Jack Michael Antonoff is one of the most prized possessions in the music industry; some might even go as far as to say he IS the music industry. Wikipedia labels Mr. Antonoff as a “singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer”, which is an understatement; he has produced/written for some of the greatest records and musicians of this generation, if not, of all time. So, what exactly has Jack Antonoff been up to? 

Bleachers

Not only does Antonoff work for the biggest names in the music industry, but he has his own band. He’s played a part in a couple of other bands, most notably the band “fun.”, but has ultimately stuck with Bleachers. Antonoff really rocked the music scene in 2014 with his single released on 18 February named “I Wanna Get Better”; Huffington Post said the song was “the catchiest song of 2014”, which adds up due to its popularity in the alternative pop/rock scene. He’s still the front man for Bleachers today, and I highly recommend you give his music a listen! (Not that you haven’t already…technically lol).

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff are the best of friends; Swifities even like to joke around and say that Taylor has Jack locked in her recording studio because they always seem to be together. Antonoff and Swift are truly two peas in a pod; the way they work together is unmatched. Antonoff began working with Swift on her 5th studio album, 1989, and nothing was the same again. Swift’s 1989 was the best selling album of 2014, so needless to say his talent speaks for itself in the form of beloved songs like “Out of the Woods” and “I Wish You Would”. He also helped Swift write one of the most poetic/well written songs of her entire discography, “The Lakes”, off of Folklore (see lyrics below link). That says a lot considering she wrote the masterpiece that is “Dear John” all by herself when she was just 19. Antonoff has helped Swift’s music and overall vision to flourish, and as a fan, I am so grateful for his input. The link provided below is an example of the magic that Jack and Taylor create together.

Here are a few notable lyrics from songs Antonoff contributed to (mostly from “The Lakes”, lol, but for good reason):

• “Is it romantic how all my elegies, eulogize me? I’m not cut out for all these cynical clones, these hunters with cell phones” -“The Lakes”, Folklore (2020)
• “I want auroras and sad prose. I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet, ’cause I haven’t moved in years” -“The Lakes”, Folklore (2020)
• “With my calamitous love and insurmountable grief” -“The Lakes”, Folklore (2020)
• “Oh, goddamn, my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand; taking mine, but it’s promised to another” -“Ivy”, Evermore (2020)
• “I’m in a getaway car, I left you in a motel bar. Put the money in a bag and I stole the keys, that was the last time you ever saw me” -“Getaway Car”, Reputation (2017)

Lorde

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, aka Lorde, is no stranger to the superpower that is Jack Antonoff. The combination of Antonoff and Lorde’s outstanding talents is a deadly mix; similar to how Swift and Antonoff work, Lorde and Antonoff work together spectacularly. Melodrama, arguably her best album according to die-hard fans, was co-produced by Antonoff and he is also noted as a co-writer. Some of Lorde’s most beloved songs like “Green Light” and “Liability” have the snazzy Antonoff flare to them. But Antonoff and Lorde did not stop there; after 4 years of fans begging and waiting for another Lorde album, Antonoff assisted Lorde with the release of Solar Power earlier this year. Although it did not receive the same praise as Melodrama, Solar Power holds its own. Personally, I adore Solar Power despite its contrasting subject matter from the rest of her discography. Antonoff also helped to co-produce and co-write bangers such as the title track, “Solar Power”, “Stoned at the Nail Salon” (we’ll touch more on this song later), and “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)”, along with many other tracks off of Solar Power.

Notable lyrics from Lorde and Antonoff:

• “Ladies, begin your sun salutations, Pluto in Scorpio generation” -“Mood Ring”, Solar Power (2021)
• “Well, my hot blood’s been burning for so many summers now. It’s time to cool it down” -“Stoned at the Nail Salon”, Solar Power (2021)
• “The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy ’til all of the tricks don’t work anymore”, -“Liability”, Melodrama (2017)
• “Know, you won’t remember in the morning when I speak my mind. Lights are on and they’ve gone home, but who am I?” -“Sober II”, Melodrama (2017)
• “I still feel you, now and then. Slow like a pseudo-ephedrine” -“Writer in the Dark”, Melodrama (2017)

Lana Del Rey

Lizzy Grant, aka Lana Del Rey, has released 2 new albums with the help of a certain Jack Antonoff. In my opinion, it is pretty obvious when Antonoff writes and produces a track; Del Rey’s song “Wild at Heart” off of her album Chemtrails Over the Country Club and “Stoned at the Nail Salon” off of Lorde’s Solar Power sound nearly identical at certain parts of the song (see video link below). It does seem like a little bit of an “oopsie”, but I love both songs nonetheless. Regardless, Del Rey’s work with Antonoff is most definitely something to write home about. In my opinion, “Wild at Heart” is one of the best songs off of Chemtrails Over the Country Club, and lo and behold, Antonoff is a co-writer. My favorite Lana album of all time, Norman F***ing Rockwell, was also created with the help of Jack Antonoff. Songs like the title track, “Norman F***ing Rockwell”, “Cinnamon Girl”, and my favorite Lana Del Rey song of all time, “How to disappear”, are absolutely outstanding. As you can probably tell by now, Antonoff’s style really blends well with so many different sounds and artists and it is truly amazing to hear and see.

Notable lyrics from Lana Del Rey and Antonoff:

• “All of the guys tell me lies, but you don’t you just crack another beer, and pretend that you’re still here” -“How to disappear”, Norman F***ing Rockwell (2019)
• “Self-loathing poet, resident Laurel Canyon, know-it-all. You talk to the walls when the party gets bored of you, but I don’t get bored, I just see it through” -“Norman F***ing Rockwell”, Norman F***ing Rockwell (2019)
• “Happiness is a butterfly, try to catch it like every night. It escapes from my hands into moonlight” -“Happiness is a butterfly”, Norman F***ing Rockwell
• “So I smoke cigarettes, just to understand the smog” -“Wild at Heart”, Chemtrails Over the Country Club

Although Antonoff plays a pretty grand role in the creation of some of our most beloved musical projects, it is important to note that these wonderful, beyond talented women hold their own in all of their music. Their music existed and flourished before Antonoff; the likes of Pure Heroin by Lorde, Born to Die by Lana Del Rey, and Red by Taylor Swift are proof of this. Antonoff simply uses his production and writing talents to further contribute to the music scene alongside some of the most talented names in the entirety of the music industry. With Evermore, Folklore, Solar Power, and Chemtrails Over the Country Club being released within the span of a year, fans are wondering if Antonoff is even human. And the question still stands: Does Jack Antonoff ever sleep?