Biography
Who is John Martin?
Early life and background
John Martin Lindström was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He grew up in the Swedish capital. His father worked as a rally driver, but John chose a path in music rather than motorsport.
During his early teens, he learned about the Seattle rock scene and grunge through his older brother. At age 13, he bought his first electric guitar. He formed a rock band called Steroids with classmates, which played Nirvana covers at first.
Musical beginnings and success
The band Steroids eventually wrote original music and played in local bars and at school events. By the mid-2000s, they were active in the alternative rock scene in Stockholm. The group signed a record deal and recorded an album, though that project was never released.
During the final year of the band, John Martin met songwriter Michel Zitron at Berns. They began a musical partnership and collaborated with Swedish House Mafia to write Save the World. This track arrived on 22 April 2011 and reached number ten on the UK singles chart. It also hit number one on the American Hot Dance Club Songs chart and earned a Grammy nomination.
Career highlights and solo work
In 2012, he worked with Swedish House Mafia again on Don't You Worry Child. This song reached the top ten on the US Billboard chart and received a Grammy nomination. Through these projects, he toured global venues like Madison Square Garden and Alexandra Palace. He also played for 135,000 people over three days at Stockholm's Strawberry Arena.
John Martin shifted his focus to a solo career in 2014 after signing with Island Records. His single Anywhere for You reached fourth place on the UK Dance chart and achieved platinum status in Sweden. He later collaborated with Martin Garrix on Higher Ground and Won't Let You Go. In 2020, he worked with Gryffin on the track CRY. He also contributed to songs by David Guetta, ALOK, and Steve Aoki between 2021 and 2023.
Songwriting and VCATION
As a songwriter, John Martin has worked with many artists. These include Avicii on Fade into Darkness and Martin Garrix on tracks like Home and Real Love. He has also written for Alesso, Afrojack, Bob Moses, and Julian Lennon. Other collaborations include work with New Hope Club and Kat Cunning.
In 2018, he and Michel Zitron started the music project VCATION. They released their first single, Lay Low, to establish a more organic sound. The duo has since released several tracks such as When We Were Gold, Stairway to the Sun, and Miss U.
Birthday and age
John Martin was born on August 22, 1980, which makes John 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. John shares the date with 47 other famous people.
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