Photo of KoRn
Photo: Oroborvs · CC BY-SA 4.0

Band

KoRn

Active1993-present
OriginBakersfield, California
Albums14
Tracks175

Most frequent collaborator: Ross Robinson  ·  37 tracks

Nu-metalAlternative metalMetalHard rock
99%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 173 of 175 tracks

Did Korn write their own songs?

Yes, nearly all of them. Korn is a self-writing band, and members hold a writing credit on around 99% of their tracks across 14 albums. Frontman Jonathan Davis and the band wrote their signature songs like 'Freak on a Leash,' 'Got the Life,' and 'Here to Stay' themselves. Outside names appear mainly as producers or on experiments like The Path of Totality, their dubstep collaboration.

By the Numbers

14
Studio Albums
175
Tracks Credited
99%
Self-Written
40M+
Records Sold
33
Years Active
47
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 173 / 175 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 175 tracks: how many KoRn 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.

KoRn has a writing credit99%
60%
39%
1%
Sole author105tracks60%
Co-written68tracks39%
Outside writers2tracks1%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
KoRn's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 175 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)99%
Composer (music)99%
Producer7%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 175 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Jonathan Davis 1993-present
99%
98%
7%
100%
James Shaffer 1993-present
0%
97%
0%
98%
Brian Welch 1993-2005, 2013-present
0%
69%
0%
70%
Reginald Arvizu 1993-present
0%
96%
0%
98%
David Silveria Former 1993-2006
0%
53%
0%
55%
Ray Luzier 2007-present
0%
35%
0%
36%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 99%
100%
86%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1994Korn
1996Life Is Peachy
1998Follow the Leader
1999Issues
2002Untouchables
2003Take a Look in the Mirror
2005See You on the Other Side
2007Untitled
2010Korn III: Remember Who You Are
2011The Path of Totality
2013The Paradigm Shift
2016The Serenity of Suffering
2019The Nothing
2022Requiem
Early · 97% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

96%
1990s
Korn, Life Is Peachy +2 more
100%
2000s
Untouchables, Take a Look in the Mirror +2 more
100%
2010s
Korn III: Remember Who You Are, The Path of Totality +3 more
100%
2020s
Requiem

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where KoRn 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.

KoRn
Other artists on the site

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

Backstreet Boys25%
NSYNC41%
Boyz II Men51%
TLC59%
Destiny's Child69%
Guns N' Roses78%
Aerosmith86%
99%KoRn
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Here to Stay
Untouchables
Written by Jonathan Davis, James Shaffer, Brian Welch, Reginald Arvizu, David Silveria
Wrote it

Discography 14 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

KoRn175 tracks
RR37 K34 TM26 NR24 BO16 MB14

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. RR Ross Robinson · K Korn · TM The Matrix · NR Nick Raskulinecz · BO Brendan O'Brien · MB Michael Beinhorn

The Writers & Producers Behind KoRn 6 key collaborators

RR
Ross Robinson
Producer
Korn / Life Is Peachy / Korn III: Remember Who You Are37 tracks
K
Korn
Producer
Untouchables / Untitled / Requiem34 tracks
TM
The Matrix
Songwriter & Producer
See You on the Other Side / Untitled26 tracks
NR
Nick Raskulinecz
Producer
The Serenity of Suffering / The Nothing24 tracks
BO
Brendan O'Brien
Producer
Issues16 tracks
MB
Michael Beinhorn
Producer
Untouchables14 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Jonathan Davis writes every lyric himself, often mining deeply personal trauma, while the full band composes the music together. Their authorship score is near-perfect across most of the catalog. The primary deviations are featured artists writing their own parts: Ice Cube and Fred Durst on Follow the Leader, Nas on Take a Look in the Mirror, Corey Taylor on The Serenity of Suffering, and the EDM co-productions on The Path of Totality where Skrillex, Noisia, and others co-composed the instrumentals.

Quick Facts

  • GrammysTwo Grammy Awards: 'Freak on a Leash' and 'Here to Stay'
  • Nu-metalPioneered and popularized the nu-metal genre in the 1990s
  • Number onesFollow the Leader (1998) and Issues (1999) both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
  • StylingStylized as KoЯn, with a backwards R inspired by the Toys R Us logo
  • FrontmanFronted by Jonathan Davis, known for his raw, distinctive vocals

Creative Fingerprint

A self-writing metal band: Korn's members wrote nearly all of their material themselves across 14 albums, bringing in outside producers and collaborators mainly for experiments like the dubstep-driven Path of Totality.

The Story

KoRn (stylized with a backwards R as KoЯn) are widely credited as inventors of nu-metal, blending down-tuned seven-string guitar riffs with hip-hop rhythms and Jonathan Davis's raw, confessional lyrics. Their self-titled debut and Follow the Leader redefined heavy music in the late 1990s and opened the door for an entire genre. With 14 studio albums spanning three decades, they remain one of the most commercially successful metal bands in history.

Awards & Recognition

Sold more than 40 million records worldwide
Two Grammy Awards: Best Music Video for 'Freak on a Leash' and Best Metal Performance for 'Here to Stay'
Pioneered and popularized the nu-metal genre
Follow the Leader (1998) and Issues (1999) both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
One of the defining and best-selling metal bands of their era

Frequently Asked Questions KoRn

Did Korn write their own songs?
Yes, nearly all of them. Korn is a self-writing band, and members hold a writing credit on around 99% of their tracks across 14 albums. Frontman Jonathan Davis and the band wrote their signature songs like 'Freak on a Leash,' 'Got the Life,' and 'Here to Stay' themselves. Outside names appear mainly as producers or on experiments like The Path of Totality, their dubstep collaboration.
Who wrote 'Freak on a Leash'?
'Freak on a Leash' (1998) was written by the members of Korn. It became their signature song, won the Grammy for Best Music Video, and helped define the nu-metal sound.
Did Korn invent nu-metal?
They are widely credited as pioneers of nu-metal. Their 1994 self-titled debut is often cited as the album that launched the genre, blending metal, hip-hop, and funk influences.
Who is the singer of Korn?
Jonathan Davis has been the lead singer since the band formed in 1993. He is known for his raw, emotive vocal style and is one of the band's main songwriters.
What is The Path of Totality?
The Path of Totality (2011) is a Korn album where the band collaborated with electronic and dubstep producers like Skrillex and Noisia. It is why outside names appear as co-writers on tracks like 'Get Up!'
How many albums has Korn released?
This catalogue covers 14 of their studio albums, from their 1994 self-titled debut Korn to Requiem (2022).
How many records has Korn sold?
More than 40 million worldwide, making them one of the best-selling metal bands of their era.
Did Korn win a Grammy?
Yes, two. 'Freak on a Leash' won Best Music Video and 'Here to Stay' won Best Metal Performance.
Why is Korn spelled with a backwards R?
The band stylizes its name as KoЯn, with a backwards R. The look was inspired by the Toys R Us logo and became part of their visual identity.
What genre is Korn?
They are a nu-metal and alternative metal band, and one of the genre's founders, mixing down-tuned guitars, hip-hop rhythms, and Jonathan Davis's anguished vocals.

Sources

AllMusic - Korn discography MusicBrainz - Korn Discogs - Korn Wikipedia: Korn