Ten cover art

  Studio Album · No. 1

Ten Songwriting Credits by Pearl Jam

1991 Epic 11 tracks 53 min

Produced by Rick Parashar, Pearl Jam  ·  Engineered by Rick Parashar, Tim Palmer, Dave Hillis, Don Gilmore, Adrian Moore

Epic GrungeAlternative RockHard Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Pearl Jam carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
11 trackswritten by Pearl Jam 0 tracksoutside writers
Pearl Jam's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
1
Lyricists
2
Producers
13 million
US Copies Sold
1991
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Grammy Hall of Fame induction (2021)
Data Insight

Ten lays out the Pearl Jam authorship template that holds for their whole career: Eddie Vedder writes every lyric, sitting alone in the lyricist column, while the music is composed by the band, mostly Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament on this album. There are no outside writers, so the record is fully self-authored, with the only variation being which members share each song's music credit.

Ten is the debut studio album by Pearl Jam, released in August 1991 and one of the records that carried grunge into the mainstream. Built on Mike McCready's classic-rock guitar leads and the rhythm section of Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, it pairs anthemic music with Eddie Vedder's brooding, narrative lyrics on songs like 'Alive,' 'Jeremy,' and 'Black.' The credits make the band's working method clear: Vedder wrote all of the lyrics while the music was composed mostly by Gossard and Ament, with contributions spread across the group. A slow-building success, it eventually became one of the best-selling rock debuts of all time, certified 13-times platinum in the United States. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Once
Eddie Vedder Stone Gossard Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
2
Even Flow
Eddie Vedder Stone Gossard Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
3
Alive
Eddie Vedder Stone Gossard Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
4
Why Go
Eddie Vedder Jeff Ament Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
5
Black
Eddie Vedder Stone Gossard Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
6
Jeremy
Eddie Vedder Jeff Ament Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
7
Oceans
Eddie Vedder Eddie VedderStone GossardJeff Ament Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
8
Porch
Eddie Vedder Eddie Vedder Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
9
Garden
Eddie Vedder Stone GossardJeff Ament Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
10
Deep
Eddie Vedder Stone GossardJeff Ament Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)
11
Release
Eddie Vedder Eddie VedderStone GossardJeff AmentMike McCreadyDave Krusen Rick ParasharPearl Jam Eddie Vedder (Lead Vocals)Mike McCready (Lead Guitar)Stone Gossard (Rhythm Guitar)Jeff Ament (Bass)Dave Krusen (Drums)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 7 contributors

More from Pearl Jam

Frequently Asked Questions Ten

Who wrote Pearl Jam's Ten?
Eddie Vedder wrote all of the lyrics, while the music was composed by the band, mostly Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, with the rest of the group contributing.
Who produced Ten?
The album was produced by Rick Parashar and Pearl Jam, with Tim Palmer handling the final mix.
What are the biggest songs on Ten?
'Alive,' 'Even Flow,' 'Jeremy,' and 'Black' are the album's best-known tracks, with 'Jeremy' becoming a defining MTV-era video.
How well did Ten sell?
It is certified 13-times platinum in the United States and is one of the best-selling rock debut albums ever.
Who played drums on Ten?
Dave Krusen played drums on Ten; he was the first of several drummers in Pearl Jam's early years.
Did Ten win any awards?
The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021, and 'Jeremy' won Video of the Year at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards.

Sources