Yes. Lainey Wilson is a singer-songwriter who co-writes nearly all of her music, and her writing has earned ACM Song of the Year honors. She co-wrote her breakthrough hits 'Things a Man Oughta Know,' 'Heart Like a Truck,' and 'Watermelon Moonshine,' keeping her name in the credits across her albums.
By the Numbers
5
Studio Albums
52
Tracks Credited
98%
Self-Written
12
Years Active
65
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 51 / 52 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 52 tracks: how many Lainey Wilson 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.
Lainey Wilson has a writing credit98%
98%
2%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written51tracks98%
Outside writers1tracks2%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
Lainey Wilson's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 52 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)98%
Producer0%
Performer100%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
Lainey Wilson's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 98%
0%
100%
100%
94%
100%
2014Lainey Wilson
2016Tougher
2021Sayin' What I'm Thinkin'
2022Bell Bottom Country
2024Whirlwind
Early · 100% written
Late · 97% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
100%
2010s
Lainey Wilson, Tougher
98%
2020s
Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', Bell Bottom Country +1 more
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where Lainey Wilson 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.
Lainey Wilson
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Written by Lainey Wilson, Jonathan Singleton, Jason Nix, Lainey Denay Wilson
Co-wrote
Heart Like a Truck
Bell Bottom Country
Written by Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Lainey Denay Wilson
Co-wrote
Watermelon Moonshine
Bell Bottom Country
Written by Josh Kear, Jordan Schmidt, Lainey Wilson, Lainey Denay Wilson
Co-wrote
Wildflowers and Wild Horses
Bell Bottom Country
Written by Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes, Lainey Wilson, Lainey Denay Wilson
Co-wrote
Hang Tight Honey
Whirlwind
Written by Lainey Wilson, Jason Nix, Paul Sikes, Driver Williams, Lainey Denay Wilson
Co-wrote
None of the signature songs above fall in this category.
Discography 5 albums
Covers all five studio albums. The 2014 self-titled debut was a digital-only release on Cupit with no published per-track songwriting or production credits available from primary sources, so its tracks are not credited or marked verified; the four later studio albums (Tougher, Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', Bell Bottom Country, Whirlwind) are fully credited and verified. The 2019 release Redneck Hollywood is an EP, not a studio album, and is excluded.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. DW Dallas Wilson · FF Frank Foster · TA Trannie Anderson · GF Greg Friia · JN Jason Nix
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Lainey Wilson sits near the top of the authorship scale: she has a writing credit on nearly every song she records, almost always co-writing rather than writing alone. Her credits read as tight team efforts, usually two or three names beside her own, drawn from a recurring circle of Nashville writers like Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Jason Nix, and Josh Kear. The clearest exception is her cover of 4 Non Blondes' 'What's Up,' the rare track in her catalog she did not help write. The composer column uses her legal name, Lainey Denay Wilson.
Quick Facts
StyleCalls her sound 'bell-bottom country'
BreakthroughBell Bottom Country (2022) won the Grammy for Best Country Album
Top honorCMA Entertainer of the Year in 2023 and 2025
Grammy duetWon Best Country Duo/Group for 'Save Me' with Jelly Roll (2024)
ActingJoined the cast of Yellowstone in 2022
Studio albumsFive, from Lainey Wilson (2014) to Whirlwind (2024)
Creative Fingerprint
A songwriter first: Lainey Wilson co-writes nearly all of her material, and her writing has won ACM Song of the Year honors, so her country hits carry her own name in the credits.
The Story
Lainey Wilson is an American country singer-songwriter from Baskin, Louisiana, who broke through after nearly a decade of grinding in Nashville. She released her first album in 2014 and a second in 2016 before a 2019 publishing deal and major-label signing set up her breakthrough. Her sound blends neotraditional country with Southern rock and a strong storytelling streak she calls bell-bottom country. Wilson co-writes nearly all of her own material, usually alongside a rotating set of Nashville collaborators, placing her high on the songwriting authorship scale. Bell Bottom Country and Whirlwind made her one of the most decorated artists in modern country, with multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy wins.
Awards & Recognition
CMA Entertainer of the Year (2023 and 2025)
Grammy Award for Best Country Album, Bell Bottom Country (2024)
Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, 'Save Me' with Jelly Roll (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions Lainey Wilson
Does Lainey Wilson write her own songs?
Yes. Lainey Wilson is a singer-songwriter who co-writes nearly all of her music, and her writing has earned ACM Song of the Year honors. She co-wrote her breakthrough hits 'Things a Man Oughta Know,' 'Heart Like a Truck,' and 'Watermelon Moonshine,' keeping her name in the credits across her albums.
Who wrote 'Things a Man Oughta Know'?
'Things a Man Oughta Know' was co-written by Lainey Wilson with Jason Nix and Jonathan Singleton for her 2021 album Sayin' What I'm Thinkin'. It was her first number one on the Country Airplay chart and her breakthrough single.
What is 'bell-bottom country'?
'Bell-bottom country' is how Lainey Wilson describes her own sound and style, a mix of traditional country songwriting with 1970s Southern-rock flair and her signature bell-bottom fashion. It became the title of her 2022 breakthrough album.
What awards has Lainey Wilson won?
Lainey Wilson won CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2023 and 2025, the Grammy for Best Country Album for Bell Bottom Country in 2024, and a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for 'Save Me' with @@mdlink0@@. She has become one of the leading figures in modern country.
Did Lainey Wilson act on Yellowstone?
Yes. Lainey Wilson joined the cast of the hit series Yellowstone in 2022, playing a musician named Abbey in season five. Her acting role ran alongside her rise as a country star.
How many albums has Lainey Wilson released?
Lainey Wilson has released five studio albums: Lainey Wilson (2014), Tougher (2016), Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' (2021), Bell Bottom Country (2022), and Whirlwind (2024). Bell Bottom Country was her commercial and critical breakthrough.
Who wrote 'Heart Like a Truck'?
'Heart Like a Truck' was co-written by Lainey Wilson with Trannie Anderson and Dallas Wilson for the 2022 album Bell Bottom Country. It became one of her signature hits and a Country Airplay number one.
Who sang 'Save Me' with Lainey Wilson?
'Save Me' is a duet version of a Jelly Roll song featuring Lainey Wilson, released in 2023. It won the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2024.
Lainey Wilson