Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Conan Gray

How Conan Gray built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Conan Gray is an American singer-songwriter who gained initial recognition through his YouTube channel where he posted vlogs, covers, and original songs during his teenage years in Georgetown, Texas. His early online presence led to a record deal with Republic Records in 2018, which subsequently released his debut EP, Sunset Season. Gray's career trajectory exemplifies how artists can leverage online platforms to build an audience and transition into the mainstream music industry.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2013: Creation of YouTube Channel

In 2013, Conan Gray created his official YouTube channel and began making videos at age 15.

2016: Publishing "The Other Side" on YouTube

In 2016, Conan Gray originally published the single "The Other Side" on YouTube.

March 2017: Self-Release of 'Idle Town'

In March 2017, Conan Gray self-released his debut single, "Idle Town".

September 1, 2017: Self-Release of 'Grow'

On September 1, 2017, Conan Gray self-released his second single, "Grow".

September 2017: Move to Los Angeles and Dropping out of UCLA

In September 2017, Conan Gray moved to Los Angeles, California after being accepted to UCLA. However, he dropped out after only two months to begin touring after he was signed to Republic Records.

October 2018: Release of 'Generation Why' on Republic Records

In October 2018, Conan Gray released the single "Generation Why" on Republic Records, which was described as "a rallying call to millennials".

November 2018: Release of 'Sunset Season' EP

In November 2018, Conan Gray released the five-track EP 'Sunset Season', which includes the songs "Idle Town", "Generation Why", "Crush Culture", "Greek God", and "Lookalike". The EP peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.

2018: Signing with Republic Records and Releasing 'Sunset Season'

In 2018, Conan Gray signed a record deal with Republic Records and released his debut EP, 'Sunset Season'.

February 2019: Late-Night Television Debut and Re-release of "The Other Side"

In February 2019, Conan Gray made his late-night television debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers and re-released the single "The Other Side", which he originally published on YouTube in 2016.

October 2019: Embarking on the Comfort Crowd Tour

In October 2019, Conan Gray embarked on the Comfort Crowd Tour, his second headlining tour of North America, with support from Benee and UMI.

January 9, 2020: Announcement of 'Kid Krow' and Release of 'The Story'

On January 9, 2020, Conan Gray revealed the title of his debut album, 'Kid Krow', and released the single 'The Story' on the same day.

March 20, 2020: Release of 'Kid Krow' album

On March 20, 2020, Conan Gray released 'Kid Krow', which debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the US Pop Albums chart.

April 2020: Apple Music's Up Next Artist and Mini-Documentary

In April 2020, following the commercial success of Kid Krow, Apple Music named Conan Gray as an Up Next artist and released an exclusive mini-documentary about him. In Mid April, Coachella performance was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 2020: Popularity of 'Heather' on TikTok

In August 2020, the song "Heather" became popular on TikTok, becoming Kid Krow's sixth and final single and Conan Gray's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

October 2020: Performances and Release of 'Fake'

In October 2020, Conan Gray performed "Heather" on The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Today Show. He also released the single "Fake" with Lauv in October 2020.

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2020: Release of 'Kid Krow'

In 2020, Conan Gray released his album 'Kid Krow', which debuted at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200, marking it the biggest U.S. artist debut of the year. The album was bolstered by the success of commercially successful songs "Maniac" and "Heather".

May 2021: Release of 'Astronomy'

In May 2021, Conan Gray released the single "Astronomy".

January 2022: Release of 'Jigsaw'

In January 2022, Conan Gray released the single "Jigsaw".

April 11, 2022: Announcement of 'Superache' album

On April 11, 2022, Conan Gray announced that his second album Superache would be released on June 24, 2022.

April 15, 2022: Release of 'Memories'

On April 15, 2022, Conan Gray released the song "Memories".

April 2022: Surprise Appearance on Olivia Rodrigo's Sour Tour

In April 2022, Conan Gray appeared as a surprise guest on Olivia Rodrigo's Sour Tour in Vancouver, where they covered the Katy Perry song "The One That Got Away".

June 24, 2022: Release of 'Superache' and 'Disaster' video

On June 24, 2022, Conan Gray released his album 'Superache' and the video for the single 'Disaster'. He also announced his Superache Tour, set to run from September 2022 to March 2023.

July 18, 2022: National Anthem Performance at MLB Home Run Derby

On July 18, 2022, Conan Gray sang the national anthem at the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. His performance received criticism.

September 2022: Start of the Superache Tour

Conan Gray's Superache tour started in September 2022, scheduled to run to March 2023.

2022: Release of 'Superache'

In 2022, Conan Gray released his second studio album, 'Superache', which received critical acclaim and debuted in the top 10 in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

March 2023: End of the Superache Tour

Conan Gray's Superache tour ended in March 2023, the tour started in September 2022.

May 2023: Teasers and Release of 'Never Ending Song'

In May 2023, Conan Gray began posting teasers of grocery stores on social media, revealing them to be in reference to the music video for his new single, "Never Ending Song", released on May 19. This marked a departure from his usual style, featuring 80's inspired visuals and sounds.

January 31, 2024: Announcement of 'Found Heaven' and Release of 'Lonely Dancers'

On January 31, 2024, Conan Gray announced his third studio album titled 'Found Heaven', which was released on April 5, as well as released 'Lonely Dancers', the album's fourth single, which was released on February 9.

July 2024: Found Heaven On Tour

In July 2024, Conan Gray embarked on his fifth headlining concert tour, Found Heaven On Tour, to support his album Found Heaven. The tour includes Australia, the US, Asia, Amsterdam, Paris, and the UK.

October 18, 2024: Release of 'Holidays'

On October 18, 2024, Conan Gray released the single "Holidays" after first playing the song during the Found Heaven tour at Madison Square Garden. The song chronicles his experiences returning to his hometown in Texas for the holiday season.