John Mellencamp

"John Cougar" redirects here. For the album, see John Cougar (album). For Mellencamp's self-titled album, see John Mellencamp (album).
"Mellencamp" redirects here. For Seamus Mellencamp, see List of Acolytes members. For the American television personality, see Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave.

John Mellencamp
Mellencamp in 2007
Mellencamp in 2007
Background information
Birth nameJohn J. Mellencamp
Also known as
  • Johnny Cougar
  • John Cougar “The Coug”
  • John Cougar Mellencamp
Born (1951-10-07) October 7, 1951 (age 73)
Seymour, Indiana, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1974–present
Labels
Websitemellencamp.com
Signature

John J. Mellencamp[1] (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumentation. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008,[2] followed by an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.[3]

Mellencamp found success in the 1980s while "honing an almost startlingly plainspoken writing style" [4] that, starting in 1982, yielded a string of Top 10 singles, including "Hurts So Good," "Jack & Diane," "Crumblin' Down," "Pink Houses," "Lonely Ol' Night," "Small Town," "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.," "Paper in Fire", and "Cherry Bomb." He has scored fourteen Top 20 hits in the United States. In addition, he holds the record for the most songs by a solo artist to hit number one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with seven. Mellencamp has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one. He has sold over 60 million albums worldwide, with 30 million in the US. His latest album of original songs, Orpheus Descending, was released in June 2023.[5]

Mellencamp is also one of the founding members of Farm Aid, an organization that began in 1985 with a concert in Champaign, Illinois to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. Farm Aid concerts have remained an annual event over the past 39 years, and as of 2024 the organization has raised nearly $80 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.[6]

  1. ^ "Q: I've seen John's name in print as both "John Cougar Mellencamp" and "John Little Cougar Mellencamp" and "Lil 'John Cougar Mellencat." Which is correct?". ClubCherryBomb.net. Archived from the original on April 27, 2006.
  2. ^ "Inductees for 2008". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame official website. December 13, 2007. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2008.
  3. ^ "John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, Kool & the Gang Lead 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame Class". Variety. February 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "One from the Heartland". Vanity Fair. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  5. ^ Tannenbaum, Rob (June 6, 2023). "John Mellencamp Just Might Punch You". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  6. ^ "About Farm Aid". FarmAid.org.