Sam Fender's impressive career timeline so far
The Geordie singer has taken the world by storm
Last updated 30th Apr 2024
Sam Fender needs little introduction. Following his debut track 'Play God' featuring on the 2019 FIFA video game, he quickly became the talk of the town, with his debut album 'Hypersonic Missiles' topping the UK Chart.
Years later, Sam now has two studio albums under his belt, with chart-topping songs, a whole host of awards and has plenty of sold-out shows lined up with his band.
Coming from a musical family, with both his father and brother also being musicians, Sam's talents were clear from a young age. The Geordie singer rounded off a huge 2023, which saw two sold-out shows in Newcastle's St James' Park and headlining Reading & Leeds Festival - so let's go back to the beginning and take a look at his meteoric rise to fame...
Sam Fender's career journey - a timeline:
Early beginnings
Receiving his first guitar when he was eight-years-old, Sam began to learn how to play, becoming proficient by the age of 10. At just 12-years-old, Sam met his friend Dean Thompson, who he began to play guitar alongside. The pair performed in front of an audience for the first time over the following year, appearing at his brother's street performer nights and family events. Sam and Dean would play Jimmy Hendrix covers, and at later gigs began to cover bands such as Kings of Leon.
Sam had his sights set on becoming a professional musician, with the singer saying: "When I hit 13 it was the only thing I wanted from life."
2008 - Sam began writing songs
Sam began writing songs at just 14-years-old. Over the following year, he took inspiration from the likes of Jeff Buckley and Bruce Springsteen, and played with his band in local pubs. The singer has since said that in his early song-writing, his desire to "do well" led to him writing songs that he thought would be popular.
More recently, Sam has described his musical influences as artists such as Jimmy Page, Tom Petty and Slash, as well as music that his mum and dad would 'play around the house'. He said that was: "Everything from Donny Hathaway to the Beatles and Aretha Franklin, and Steely Dan and all the old great stuff."
2011 - 2012 - Television debut
Despite Sam now being known for his monumental success in the music industry, some of his earliest jobs were actually on the box! When he was 15-years-old, Sam appeared on the pilot episode of ITV drama Vera, which aired in 2011, where he played a murdered teen named Luke Armstrong. Sam also appeared on CBBC fantasy series Wolfblood in 2012, where he played a character named Dean.
You can watch a clip of Sam Fender on ITV's Vera here on Twitter.
Sam's skills on the screen seem to have impressed, as years later Sam was in fact asked to be in pop star Ariana Grande's music video for her song 'Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored', however turned the job down due to shooting his 'Play God' video on the same day.
2013 - Career beginnings
Sam's music career began to take off at just 18-years-old, performing in his hometown of North Shields. Performing in the Low Lights Tavern, a pub where he worked, and the Surf Café, he was soon spotted by Owain Davies - who managed 'Only Love' singer Ben Howard. Owain took Sam on as a client, with 2013 seeing him playing a series of gigs throughout the country. Sam also supported a number of artists, including Ben Howard and Willy Mason.
Speaking about Owain, Sam said: "I was lucky. I was working in a pub and Ben Howard's manager had come home to celebrate winning a Brit Award. I was behind the bar pulling pints. My boss told me to get my guitar out and play something," revealing that Owain soon: "Put his money where his mouth was and invested in me."
Speaking about his humble beginning, Sam said: "Without the Low Lights, I wouldn't be here. It's the scene where it all started. I don't believe in fate, I really really don't, but the night that Owain walked into that pub really really makes me question its existence." He then described his discovery as a 'Disney film'.
In 2015, at the age of 20, Sam took some time out due to a major health scare. Through his recovery, Sam refocused his songwriting efforts and he began to write songs for himself.
2017 - Debut single and breakthrough
On 30th March 2017, Sam released his debut single 'Play God' independently. The track marked the beginning of a successful career for Sam, and serves as one of his most popular releases to date. Along with his band, consisting of Dean Thompson, Joe Atkinson, Tom Ungerer and Drew Michael, Sam began to play various shows and tour with support slots for different artists.
2017 also saw Sam release further singles such as 'Friday Fighting', 'Millennial', 'Start Again' and 'Greasy Spoon', with his popularity beginning to largely grow.
2018 - First signing and ‘Dead Boys’
June 2018 saw Sam sign his first record deal, signing with Polydor Records. He soon released his track 'Dead Boys', from his EP of the same name, which was released on 20th November 2018 and featured other songs such as 'That Sound', 'Poundshop Kardashian', 'Spice' and 'Leave Fast'.
The track 'Dead Boys' is now widely considered his breakthrough hit, with Sam performing the song on Later… with Jools Holland. Gaining further mainstream attention, 'Play God' was later featured on the soundtrack for the FIFA 19 video game.
Dealing with the topic of male suicide, Sam wrote the song following the tragic loss of a close friend, who sadly took is own life. To this day, the emotive and poignant song is still widely praised, with a fan even reaching out to describe how 'Dead Boys' saved his life. After discussing his apprehension to release the song as he "didn't want to be seen as capitalising on a tragedy or using suicide as a way to be controversial", Sam revealed: "It's definitely done more good than it did bad."
He continued: "There was a guy who was on his way to kill himself and he was driving his car. He was going to drive his car off the road and I was on the radio and doing a chat about Dead Boys and singing a song and the presenter got an email six months later and I got tied into the email as well, and it was basically saying that he heard what was on the radio and because of that chat on the show he pulled over, cried his eyes out, went home to his wife and said he needed help."
The 'Dead Boys' EP was certified Gold by the BPI in April 2024 - meaning that its seen over 100,000 sales in the UK. Pretty impressive stuff!
2018 - Headline tour
After the release of his EP 'Dead Boys', Sam and his band embarked on a headline tour. The tour included three sold-out shows in London, as well as one in Newcastle, as well as him heading on a 13-date European and Australian tour. In December, he also joined Blossoms on tour, and was soon selected by Vevo as an artist to watch.
Alongside the EP's release, he embarked on a headline tour including three sold-out shows at the London's Omeara club and one at Newcastle University and toured with Blossoms in December.
2019 - 'Hypersonic Missiles'
With his band line-up completed by saxophonist Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis, Sam Fender's debut album 'Hypersonic Missiles' was released on 13th September 2019. After debuting at the Number 1 spot on the UK Albums Chart, it sold over 41,000 copies in the first week. Including huge tracks such as 'The Borders', 'Will We Talk?', 'Dead Boys', 'Play God' and the lead single 'Hypersonic Missiles', the album is now certified Platinum.
Prior to the album's release, Sam appeared on The Graham Norton Show in May 2019. He continued to tour and play sell-out shows, however in mid-2019 had to cancel a number of shows, including Glastonbury Festival, due to vocal injury. After a month of rest, however, Sam was back in action - soon playing support for Bob Dylan and Neil Young in Hyde Park, and even setting a record for the fastest-selling show at the Mouth of the Tyne Festival. As headliner, Sam sold out the festival within 40 minutes. 2019 also saw Sam perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, gracing the show with his popular track 'Will We Talk?'
2019 - 2020 - BRIT Award win
Following the monumental success of his debut album, Sam was awarded the 2019 BRITs Rising Star Award (formerly known as the Critics' Choice Award). Immortalising his win, Sam kept to his word and displayed his BRIT Award at the Low Lights Tavern - the pub in which he used to work, and was discovered by manager Owain Davies.
The award currently sits on the bar, serving as a pump for one of the pub's beer taps.
The following year, in 2020, Sam bagged another BRIT Award nomination, this time for Best New Artist, however lost out to 'Someone You Loved' singer Lewis Capaldi.
2020 - Elton John performance and headline tour
Elton John has described Sam as a 'very close friend' in the past, and their friendship in fact dates back years. In 2020, Elton personally invited Sam to perform at his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party, which took place after the Oscars. Elton joined Sam on stage as the pair performed his track 'Will We Talk?'
Since then, Sam has often written and recorded songs in Elton John's home. He even popped along to an A-list dinner party at the 'Hold Me Closer' legends house, with the likes of pop star Dua Lipa and Scissor Sisters icon star Jake Shears.
2020 - Socially distanced gig
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, shows across the globe were cancelled as social distancing was introduced and we entered various lockdowns. On 11th August, however, Sam provided us all with the UK's first socially distanced outdoor gig! Serving as the first large-scale socially distanced outdoor concert in the UK, Sam took to the stage at Gosforth Park, in his native North East.
Taking place in Newcastle Racecourse, a total of 2,500 people attended the historic gig, all standing in 500 mini enclosures, each 2 metres apart and holding up to five people.
You can see photos of Sam Fender's socially distanced gig here.
2020 - Winter Song
On 24th November 2020, Sam released his track 'Winter Song' - a cover of a Lindisfarne track from 1970. The release was used to raise money for street newspaper The Big Issue. On its release, Sam told NME: "I wanted to do a Christmas song, and wanted it to be close to my home and my heart. For me, the words are more relevant this year than ever. Christmas won't be the same for a lot of people this year, and that's why I picked Winter Song. Alan Hull truly was one of the most fantastic and underrated writers of his time. Geordie legend. I hope I've done it justice, I'm really proud of it."
Speaking of the music video released to accompany the track, Sam said: "So we got together with People Of The Streets, and I think it's sort of the first time you get to see the perspective of homeless people. You hear stats and statistics and you see the figures and it's horrible, but you don't actually see the human side of it. When you watch the video it's stunning and I was choking up the first time that I watched it. It's human and it makes it a lot more personal and a lot more close to home."
2021 - ‘Seventeen Going Under’
The following year saw the release of Sam's first single from his second studio album, 'Seventeen Going Under'. The single was released on 7th July, with the full album of the same name later released on 8th October.
The track 'Seventeen Going Under' was an instant hit, hitting the Number 3 spot in the UK Singles Chart. Now certified 2x Platinum in the UK alone, it serves as one of Sam's most successful releases of all time.
When it comes to the meaning behind the passionate track, it relates back to Sam's youth, talking about struggles, thoughts and experiences he had whilst growing up.
2021 - ‘Spit Of You’
Another single from his second album, 'Spit Of You', was released on 27th September 2021, ahead of the full album release. With the song already hugely popular, the music video quickly caught the eyes of many fans, with Line Of Duty actor Stephen Graham starring as Sam's dad. The music video was released on 6th October 2021, and has accumulated well over 6 million views on YouTube - and counting.
The video echoes the themes of the song, with the Liverpool actor - who previously starred in hits such as Help, This Is England, Time and Boiling Point - playing Sam's father, showing the somewhat strained relationship they have.
Speaking about the video, Sam said: 'This video is so beast! It was the most amazing experience to film with Stephen Graham, genuinely one of the best actors this country has ever seen and such a lovely bloke. So proud of this one!!'
2021 - 2022 - Awards
In the following years, Sam picked up numerous awards and nominations, mostly following the roaring success of his second album. The album saw Sam nominated for three awards in 2022 - those being British Artist of the Year, British Album of the Year and Best British Alternative/Rock Act, with Sam winning the latter.
As well as numerous other award nominations, including NME, Ivor Novello and Mercury Prize, he bagged a UK Music Video Award for Best Rock Video thanks to 'Spit Of You'.
2022 - Glastonbury
Due to previous cancellations due to the pandemic, June 2022 saw Glastonbury return with an incredible line-up that did not leave fans disappointed. In what was the festival's first full day of music after a two-year absence, Sam Fender took to the stage to perform some of his biggest tracks.
Sam's set-list included: 'Will We Talk?', 'Getting Started', 'The Borders', 'Spice', 'Howdon Aldi Death Queue','Get You Down', 'Spit of You', 'Seventeen Going Under' and 'Hypersonic Missiles'.
Other huge acts included former Led Zeppelin front-man Robert Plant and Rufus Wainwright, with Billie Eilish serving as main headliner.
2022 - Break for mental health
In September 2022, Sam shared a post to his Instagram page explaining that in order to work on his mental health, he was taking some time away. Although he had to cancel some live performances and appearances, Sam assured fans he would return for his show in Australia in late November of that year.
In an open and honest post, Sam wrote: 'It seems completely hypocritical of me to advocate discussion on mental health and write songs about it if I don't take the time to look after my own mental health.
'I've neglected myself for over a year now and haven't dealt with things that have deeply affected me. It's impossible to do this work on myself while on the road, and it's exhausting feigning happiness and wellness for the sake of business. My friends and colleagues have been worried about me for a while and it's not going to get better unless I take the time to do so.'
He went on to thank fans for their support, and express his excitement for his return in the following months - including a show in Australia and his 2023 homecoming gig in Newcastle.
Upon his return to performing, Sam shared a short video from his Melbourne show on Instagram, saying: 'Soo nice to be back in Australia!! Melbourne that was absolutely insane!' (sic)
2022 - ‘Seventeen Going Under Live Deluxe’ album
On 9th December 2022, Sam released a deluxe version of his second album, titled 'Seventeen Going Under Live Deluxe'. The album featured new tracks titled 'Little Bull Of Blithe' and 'Wild Grey Ocean', as well as 'Live From Finsbury Park' on a bonus disc.
Sam took to Instagram to reveal that 'Little Bull Of Blithe' was in fact about his Grandma, who sadly passed away while he was making his second album. He wrote: 'she used to call me 'a little bull of blithe' as I was always crashing in through the door like a bull in a china shop.' (sic)
2023 - Newcastle's St James’ Park gigs
The exciting news was announced in September 2022 that Sam would be heading to his hometown of Newcastle in 2023, for huge gigs at St James' Park. Playing two shows, Sam described the concerts as a "childhood dream come true".
Sam was initially set to play just one date, on 9th June 2023 - the same day as the city's famous Blaydon Race. Due to a frenzied reaction from fans to the first show, the singer added an extra date the following night - Saturday 10th June.
The shows took place in Newcastle's famous football stadium, and made him the first Geordie musician to headline the 55,000+ capacity stadium. The historic show even saw Sam bring out none other than ACDC legend Brian Johnson, on Saturday 10th June, with the pair duetting tracks such as 'Back In Black' and Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm on Fire'.
2023 - Headline Reading & Leeds Festival
Reading & Leeds Festival organisers announced six huge headline acts for their 2023 events - including none other than Sam Fender. Taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend of Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August 2023, Sam joins the impressive list of headliners which includes the likes of The Killers, Billie Eilish, Foals, Imagine Dragons and Lewis Capaldi.
On bagging his headline spot, Sam wrote: 'I first went to Leeds festival 10 years ago as a teenager, me and Deano spent the entire week launching hot dogs out of a gazebo pole at random crowds of lads chanting 'Yorkshire Yorkshire'. One night I was out cold in my tent from necking a bottle of vodka at Eagles of Death Metal my tent got set alight - some fine young hero from Sheffield pissed out the fire to save me. Thankfully because of that lad whose name I can't remember, I didn't perish in the flames, little did he know he'd just saved Reading and Leeds's 2023 headliner. See you down the front x'. (sic)
2023 - Sam honours 4 years of 'Hypersonic Missiles'
On 13th September 2023, Sam honoured the 4th anniversary of his 13-track debut album 'Hypersonic Missiles'. Taking to Instagram, he shared some behind-the-scenes footage and images from the last four years of his career, captioning the clip: '4 years since we released Hypersonic Missiles 🚀🤯 What a journey - thanks for all the love ❤️'.
2024 - Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes
In February 2024, it was announced that Mark Knopfler had drafted in over 60 iconic musicians under the moniker 'Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes', in order to create a charity remake of his legendary 1983 instrumental track 'Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)'.
Sam joined the incredible line-up, with the track released on 15th March 2024. Featuring Mark Knopfler himself, and the track opening with Jeff Beck's final recording before his untimely death in 2023, proceeds from the newly-expanded nine-minute instrumental epic will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust and its American equivalent Teen Cancer America.
You can listen to the track right here, and find out how to download it.
You can hear tracks by Sam Fender on Absolute Radio.
Now read:
Sam Fender: Get to know the 'Spit Of You' hitmaker
16 of Sam Fender's biggest songs and the meanings behind them
11 of Arctic Monkeys' biggest songs