Whereas visiting Los Angeles in 2022, 26-year-old pop artist Knox was telling a buddy that he had lately scored a major-label take care of Atlantic Information. “That’s cool, however you’ll by no means be Matty Healy,” the buddy quipped.
As an alternative of dwelling on the snide comparability to the frontman of The 1975, Knox remembers considering, “This may very well be enjoyable,” and went into the studio with songwriter Spencer Jordan. After recording a number of variations of what would develop into his breakout observe, the indie rock-tinged “Not The 1975” was launched in July 2023 — and has since develop into Knox’s breakthrough on the Billboard charts.
Rising up in Dayton, Ohio, Knox (born Knox Morris) confirmed off his alternative-influenced vocal vary at native open mics throughout his teenage years. Following highschool, he attended Ohio College with plans to develop into a instructor, however his ardour for music received out — and by early 2019, he dropped out and moved to Nashville.
Quickly after, Redline Leisure’s Larry Blackford found Knox on Instagram and reached out to the singer for a gathering, together with the corporate’s Wes Mayers. The three of them immediately hit it off, and Knox signed a co-management deal in 2020. “When he sings, his voice is reverberating. I’ve by no means heard something prefer it,” Blackford says. Provides Mayers, “Knox has probably the greatest work ethics of any artist I’ve met. He has excessive power, excessive drive and that actual aggressive streak.”
Aaron Sinclair
Aaron Sinclair
That drive was shortly put to the check when the pandemic pressured Knox to get inventive together with his promotional technique whereas constructing a fan base on social media. He first skilled some vital traction together with his 2022 single “Sneakers” earlier than making an attempt the identical technique of constantly posting teasers for “Not The 1975” — notably leaning into movies concerning the cheeky refrain.
The rallying observe attracts in listeners due to Knox’s witty songwriting: He references The 1975 hits “Chocolate” and “Oh Caroline” in his verses, then spins that pivotal L.A. dialog into the refrain. (“I mentioned, ‘Woman, I may not be well-known but, however I’m gonna put you in a track that I write’/Then she mentioned, ‘I like your confidence however you’re not The 1975.’ ”) The music video, which arrived the day of the track’s launch, performs even additional into the bit: Knox attire in a Healy-inspired black-tie get-up and smokes a cigarette all through. “I don’t assume folks perceive what number of cigarettes I needed to smoke,” Knox recollects, laughing. “At first, they had been natural cigarettes, however I might already [imagine] the feedback calling me out.”
Regardless of the catchy hook, Knox admits that “Not The 1975” was extra of a “sluggish burn” compared to “Sneakers,” regardless of the acclaim he was getting from these round him within the weeks following the previous’s launch. “Everybody was saying that it’s a tremendous track, however the streaming numbers weren’t translating but,” he says. However after a late 2023 tour, the place Knox says the track was “clearly a fan favourite,” it started to take a maintain at radio and on digital service suppliers. “Not The 1975” debuted on Pop Airplay and Grownup Pop Airplay in late January, and it reaches new highs of No. 26 and No. 15, respectively, on the March 16-dated charts. Moreover, the hit has 8.5 million whole on-demand official U.S. streams by March 7, in line with Luminate.
Neither of Knox’s managers are stunned to see the singer-songwriter now experiencing multi-format success. “With lyrics like ‘Vodka soda and saggy denims/Utilizing none of that artwork diploma,’ how might [radio] not adore it?” Blackford asks, with Mayers including that he usually sees a “waterfall impact” for an artist following a tour. “Folks will likely be like, ‘I like this man, let’s take a look at the remainder of his catalog.’ We’re conscious of that.”
Aaron Sinclair
From left: Larry Blackford, Knox and Wes Mayers at The Foundry in Philadelphia on Feb. 3, 2024.
Hunter Wurzelbacher
Knox will return on the highway for a headlining tour throughout the West Coast starting in April, hopeful that different songs from his discography will get comparable love. “I’m most assured in my reside exhibits,” he says. “At any time when I make a track, I ask, ‘Would this sound sick reside?’”
Already this 12 months he has launched two new singles, first with the unifying “Right here’s to Us” in January, adopted by the atmospheric, swoon-worthy observe “Me, Myself & Your Eyes” in February. And regardless of his greater profile, he’s trusting the identical method that has introduced him thus far whereas making an attempt to observe up his breakout hit.
“There’s stress, in fact. On the identical time, if I put out music that I like, if it will get one million streams, nice; and if it doesn’t, that’s OK,” he says. “I’ve the good job on the planet. It doesn’t matter what occurs, I’m going to be wonderful.”
A model of this story initially appeared within the March 9, 2024, subject of Billboard.