Lights cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

Lights Songwriting Credits by Ellie Goulding

2010 Polydor Records 10 tracks 36 min

Produced by Starsmith, Frankmusik, Fraser T. Smith  ·  Engineered by Ash Howes

Polydor Records Synth-popIndie popElectropop
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Ellie Goulding carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Ellie Goulding 0 tracksoutside writers
Ellie Goulding's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
5
Lyricists
3
Producers
865,000
Worldwide Copies Sold
2010
Released
Data Insight

Ellie Goulding co-writes nearly all of her material with a small team of producers. On Lights the central partner is Starsmith, real name Finlay Dow-Smith, who produced most of the album and shares the writing credit on five songs. Other co-writers include John Fortis and Jonny Lattimer, while Frankmusik and Fraser T. Smith each handled a single track. Her name appears on every song, so the record is authored rather than supplied to her, with the producer's chair rather than the pen being the main outside contribution.

Lights is the debut studio album by English singer Ellie Goulding, released on 26 February 2010 through Polydor Records. It entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and was later certified double platinum by the BPI. Goulding co-wrote every song, working mainly with producer Starsmith, who produced most of the record and shares the writing credit on five tracks. The album arrived after a strong start to her career, as she won the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice prize and topped the BBC Sound of 2010 poll before it was released. Its synth-pop and electropop sound was built around the singles 'Under the Sheets,' 'Starry Eyed,' 'Guns and Horses,' and 'The Writer.' A US edition and a UK reissue titled Bright Lights added the hit single 'Lights' along with a cover of Elton John's 'Your Song.'

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Guns and Horses #26
Ellie GouldingJohn Fortis Ellie GouldingJohn Fortis Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
2
Starry Eyed #4
Ellie GouldingJonny Lattimer Ellie GouldingJonny Lattimer Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
3
This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)
Ellie GouldingStarsmith Ellie GouldingFinlay Dow-Smith Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
4
Under the Sheets #53
Ellie GouldingStarsmith Ellie GouldingFinlay Dow-Smith Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
5
The Writer #19
Ellie GouldingJonny Lattimer Ellie GouldingJonny Lattimer Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
6
Every Time You Go
Ellie GouldingJohn FortisStarsmith Ellie GouldingJohn FortisFinlay Dow-Smith Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
7
Wish I Stayed
Ellie Goulding Ellie Goulding Frankmusik Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
8
Your Biggest Mistake
Ellie GouldingFraser T. Smith Ellie GouldingFraser T. Smith Fraser T. Smith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
9
I'll Hold My Breath
Ellie GouldingStarsmith Ellie GouldingFinlay Dow-Smith Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)
10
Salt Skin
Ellie GouldingStarsmith Ellie GouldingFinlay Dow-Smith Starsmith Ellie Goulding (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 7 contributors

EG
Ellie Goulding
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
S
Starsmith
Writer · Producer
On this album5 written
FD
Finlay Dow-Smith
Writer
On this album5 written
JF
John Fortis
Writer
On this album2 written
JL
Jonny Lattimer
Writer
On this album2 written
FT
Fraser T. Smith
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
F
Frankmusik
Producer
On this album1 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Lights

Who writes Ellie Goulding's songs?
She co-writes nearly all of them. On Lights her name is on every track, most often alongside producer Starsmith, with John Fortis and Jonny Lattimer as her other frequent co-writers.
Who produced Lights?
Starsmith produced the majority of the album. Frankmusik and Fraser T. Smith each produced one track.
Did Lights top the UK chart?
Yes. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart in March 2010 and was later certified double platinum by the BPI.
Is the song 'Lights' on the album Lights?
Not on the original 2010 UK edition. The single 'Lights' was added to the US release and to the UK reissue titled Bright Lights.
What are the singles from Lights?
'Under the Sheets,' 'Starry Eyed,' 'Guns and Horses,' and 'The Writer.' 'Starry Eyed' was the biggest, reaching number four in the UK.
What did Ellie Goulding win around the time of the album?
She won the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice prize for 2010 and topped the BBC Sound of 2010 poll before the album was released.
Who is Starsmith?
Starsmith is the stage name of Finlay Dow-Smith, a British producer and songwriter who was Goulding's main collaborator on Lights.

Sources

Wikipedia: Lights (Ellie Goulding album) Wikipedia: Ellie Goulding Wikipedia: Starsmith MusicBrainz: Lights (release group) Cover Art Archive: Lights Cover Art Archive: Lights by Ellie Goulding