Introduction
Sam Hollander is an American songwriter. He has collaborated with Panic! at the Disco, One Direction, Fitz and the Tantrums, Weezer, blink-182, Train, Ringo Starr, Carole King, Katy Perry, Boys Like Girls, Metro Station, Billy Idol, Def Leppard, Daughtry, Gym Class Heroes, Tom Morello, among others.
Career
To date, he’s achieved 22 US Top 40 Hits, as well as 10 Number 1's, 10 top fives, and 87 Top 10 chart positions globally.
In 2008, he was named Rolling Stone Hot List Producer of the Year, alongside Dave "Sluggo" Katz.
In 2012, he was the music producer for the NBC TV show Smash, for which he produced the Emmy-nominated song "I Heard Your Voice In A Dream.
In 2019, he held the #1 position on the Billboard Rock Songwriters chart for nine weeks, a year-end record.
In 2019, Hollander sold his songwriting catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Fund.
He served as a Governor of the New York Chapter of The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The GRAMMYs)[1] and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the charity Musicians On Call.
His memoir, "21 Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way To The Top Of The Charts", was released December 6, 2023 via Matt Holt/BenBella/Penguin Random House.[2]
Personal life
Hollander was born in New York, NY and attended Fox Lane High School. He is the son of interior decorator and collector Judith Hollander, and José Limon Company dancer/Pratt Institute Professor Michael Hollander, and the nephew of American poet John Hollander. In December 2013, Hollander wrote an obituary dedicated to his uncle in the New York Times entitled "My uncle, the poet and the pop star". As a child, Hollander was babysat by artist Andy Warhol, whose live-in boyfriend, Jed Johnson, had started a decorating business with his mother.
Selected discography
- Panic! at the Disco "High Hopes" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified 7× PLATINUM,#1 US TOP 40,#1 US HOT AC,#1 US ALTERNATIVE,#1 US ROCK SONGS,
- 2019 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR,2× ASCAP Pop Award Winner
- Fitz and the Tantrums "HandClap" (Elektra) (writer)
- RIAA certified 4× PLATINUM,#5 US HOT AC,#5 US ALTERNATIVE,#8 US ROCK SONGS,BMI Pop Award Winner
- Gym Class Heroes "Cupid's Chokehold" (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen) (producer)
- RIAA certified 3× PLATINUM,#1 US TOP 40,#3 UK TOP 40
- BANNERS "Someone To You" (Island) (writer)
- RIAA certified 2x PLATINUM,#13 US HOT AC
- Panic! at the Disco "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified 2× PLATINUM,#1 US ROCK SONGS,#3 US HOT AC,#5 US ALTERNATIVE,#6 US TOP 40,
- 2020 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR, 2019 TEEN CHOICE AWARDS ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR,ASCAP Pop Award Winner
- James TW "When You Love Someone" (Island Records) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD,BPI certified Platinum
- Weezer "Records" (Crush/Atlantic) (writer)
- #1 US ALTERNATIVE
- Blink-182 "Blame It On My Youth" / "Happy Days" (Columbia) (writer)
- #9 US ROCK SONGS
- Metro Station "Shake It" (Columbia) (producer)
- RIAA certified 2× PLATINUM,#3 US TOP 40
- One Direction "Rock Me" (Columbia/SYCO) (writer)
- IFPI certified PLATINUMfrom theRIAA certified 3× PLATINUM albumTake Me Home
- Ringo Starr "Teach Me To Tango", "Thank God For Music", "Better Days" (Universal Music) (writer/producer)
- Def Leppard "Fire It Up" (Mercury Records) (writer)
- Billy Idol "Rita Hayworth" (Dark Horse Records) (writer)
- Train "Save Me San Francisco" (Columbia) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD,#3 US AC,#7 US HOT AC,BMI Pop Award Winner
- Train "Marry Me" (Columbia) (writer)
- RIAA certified 2× PLATINUM,#4 US HOT AC,BMI Pop Award Winner
- Boys Like Girls "The Great Escape" (Columbia) (writer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM,#8 US TOP 40,BMI Pop Award winner
- Boys Like Girls "Love Drunk" (Columbia) (writer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM,#8 US TOP 40
- Daughtry"Waiting for Superman" (RCA) (writer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM,#11 US HOT AC
- We The Kings "Check Yes Juliet" (S-Curve/EMI) (writer/producer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM / ARIA certified PLATINUM
- Panic! at the Disco "Emperor's New Clothes" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified 2x PLATINUM
- Panic! at the Disco "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM,#1 US ALTERNATIVE,#1 US ROCK SONGS
- Panic! at the Disco "Roaring 20s" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)(writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Panic! at the Disco "Crazy=Genius" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Panic! at the Disco "Impossible Year" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Panic! at the Disco "Golden Days" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- from theGRAMMY-nominatedRIAA certified 2× PLATINUM albumDeath of a Bachelor(writer)
- Panic! at the Disco "King Of The Clouds" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Panic! at the Disco "Drunks", "Dancing's Not A Crime", "Old Fashioned" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic) (writer)
- from the RIAA certified 2x PLATINUM albumPray for the Wicked
- 2019 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- Goo Goo Dolls "Miracle Pill" (Warner Brothers) (writer)
- #19 US HOT AC
- Jewel "Grateful" (Crush) (writer)
- Carole King "Love Makes The World" (Koch) (writer/producer)
- Arashi Party Starters (J-Storm) (writer/producer) from the RIAJ certified 3× PLATINUM "This Is Arashi"
- #7 JAPAN HOT 100
- Good Charlotte "Sex on the Radio" (Capitol) (writer)
- ARIA certified PLATINUM
- Pentatonix "Sing", "New Year's Day" (RCA) from theRIAA certified GOLD albumPentatonix (writer)
- Gym Class Heroes "As Cruel as School Children" (Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen) (writer/producer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Macklemore "Next Year" (Bendo Records/Warner Brothers) (writer)
- Aloe Blacc "King Is Born" (Interscope) (writer/producer)
- Fitz and the Tantrums "Roll Up", "Run It", "Get Right Back" (writer)
- Katy Perry "If You Can Afford Me" (Capitol)
- from the RIAA certified PLATINUM album One Of The Boys (writer/producer)
- Karmin "Acapella" (Epic) (writer)
- RIAA certified GOLD / ARIA certified 3× PLATINUM
- Metro Station "Seventeen Forever" (Columbia) (producer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Kelly Rowland "Daylight" (Columbia) (producer)
- #5 UK R&B
- Tom Morello ft. *Ben Harper "Raising Hell" (mom+pop) (writer)
- Tom Morello ft. *Barns Courtney "Human" (mom+pop) (writer)
- Walk The Moon "Rise Up" (RCA) (writer)
- Saint Motel "Preach" (Elektra) (writer)
- The Band Camino "I Think I Like You" (Elektra) (writer)
- #12 US HOT AC
- Weezer "I Love The USA" (Crush/Atlantic) (writer)
- We The Kings "Say You Like Me" (S-Curve/EMI)(writer/producer)
- ARIA certified GOLD
- Olly Murs "Beautiful To Me" (Epic) from the BPI certified 2× PLATINUM album Never Been Better (writer)
- Delta Goodrem "Encore" (Sony) from theARIA certified GOLDWings of the Wild (writer)
- Chiddy Bang "Mind Your Manners" (Polydor) (writer/producer)
- ARIA certified 2× PLATINUM
- Chiddy Bang "Happening" (Polydor) (writer/producer)
- ARIA certified GOLD
- Chiddy Bang "Ray Charles" (Polydor) (writer/producer)
- #13 UK TOP 40
- The O'Jays "The Last Word" (S-Curve) (writer/producer)
- Tom Jones "I'm Alive" (S-Curve/EMI) from the BPI certified Gold album 24 Hours (producer)
- Mike Love Reason for the Season (BMG) (writer/producer)
- Joe Cocker "The Last Road" (Columbia) (writer)
- Cliff Richard "Christmas with Cliff" (East West Records) BPI certified Silver album (producer)
- Neon Trees "Your Surrender", "I Am The DJ" (Island Records) (writer)
- #18 US HOT AC
- DNCE "Can You Feel It" (RCA) for the movie and soundtrack "My Little Pony: The Movie (writer)
- Capital Cities "Venus & River" (Capitol) (writer)
- Coheed and Cambria "The Running Free" (Columbia) (writer)
- #19 US ALTERNATIVE
- Hollywood Undead "Hear Me Now" (Octone Records) (writer/producer)
- RIAA certified GOLD
- Owl City "Speed of Love" (Universal Republic) (writer)
- Sadie Stanley "Call Me, Beep Me" (Walt Disney Records) for the TV movie "Kim Possible" (producer)
- Violent Femmes "Holy Ghost", "Foothills", "Issues" (writer)
- Andy Grammer "Damn It Feels Good To Be Me" (S-Curve) (writer)
- #14 US HOT AC
- Train "This'll Be My Year" (Columbia)
- from theRIAA certified GOLD albumCalifornia 37 (writer)
- The Fray "Same As You" (Epic) (writer)
- Barenaked Ladies "Lookin Up" (Vanguard) (writer)
- American Authors "Microphone" (Island) (writer)
- Sugar Ray "Girls Were Made To Love" (Pulse) (writer/producer)
- Blues Traveler "Suzie Cracks the Whip" (429) (producer)
- Uncle Kracker "Hot Mess" (Atlantic) (writer/producer)
- Matt Nathanson "Earthquake Weather" "Heart Starts"(Vanguard) (writer)
- Michael Franti & Spearhead "Wherever You Are", "I Don't Wanna Go" (Capitol) (writer)
- Rebelution "Santa Barbara" (Easy Star Records) from theGRAMMY nominated "Falling Into Place (writer)"
- G. Love & Special Sauce f/ Keb Mo & Robert Randolph "Birmingham"
- from the GRAMMY nominated album "The Juice" (writer)
- The Record Company "How High" (Concord Records) (writer)
- #4 US AAA
- The Revivalists "How We Move"(Concord Records) (writer)
- Matisyahu "Happy Hannukah," "Champion" (writer)
- O.A.R. "Lay Down" (Lava) (writer)
- Trombone Shorty "Dream On" (Verve) (writer/producer)
- Allen Stone "Symmetrical" (Capitol Records) (writer)
- Brett Dennen "Out Of My Head" (Atlantic) (writer)
- Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness "Canyon Moon" (writer)
- The Struts "Freak Like You" (Interscope) (writer/producer)
- Daughtry"Battleships" (RCA) from theRIAA certified GOLD album Baptized (album) (writer)
- #20 US HOT AC
- Cobra Starship "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)" (Decaydance/New Line)
- for the movie and soundtrack "Snakes on a Plane (writer/producer)
- All Time Low "Lost in Stereo" (Interscope)
- from theRIAA certified GOLDalbum Nothing Personal (writer/producer)
- All Time Low "Holly (Would You Turn Me On" (Interscope)
- from theRIAA certified GOLDalbum So Wrong, It's Right (writer)
- Big Time Rush "Til' I Forget About You" (Columbia)
- RIAA certified GOLD (writer/producer)
- Big Time Rush "Big Night" (Columbia)
- from theRIAA certified GOLD albumBTR (writer/producer)
- Arrested Development "Since The Last Time" (Edel/Pony Canyon) (writer/producer)
- The Virgins "The Virgins" (Atlantic) (producer)
- Bowling For Soup "Only Young" (Jive Records) (writer)
- Hot Chelle Rae "Honestly" (RCA) (writer/producer)
- Descendants 2 "Ways To Be Wicked" (Hollywood) (writer/producer)
- RIAA certified PLATINUM
- Descendants "Set It Off" (Hollywood)
- from theRIAA certified GOLD album(writer/producer)
- Glee Cast "Candles" (Columbia) for the show Glee (writer)
- Static Revenger "Happy People" (Ministry of Sound) (writer)
- #23 UK TOP 40
- Cooler Kids "All Around The World" (DreamWorks) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
- RIAA certified PLATINUM(writer/producer)
- Blake Lewis "Heartbreak on Vinyl" Tommy Boy) (writer/producer)
- #1 US DANCE CLUB PLAY,#1 US DANCE AIRPLAY
- SMASH Cast “Voice In A Dream" (Columbia) for the show SMASH (producer)
- EMMY NOMINATED
- Toothpick "Supersize Me" for the ACADEMY AWARD nominated documentary Supersize Me (writer/producer)