# Tom Grennan
**Tom Grennan** is an English singer, songwriter and musician from Bedford, known for a gravel-voiced blend of pop, soul and indie that has produced three UK number 1 albums: *Evering Road* (2021), *What Ifs & Maybes* (2023), and *Everywhere I Went Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be* (2025).[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) He came to music late, after a youth spent training as a professional footballer, and broke through in 2016 as the guest vocalist on [Chase & Status](https://www.edgepedia.org/chase-and-status)' single "All Goes Wrong".[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995, Bedford, England[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) |
| First career | Trained as a professional footballer; played for Luton Town and tried out for Northampton Town and Aston Villa[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) |
| Breakthrough | Guest vocalist on Chase & Status' "All Goes Wrong" (2016); signed to Insanity Records after a pub performance[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) • [2](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/) |
| Albums | *Lighting Matches* (2018, UK No. 5); *Evering Road* (2021, No. 1); *What Ifs & Maybes* (2023, No. 1); *Everywhere I Went Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be* (2025, No. 1)[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) |
| Biggest singles | "Little Bit of Love" (No. 6, 47 weeks in the Top 75); "Remind Me" (No. 2); "Not Over Yet" (No. 1)[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) |
| Awards | Two Brit Award nominations: Best Rock/Alternative Act and British Song of the Year for "Little Bit of Love"[3](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-grennan-mn0003529677) |
| Label | Insanity Records[2](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/) |
## Early life and football
Grennan grew up in Bedford in what he has described as a working-class family; his mother was a teacher and his father a builder who played the accordion.[4](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/aug/17/tom-grennan-musician-looks-back) He had no early ambition to sing and instead trained to become a professional footballer, playing for Luton Town and trying out for Northampton Town and Aston Villa before his football career stalled.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) • [5](https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/shoplondon/tom-grennan-london-favourite-brands-b928225.html)
Two events redirected him toward music. At a house party during his A-level year, having drunk for the first time, he sang [The Kooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-kooks)' "Seaside" and was encouraged by friends to keep going.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/28/tom-grennan-the-pop-wideboy-putting-dark-days-behind-him) At 18 he was attacked by a gang of strangers in what he called being "in the wrong place at the wrong time", leaving him with four metal plates in his jaw; recovering, he wrote about how he felt and put it to music.[7](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tom-grennan-interview-lighting-matches-album-brixton-academy-a8427196.html) The plates remain part of his distinctive vocal tone.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/)
## Discovery and early releases
After moving to London to study acting at university, he bought a guitar, learned some chords, and sought out open mic nights, later working at Costa while gigging.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/28/tom-grennan-the-pop-wideboy-putting-dark-days-behind-him) After a pub performance in 2016 he was approached and offered a contract by Insanity Records.[2](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/) His debut EP, *Something in the Water*, followed in 2016, with a second EP, *Release the Brakes*, in 2017.[7](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tom-grennan-interview-lighting-matches-album-brixton-academy-a8427196.html)
The breakout came through collaboration. Chase & Status featured him on their 2016 track "All Goes Wrong", which introduced his soulful, gravelly voice to a wider audience and peaked at number 65 on the UK Singles Chart.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) • [8](https://extra.ie/2025/09/01/hotpress/tom-grennan-interview) He duetted with grime MC Bugzy Malone on "Memory Lane", the first song cleared by the Gallaghers to sample an Oasis track ("Wonderwall"), appeared in [Charli XCX](https://www.edgepedia.org/charli-xcx)'s video for "Boys", and made the longlist for BBC Sound of 2017.[6](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/28/tom-grennan-the-pop-wideboy-putting-dark-days-behind-him) • [9](https://content.theedgesusu.co.uk/features/2017/10/06/i-love-being-the-centre-of-attention-an-interview-with-tom-grennan/) In 2018 [Annie Mac](https://www.edgepedia.org/annie-mac) selected him as BBC Introducing Artist of the Year.[5](https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/shoplondon/tom-grennan-london-favourite-brands-b928225.html)
## Albums
**Lighting Matches (2018).** His debut album, recorded when he was 21 or 22, reached number 5 on the [UK Albums Chart](https://www.edgepedia.org/uk-albums-chart) and spent 17 weeks in the Top 75.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) • [10](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/tom-grennan-interview-31328/) Reviewers heard a mix of festival anthems and pop-soul, with the single "Found What I've Been Looking For" earning a spot on the [FIFA 18](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-18) soundtrack.[11](https://www.hotpress.com/music/album-review-lighting-matches-deluxe-tom-grennan-22753759) Ahead of its release he headlined [Brixton Academy](https://www.edgepedia.org/brixton-academy) and attempted a Guinness World Record for the most live concerts in 12 hours, playing 10 shows starting in Manchester.[7](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tom-grennan-interview-lighting-matches-album-brixton-academy-a8427196.html)
**Evering Road (2021).** Named after the Hackney street where he had lived with his ex-girlfriend, the second album is a break-up record framed as an act of owning up rather than self-pity; Grennan described it as "me owning up for my actions and trying to better myself".[12](https://www.tomgrennanmusic.com/) It debuted at number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with over 17,000 chart sales, 73 percent of them physical copies, and "Little Bit of Love" became his biggest solo hit, peaking at number 6 and spending 47 weeks in the Top 75.[13](https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/tom-grennan-s-evering-road-claims-number-1-on-the-official-albums-chart-thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart-__32716/) • [1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) The album brought two Brit Award nominations, for Best Rock/Alternative Act and British Song of the Year for "Little Bit of Love".[3](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-grennan-mn0003529677)
**What Ifs & Maybes (2023) and after.** His third studio album also reached number 1, and in August 2025 *Everywhere I Went Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be* made it three consecutive UK number 1 albums.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) The 2025 record, whose singles included "Full Attention", "Higher", "Shadowboxing", "Boys Don't Cry", and "I Won't Miss A Thing", has been described as his most sonically adventurous.[14](https://insanity.com/news/tom-grennan-new-album) • [15](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/tom-grennan-album-review-grennans-most-sonically-adventurous-album-5280856) In 2024 his seasonal single "It Can't Be Christmas" reached number 3 in the UK.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-grennan-mn0003529677)
## Collaborations and chart singles
Grennan has worked across dance and grime as well as his own records. With [Calvin Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-harris) he featured on "By Your Side" (2021), which reached number 16 and spent 48 weeks on the Dance chart, and with [Joel Corry](https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-corry) on "Lionheart (Fearless)" (2022), which peaked at number 5 on the Dance chart after 43 weeks.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) His own "Remind Me" reached number 2 in 2022, and "Not Over Yet" hit number 1 in August 2022.[1](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/) He has also featured on tracks by [Bugzy Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/bugzy-malone) and Kojey Radical and contributed to the charity initiative Artists for Grenfell.[2](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/)
## Voice and style
Grennan's singing is defined by a rough, gravelly timbre that reviewers repeatedly single out. He has said he began by imitating Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and [Paolo Nutini](https://www.edgepedia.org/paolo-nutini) before trying on the styles of Tom Jones, Elvis Presley, and [Ray Charles](https://www.edgepedia.org/ray-charles), and now sings as himself.[16](https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/pa-ready-tom-grennan-hackney-luton-town-paolo-nutini-b1811811.html) He names [Amy Winehouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-winehouse) as his biggest inspiration, alongside grime, hip-hop, The Beatles, The Kinks, and Otis Redding.[2](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/) He is dyslexic and has described writing lyrics by mentally hanging ideas on a "washing line" and pairing them like odd socks.[8](https://extra.ie/2025/09/01/hotpress/tom-grennan-interview)
## Live performance
Live work has been central to his career, from pub sets to a 2023 arena tour that The Guardian called his anointment as a proper pop star, five years after his debut.[17](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/13/tom-grennan-review-cardiff-international-arena) The 2025 UK tour in support of *Everywhere I Went Led Me to Where I Didn't Want to Be* closed at Manchester's Co-op Live.[18](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/tom-grennan-review-raw-powerful-emotionally-charged-5327241)
## References
1. [TOM GRENNAN songs and albums | full Official Chart history, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/51252/tom-grennan/)
2. [Tom Grennan never meant to be a singer-songwriter, The Gentleman's Journal](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/tom-grennan-interview-lockdown-session-acoustic-cover-oh-please/)
3. [Tom Grennan – Biography, Discography, Albums & Expert Reviews, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tom-grennan-mn0003529677)
4. [Tom Grennan looks back, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/aug/17/tom-grennan-musician-looks-back)
5. [My Shop London: Tom Grennan on his go-to independent brands, The Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/shoplondon/tom-grennan-london-favourite-brands-b928225.html)
6. [Tom Grennan: the pop wideboy putting dark days behind him, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/dec/28/tom-grennan-the-pop-wideboy-putting-dark-days-behind-him)
7. [Tom Grennan is the rebel with a cause – interview, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tom-grennan-interview-lighting-matches-album-brixton-academy-a8427196.html)
8. [Tom Grennan interview, extra.ie / Hot Press](https://extra.ie/2025/09/01/hotpress/tom-grennan-interview)
9. ["I love being the centre of attention" – An Interview with Tom Grennan, The Edge](https://content.theedgesusu.co.uk/features/2017/10/06/i-love-being-the-centre-of-attention-an-interview-with-tom-grennan/)
10. [Tom Grennan Ups The Ante With 'Evering Road', Rolling Stone Australia](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/tom-grennan-interview-31328/)
11. [Album Review: Lighting Matches (Deluxe), TOM GRENNAN, Hot Press](https://www.hotpress.com/music/album-review-lighting-matches-deluxe-tom-grennan-22753759)
12. [Tom Grennan | Official Website](https://www.tomgrennanmusic.com/)
13. [Tom Grennan's Evering Road claims Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/tom-grennan-s-evering-road-claims-number-1-on-the-official-albums-chart-thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart-__32716/)
14. [Tom Grennan | Insanity](https://insanity.com/news/tom-grennan-new-album)
15. [Tom Grennan album review, NationalWorld](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/tom-grennan-album-review-grennans-most-sonically-adventurous-album-5280856)
16. [Tom Grennan: I have made mistakes, but I am trying to be forgiven for them, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/pa-ready-tom-grennan-hackney-luton-town-paolo-nutini-b1811811.html)
17. [Tom Grennan review – lad-next-door pop star shows off depth and nuance, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/13/tom-grennan-review-cardiff-international-arena)
18. [Tom Grennan review: 'Raw, powerful & emotionally-charged', NationalWorld](https://www.nationalworld.com/culture/tom-grennan-review-raw-powerful-emotionally-charged-5327241)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › Adult contemporary, 2010s to present*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license