Band · The Fab Four
Holds writing credit on 164 of 191 tracks
Yes, almost entirely. After a handful of covers on their first two albums, the band wrote nearly everything it recorded. Most songs carry the joint Lennon-McCartney credit, with George Harrison contributing a growing number, including 'Here Comes the Sun' and 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps.'
Across all 191 tracks: how many The Beatles 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 191 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Percentage of all 191 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.
| Member | Period | Lyrics | Music | Production | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Lennon Died December 8, 1980 | 1960-1970 | 74% |
74% |
0% |
49% |
| Paul McCartney Former | 1960-1970 | 74% |
74% |
0% |
45% |
| George Harrison Died November 29, 2001 | 1960-1970 | 12% |
12% |
0% |
16% |
| Ringo Starr Former | 1962-1970 | 3% |
3% |
0% |
8% |
| Pete Best Former | 1960-1962 | 0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
The Beatles's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
Where The Beatles 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.
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple Records
No albums from this decade.
The Beatles191 tracks
191George Martin, 191 tracks
12Phil Spector, 12 tracks
2Chuck Berry, 2 tracks
2Carl Perkins, 2 tracks
AA1Arthur Alexander, 1 track
GG1Gerry Goffin, 1 track
CK1Carole King, 1 track
LD1Luther Dixon, 1 track
WF1Wes Farrell, 1 track
MD1Mack David, 1 track
BB1Burt Bacharach, 1 track
BW1Barney Williams, 1 track
RM1Ric Marlow, 1 track
BS1Bobby Scott, 1 track
PM1Phil Medley, 1 track
BR1Bert Russell, 1 track
MW1Meredith Willson, 1 track
GD1Georgia Dobbins, 1 track
WG1William Garrett, 1 track
FG1Freddie Gorman, 1 track
BH1Brian Holland, 1 track
RB1Robert Bateman, 1 track
SR1Smokey Robinson, 1 track
RD1Richard Drapkin, 1 track
BG1Berry Gordy, 1 track
JB1Janie Bradford, 1 track
RL1Roy Lee Johnson, 1 track
JL1Jerry Leiber, 1 track
MS1Mike Stoller, 1 track
RP1Richard Penniman, 1 track
BH1Buddy Holly, 1 track
JR1Johnny Russell, 1 track
VM1Voni Morrison, 1 track
LW1Larry Williams, 1 track
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. AA Arthur Alexander · GG Gerry Goffin
Data Insight
The authorship data makes the Lennon-McCartney partnership quantifiable: on early albums they dominate nearly every track, but by the time of Revolver and the White Album, Harrison's growing share becomes visible. The high proportion of covers on the first two albums slightly pulls the member-credit score down, while from A Hard Day's Night onward the band wrote virtually everything they recorded.
Quick Facts
Creative Fingerprint
One of the most self-contained writing units in popular music: Lennon and McCartney wrote the overwhelming majority, George Harrison grew into a third writer, and after the early covers the band wrote nearly everything it recorded.
The Story
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960, comprising John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the most influential band in the history of popular music, pioneering styles from skiffle and beat music to psychedelic and art rock. Their commercial success, critical acclaim, and cultural impact fundamentally reshaped the entertainment industry and popular culture worldwide.