Sam Fender: Get to know the 'Spit Of You' hitmaker
From BRIT Awards to sold out shows
Sam Fender has made serious waves in the music industry since his debut single 'Play God' in 2017. Thrown into the spotlight after the song appeared on the soundtrack for video game FIFA 19, the Geordie singer has been hugely popular ever since, with his second album 'Seventeen Going Under' debuting at Number 1 in the charts, and a third soon to be released.
As well as taking his album on an arena tour, Sam and his band were also a headline act at Reading & Leeds Festival 2023, after playing two huge homecoming gigs in Newcastle. As they prepare to hit the road again in December on their 'People Watching Tour', after the release of his epic lead single from his third album, read on to find out everything you need to know about Sam Fender, his songs and career - including his break from the spotlight...
Who is Sam Fender?
Sam is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from North Shields, in the North East of England. Not only that - but he has also been an actor, believe it or not, appearing in the 2011 pilot of Vera and CBBC's Wolfblood.
Although Sam Fender might seem like an excellent choice for a stage name, it genuinely is his real name - he was born Samuel Thomas Fender to parents Alan and Shirley.
Sam has an older brother called Liam Fender, who's also a musician and joined him on stage in April 2022 to perform 'The Dying Light' at Newcastle Arena. Speaking in an October 2022 interview with NME, Liam spoke about how there's "absolutely no rivalry" between the brothers, who have a nine-year age gap.
"We’re two very different artists," he explained, adding: "I think we’ve inspired each other over the years. If I gave him advice, he wouldn’t listen. Same if he tried to give me any advice. We do talk about the madness of it all though, and have a laugh about it all.
"We’ve both always followed our own path though, and don’t like to interfere beyond listening to what each other are working on."
How old is he?
His birthday is 25th April 1994, making him currently 30-years-old.
Sam seemed to celebrate his 29th birthday in style, indulging in a Collin the Caterpillar cake alongside his friends. Taking to his Instagram to thank his fans for the love, the singer also laughed: 'Dean slammed a full Collin the Caterpillar in ma face. Thanks for all the birthday love ❤️ @deanedwardthompson'. (sic)
Where's he from?
He's a Geordie lad! Wor Sammy is from North Shields near Newcastle upon Tyne, and of course supports Newcastle United Football Club. In 2019, the singer got to meet his Newcastle hero Alan Shearer, taking to Instagram with a photo of the moment: 'Yesterday, @alanshearer gave me my number 1 album trophy in the king street club in my hometown 😆
'I’m so proud of this album, because it’s exactly what a debut album should be; raw, naive, heartfelt and a little over the top at times! But the thing I’m most proud of is the people who recorded it and the place it was recorded.
'This album was made in North Shields, in a studio we built in a derelict car garage by me and my best friends, all normal kids, from North Shields, Whitley Bay, Blyth, Newcastle, The Wirral and even France! They will forever be my family, and I’m eternally grateful to be in their company ❤️
'Thank you so much to everyone who believed and supported us along the way! I can’t wait to see you all on the road!' (sic).
Is he going on tour?
Yes, Sam Fender is heading on tour in December 2024. The tour was announced on 18th October 2024, with pre-sale access granted upon pre-ordering Sam's third studio album. Just under a week after the initial announcement, Sam added three extra dates to the trek.
The tour, titled the 'People Watching Tour', is set to begin on 2nd December 2024, and will travel through arenas around the UK & Ireland. Opening in Dublin on Monday 2nd, Sam and his band will perform in Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Glasgow, before concluding with a homecoming show in Newcastle on Friday 20th.
Extra shows were added to Manchester, London and Glasgow. You can check out all 10 tour dates below.
The tour will then see the gang travel overseas in March 2025, performing shows in Paris, Tilburg, Zurich, Cologne, Bergamo, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels — before heading to London, and Sam's hometown of Newcastle in June. You can check out the 2024 UK & Ireland dates below, and find out more about the tour here.
Sam Fender UK & Ireland tour dates:
DECEMBER 2024
Dublin 3Arena – Mon 2nd
Leeds First Direct Arena – Wed 4th
Manchester Co Op Live – Fri 6th
Manchester Co Op Live – Sat 7th (NEW DATE)
London O2 Arena – Tue 10th
London O2 Arena – Thur 12th (NEW DATE)
Birmingham Utilita Arena – Fri 13th
Glasgow OVO Hydro – Mon 16th
Glasgow OVO Hydro – Tue 17th (NEW DATE)
Newcastle Upon Tyne Utilita Arena – Fri 20th
Buy Sam Fender tickets
Who is in his band?
Sam Fender's band consists of six members - Joe Atkinson, Dean Thompson, Drew Michael, Tom Ungerer, Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis, and the latest addition Brooke Bentham. Find out about all of the members of the band, including what they play and their relationship with Sam.
Sam Fender - Lead vocals and guitar
Starting with Sam himself, the musician leads the band with his recognisable vocals, as well as talents on the guitar. Sam is also a gifted songwriter, with his credits on multiple songs, including 'Seventeen Going Under', expanding to composer, glockenspiel and piano.
Read up on everything there is to know about Sam, as well as his impressive career so far and the meanings behind some of his biggest songs.
Joe Atkinson - Keyboards, synth and guitar
On keyboard, synth and guitar is 28-year-old Joe Atkinson - a close friend of Sam's, with the pair's friendship dating back to High School. When the boys first became friends, Joe was a member of another band called Lisbon. After Sam convinced Joe to part ways with the group and join him instead, the rest was history.
Dean Thompson - Lead guitar
Dean Thompson, 29, takes on the lead guitar role in the band, with his and Sam's friendship dating much further back to just 12-years-old. Dean and Sam would play guitar with each other, and began performing in front of audiences just one year after becoming friends - with their first gig being Dean's uncle's birthday. The pair would cover many classic rock songs, as well as artists such as Jimmy Hendrix and Kings of Leon.
Drew Michael - Drums
It was then at Newcastle College that Dean Thompson met Drew Michael - who now plays the drums in Sam Fender's band. Drew is originally from Blyth, Northumberland, and played in many different bands before Sam snapped him up. Upon meeting Sam, it only took a couple of rehearsals with Drew for him to be cemented in a permanent role in the band.
Tom Ungerer - Bass
On bass duties is Tom Ungerer - who is originally from the South of France. Prior to playing in Sam's band, Tom was a member of a group called Them Things, who he toured with and helped gain a relatively large following. Them Things performed around the UK, in locations such as London and Brighton, however Tom left the band to join Sam's line-up.
Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis - Saxophone
Last but not least is Sam's legendary saxophone player - Johnny Davis, or as he is more fondly known, Johnny Blue Hat. A solo saxophonist, Johnny began working with Sam in January 2019 and completed the band's final line-up. Prior to joining the band, and providing sax solos in songs such as 'The Borders', Johnny had also previously achieved high success as he worked with huge names such as The Who's Roger Daltrey, and the Blues Brothers' Lou Marini.
Often sporting a blue bucket hat over the years, Johnny gained himself the nickname Johnny Blue Hat - and, similar to fellow members of the band, can often be seen donning the Newcastle United football strip.
Mark Webb - Trumpet
On trumpet duties is Mark Webb, who is also a North East native. Mark has played the trumpet in Sam Fender's band since 2021, having played in bands such as the Northumberland County Youth Jazz Orchestra, and the Sage Gateshead's regional Big Band 'Jambone' from an early age - similar to Johnny 'Blue Hat'.
Brooke Bentham
In August 2024, Sam and Brooke announced that she was the latest addition to the band, with the pair both sharing sweet posts on Instagram where they gushed about their long friendship. Sam wrote: 'First time I met Brooke I learnt how to sing. Our mutual friend @paulstephenwalton ran just about every buskers night in and around Newcastle at the time, but it was in gosforth where I met Brooke Benthsteen. I walked in to the bar to the sound of the best cover of 'dancing in the dark' I'd ever heard, and from that moment we were best mates'. (sic)
Sam then revealed that Brooke is providing vocals on his next album, adding: 'Her voice is all over the next album, it's been an absolute pleasure singing with her again and I can't wait for you to hear what we've made.'
The pair met in Sam's hometown of North Shields when Brooke was just 16, with the pair were 'on the busking circuits in Newcastle', with Sam adding that: '13-14 years later, she's joined the band!' On joining the group, Brooke also gushed: 'After leaving Shields ten years ago, to now being surrounded by geordies again. It's a very lovely, lovely thing. Feels like home. Whenever Sam plays me new songs, I'm always just in awe of him. Every single one of the boys (men) in the band is a diamond. Singing together feels like magic. I'm so incredibly excited for what is to come.' (sic)
Sam Fender's rise to fame
Coming from a musical family, Sam can not only play guitar and sing, but is also skilled with a bass, piano and synth, as well as producing some of the songs from his album.
Sam often played small gigs in Tynemouth's Surf Café. In 2010, Sam was playing in a pub in North Shields when he was spotted by Ben Howard's manager, who took him on as a client, but in 2011 tried out his acting skills, having a named role in Brenda Blethyn-fronted crime drama Vera and a role in teen drama Wolfblood the following year.
After this, he concentrated on his music career. Read more about Sam Fender's career.
Mark Knopfler's ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)' remake
In February 2024, it was announced that Dire Straits legend Mark Knopfler had assembled over 60 iconic musicians for a charity remake of his seminal 1983 instrumental track ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)' - with Sam featuring on the song.
Sam joined the incredible line-up for the track, which was released on 15th March 2024 under the moniker of Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes.
Sam joined fellow legendary artists such as Nile Rodgers, Joe Bonamassa, Toto’s Steve Lukather, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Satriani, Genesis’ Mike Rutherford, Eagles’ Joe Walsh, Journey’s Jonathan Cain and Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera - as well as the track opening with Jeff Beck’s final recording before his untimely death in January 2023.
Proceeds from the charity remake were donated to Teenage Cancer Trust, as well as its American equivalent Teen Cancer America.
Listen to the song here and find out how to download.
Sam additionally hung out with Mark and Brian as part of Johnson & Knopfler’s Music Legends, which aired on Sky Arts in April 2024. They talked about his love for music and how his career started, plus much more.
Sky said: 'Sam tells the story of his musical journey so far, discusses the influence Brian & Mark have had on him and shows them how to play Seventeen Going Under.'
When is his next album coming out?
Sam Fender's third album will be titled 'People Watching', and will be released on 21st February 2025. When announcing his 'People Watching Tour' for December 2024, Sam revealed that pre-ordering for the album was available, also bagging you pre-sale access to tour tickets.
Sam revealed the release date for his upcoming third album as he released its lead single, of the same name. The track, 'People Watching', was released on 15th November 2024, written for his late friend and mentor, Annie Orwin. It is based on Sam’s thoughts as he travelled to and from her palliative care home.
Sam Fender's cancelled shows
On 12th September 2022, Sam released a statement revealing that he would be taking a short break, in order to focus on his mental health. In a statement shared on Sam's Instagram, he 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.'
When was the last time he was on tour?
Although Sam rescheduled some of his 2022 dates, he assured us all that he would come back stronger, and returned to performing with his gig in Australia in November 2022. The singer then excited fans further with the announcement of his big homecoming gig at St. James' Park, Newcastle, in June 2023.
On top of that, Sam performed as one of the headline acts lining up Reading & Leeds Festival 2023.
The festival, which took place over the Bank Holiday weekend of Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August 2023, was also headlined by The Killers, Billie Eilish, Foals, Imagine Dragons and The 1975.
In 2024, Sam headlined at the Boardmasters festival, which took place in Newquay, Cornwall, from 7th-11th August. Leading up to the announcement of his headline spot, eagle-eyed fans noticed some of his most famous lyrics projected onto the cliffs of the Newquay.
Check out info on Sam Fender's previous tours and gigs here.
Sam's shows at St. James' Park in Newcastle
With shows taking place at Newcastle United's home of St. James' Park, Sam performed two sell-out shows on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th June 2023. Making a triumphant entrance to the theme of Local Hero, Sam united the city as he performed his biggest tracks AND brought out special guest Brian Johnson, of AC/DC.
Accompanying Sam and Brian on guitar was the Geordie hero's first ever guitar teacher. In a heartfelt post which Sam shared following the sell-out gigs, Sam wrote: 'I also brought out my first guitar teacher who showed the entirety of St James’ Park how it’s actually done. Phil Martin, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this if it wasn’t for your tutelage and back when I had my first band (when we were bairns, 14 or 15) you let us rehearse in the Gasworks practice rooms for free.'
He then added: 'We need more people like you in our community' before signing off the post with emojis to honour the Toon football strip: '🤍🖤🤍🖤'.
Check out pictures from the huge weekend here.
Sam Fender's debut album: 'Hypersonic Missiles'
Releasing his intensely personal EP 'Dead Boys' in 2018, the six-track record was hugely popular - even receiving a Gold certification from the BPI in April 2024, marking over 100,000 sales in the UK.
Sam released his debut album 'Hypersonic Missiles' on 13th September 2019, entering the charts at Number 1 and gaining a Platinum certification in the UK in July 2022.
The album included 13 tracks, with two Japan bonus tracks. As well as the title track, it spawned signature hits such as 'The Borders', 'Play God', 'Saturday' and 'Will We Talk?'.
On 13th September 2023, Sam celebrate the album's 4th anniversary, sharing some behind-the-scenes footage and images from the last four years of his career, and writing: '4 years since we released Hypersonic Missiles 🚀🤯 What a journey - thanks for all the love ❤️'.
Sam Fender's second album 'Seventeen Going Under'
Sam's highly-anticipated second album was released on 8th October 2021. For a while, details were somewhat scarce, however the singer delighted fans when he announced in June that it was ready, taking to his Instagram to share a series of images showing him in the studio, writing: ' aye, it’s finished. get ready x' (sic).
The record saw great success, again debuting at the top spot in the charts, with the singer bagging himself another BRIT Award at the 2022 ceremony for Best Alternative/Rock Act, as well as giving us an impressive performance on the night.
Deluxe version
On 9th December 2022, Sam released a deluxe edition of 'Seventeen Going Under'. Celebrating the release on Instagram, he revealed that the album contained brand new tracks 'Little Bull Of Blithe', which is about his grandma, and 'Wild Grey Ocean' - as well as 'Live From Finsbury Park’ on a bonus disc.
Sam wrote: 'Seventeen Going Under Live Deluxe album is out today! Featuring new tracks Little Bull Of Blithe & Wild Grey Ocean, plus ‘Live From Finsbury Park’ on a bonus disc. ‘Little Bull of Blithe’ is a little ditty about my Grandma Fender, who passed away during the making of Seventeen Going Under, 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... Up everywhere to stream/download or to order on deluxe CD.
‘Live From Finsbury Park’ also available on a standalone limited red vinyl. Link in bio. Merry Christmas x'.
Who is his musical inspiration?
Sam revealed an admiration for Bruce Springsteen in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, but called comparisons between the two of them "stupid", implying that, as he'd only had one album out, he wasn't worthy of such a comparison.
On the red carpet at the BFI London Film Festival, he said: "The comparisons are just stupid; he is one of the greatest songwriters ever, he's had 19 albums out and I've had one album out. I'm like a northeastern Geordie version," before joking, "I'm actually waiting for the court case for when he comes to get us for all of the songs I've ripped off."
In May 2023, Sam celebrated a 'full circle moment', as he had the pleasure of meeting 'the boss' himself, Bruce Springsteen! Sam supported Bruce at his sold-out concert at Parco urbano Giorgio Bassani in Ferrara, Italy on 18th May, and shared a tearful Instagram post after he met The Boss backstage.
Other known musical inspirations that helped Sam kickstart his career include Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Page, Tom Petty and Slash. He also spoke to us here at Absolute Radio in October 2019, telling us about the five songs that shaped his life.
Sam Fender's 2020 tour
Sam went on tour in 2018 following the release of 'Dead Boys', and was due to embark on the 'Hypersonic Missiles Tour', an arena tour of the UK in March and April 2020. Sadly, Sam was forced to postpone the tour due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Sam Fender: Award wins and nominations
He was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2018, and won the BRITs Critics Choice Award in 2019 beating competition from Lewis Capaldi and Mahalia, and following in the footsteps of Florence + the Machine, James Bay and Jack Garratt, to name but a few.
Sam was also nominated for the Best New Artist award at The BRIT Awards 2020. Two years later, in 2022, Sam was nominated for, and won, the BRIT Award for Best Alternative/Rock Act, which was voted for by fans. The singer was joined by his band on stage as he accepted the award.
Elton John and Sam Fender
Elton John joined Sam Fender on stage for a rousing rendition of ‘Will We Talk?’ at the Rocketman’s annual Oscars party on Sunday 8th February 2020. Elton personally invited Sam to perform at the 28th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, California.
Sam even revealed to us that him and Elton have written a song together, saying: "I mean we wrote a song together so… we haven’t… nobody’s heard it but… but yeah. Probably not on my album, we may just release it as like a thing together."
He also took to his Instagram in November 2020 to write: 'I’ll be joining @eltonjohn for an exclusive performance in support of #WorldAIDSDay @ejaf. Watch on @tiktok_uk live from 7pm GMT tomorrow ❤️' (sic).
Sam Fender's socially distanced gig
Sam performed a socially distanced gig at Gosforth Park in his native North East on Tuesday 11th August 2021 as part of The Virgin Money Unity Arena concert series, which saw 2,500 people attend all stood in 500 mini enclosures, 2 metres apart, with each one holding up to five people.
His NUFC hero Alan Shearer even attended the iconic gig, ahead of celebrating his 50th birthday! Appropriately, three members of Sam's band were rocking their NUFC striped shirts while on stage.
Sam's net worth
Sam appeared on heat's rich list 2022, being worth a reported £10 million. They said: "He also scores with lucrative modelling gigs (you can hang paintings on those cheekbones), plus fronting a Barbour clothing line. All this and he has a coveted Greggs gold card, granting him free sausage rolls for life, too."
Read more about Sam Fender's career journey so far:
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.
2024 - Sam introduces new band member Brooke
In August 2024, Sam announced that the latest addition to his band was Brooke Bentham. The pair met when they were teenagers, both busking in Newcastle and North Shields. Sam wrote: 'First time I met Brooke I learnt how to sing', claiming that her cover on 'Dancing In The Dark' was the best cover he'd ever heard, and: 'I ripped off the way she sings and played that cover to death in almost every gig I've ever done'. With Sam adding that her vocals are all over his next album, Brooke also added: 'He's been a best friend and one of my biggest supporters (as you probs know) ever since. I can't really describe how special it feels to be joining the band. Everyone has been so welcoming and encouraging, I've felt nothing but love. After leaving Shields ten years ago, to now being surrounded by geordies again. It's a very lovely, lovely thing. Feels like home. Whenever Sam plays me new songs, I'm always just in awe of him'. (sic)
2024 - 'People Watching Tour' UK & Ireland dates announced
On 18th October 2024, after teasing an announcement in the days preceding, Sam announced his 'People Watching Tour 2024'. The tour, which will also see him travel to locations such as Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels in March 2025, will see Sam perform in arenas around the UK & Ireland from 2nd December 2024 through to 20th December. Starting in Dublin, the tour visits Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Glasgow, before an almighty homecoming gig in Newcastle.
Upon announcing the tour dates, pre-sale access was granted to those who pre-ordered Sam's third studio album.
In November 2024, Sam also revealed he'd be heading home to Newcastle's St James' Park in June 2025 for two live shows!
2024 - Third album announcement and lead single
On 15th November 2024, Sam released his anthemic track 'People Watching', serving as the lead single from his third studio album of the same name. The song was written for his late friend and mentor, Annie Orwin, and is based on his thoughts as he travelled to and from her palliative care home. Released alongside a lyric video, the new song also came with the announcement that his third album was set for release on 21st February 2025. The tracklist includes: 'People Watching', 'Nostalgia's Lie', 'Chin Up', 'Wild Long Lie', 'Arm's Length', 'Crumbling Empire', 'Little Bit Closer', 'Rein Me In', 'Tv Dinner', 'Something Heavy' and 'Remember My Name'.
WATCH: Sam Fender - Debut Album & "Making It"
You can hear Sam Fender on the Absolute Radio playlist.
Read more:
Sam Fender's impressive career timeline so far
11 of Sam Fender's biggest songs and the meanings behind them
Sam Fender electrifies Newcastle with epic St. James' Park hometown shows