Pete Wentz
He transformed teenage angst into anthemic pop-punk, becoming the lyrical voice for a generation of outsiders.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American musician·Birthday: June 5·Generation X
Biography
Pete Wentz helped redefine 2000s rock as bassist and lyricist for Fall Out Boy. He channeled raw energy from the Chicago hardcore scene into sharply written, emotionally charged pop-punk. He founded a record label that launched other major acts and influenced the scene's aesthetic. His career navigated the band's meteoric rise, a well-publicized hiatus where he explored electronic music, and a triumphant return. He shaped a generation of rock music.
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.
Pete was born in 1979, 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 Pete Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Pete's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
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
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and played bass on multiple multi-platinum Fall Out Boy albums, including 'From Under the Cork Tree' and 'Infinity on High'.
- Founded DCD2 Records, which discovered and developed acts like Panic! at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.
- Penned the lyrics for 'Sugar, We're Goin Down' and 'Dance, Dance,' songs that became defining hits of the mid-2000s.
- Authored a bestselling book, 'The Boy with the Thorn in His Side,' blending memoir and fiction.
Did You Know?
He was the first musician to have a signature model bass guitar with the Warwick company.
He has a black belt in Taekwondo.
He briefly worked as a janitor at a Chicago nightclub before finding fame.
He created the comic book series 'Fall Out Toy Works'.
““I think the best songs come from a place of honesty, even if it’s an ugly honesty.””
