Studio Album · No. 4
No Code Songwriting Credits by Pearl Jam
Produced by Brendan O'Brien, Pearl Jam · Engineered by Nick DiDia, Bob Ludwig, Matt Bayles
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Pearl Jam carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
No Code spreads the music credits more widely than any prior Pearl Jam album, with songs composed by various member combinations from solo Vedder tracks to full-band efforts like 'Red Mosquito.' Vedder still wrote nearly all the lyrics, the lone exception being 'Mankind,' which Stone Gossard wrote and sang. As ever there are no outside writers, so the band's collective authorship is total, just unusually decentralized here.
No Code is the fourth studio album by Pearl Jam, released in August 1996 and a deliberate turn away from the arena rock that made them famous. The band's first album with drummer Jack Irons, it embraces experimental textures, world-music rhythms, and quieter, more meditative songwriting on tracks like 'Off He Goes' and 'Present Tense.' Eddie Vedder wrote nearly all of the lyrics, with Stone Gossard taking both the words and lead vocals on 'Mankind,' while the music credits are spread unusually widely across the band. Although it debuted at number one, it fell off the charts quickly, reflecting its uncommercial ambitions. It was certified platinum and is now viewed as a key step in the band's evolution beyond grunge.