Career Timeline of Matty Healy: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Matty Healy built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Matty Healy is the frontman and primary songwriter for the English pop rock band, The 1975. He's known for his eclectic musical style, insightful lyrics, and a provocative performance style often described as performance art. Healy has become an influential figure in indie pop music, leaving a noticeable mark on the genre through his unique artistic expression and stage presence.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1975: Mention of The 1975's protest song Love It If We Made It

In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Matty Healy tweeted a link to The 1975's protest song "Love It If We Made It".

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2016: Healy dedicates "Loving Someone" to victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting

In 2016, Healy dedicated a performance of the 1975's song, "Loving Someone" to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.

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2017: Healy publicly encourages voting Labour

In 2017, Healy publicly encouraged voting Labour in the UK, despite admitting he didn't know how to effectively use his platform to incentivize democracy. This marked an early expression of his political views.

2017: Healy uses "Loving Someone" to comment on social issues

In 2017, Healy regularly used performances of The 1975's "Loving Someone" to comment on social issues. This included dedicating the song to victims of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, expressing solidarity with marginalized groups following the 2016 US election results, and decrying the regressive ideals of Brexit and the Manchester Arena attack.

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2018: The 1975 makes donation to LGBTQ community center

In 2018, Healy and his bandmates in The 1975 made a "significant" donation to an LGBTQ community center for London, demonstrating their commitment to supporting LGBTQ rights.

June 2019: Healy wins Ally of the Year at the Diva Awards

In June 2019, Healy won Ally of the Year at the Diva Awards for using his platform to promote LGBTQ rights, recognizing his advocacy and support for the community.

2019: Healy criticizes misogyny in the music industry at the Brit Awards

When The 1975 won Best British Group at the 2019 Brit Awards, Healy used his acceptance speech to criticize misogyny in the music industry, quoting a piece by The Guardian's journalist Laura Snapes. Also that year, Healy denounced Alabama's anti-abortion laws during a concert in the state.

2020: Healy appears on the cover of Attitude's Activists & Allies Issue

In 2020, Healy appeared on the cover of Attitude’s Activists & Allies Issue, highlighting his role as a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights.

2020: Healy invites Greta Thunberg to record a speech for The 1975 track

In 2020, Healy invited Greta Thunberg to record a speech about climate change for a 1975 track, demonstrating his engagement with climate change issues. Conservative MP David Davies accused Healy of "hypocrisy" because of his touring, but Healy defended his actions by stating that everyone should try to help even if they haven't figured out how to be carbon neutral.

2020: Healy pledges to play at festivals with gender-balanced lineups

In 2020, Healy pledged to only play at music festivals with a gender-balanced lineup, showing commitment to promoting gender equality in the music industry.

2020: Healy deactivates Twitter account and apologizes for tweet

In 2020, Matty Healy deactivated his Twitter account because he no longer wanted to participate in the "culture war" and wanted to take a more considered approach to his public statements. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Healy had tweeted a link to The 1975's protest song "Love It If We Made It". Amid online criticism that his tweet was self-promotional, Healy apologised and deactivated his account.

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2020: Healy states he did not intend to give any more interviews

In 2020, Matty Healy stated that he did not intend to give any more interviews, suggesting he had reached a point where he no longer wanted to qualify his statements.

December 2022: Healy performs at the Ally Coalition benefit show

In December 2022, Healy performed at the 8th annual Ally Coalition benefit show in support of LGBTQ youth, continuing his efforts to support and raise awareness for LGBTQ rights.

2022: The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour

In 2022, The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour, written and directed by Healy, featured commentary on contemporary masculinity. The show explored themes of being a single guy on the internet, masculinity, and the contrast between real and insincere. Clips went viral, leading to media coverage that described Healy as both "a sleazeball" and a "sensitive dirtbag".

April 2023: Healy states the end of him being a 'fucking arsehole'

In early April 2023, Matty Healy stated during an Adelaide concert that "The era of me being a fucking arsehole is coming to an end ... I can't perform off the stage anymore."

October 2023: Healy apologizes for 'exaggerated versions' of himself

In October 2023, during a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Matty Healy clarified that he had "performed exaggerated versions" of himself "in an often misguided attempt to fulfill the kind of character role of the 21st-century rock star." He apologized to those he hurt and pledged to do better moving forward.

2023: The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour continues

In 2023, Healy continued The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour, which he wrote and directed. The tour explored themes of masculinity and fame. His onstage actions, including eating raw steak and performing press-ups, continued to generate media attention and discussion. He also invited audience members to kiss him during "Robbers", sometimes sucking a fan's thumb, sparking conversations about consent, fantasy, and art.

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2023: Healy reflects on qualifying statements.

In 2023, Matty Healy reflected on his past interviews, stating that he had gotten to a point where he didn't know how much he wanted to qualify his statements.

2023: Healy defends comedians who challenge social hypocrisy

In 2023, while onstage in Denmark, Healy defended comedians George Carlin, Bill Hicks, and Lenny Bruce, describing them as his "heroes" and "staples of the left" who exposed social hypocrisy using vulgarity. He expressed concern that the left's loss of its ability to challenge societal norms would leave too much space for the right.

2024: The 1975's O2 Arena shows to be carbon-removed events

In 2024, The 1975's four shows at the O2 Arena in London will be the world's first-ever carbon-removed events. The process involves extracting carbon dioxide generated by the events, planting trees, and spreading carbon dioxide-absorbing volcanic rock on farmland.