Andrew Dost
The multi-instrumentalist architect behind the grand, baroque-pop sound of the band fun., crafting anthems that defined a pop moment.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American songwriter·Birthday: April 10·Millennials
Biography
Andrew Dost is the quiet engine room of grand musical gestures. While studying at Central Michigan University, he cut his teeth in the intricate, sprawling indie collective Anathallo, playing nearly a dozen instruments. That orchestral sensibility became his superpower when he joined Jack Antonoff and Nate Ruess to form fun. As the band's multi-instrumentalist and arranger, Dost built the lush, soaring soundscapes—layers of piano, horns, and percussion—that turned songs like "We Are Young" into era-defining hits. After the band's hiatus, he seamlessly transitioned into composing for film and television, bringing the same detailed, emotive craftsmanship to scores. His career is a study in how musical depth can shape pop's highest peaks.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Andrew was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and performed on fun.'s album 'Some Nights,' which won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2013.
- Played a vast array of instruments on fun.'s recordings, including piano, trumpet, glockenspiel, and drums, defining their orchestral pop sound.
- Composed the original film score for the 2019 romance 'The Last Summer' and contributed to other television and film projects.
Did You Know?
He wrote and performed all the music for the opening theme of the NBC television show 'A to Z'.
Before joining fun., he was a member of the ambitious indie folk band Anathallo, known for its complex song structures and large lineup.
He is an avid pilot and owns his own airplane.
He composed a full musical, 'The Tallest Tree in the Forest,' based on the life of Paul Robeson.
“I build songs from the ground up, instrument by instrument.”
