Studio Album · No. 1
The Sickness Songwriting Credits by Disturbed
Produced by Johnny K, Disturbed
Holds writing credit on 11 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 11 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Disturbed carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
All four original members, Draiman, Donegan, Wengren, and Fuzz Jackson, share songwriting credit on every track; Draiman wrote the lyrics while Donegan wrote the guitar riffs. Johnny K produced the album at Groovemaster Studios in Chicago.
The Sickness is the debut studio album by Disturbed, released in March 2000 on Giant/Reprise Records and produced by Johnny K. It is one of the best-selling nu-metal albums of the early 2000s and the record that introduced the band's synthesis of heavy metal riffing, hip-hop-influenced vocal cadences, and the dramatic half-spoken delivery of vocalist David Draiman. Draiman wrote all lyrics; the album's 11 tracks include 'Stupify,' 'Voices,' and the cover of 'Shout 2000' (based on Tears for Fears' 'Shout'), with the lead single 'Down with the Sickness' becoming the band's signature song. 'Down with the Sickness' has been certified platinum as a standalone single and is consistently listed among the defining songs of the nu-metal era, with Draiman's rhythmic vocal patterns and the track's building intensity making it one of the most covered songs in the rock radio catalog. The Sickness has been certified seven-times platinum in the United States and spent over two years on the Billboard 200 after its release, a commercial longevity that exceeded the chart performance of most nu-metal debut albums. The album is the foundational document of Disturbed's career and the record that established the formula, heavy riff, processed vocal, anthemic chorus, they would refine across seven more studio albums.