History of Matty Healy in Timeline

Matthew 'Matty' Healy is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the pop rock band The 1975. He's recognized for his lyricism and the band's eclectic musical style, blending pop, rock, and electronic elements. Healy is also known for his often provocative onstage persona, which he sometimes refers to as performance art. He is considered an influential figure in the indie pop music scene.

Sections (4)

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

1975: Reference to the band The 1975

In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, Healy had tweeted: "[I]f you truly believe that 'ALL LIVES MATTER' you need to stop facilitating the end of black ones", and posted a YouTube link to the 1975's protest song "Love It If We Made It".

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1975: Name inspiration of The 1975

The band name The 1975, came from the scribblings found on his copy of the novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac that were dated "1 June, The 1975".

1975: The 1975 album release

While the text mentions that the 1975 album release occurred in 2013, no specific event occurred in 1975.

1975: The 1975 Rejection by Major Labels

While the text mentions that the 1975 were rejected by every major record label because of their genre-hopping approach, no specific event can be derived from this.

1975: The 1975 band related events

While the text mentions the 1975, no specific event occurred in 1975.

April 1989: Matthew Healy's Birth

In April 1989, Matthew Timothy Healy was born in Hendon, north London. He is the son of actors Tim Healy and Denise Welch.

1996: First Concert Experience

In 1996, Matty Healy attended Michael Jackson's HIStory show at Wembley Arena, marking his first concert experience which he described as a memorable and important one.

2002: Formation of the 1975

In 2002, Matty Healy formed the band the 1975 with his schoolmates at Wilmslow High School.

2002: Joining Adam Hann's Band

In 2002, at the age of 13, Matty Healy was recruited by Adam Hann to be the drummer of a band he was forming with Ross MacDonald at Wilmslow High School. He later became the lead vocalist.

2005: Song name creation by The 1975

While the text mentions "Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America" song by The 1975, no specific event occurred in 2005.

2007: Attended Academy of Contemporary Music

In 2007, Matty Healy attended the Academy of Contemporary Music, where he obtained a Vocals diploma.

2008: Attended Academy of Contemporary Music

In 2008, Matty Healy attended the Academy of Contemporary Music, where he obtained a Vocals diploma.

2012: Parents' Divorce

In 2012, Matty Healy's parents, Tim Healy and Denise Welch, divorced.

2012: Signing with Dirty Hit and EP Release

In 2012, after years as the band's manager, Jamie Oborne set up his own independent label, Dirty Hit, and signed The 1975 to it. Subsequently, the band released four extended plays.

2012: Adoption of the Name 'The 1975'

In 2012, the band settled on the name The 1975, after playing under various other names. The name was inspired by scribblings found on a copy of Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road.

2012: Building Momentum in late 2012

In late 2012, The 1975 began to gain momentum. Radio DJ Zane Lowe gave airplay to the EP Facedown, contributing to the band's radio success.

2013: Releasing extended plays

From 2012 to 2013, the 1975 released four extended plays – Facedown, Sex, Music for Cars, and IV.

2013: Favorite Albums List for Louder Than War

In 2013, Matty Healy listed his ten all-time favorite albums for Louder Than War, which included albums by The Streets, Michael Jackson, Glassjaw, My Bloody Valentine, Alexander O'Neal, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Hundred Reasons, Carole King, Peter Gabriel, and James Taylor.

2013: Release of Debut Album 'The 1975'

In 2013, The 1975 released their debut album, The 1975. The album reached number one on the UK Album Chart and the band sold out shows at Brixton Academy.

2013: Release of Self-Titled Debut Album

In 2013, the 1975 released their self-titled debut studio album after releasing four extended plays. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and charted on the Billboard 200.

2013: Anniversary performance of 2013 album

The band had a "10th Anniversary Performance" of their self-titled debut album released in 2013 in August 2023.

2014: Healy tweets criticism of religion and ISIS

In 2014, Healy, described himself as "profoundly anti-religion", tweeted a criticism of religion and ISIS, and resented being "educated" on religion by a Harry Styles fan account.

2015: Healy reflects on his progressive views and personal shortcomings

In 2015, Healy reflected on the controversy surrounding his tweets, admitting that he may not be as progressive as he'd like to be and acknowledging his personal shortcomings.

2015: Healy begins relationship with Gabriella Brooks

In 2015, Matty Healy began a relationship with Australian model Gabriella Brooks.

January 2016: Debut of "The Sound"

In January 2016, The 1975's third single, "The Sound", debuted on BBC Radio 1.

2016: Release of 'I Like It When You Sleep...'

In 2016, the 1975 released their second album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and Billboard 200.

2017: Healy enters drug rehabilitation clinic

In late 2017, Matty Healy spent seven weeks at an in-patient drug rehabilitation clinic in Barbados following an intervention by his bandmates to help him recover from heroin, cocaine and benzodiazepine abuse.

August 2018: Co-Production of No Rome's EP

In August 2018, Matty Healy and George Daniel co-produced No Rome's EP RIP Indo Hisashi.

2018: Healy evolves his position on faith

By 2018, Healy's perspective on faith had evolved. He expressed a softening on the logic of atheism and recognized and became sensitive to the culture of religion, differentiating it from scripture and dogma.

2018: Healy apologizes for stating that "the reason misogyny doesn't happen in rock and roll anymore is because it's a vocabulary that existed for so long that it got weeded out"

In 2018, Healy apologized for his earlier statement about misogyny in rock and roll. He described his comments as "ignorant" and "wrong, just outright misinformed."

2018: Release of 'A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships'

In 2018, the 1975 released their album A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships. This album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and charted on the Billboard 200.

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

In June 2019, Healy was recognized for his advocacy by winning Ally of the Year at the Diva Awards for his promotion of LGBTQ rights.

August 2019: Healy banned from Dubai after displaying pride flag and kissing a male fan onstage

In August 2019, Healy was banned from Dubai after displaying a pride flag and kissing a male fan onstage to protest Dubai's anti-LGBT laws, an act that could have led to imprisonment.

2019: Healy ends relationship with Gabriella Brooks

In 2019, Matty Healy ended his relationship with Australian model Gabriella Brooks.

2019: Grammy Nomination and Brit Award Win

In 2019, Matty Healy received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Song for "Give Yourself A Try". The album also won a Brit Award for British Album of the Year.

2019: Ivor Novello Awards

In 2019, Matty Healy won the Best Contemporary Song award at the Ivor Novello Awards for "Love It If We Made It", and was also awarded Songwriter of the Year.

2019: Healy criticizes Queerty for misinterpreting his words on sexuality

In 2019, after Queerty reported that Matty Healy had come out as an "aesthete", Healy issued a statement on Twitter criticizing the publication for misinterpreting his words and clarified he was not trying to take up queer spaces, but rather trying to be an ally.

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

In 2019, when the 1975 won Best British Group at the Brit Awards, Healy used his acceptance speech to criticise misogyny in the music industry, quoting Laura Snapes, a journalist from The Guardian.

2020: Healy deactivates Twitter account after George Floyd post

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Matty Healy tweeted a message in support of Black Lives Matter and posted a YouTube link to The 1975's protest song "Love It If We Made It". After facing online criticism for self-promotion, he apologized and deactivated his Twitter account.

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2020: Healy invites Greta Thunberg to record a speech about climate change for a 1975 track

In 2020, Healy invited Greta Thunberg to record a speech about climate change for a 1975 track, and was criticised for hypocrisy by David Davies.

2020: Healy pledges to only play at music festivals with a gender-balanced lineup

In 2020, Healy pledged to only perform at music festivals that feature a gender-balanced lineup, advocating for women's rights in the music industry.

2020: Healy begins relationship with FKA Twigs

In 2020, Matty Healy began a relationship with English singer FKA Twigs.

2020: Podcast Series with Musical Heroes

In 2020, Matty Healy recorded a podcast series interviewing his musical heroes, including Stevie Nicks, Brian Eno, Steve Reich, Kim Gordon, Mike Kinsella, Conor Oberst, and Bobby Gillespie.

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, expressing that he felt he had reached a point where he didn't know how much he wanted to qualify his statements.

2020: Release of 'Notes on a Conditional Form'

In 2020, the 1975 released their album Notes on a Conditional Form, which topped the UK Albums Chart.

2020: NME Awards

In 2020, the band won Band of the Decade, Best British Band, and the Innovator Award at the NME Awards.

March 2021: Production of Beabadoobee's Solo EP

In March 2021, Matty Healy and George Daniel produced Beabadoobee's solo EP Our Extended Play.

October 2021: Guest Appearance at Greek Theatre

In October 2021, Matty Healy guest-opened for Phoebe Bridgers at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and they performed the first live duet of the 1975 song "Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America".

2021: Georgia Twinn released the single "Matty Healy"

In 2021, Georgia Twinn, an Essex singer, released the single "Matty Healy", which Clash described as a "potent alt-pop banger" with glossy Healywave vibes.

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April 2022: Release of "Sleep Tight"

In April 2022, "Sleep Tight", a song co-written by Healy and Rob Milton, was released by Holly Humberstone.

July 2022: Release of Beatopia album

In July 2022, two tracks written by Healy, "Pictures of Us" and "You're Here That's the Thing", were released on Beabadoobee's album Beatopia.

November 2022: Healy denounces Kanye West's antisemitic remarks

In November 2022, Matty Healy denounced Kanye West's recent antisemitic remarks, stating that "grief" and "mental health issues" did not excuse them.

December 2022: Healy performs at the Ally Coalition benefit show

In December 2022, Healy performed at the 8th annual Ally Coalition benefit show to support LGBTQ youth.

2022: Healy expresses suspicion of woke-ism

By 2022, Healy reaffirmed his leftist stance but expressed suspicion of "woke-ism," viewing it as potentially rigid and communicating to younger fans the inevitability of mistakes and the importance of growth.

2022: Healy ends relationship with FKA Twigs

In 2022, Matty Healy ended his relationship with English singer FKA Twigs.

2022: Release of 'Being Funny in a Foreign Language'

In 2022, Matty Healy wrote and produced, with Daniel and Jack Antonoff, The 1975's fifth studio album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, which gave the band its fifth consecutive number one in the UK.

2022: The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour commentary on contemporary masculinity

In 2022, The 1975's At Their Very Best world tour, written and directed by Healy, included a commentary on contemporary masculinity, exploring themes of internet isolation, fame, and sincerity. Clips from the show went viral on social media, prompting media coverage of Healy's onstage actions.

2022: Healy discusses therapy and trauma

In a 2022 interview, Matty Healy mentioned being in therapy, and referred to dealing with trauma from "some early sexual experiences that, as [he] got older, were really, really difficult to deal with."

January 2023: Healy's performance of "Love It If We Made It" sparks controversy

In January 2023, a video of Matty Healy performing The 1975's song "Love It If We Made It" went viral. His gestures during the lyric "Thank you, Kanye, very cool" led to online debate about whether it was a Nazi salute.

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February 2023: Healy appears on The Adam Friedland Show podcast

In February 2023, Matty Healy appeared on the podcast 'The Adam Friedland Show'. During the episode, he laughed at jokes made by the hosts about Ice Spice's stage name and ancestry. He also joked about watching internet pornography in which black women are "brutalised".

March 2023: Healy addresses controversy from podcast appearance

In March 2023, Matty Healy told Jia Tolentino in a profile for The New Yorker that the controversy from his appearance on 'The Adam Friedland Show' was "people going, 'Oh, there's a bad thing over there, let me get as close to it as possible so you can see how good I am.'" He admitted to "oppositional" behavior and "exaggeration of my shit" over the previous 18 months.

April 2023: Release of 'Live with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra'

In April 2023, the band released Live with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, which reached number two in the UK.

April 2023: Healy states the end of his "arsehole" era

In early April 2023, during a concert in Adelaide as part of The 1975's 'At Their Very Best' tour, Matty Healy stated, "The era of me being a fucking arsehole is coming to an end ... I can't perform off the stage anymore."

August 2023: Headlining Reading and Leeds Festivals

In August 2023, Matty Healy and the band headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals for the third time, performing their self-titled debut album to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

September 2023: Commencement of 'Still... At Their Very Best' Tour

In September 2023, Matty Healy and the band commenced their concert tour entitled Still... At Their Very Best across arenas in North America and Europe.

September 2023: Healy begins dating Gabbriette

In September 2023, Matty Healy began dating American model and musician Gabbriette.

October 2023: Healy clarifies his onstage persona and apologizes

In October 2023, at a concert in Hollywood Bowl as part of The 1975's 'Still... At Their Very Best' tour, Matty Healy clarified that he had "performed exaggerated versions" of himself and apologized to those he had hurt. He pledged to do better moving forward.

2023: Healy and the 1975 banned from Malaysia after criticising anti-LGBT laws

In 2023, Healy and the 1975 were banned from Malaysia and forced to end their performance prematurely after Healy criticised the country's anti-LGBT laws and kissed his band mate Ross MacDonald on stage. The Good Vibes Festival was canceled and the band faced legal action.

2023: Healy criticises apathy of the left in British politics

In 2023, Healy criticised the "apathy of the left" in contemporary British politics, citing the Labour Party's failure to support rail workers' and dockers' strikes. He also urged audiences to resist the demonisation of strikers and voiced support for Scottish independence during performances in Scotland.

2023: Collaboration on Japanese House Singles

In 2023, Matty Healy provided additional vocals and drums for the Japanese House singles "Sunshine Baby" and "Boyhood", respectively.

2023: Healy reflects on giving interviews

In 2023, Matty Healy reflected on giving interviews, stating: "I think I'd gotten to a point where I didn't know how much I wanted to qualify my statements."

2023: Awards and Nominations for 'Being Funny in a Foreign Language'

In 2023, Matty Healy was nominated for Album of the Year at the Brit Awards, Songwriter of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards, and won the British Rock/Alternative Act at the Brit Awards for his work on the album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language.

2023: Healy criticizes transgender laws of Mississippi

In 2023, during their Still... At Their Very Best tour, Healy voiced criticism of the transgender laws in Mississippi, calling them "bullshit" in an onstage speech.

2023: Healy mentions comedians in Denmark

While onstage in Denmark in 2023, Healy cited George Carlin, Bill Hicks, and Lenny Bruce as "staples of the left" and his heroes, highlighting their use of vulgarity to expose social hypocrisy and stressing the importance of the left's ability to challenge the status quo.

March 2024: End of 'Still... At Their Very Best' Tour

In March 2024, Matty Healy and the band finished their concert tour entitled Still... At Their Very Best across arenas in North America and Europe.

May 2024: Healy and Gabbriette get engaged

In May 2024, Matty Healy and Gabbriette got engaged.

2024: The band's four shows at the O2 Arena in London will mark the world's first-ever carbon-removed events.

In 2024, the band's four shows at the O2 Arena in London will mark the world's first-ever carbon-removed events. This involves carbon dioxide generated by the events being sucked out of the air, as well as planting trees and spreading carbon dioxide-absorbing volcanic rock on farmland.