Motley Crue

Band

Photo: Bjornsphoto · CC BY 3.0
Active 1981-present
Origin Los Angeles, California
Albums 9
Tracks 101
Most frequent collaborator Tom Werman · 31 tracks
Genres Heavy MetalGlam MetalHard Rock
Artist
95%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 96 of 101 tracks

Did Mötley Crüe write their own songs?

Yes. Mötley Crüe write their own material in-house, led by bassist Nikki Sixx as the primary songwriter, with the rest of the band sharing credits. Sixx wrote or co-wrote the bulk of their catalog, including 'Kickstart My Heart,' 'Dr. Feelgood,' and 'Girls, Girls, Girls,' so the songs stay within the lineup rather than coming from outside writers.

By the Numbers

9
Studio Albums
101
Tracks Credited
95%
Self-Written
over 100 million
Records Sold
45
Years Active
22
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 96 / 101 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 101 tracks: how many Motley Crue 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.

Motley Crue has a writing credit95%
70%
25%
5%
Sole author71tracks70%
Co-written25tracks25%
Outside writers5tracks5%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Motley Crue's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 101 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)94%
Composer (music)95%
Producer36%
Performer95%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 101 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Vince Neil 1981-1992, 1997-present
3%
15%
0%
81%
Mick Mars Former 1981-2023
0%
41%
0%
0%
Nikki Sixx 1981-present
92%
92%
26%
1%
Tommy Lee 1981-1999, 2004-present
2%
28%
13%
1%
John Corabi Former 1992-1996
13%
13%
0%
12%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

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

avg 95%
100%
82%
90%
90%
100%
100%
100%
91%
100%
1981Too Fast for Love
1983Shout at the Devil
1985Theatre of Pain
1987Girls, Girls, Girls
1989Dr. Feelgood
1994Motley Crue
1997Generation Swine
2000New Tattoo
2008Saints of Los Angeles
Early · 90% written
Mid · 97% written
Late · 97% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

92%
1980s
Too Fast for Love, Shout at the Devil +3 more
100%
1990s
Motley Crue, Generation Swine
96%
2000s
New Tattoo, Saints of Los Angeles

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Motley Crue 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.

Motley Crue
Other artists on the site

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

Celine Dion2%
Selena13%
Ricky Martin25%
Garth Brooks41%
Cyndi Lauper60%
Guns N' Roses78%
Aerosmith86%
95%Motley Crue
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Looks That Kill
Shout at the Devil
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.
Wrote it
Smokin' in the Boys Room
Theatre of Pain
Written by Cub Koda, Michael Lutz
Outside writers
Home Sweet Home
Theatre of Pain
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Thomas Lee Bass
Wrote it
Girls, Girls, Girls
Girls, Girls, Girls
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Robert Alan Deal, Thomas Lee Bass
Wrote it
You're All I Need
Girls, Girls, Girls
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Thomas Lee Bass
Wrote it
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Robert Alan Deal
Wrote it
Without You
Dr. Feelgood
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Robert Alan Deal
Wrote it
Kickstart My Heart
Dr. Feelgood
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Robert Alan Deal
Wrote it
Hell on High Heels
New Tattoo
Written by Nikki Sixx, Robert Alan Deal, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., Vincent Neil Wharton
Wrote it
Saints of Los Angeles
Saints of Los Angeles
Written by Nikki Sixx, Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr., James Michael, DJ Ashba, Marti Frederiksen
Co-wrote

Discography 9 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Motley Crue101 tracks
TW31Tom Werman, 31 tracks 23Bob Rock, 23 tracks 19James Michael, 19 tracks 13Scott Humphrey, 13 tracks 13DJ Ashba, 13 tracks 13Marti Frederiksen, 13 tracks MC11Mike Clink, 11 tracks LG1Lizzie Grey, 1 track GW1Geoff Workman, 1 track AF1Allister Fiend, 1 track JL1John Lennon, 1 track on The Beatles's page PM1Paul McCartney, 1 track on The Beatles's page CK1Cub Koda, 1 track ML1Michael Lutz, 1 track JL1Jerry Leiber, 1 track MS1Mike Stoller, 1 track DM1Donna McDaniel, 1 track BA1Bryan Adams, 1 track RC1Randy Castillo, 1 track ME1Michael Evans, 1 track BS1Bill Spooner, 1 track RS1Roger Steen, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. TW Tom Werman

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

Motley Crue's authorship runs through Nikki Sixx: he is the credited lyricist on nearly every song in the catalog and a co-writer of most of the music, so his name anchors the writing data the way a frontman usually would. The composer column shows the band as a writing unit, with Mick Mars supplying riffs and Tommy Lee adding music, and from the 1990s onward outside collaborators like Bob Rock, Scott Humphrey, James Michael, and Marti Frederiksen enter the picture. The clearest non-band moments are the covers, 'Helter Skelter,' 'Smokin' in the Boys Room,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'White Punks on Dope,' the only songs no member wrote.

Quick Facts

  • Main songwriterBassist Nikki Sixx writes most of the band's material
  • Only No. 1 albumDr. Feelgood (1989) topped the Billboard 200
  • SceneLeaders of the 1980s Sunset Strip glam metal scene
  • The DirtTheir 2001 memoir became a New York Times bestseller and a Netflix film
  • Records soldOver 100 million worldwide
  • Studio albumsNine, from Too Fast for Love (1981) to Saints of Los Angeles (2008)

Creative Fingerprint

A band with a chief writer: bassist Nikki Sixx writes most of Mötley Crüe's material, with the rest of the lineup sharing credits, so the songs stay in-house across the glam-metal catalog.

The Story

Motley Crue is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, guitarist Mick Mars, and singer Vince Neil. They became one of the defining acts of the Sunset Strip glam metal scene, pairing big hooks and bigger choruses with a notorious offstage reputation. Bassist Nikki Sixx is the band's primary songwriter and conceptual leader, writing most of the lyrics and a large share of the music, usually with input from his bandmates. The classic lineup carried the band through its commercial peak in the late 1980s with Dr. Feelgood, weathered a mid-1990s lineup change when John Corabi briefly replaced Neil, and reunited for later records. Their best-known songs include 'Kickstart My Heart,' 'Home Sweet Home,' 'Girls, Girls, Girls,' and 'Dr. Feelgood.'

Awards & Recognition

Dr. Feelgood debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 (1989)
Over 100 million records sold worldwide
The Dirt reached the top ten of The New York Times Best Seller list (2001)

Frequently Asked Questions Motley Crue

Did Mötley Crüe write their own songs?
Yes. Mötley Crüe write their own material in-house, led by bassist Nikki Sixx as the primary songwriter, with the rest of the band sharing credits. Sixx wrote or co-wrote the bulk of their catalog, including 'Kickstart My Heart,' 'Dr. Feelgood,' and 'Girls, Girls, Girls,' so the songs stay within the lineup rather than coming from outside writers.
Who is the main songwriter of Mötley Crüe?
Bassist Nikki Sixx is the band's main songwriter and creative force, writing most of their lyrics and music. He is also the author behind much of the band's mythology, including their memoir The Dirt.
Who wrote 'Kickstart My Heart'?
'Kickstart My Heart' was written primarily by Nikki Sixx for the 1989 album Dr. Feelgood, inspired by his own near-fatal drug overdose. It became one of the band's signature high-energy anthems.
What is Mötley Crüe's only number-one album?
Dr. Feelgood (1989) is Mötley Crüe's only studio album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. It stayed on the charts for 114 weeks and produced hits like the title track, 'Kickstart My Heart,' and 'Without You.'
How many records has Mötley Crüe sold?
Mötley Crüe have sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling hard rock and glam metal acts of all time. Dr. Feelgood and Shout at the Devil are among their biggest sellers.
How many albums has Mötley Crüe released?
Mötley Crüe have released nine studio albums, from their 1981 debut Too Fast for Love through Saints of Los Angeles in 2008. Their commercial peak came with Shout at the Devil, Girls, Girls, Girls, and Dr. Feelgood in the 1980s.
What is The Dirt?
The Dirt is Mötley Crüe's 2001 tell-all memoir, co-written by all four members with journalist Neil Strauss, which became a New York Times bestseller. It was later adapted into a 2019 Netflix film of the same name.
Who wrote 'Home Sweet Home'?
'Home Sweet Home' was written by Mötley Crüe, with Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil credited, for the 1985 album Theatre of Pain. The power ballad became hugely influential on MTV and helped popularize the format in hard rock.

Sources

Wikipedia: Motley Crue discography Wikipedia: Motley Crue Wikipedia: Motley Crue (members section of band article) Dr. Feelgood (album) - Wikipedia