Tom Odell
A piano-pounding balladeer whose raw, emotional songwriting about love and anxiety captured a massive global audience in the 2010s.
Born 1990 (age 36)·British singer-songwriter·Birthday: November 24·Millennials
Biography
Tom Odell emerged from the UK with a sound that felt both classic and urgently contemporary—a young man hammering a piano, his voice cracking with feeling. His 2012 debut EP, 'Songs from Another Love,' immediately set him apart, earning him the BRITs Critics' Choice Award. The following album, 'Long Way Down,' shot to number one, powered by anthems of youthful despair and longing like 'Another Love' and 'Grow Old with Me.' Odell’s appeal lay in his vulnerability; he wrote openly about relationship turmoil and his own struggles with anxiety, forging a deep connection with fans. While subsequent albums like 'Wrong Crowd' and 'Jubilee Road' explored more produced, narrative-driven sounds, he always returned to the piano as his emotional anchor. In the 2020s, he took control of his career path, going independent and releasing music with renewed creative freedom, proving his staying power beyond initial hype.
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.
Tom was born in 1990, 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 Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the BRITs Critics' Choice Award in 2013, following the release of his debut EP.
- His first studio album, 'Long Way Down', debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart in 2013.
- Awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2014.
- His song 'Another Love' became a global streaming phenomenon years after its initial release, amassing billions of plays.
Did You Know?
He studied at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music before dropping out to focus on his music career.
His song 'Another Love' became a viral anthem on social media platforms like TikTok over a decade after its release.
He has cited Elton John and David Bowie as major musical influences.
He became an independent artist in 2022 after several albums on a major label.
“I think the best songs are the ones that are written quickly, because they come from a place of honesty.”
