The White Stripes

Band · Two people, three colours, six albums

Photo: Fabio Venni from London, UK; modified by anetode · CC BY-SA 2.0
Active 1997-2011
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Albums 6
Tracks 86
Most frequent collaborator Robert Johnson · 1 tracks
Genres Garage RockBlues RockAlternative Rock
Artist
92%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 79 of 86 tracks

Did Jack White write all the White Stripes songs?

Nearly. He wrote 79 of the 86 tracks across the six albums, and every one of the seven exceptions is a cover: Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down", Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee", Son House's "Death Letter", Blind Willie McTell's "Your Southern Can Is Mine", the traditional "St. James Infirmary Blues", Bacharach and David's "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" and Corky Robbins's "Conquest". No outside writer appears on an original.

By the Numbers

6
Studio Albums
86
Tracks Credited
92%
Self-Written
14
Years Active
12
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 79 / 86 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 86 tracks: how many The White Stripes 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.

The White Stripes has a writing credit92%
90%
2%
8%
Sole author77tracks90%
Co-written2tracks2%
Outside writers7tracks8%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
The White Stripes's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 86 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)92%
Composer (music)92%
Producer100%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 86 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Jack White 1997-2011
92%
92%
100%
0%
Meg White 1997-2011
0%
91%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

The White Stripes's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 92%
82%
85%
100%
93%
100%
92%
1999The White Stripes
2000De Stijl
2001White Blood Cells
2003Elephant
2005Get Behind Me Satan
2007Icky Thump
Early · 83% written
Mid · 97% written
Late · 96% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

82%
1990s
The White Stripes
94%
2000s
De Stijl, White Blood Cells +3 more

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where The White Stripes 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.

The White Stripes
Other artists on the site

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

Kenny Chesney20%
Britney Spears32%
Eric Clapton40%
Santana59%
Destiny's Child69%
Counting Crows83%
Arctic Monkeys100%
92%The White Stripes
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Fell in Love with a Girl
White Blood Cells
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
White Blood Cells
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Hotel Yorba
White Blood Cells
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Seven Nation Army
Elephant
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself
Elephant
Written by Hal David, Burt Bacharach
Outside writers
The Hardest Button to Button
Elephant
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Blue Orchid
Get Behind Me Satan
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
My Doorbell
Get Behind Me Satan
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
The Denial Twist
Get Behind Me Satan
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Icky Thump
Icky Thump
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)
Icky Thump
Written by Jack White, John Anthony Gillis, Megan Martha White
Wrote it
Conquest
Icky Thump
Written by Corky Robbins
Outside writers

Discography 6 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

The White Stripes86 tracks
RJ1Robert Johnson, 1 track SG1Stephen Gillis, 1 track 1Bob Dylan, 1 track JP1Joe Primrose, 1 track 1Son House, 1 track EJ1Eddie James "Son" House, 1 track BW1Blind Willie McTell, 1 track WS1William Samuel "Blind Willie" McTell, 1 track HD1Hal David, 1 track BB1Burt Bacharach, 1 track MC1Mort Crim, 1 track CR1Corky Robbins, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. RJ Robert Johnson · SG Stephen Gillis · JP Joe Primrose · EJ Eddie James "Son" House

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

Jack White wrote 79 of the 86 tracks the band released, and every one of the seven he did not is a cover: Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Son House, Blind Willie McTell, Bacharach and David, a Corky Robbins mariachi song and a traditional. There is no outside writer anywhere else in the catalogue. Meg White is credited differently: the articles split the credit so that Jack writes the lyrics and the two of them compose the music together, which is why her name is in the composer column on nearly every track and never in the lyricist column.

Quick Facts

  • The line-upJack White on guitar, piano and vocals, Meg White on drums, and nobody else
  • Real namesJack is John Anthony Gillis and Meg is Megan Martha White
  • Signature song"Seven Nation Army", which became a stadium chant worldwide
  • AwardsSix Grammys from eleven nominations, plus a Brit Award
  • Hall of FameInducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025
  • AuthorshipJack White wrote 79 of the 86 tracks; the other seven are covers

Creative Fingerprint

One writer for the words, both of them for the music, and covers for everything else.

The Story

The White Stripes were Jack and Meg White, a Detroit duo who made six albums between 1999 and 2007 and stopped in 2011. Jack wrote almost everything and played almost everything; Meg played the drums. "Seven Nation Army" from Elephant became one of the most recognised riffs of the century. They won six Grammys and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.

Awards & Recognition

Six Grammy Awards from eleven nominations
Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album for Elephant at the 2004 Grammy Awards
Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for "Seven Nation Army" at the same ceremony
A Brit Award from six nominations
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025
White Blood Cells and Elephant both appear on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

Frequently Asked Questions The White Stripes

Did Jack White write all the White Stripes songs?
Nearly. He wrote 79 of the 86 tracks across the six albums, and every one of the seven exceptions is a cover: Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down", Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee", Son House's "Death Letter", Blind Willie McTell's "Your Southern Can Is Mine", the traditional "St. James Infirmary Blues", Bacharach and David's "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" and Corky Robbins's "Conquest". No outside writer appears on an original.
Did Meg White write any songs?
The albums credit the lyrics to Jack and the music to both of them, so Meg's name is in the composer column on nearly every original but never in the lyricist column. That is how the liner notes split it rather than a judgement about who did what in the room.
How many albums did The White Stripes release?
Six: The White Stripes in 1999, De Stijl in 2000, White Blood Cells in 2001, Elephant in 2003, Get Behind Me Satan in 2005 and Icky Thump in 2007.
Who wrote "Seven Nation Army"?
Jack White wrote the lyrics and he and Meg White are credited with the music, as on every original the band released. It won the Grammy for Best Rock Song in 2004.
Were Jack and Meg White married?
They were married from 1996 to 2000 and continued as a band afterwards, presenting themselves publicly as siblings for much of the band's life.
How many Grammys did they win?
Six, from eleven nominations. Elephant won Best Alternative Music Album and "Seven Nation Army" won Best Rock Song, both in 2004.
Which White Stripes album sold the most?
Elephant, with over four million copies worldwide and 2,100,000 in the United States.
Why do the chart peaks here come from the UK?
Only three White Stripes singles ever entered the Billboard Hot 100. They charted consistently on the UK Singles Chart and on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart, so UK positions are used here and labelled on the page.
Why did the band break up?
They stopped performing after the 2007 tour behind Icky Thump and formally dissolved in 2011. Jack White had already started other projects and continued as a solo artist.
Are they in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes, inducted in 2025, after being nominated in 2023 in their first year of eligibility.

Sources

Wikipedia: The White Stripes Wikipedia: The White Stripes discography Wikipedia: Jack White Wikipedia: Meg White