Chris Collingwood
He gave power pop its wry, suburban soul, turning songs about mundane life into enduring anthems with Fountains of Wayne.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American musician·Birthday: October 3·Generation X
Biography
Chris Collingwood emerged from the New England college scene to co-found Fountains of Wayne, a band that would become synonymous with clever, guitar-driven pop. With a knack for observational lyrics that found profundity in strip malls and awkward crushes, his voice—a blend of weariness and melody—became the vehicle for songs that were both instantly catchy and deeply literate. While the band's commercial peak came with the ubiquitous 'Stacy's Mom,' Collingwood's songwriting, often in partnership with Adam Schlesinger, built a catalog that critics and devoted fans consider a masterclass in the genre. His work elevated everyday American experiences into three-minute gems, securing a legacy that far outlasted fleeting chart success. Beyond the band, he has pursued a lower-profile solo path, further exploring his distinctive musical voice.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chris was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
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
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
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
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and sang lead on 'Stacy's Mom,' a double-platinum single that became a defining pop-culture moment of the 2000s.
- As principal songwriter for Fountains of Wayne, crafted the albums 'Welcome Interstate Managers' and 'Utopia Parkway,' which are considered high-water marks for modern power pop.
- Received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2003 as part of Fountains of Wayne.
- His songwriting collaboration with Adam Schlesinger was recognized with an ASCAP Pop Music Award.
Did You Know?
He is a trained visual artist and has created artwork for some of his own album covers.
Before fame, he worked in a record store while developing his musical craft.
Collingwood is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of pop music history.
“I'm a suburban guy who writes songs about the mundane details of life.”
