diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7f7c5cb..7609ad9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 node_modules
 .DS_Store
 .nyc_output/
+.tap
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b585f4..acd5225 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,14 +48,16 @@ npm i changelog-maker -g
 
 `github-user` and `github-project` should point to the GitHub repository that can be used to find the `PR-URL` data if just an issue number is provided and will also impact how the PR-URL issue numbers are displayed
 
-* `--format`:          dictates what formatting the output will have. Possible options are: `simple`, `markdown`, `plaintext`, and `sha`. The default is to print a `simple` output suitable for stdout.
+* `--format`:          dictates what formatting the output will have. Possible options are: `simple`, `markdown`, `plaintext`, `messageonly` and `sha`. The default is to print a `simple` output suitable for stdout.
   - `simple`:            don't print full markdown output, good for console printing without the additional fluff.
   - `sha`:               print only the 10-character truncated commit hashes.
   - `plaintext`:         a very simple form, without commit details, implies `--group`.
   - `markdown`:          a Markdown formatted from, with links and proper escaping.
+  - `messageonly`:       displays the commit message only, implies `--group`
 * `--sha`:             same as `--format=sha`.
 * `--plaintext`:       same as `--format=plaintext`.
 * `--markdown`:        same as `--format=markdown`.
+* `--messageonly`:     same as `--format=messageonly`.
 * `--group`:           reorder commits so that they are listed in groups where the `xyz:` prefix of the commit message defines the group. Commits are listed in original order _within_ group.
 * `--reverse`:         reverse the order of commits when printed, does not work with `--reverse`
 * `--commit-url`:      pass in a url template which will be used to generate commit URLs for a repository not hosted in Github. `{ref}` is the placeholder that will be replaced with the commit, i.e. `--commit-url=https://gitlab.com/myUser/myRepo/commit/{ref}`
diff --git a/commit-to-output.js b/commit-to-output.js
index 8acd536..7023ada 100644
--- a/commit-to-output.js
+++ b/commit-to-output.js
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ export const formatType = {
   SHA: 'sha',
   PLAINTEXT: 'plaintext',
   MARKDOWN: 'markdown',
-  SIMPLE: 'simple'
+  SIMPLE: 'simple',
+  MESSAGEONLY: 'messageonly'
 }
 
 function toStringPlaintext (data) {
@@ -90,6 +91,10 @@ function toStringMarkdown (data) {
         : s)
 }
 
+function toStringMessageOnly (data) {
+  return `  * ${data.summary.trim()}`
+}
+
 export function commitToOutput (commit, format, ghId, commitUrl) {
   const data = {}
   const prUrlMatch = commit.prUrl && commit.prUrl.match(/^https?:\/\/.+\/([^/]+\/[^/]+)\/\w+\/\d+$/i)
@@ -110,6 +115,8 @@ export function commitToOutput (commit, format, ghId, commitUrl) {
     return toStringSimple(data)
   } else if (format === formatType.PLAINTEXT) {
     return toStringPlaintext(data)
+  } else if (format === formatType.MESSAGEONLY) {
+    return toStringMessageOnly(data)
   }
 
   return toStringMarkdown(data)
diff --git a/process-commits.js b/process-commits.js
index 450ff43..f3fa685 100644
--- a/process-commits.js
+++ b/process-commits.js
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ function getFormat (argv) {
     return formatType.PLAINTEXT
   } else if (argv.markdown || argv.md) {
     return formatType.MARKDOWN
+  } else if (argv.messageonly || argv.mo) {
+    return formatType.MESSAGEONLY
   }
   return formatType.SIMPLE
 }
@@ -42,23 +44,26 @@ export async function processCommits (argv, ghId, list) {
 
   const format = getFormat(argv)
 
-  if (argv.group || argv.g || format === formatType.PLAINTEXT) {
+  if (argv.group || argv.g || format === formatType.PLAINTEXT || format === formatType.MESSAGEONLY) {
     list = groupCommits(list)
   }
 
   if (format === formatType.SHA) {
     list = list.map((commit) => `${commit.sha.substr(0, 10)}`)
-  } else if (format === formatType.PLAINTEXT) {
+  } else if (
+    format === formatType.PLAINTEXT ||
+    format === formatType.MESSAGEONLY
+  ) {
     const formatted = []
 
     let currentGroup
     for (const commit of list) {
       const commitGroup = toGroups(commit.summary)
       if (currentGroup !== commitGroup) {
-        formatted.push(`${commitGroup}:`)
+        formatted.push(commitGroup ? `${commitGroup}:` : '')
         currentGroup = commitGroup
       }
-      formatted.push(commitToOutput(commit, formatType.PLAINTEXT, ghId, commitUrl))
+      formatted.push(commitToOutput(commit, format, ghId, commitUrl))
     }
     list = formatted
   } else {
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index c984436..27fe14e 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ test:
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('test messageonly', (t) => {
+  t.equal(exec('--start-ref=9c700d2 --end-ref=dd937e9 --group --filter-release --messageonly'),
+    `feature:
+  * refactor and improve --commit-url
+test:
+  * update refs for testing
+`)
+  t.end()
+})
+
 test('test group, semver labels, PR-URL', (t) => {
   t.equal(exec('--start-ref=v2.2.7 --end-ref=9c700d29 --group --filter-release'),
   `${chalk.green.bold('* [cc442b6534] - (SEMVER-MINOR) minor nit (Rod Vagg) https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/23715')}