus and comes from his childhood fascination with dinosaurs. His legal name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, which is also the name he releases his country music under.
Who sang 'Don't Forget My Love'?
'Don't Forget My Love' is a collaboration between Diplo and singer Miguel, released on Diplo's 2022 self-titled house album. Diplo produced the track while Miguel handled the vocals.

Sources

Diplo - Wikipedia