Adam Young

In addition to these works, Young was part of the electronica band Swimming With Dolphins and post-rock band Windsor Airlift. Young has also collaborated with numerous musical artists such as Paul van Dyk, Chicane, Armin van Buuren, Schiller, Relient K, Jars of Clay, and Switchfoot. Young has composed music for brands such as Apple and Disney.

• Name — Adam Young • Birth Name — Adam Randal Young • Born — 5 July 1986 • Birthplace — Ottumwa, Iowa, U.S. • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • musician • Years Active — 2002–present

Young was born Adam Randal Young in Ottumwa, Iowa July 5, 1986 and was raised in Owatonna, Minnesota. He is the son of Joan Young and Randy Young. His mother worked as an elementary school teacher in the Owatonna school district. Growing up, he was raised as a Baptist. He graduated from Owatonna Senior High School and then found work at a Coca-Cola shipping warehouse. He later worked at UPS as a truck loader working night shifts. He attended a community college for a general arts degree. However, he ultimately dropped out of college and continued working as a truck loader, while focusing on making music. He began composing melodies in his head while working, which he would then record in his studio in his parents' basement. Young is a self-taught musician, as he never took lessons, and considers the piano, guitar and drums as his main three instruments.

Young began uploading songs recorded in his parents' basement to MySpace, where he started to attract favorable attention for his music. He released his debut studio album, Maybe I'm Dreaming independently on March 17, 2008. In February 2009, he signed with Universal Republic. His second studio album, Ocean Eyes, was released on July 14, 2009, and spawned three singles, most notably "Fireflies". The song peaked at number one for two non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. On June 14, 2011, he released his third studio album, All Things Bright and Beautiful. His fourth studio album, The Midsummer Station, was released on August 17, 2012. The album's lead single, "Good Time" featuring Carly Rae Jepsen, peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. He composed the song "When Can I See You Again?" on Disney's Wreck-It Ralph in 2012. He released his fifth studio album, Mobile Orchestra on July 10, 2015, which was his last album released under Republic Records before parting ways with the label in 2016. He subsequently released his next two albums, Cinematic (2018) and Coco Moon (2023) independently.

In 2002, Young formed a pop-punk band with his childhood friends Anthony and Andy Johnson. Young was the group's drummer and they released their debut EP, The Basement on April 25, 2003. The group would perform shows at local churches, as well as competing in the Steele County's Battle of the Bands competition in 2003. He has been credited on several releases with the band, most notably: Selections for a Fallen Soldier Vol. 2, Ocean City Park, Hotels and Beneath the Crystal Waves. Young departed the band in 2009 to focus on Owl City.

Sky Sailing is a musical project created by Adam Young and began in 2006. Young wrote and recorded Sky Sailing's songs while he was still a metalworker living with his parents. He recorded songs for An Airplane Carried Me to Bed in the summer of 2007 before Owl City broke out into the mainstream. Once Ocean Eyes became a commercial success in 2009, Young announced that he would re-launch the Sky Sailing project in 2010. Young called the project, "darker, moodier, and much more organic" than Owl City and is a lot more acoustic. He pitched the idea of releasing the album to Universal Records, which they were supportive of. Originally, these songs were made for his friends to hear and were supposed to be put on his MySpace page before Owl City took off and Young decided to put Sky Sailing on hold. Upon his return to Sky Sailing, Young uploaded two tracks on MySpace, "Brielle" and "I Live Alone". On July 13, 2010, he released his debut studio album An Airplane Carried Me to Bed and was one of the most-downloaded new albums on the week it was released. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 30. On the release day of the album, "Brielle" was released as its lead single and was sent to Triple-A and Hot AC radio formats. "A Little Opera Goes a Long Way" was also released on the same day for a free download. On July 22, "Tennis Elbow" was released for a free download on his newsletter. "Flowers of the Field" was released as a single on July 27. Young initially had plans for a Sky Sailing tour in the spring of 2011, however, those plans were later scrapped.

In 2006, Young formed an instrumental and ambient music project called Port Blue, creating electronic-based songs that he has described as "dreamscapes". One of Young's earliest instrumental projects, Port Blue was inspired by Saxon Shore, Unwed Sailor, Helios, Boards of Canada, and The Album Leaf. On September 13, 2007, Young released his debut album as Port Blue, The Airship. On January 10, 2008, Young released an initial follow-up EP, The Albatross. In 2013, Young released his second EP, The Pacific, on his SoundCloud page.

In 2008, Young formed an electronica band along with Austin Tofte called Swimming With Dolphins. On September 2, 2008, Young and Tofte released their debut EP, Ambient Blue. Young produced the EP, which would be the only release on which he was featured. In 2009, Young left the band to focus on Owl City.

On December 18, 2015, Young announced that he would be focusing on a new project titled "Adam Young Scores". During each month of 2016, he composed and recorded a score based on a subject of his choice, which is something he had wanted to accomplish for a long time. Young stated he was originally inspired by the music from Disney films that made him want to create scores of his own. In reflection of this discussion, each song, 11 scores, were all based on historical events that impacted Adam Young in some manner over the time of his entire career as a musical artist and personal lifetime. On February 1, 2016, the first score, Apollo 11, which is based on the Apollo 11 mission, was released on Young's "Adam Young Scores" website. He released his second score, RMS Titanic on March 1, which is based on the sinking of the Titanic. His third score, The Spirit of St. Louis, was released on April 1, and is about Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. The Ascent of Everest was released on May 1, as Young's fourth score. The score is based on the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition and stated that the success of the expedition inspired him to create the score. On June 1, he released his fifth score, Omaha Beach. He released his sixth score, Miracle in the Andes on July 1. On August 1, he released his seventh score, Project Excelsior. He released his eighth score, Corduroy Road on September 1, and is based on the American Civil War. On October 1, he released his ninth score, Voyager 1 which is based on the first Voyager program launched by NASA in 1977. He released his tenth score, Mount Rushmore on November 1, and was inspired by the carved sculptures of four US presidents in Mount Rushmore. The Endurance was released on December 1, as the eleventh and final score. It is based on Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914.

Young recorded music under the name Insect Airport. He has also done multiple screamo projects such as Aquarium and Novel, as well as played drums for a band called Isle. Young has experimented with comedy rap projects such as Charlton Heston and the Blast Beats, the Wellington Giggle-Bomb Experience and Apes with Guns. In 2004, he formed an electronic project called The Atlantic with Andy and Tony Johnson and released the album, I'll Set Out on an Ocean Voyage. In 2015, Young released an album titled, Mr. Wolf Is Dead, under the name Color Therapy. Other lesser known projects Young has created include, Dolphin Park, Keehar, The Grizzly and Seagull Orchestra. Young was featured on the single "Middledistancerunner" by English electronic musician Chicane and was released on July 30, 2010. He also worked with Dutch producer Armin van Buuren, appearing on a track called "Youtopia" which was released as a single on November 28, 2011. In 2012, he was featured on the single "Eternity" by Paul van Dyk. In 2013, Young worked with Apple in creating some of their ringtones and system alerts on the iOS 7. In 2015, Young co-wrote and co-produced the single "Mr. Heartache" by Sekai no Owari which appeared on their fourth studio album, Lip. In 2018, Didrick released the single "Ready to Fly" which featured guest vocals from Young. Young sang a cover of "Gone" by Switchfoot and was released on September 15, 2023, on the deluxe edition of The Beautiful Letdown (Our Version).

Young owns a home studio in his basement, Sky Harbor Studios. His studio consists of an SSL AWS console, Adam Audio S-4XV mains and an extensive collection of outboard gear. His studio also features four mobile equipment racks to "facilitate room reconfiguration to accommodate diverse session requirements." His equipment also includes a Steinway piano, Pro Tools, Moog, Roland and Korg synths, Gibson, Taylor and Fender guitars, and Marshall amplifications. The "polycylindrical ceiling cloud" is made for proper mixing position. His live room consists of a vocal booth to support Young's "keyboard-based productions." Before opening up his own studio, he made music entirely on his own in his bedroom, which led to him wanting to build a studio. He also felt "uncomfortable" working in other studios and believed it affected his "creativity." Designed by John Storyk of WSDG, Young felt he "captured my vision for the facility." At his studio, he's provided remixing and production for artists including Dispatch, John Mayer, Relient K andArmin van Buuren.

Young is a devout Christian and has stated that his faith is the only thing more important to him than music. He is married and lives in Owatonna, Minnesota. He describes himself as introverted and believes he has symptoms of Asperger syndrome, though he has never received a formal diagnosis. Young enjoys photography and considers himself to be an amateur photographer.

Adam Young is recorded with the occupation singer-songwriter. Recorded with the occupation record producer. Classed in the genre synth-pop. Recorded as singer-songwriter, singer, record producer, guitarist and songwriter.