Band
Holds writing credit on 66 of 66 tracks
Yes, entirely. System of a Down are credited on 100% of their catalogue, with no outside writers. Guitarist Daron Malakian writes most of the music and much of the lyrics, alongside singer Serj Tankian. Songs like 'Chop Suey!,' 'Toxicity,' and 'B.Y.O.B.' are all their own work.
Across all 66 tracks: how many System of a Down 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.
Share of all 66 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Percentage of all 66 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.
| Member | Period | Lyrics | Music | Production | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serj Tankian | 1994-present | 76% |
17% |
0% |
100% |
| Daron Malakian | 1994-present | 55% |
88% |
80% |
100% |
| Shavo Odadjian | 1994-present | 0% |
17% |
0% |
0% |
| John Dolmayan | 1997-present | 2% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
| Andy Khachaturian | 1994-1997 | 0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
System of a Down's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
Where System of a Down 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.
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
None of the signature songs above fall in this category.
American Recordings
American Recordings
American Recordings
American Recordings
American Recordings
No albums from this decade.
System of a Down66 tracks
66Rick Rubin, 66 tracks
Bubble size = tracks worked on together.
Data Insight
System of a Down's songwriting is dominated by guitarist Daron Malakian, who writes the bulk of the music and, increasingly across the catalog, much of the lyrics as well. Vocalist Serj Tankian is the other principal author, especially of lyrics on the earlier records, while Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan pick up occasional co-writing credits. The arc of the catalog shows Malakian moving from co-writer to near-dominant author by the time of Mezmerize and Hypnotize.
Quick Facts
Creative Fingerprint
A fully self-writing band: System of a Down are credited on 100% of their catalogue, with guitarist Daron Malakian writing most of the music and, over time, much of the lyrics, alongside singer Serj Tankian.
The Story
System of a Down are an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California in 1994. Known for the politically charged lyrics of vocalist Serj Tankian and the genre-bending compositions of guitarist Daron Malakian, they broke through with 2001's Toxicity and became one of the most distinctive metal acts of the 2000s. Their five studio albums, released in a tight span between 1998 and 2005, remain their entire full-length catalog.