Milli Vanilli

Band

Photo: Alan Light · CC BY 2.0
Active 1988-1990, 1997-1998
Origin Munich, Germany
Albums 2
Tracks 22
Most frequent collaborator Frank Farian · 21 tracks
Genres Dance-PopR&BNew Jack Swing
Singer / Performer
0%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 0 of 22 tracks

Did Milli Vanilli write their own songs?

No, and they did not sing them either. Across the 22 tracks on the two albums there is no writing credit for Fab Morvan or Rob Pilatus. Frank Farian, the producer, is on 11 of them, and the vocals were recorded by session singers including Brad Howell, John Davis and Charles Shaw.

By the Numbers

2
Studio Albums
22
Tracks Credited
0%
Self-Written
2
Years Active
27
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 22 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 22 tracks: how many Milli Vanilli 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.

Milli Vanilli has a writing credit0%
100%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written0tracks0%
Outside writers22tracks100%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Milli Vanilli's roles across the catalog

Share of all 22 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)0%
Composer (music)0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 22 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Fab Morvan 1988-1990, 1997-1998
0%
0%
0%
0%
Rob Pilatus 1988-1990, 1997-1998
0%
0%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 0%
0%
0%
1988All or Nothing
1989Girl You Know It's True

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

0%
1980s
All or Nothing, Girl You Know It's True

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Milli Vanilli 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 catalog authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Milli Vanilli
Other artists on the site

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

En Vogue32%
Michael Jackson51%
TLC59%
Janet Jackson72%
George Michael80%
Gwen Stefani88%
R. Kelly100%
0%Milli Vanilli
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Girl I'm Gonna Miss You
All or Nothing
Written by Frank Farian, Dietmar Kawohl, Peter Bischoff Fallenstein, Franz Reuther
Outside writers
All or Nothing
All or Nothing
Written by Frank Farian, P. G. Wilder, Brad Howell, Franz Reuther
Outside writers
Baby Don't Forget My Number
Girl You Know It's True
Written by Frank Farian, Brad Howell, Franz Reuther
Outside writers
Blame It on the Rain
Girl You Know It's True
Written by Diane Warren
Outside writers
Girl You Know It's True
Girl You Know It's True
Written by Ky Adeyemo, Rodney Holloman, Kevin Liles, Bill Pettaway Jr., Sean Spencer
Outside writers

Discography 2 albums

Both albums released as Milli Vanilli: All or Nothing in Europe in 1988 and the American repackage Girl You Know It's True in 1989. The Real Milli Vanilli record, the Rob & Fab album and the canceled comeback sit outside this catalog.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of Milli VanilliMilli Vanilli22 tracks
FF21Frank Farian, 21 tracks FR11Franz Reuther, 11 tracks DK4Dietmar Kawohl, 4 tracks BH4Brad Howell, 4 tracks Photo of Toby Gad3Toby Gad, 3 tracks JG3Jens Gad, 3 tracks PG3P. G. Wilder, 3 tracks MN2Michael Newman, 2 tracks PB2Peter Bischoff Fallenstein, 2 tracks MA2Mary Applegate, 2 tracks BP2Bill Pettaway Jr., 2 tracks SS2Sean Spencer, 2 tracks KL2Kevin Liles, 2 tracks RH2Rodney Holloman, 2 tracks KA2Ky Adeyemo, 2 tracks KS1Kerim Saka, 1 track JC1Jayne Collins, 1 track FJ1Fred Jay, 1 track GR1George Reyam, 1 track JS1Joe South, 1 track EP1Ernesto Phillips, 1 track DW1Diane Warren, 1 track CF1Climie Fisher, 1 track DM1Dennis Morgan, 1 track OI1O'Kelly Isley, 1 track RI1Ronald Isley, 1 track RI1Rudolph Isley, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. FF Frank Farian · FR Franz Reuther · DK Dietmar Kawohl · BH Brad Howell · JG Jens Gad

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

Frank Farian assembled the records and put his own name on 11 of the 22 tracks, more than anyone. Session singers made the vocals and outside writers filled the rest, including Diane Warren on "Blame It on the Rain". Morvan and Pilatus, the faces of the act, appear nowhere in the writing credits and nowhere on the recordings. When Farian confirmed it in November 1990, their Grammy was revoked.

Quick Facts

  • Zero creditsNeither named member wrote a single album track
  • The real authorFrank Farian is on 11 of the 22 tracks
  • Hired voicesBrad Howell and other session singers made the vocals
  • Three US number onesAll from the American album in 1989
  • The album soldCertified six times platinum in America
  • The awardBest New Artist at the 32nd Grammy Awards, later revoked

Creative Fingerprint

A producer's project with two hired faces and no credit for either of them.

The Story

Neither of the two men on the cover wrote or sang a note. Across 22 album tracks there is not one credit for Fab Morvan or Rob Pilatus.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best New Artist (1990), later revoked
Three American Music Awards (1990)

Frequently Asked Questions Milli Vanilli

Did Milli Vanilli write their own songs?Songwriting
No, and they did not sing them either. Across the 22 tracks on the two albums there is no writing credit for Fab Morvan or Rob Pilatus. Frank Farian, the producer, is on 11 of them, and the vocals were recorded by session singers including Brad Howell, John Davis and Charles Shaw.
Who wrote "Blame It on the Rain"?Songwriting
Diane Warren, alone. It went to number 1 on the Hot 100 sung by people whose names were not on the sleeve.
Who wrote "Girl You Know It's True"?Songwriting
Ky Adeyemo, Rodney Holloman, Kevin Liles, Bill Pettaway Jr. and Sean Spencer. It was originally recorded by the Baltimore group Numarx.
Who is Frank Farian?Career
The German producer who created the act. He wrote or co-wrote 11 of the 22 tracks, hired the singers, and hired Morvan and Pilatus to front it.
Who actually sang on the records?Career
Brad Howell, John Davis, Charles Shaw, Jodie Rocco and Linda Rocco. Farian confirmed this publicly in November 1990.
How many albums are there?Career
Two under the Milli Vanilli name: All or Nothing in Europe in 1988 and the American repackage Girl You Know It's True in 1989. The Real Milli Vanilli album and the Rob & Fab record sit outside this catalog.
What happened to the Grammy?Career
They won Best New Artist at the 32nd Grammy Awards in February, and their Grammy was revoked later that year once the lip-syncing became public.
How well did it sell before that?Career
Girl You Know It's True was certified six times platinum in America and diamond in Canada.
Which singles reached number one?Career
"Baby Don't Forget My Number", "Blame It on the Rain" and "Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" all reached number 1 on the Hot 100. The title track reached 2.
What happened to Morvan and Pilatus?Career
They released an album as Rob & Fab in 1993 that sold about 2,000 copies. Pilatus died in 1998. Morvan holds the rights to the name and performs singing live.

Sources

Wikipedia: Milli Vanilli Wikipedia: Milli Vanilli discography Wikipedia: Fab Morvan Wikipedia: Rob Pilatus Wikipedia: Frank Farian