What was the average number of songwriters on a song in 2021?

If you were to randomly poll 100 people and ask what the average number of writers on a song is, they might struggle to guess correctly. Luckily, that answer can be found in Blokur’s 2021 Songwriters’ Review, which revealed that an average of 4.4 people were featured in the top 100 songs. And, if you’re at all shocked by how high that is, it’s actually a drop from the previous year’s five.

You may also be curious why there are this many writers credited for one song in the first place, along with what has driven this decrease in songwriters compared to 2020 — Let’s take a look at a few potential answers to these questions.

Why are there so many songwriters on a song?

The truth is several factors can lead to a song’s creation and the number of songwriters on it.

In today’s industry, rarely is it that someone sits with a guitar alone and pens a song that becomes a chart-topping hit we sing for years. One possible explanation is that technology has made it easier to make songs and share them worldwide. In addition, with so many people contributing to the global saturation of music, the increased competition means it’s more crucial than ever to have a song stand out as a hit.

For teams looking to create a chart-topper, it is common to hire specialists to assist with various aspects of the songwriting process. Experts in specific fields can be asked to help with melodies, lyrics, instrumentals, and other elements of a song. Often, this results in multiple people being credited for their involvement in the process.

Contrary to what some might believe, it isn’t only performing artists who do not write their own music that employ others to collaborate with them. Even the likes of Ed Sheeran, Adele and Taylor Swift, who are all well-known for their songwriting, often have others who contribute to their creative works.

ed sheerans track list for equals

Ed Sheeran’s track list for album ‘=’

Something else that leads to an increased number of songwriters on one song is the use of sampling, which is when one song takes a cut from another and incorporates it into a new piece. Think of Eminem’s hit song “Stan” which sampled Dido’s “Thank You”. This is one example of how the talents and previous works of artists can be adopted into new musical creations.

As time goes on, you’ll hear a lot of the same songs that were popular years ago recycled into new versions. Every time a sample is used, those who wrote the original piece should be credited as songwriters in the new release.

With all that said, why did the average number of songwriters credited on a song decrease in 2021?

avg number of songwriters

Graph extract from the 2021 Songwriters’ Review

The 17 percentage point drop in the number of Rap singles in 2021’s top 100 may help explain the fall in the average number of writers on a song.

Sampling is widespread in Rap music, and when a sample is used, rappers must give credit to the song’s original authors. An example of this is Travis Scott’s 2018 hit “Sicko Mode”. The song credits 30 writers, including the late rapper, The Notorious B.I.G., whose song “Gimme the Loot”is sampled.

Rappers also tend to collaborate frequently concerning the lyrics of a song. Every time a singer sings a chorus or two or more rappers collaborate on a song, the result is a number of artists needing to be credited for the finished work.

Can we expect the average number of songwriters on a song to continue its decline in 2022?

taylor swift

Drake and Taylor Swift (Cosmopolitanme.com)

Whether or not the average number of songwriters per song will increase or decline next year is hard to predict. If we look at those who have released albums in 2022, key influencers may be the likes of Taylor Swift, who has occupied the charts since the release of her album Midnights. Other potential influencers are Drake and 21 Savage, who released their joint album Her Loss this year.

The critical thing about Swift is that she’s often credited with the lion’s share of her songwriting. In contrast, Her Loss by Drake and 21 Savage has several writers credited for each song.

Which will have more influence is one of many things we can anticipate will be answered in the 2022 Songwriters’ Review next year.


To read more about this topic and others, download Blokur’s 2021 Songwriters’ Review.