Garbage

Band

Photo: Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0
Active 1993-2005; 2007; 2010-present
Origin Madison, Wisconsin
Albums 8
Tracks 91
Most frequent collaborator Billy Bush · 32 tracks
Genres Alternative RockElectronic RockTrip Hop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 91 of 91 tracks

Do Garbage write their own songs?

All four members are credited on all 91 studio tracks, and no writer from outside the band appears anywhere in the catalogue. The credit is always the band as a whole rather than individuals.

By the Numbers

8
Studio Albums
91
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
33
Years Active
7
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 91 / 91 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 91 tracks: how many Garbage 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.

Garbage has a writing credit100%
98%
2%
Sole author89tracks98%
Co-written2tracks2%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Garbage's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 91 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 91 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Shirley Manson 1994-present
100%
100%
100%
100%
Butch Vig 1993-present
100%
100%
100%
100%
Duke Erikson 1993-present
100%
100%
100%
100%
Steve Marker 1993-present
100%
100%
100%
100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1995Garbage
1998Version 2.0
2001Beautiful Garbage
2005Bleed Like Me
2012Not Your Kind of People
2016Strange Little Birds
2021No Gods No Masters
2025Let All That We Imagine Be the Light
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Garbage, Version 2.0
100%
2000s
Beautiful Garbage, Bleed Like Me
100%
2010s
Not Your Kind of People, Strange Little Birds
100%
2020s
No Gods No Masters, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Garbage 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.

Garbage
Other artists on the site

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

Faith Hill2%
Backstreet Boys25%
Hilary Duff42%
Sinéad O'Connor59%
Usher74%
Smash Mouth83%
The White Stripes92%
100%Garbage
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Stupid Girl
Garbage
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones
Co-wrote
Only Happy When It Rains
Garbage
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker
Wrote it
Vow
Garbage
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker
Wrote it
Push It
Version 2.0
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker, Brian Wilson, Roger Christian, Hurby Azor
Co-wrote
Special
Version 2.0
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker
Wrote it
Why Do You Love Me
Bleed Like Me
Written by Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Steve Marker
Wrote it

Discography 8 albums

Eight studio albums. The lineup has not changed since Shirley Manson joined in 1994.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of GarbageGarbage91 tracks
BB32Billy Bush, 32 tracks KG11King Gizmo, 11 tracks Photo of Joe Strummer1Joe Strummer, 1 track on The Clash's page MJ1Mick Jones, 1 track on Foreigner's page Photo of Brian Wilson1Brian Wilson, 1 track RC1Roger Christian, 1 track HA1Hurby Azor, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. BB Billy Bush · KG King Gizmo · MJ Mick Jones · RC Roger Christian

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

All four members are credited on every one of the band's 91 studio tracks, and no writer from outside the band appears anywhere. Nothing in this catalogue is split unevenly, attributed to a frontperson, or handed to an outside co-writer. Thirty years of records and one credit line.

Quick Facts

  • Self-writtenAll four members are credited on all 91 studio tracks
  • Written in house89 of 91 tracks. The other two credit the records they sample
  • Unchanged lineupManson, Vig, Erikson and Marker since 1994
  • Biggest albumGarbage sold 2,400,000 in the United States
  • Biggest song"Stupid Girl" reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100
  • Who Butch Vig isThe producer of Nirvana's Nevermind, drumming here

Creative Fingerprint

Four names on every song, in the same order, for thirty years. The only others got there by being sampled.

The Story

Three Wisconsin producers led by Butch Vig, who had made Nevermind, started Garbage as a studio project in 1993 and found Shirley Manson singing in a Scottish band on MTV. The debut sold 2,400,000 in the United States. Eight studio albums have followed and the lineup has never changed.

Frequently Asked Questions Garbage

Do Garbage write their own songs?
All four members are credited on all 91 studio tracks, and no writer from outside the band appears anywhere in the catalogue. The credit is always the band as a whole rather than individuals.
Who wrote "Stupid Girl"?
The band, credited collectively, with the writers of the Clash record it samples. It reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.
How many albums have they released?
Eight studio albums: Garbage (1995), Version 2.0 (1998), Beautiful Garbage (2001), Bleed Like Me (2005), Not Your Kind of People (2012), Strange Little Birds (2016), No Gods No Masters (2021) and Let All That We Imagine Be the Light (2025).
Which album sold the most?
The 1995 debut, at 2,400,000 in the United States. It is certified 2x platinum by the RIAA and by the BPI.
Who is Butch Vig?
The producer of Nirvana's Nevermind and the Smashing Pumpkins' Gish and Siamese Dream. He drums in Garbage and co-produces every album.
How did Shirley Manson join?
The band saw her singing with Angelfish on MTV in 1994 and asked her to audition. She has been in every lineup since.
Has the lineup ever changed?
No. Manson, Vig, Erikson and Marker have been the whole band since 1994, which is unusual across eight albums and thirty years.
Which singles charted highest?
"Stupid Girl" at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Push It" and "Special" at 52 and "Only Happy When It Rains" at 55.
Why are all four credited on everything?
The albums state a blanket credit to Garbage rather than naming individuals, which is how the band has published its writing since the first record.
Are they still recording?
Let All That We Imagine Be the Light came out in May 2025 and is the most recent studio album.

Sources

Wikipedia: Garbage Wikipedia: Garbage discography