Does Elton John Write Their Own Music? Songwriting Credits & Scores

By the Numbers

31

Studio Albums

329

Tracks Credited

97%

Self-Written

300M+

Records Sold

59

Years Active

34

Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 319 / 329 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 329 tracks: how many Elton John 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.

Elton John has a writing credit97%

83%

14%

3%

Sole author273tracks83%

Co-written46tracks14%

Outside writers10tracks3%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Elton John's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 329 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)86%

Composer (music)97%

Producer21%

Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 329 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

Member	Period	Lyrics	Music	Production	Performance
Elton John	1967-present	0%	97%	21%	100%
Bernie Taupin	1967-present	85%	0%	0%	0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 97%

100%

90%

100%

94%

100%

0%

100%

91%

100%

1969Empty Sky

1970Elton John

1970Tumbleweed Connection

1971Madman Across the Water

1972Honky Château

1973Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

1973Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

1974Caribou

1975Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

1975Rock of the Westies

1976Blue Moves

1978A Single Man

1979Victim of Love

198021 at 33

1981The Fox

1982Jump Up!

1983Too Low for Zero

1984Breaking Hearts

1985Ice on Fire

1986Leather Jackets

1988Reg Strikes Back

1989Sleeping with the Past

1992The One

1994The Lion King: Original Soundtrack

1995Made in England

1997The Big Picture

2001Songs from the West Coast

2004Peachtree Road

2006The Captain & the Kid

2013The Diving Board

2016Wonderful Crazy Night

Early · 98% written

Mid · 93% written

Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%

1960s

Empty Sky

93%

1970s

Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection +10 more

99%

1980s

Too Low for Zero, 21 at 33 +7 more

100%

1990s

The One, The Lion King: Original Soundtrack +2 more

100%

2000s

Songs from the West Coast, Peachtree Road +1 more

100%

2010s

The Diving Board, Wonderful Crazy Night

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Elton John 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.

Elton John

Other artists on the site

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

Celine Dion2%

The Jacksons24%

Eric Clapton40%

Michael Jackson51%

Dolly Parton59%

Bob Dylan76%

David Bowie88%

97%Elton John

Pure Performer0%

Songwriter~50%

Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Your Song

Elton John

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Border Song

Elton John

Written by Lesley Duncan, Elton John

Co-wrote

Levon

Madman Across the Water

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Tiny Dancer

Madman Across the Water

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Honky Cat

Honky Château

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Crocodile Rock

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Daniel

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Bennie and the Jets

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Island Girl

Rock of the Westies

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Grow Some Funk of Your Own

Rock of the Westies

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John, Davey Johnstone

Co-wrote

I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues

Too Low for Zero

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John, Davey Johnstone

Co-wrote

I'm Still Standing

Too Low for Zero

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Kiss the Bride

Too Low for Zero

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

The One

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

The Last Song

The One

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Can You Feel the Love Tonight

The Lion King: Original Soundtrack

Written by Tim Rice, Elton John

Co-wrote

Circle of Life

The Lion King: Original Soundtrack

Written by Tim Rice, Elton John

Co-wrote

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Caribou

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

The Bitch Is Back

Caribou

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word

Blue Moves

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Part-Time Love

A Single Man

Written by Gary Osborne, Elton John

Co-wrote

Victim of Love

Written by Pete Bellotte, Sylvester Levay, Jerry Rix

Outside writers

Little Jeannie

21 at 33

Written by Gary Osborne, Elton John

Co-wrote

Nobody Wins

The Fox

Written by Gary Osborne, Jean-Paul Dréau

Outside writers

Chloe

The Fox

Written by Gary Osborne, Elton John

Co-wrote

Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)

Jump Up!

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Blue Eyes

Jump Up!

Written by Gary Osborne, Elton John

Co-wrote

Sad Songs (Say So Much)

Breaking Hearts

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Who Wears These Shoes?

Breaking Hearts

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

In Neon

Breaking Hearts

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Nikita

Ice on Fire

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Wrap Her Up

Ice on Fire

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John, Davey Johnstone, Fred Mandel, Charlie Morgan, Paul Westwood

Co-wrote

Heartache All Over the World

Leather Jackets

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That

Reg Strikes Back

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

A Word in Spanish

Reg Strikes Back

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Healing Hands

Sleeping with the Past

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Sacrifice

Sleeping with the Past

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Club at the End of the Street

Sleeping with the Past

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Believe

Made in England

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Blessed

Made in England

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Wrote it

Made in England

Written by Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Rocket Records

10 tracks

1992100%

The One

10 tracks

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Elton John329 tracks

GD134 CT80 CF25 TB25 MS22 GO21

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. GD Gus Dudgeon · CT Chris Thomas · CF Clive Franks · TB T Bone Burnett · MS Matt Still · GO Gary Osborne

The Writers & Producers Behind Elton John 6 key collaborators

GD

Gus Dudgeon

Producer

Elton John / Tumbleweed Connection / Madman Across the Water / Honky Château134 tracks

CT

Chris Thomas

Producer

Too Low for Zero / The One / The Fox / Jump Up!80 tracks

CF

Clive Franks

Producer

A Single Man / 21 at 33 / The Fox25 tracks

TB

T Bone Burnett

Producer

The Diving Board / Wonderful Crazy Night25 tracks

MS

Matt Still

Producer

Peachtree Road / The Captain & the Kid22 tracks

GO

Gary Osborne

Songwriter

A Single Man / 21 at 33 / The Fox / Jump Up!21 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

The Elton John member breakdown table will look unlike any other artist on this site. Bernie Taupin carries near-100% lyricist credit across the catalog while holding near-0% composer credit; Elton John holds the precise inverse, near-100% composer credit and near-0% lyricist credit. The site measures authorship as whether a member holds lyricist OR composer credit on a given track, so Elton scores high despite never writing his own words, because the music is entirely his creation. No other entry in the dataset illustrates more clearly that composition and lyric-writing are entirely separable creative acts, and that both deserve equal recognition.

Quick Facts

SongwritingMusic by Elton, lyrics by Bernie Taupin, since 1967
EGOTEmmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner
Awards5 Grammys and 2 Academy Awards
Chart record7 straight US #1 albums (1972-1975), a first
HonorsKnighted for services to music (1998)

Creative Fingerprint

The clearest split of words and music on the site: Elton John composes nearly all of it while Bernie Taupin writes the lyrics, a division the two have kept for six decades.

The Story

Elton John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of 300 million records worldwide. His creative partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin, established in 1967 when both answered a Liberty Records talent ad, is among the most successful and enduring songwriting collaborations in pop history. Taupin writes the lyrics first; Elton then sets them to music, typically within an hour, without Taupin present. This division of labor has remained nearly unchanged across six decades and dozens of albums. John's extraordinary piano technique, theatrical live performances, and gift for melody have produced some of the most recognizable songs of the 20th century, including 'Your Song,' 'Tiny Dancer,' 'Rocket Man,' 'Crocodile Rock,' 'Bennie and the Jets,' and 'Candle in the Wind.'

Awards & Recognition

Over 300 million records sold, one of the best-selling music artists of all time

An EGOT winner, with five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy, and a Tony

Seven consecutive number-one albums in the US between 1972 and 1975, a feat no one had achieved before

Appointed Knight Bachelor for services to music and charity (1998)

Widely cited as the most successful solo artist in the history of the US Billboard charts

Frequently Asked Questions Elton John

Does Elton John write his own songs?

He writes the music, not the words. For nearly his entire career, Elton John has composed the melodies while his partner Bernie Taupin writes the lyrics. On songs like 'Your Song,' 'Rocket Man,' and 'Bennie and the Jets,' Elton set Taupin's finished words to music, usually in under an hour. The site counts the pair as the songwriting team, so his authorship runs very high even though he rarely writes a lyric.

Who writes Elton John's lyrics?

Bernie Taupin. The two met in 1967 after both answered the same talent ad, and Taupin has written the words to the large majority of Elton's songs ever since. Taupin writes the lyrics first, without Elton present, and Elton composes the music to them.

Who wrote 'Rocket Man'?

'Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)' (Honky Château, 1972) has music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, the standard split for their partnership.

Did Elton John write 'Your Song'?

He wrote the music. 'Your Song' (Elton John, 1970), his breakthrough hit, has Elton's melody set to Bernie Taupin's lyrics.

How many records has Elton John sold?

Over 300 million worldwide, placing him among the best-selling music artists of all time.

Is Elton John an EGOT winner?

Yes. He has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, completing the EGOT. His accolades also include Golden Globes, an Olivier Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

How many Grammys and Oscars has Elton John won?

Five Grammy Awards and two Academy Awards. His Oscars are both for Best Original Song, including 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' from The Lion King.

How many albums has Elton John released?

This catalogue covers 31 studio albums across six decades, from his 1970 self-titled album onward, nearly all written with Bernie Taupin.

Was Elton John knighted?

Yes. He was appointed Knight Bachelor for services to music and charity in 1998, becoming Sir Elton John.

Why does Elton John score high on authorship despite not writing lyrics?

Because the site measures whether a member of the act holds a lyricist or composer credit, and Elton composes the music to essentially every song. With Bernie Taupin writing the words, the pair together account for the full songwriting, so the act's authorship rate is near the top of the scale.

Sources

Wikipedia: Elton John discography Wikipedia: Elton John Wikipedia: Bernie Taupin