Jack Antonoff, the Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and frontman of Bleachers, is on a roll in 2024. Between major collaborations with artists like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, working on a Broadway production, and touring with his band, Antonoff is fully immersed in the music industry. Yet, even amidst this whirlwind, he’s reflecting on his journey, his creative process, and how the music industry can foster better artist development.
Standing in the garden of his private Hollywood recording studio, Antonoff reminisces about his inspirations and career. As unexpected as it may seem for a New Jersey-born musician who cut his teeth in the punk scene, he points to filmmaker Nancy Meyers as a personal inspiration. “You know who I miss right now?” Antonoff muses. “Nancy Meyers. She’s been on a bit of a break.” He admires Meyers’ ability to create a world that feels inviting yet aspirational, much like the finely designed kitchens in her films. “That’s why it’s cool,” he insists. Antonoff relates this vision to his own artistic work, appreciating how her films offered something beyond the everyday and into a more aesthetically ideal world.
In 2024, Antonoff’s fingerprints are all over the music industry. He contributed heavily to Taylor Swift’s album The Tortured Poets Department and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, both of which are expected to earn Grammy nominations. He also co-produced a track for Kendrick Lamar called 6:16 in L.A., adding another layer to the rapper’s high-profile rivalry with Drake. Despite these high-profile projects, Antonoff also finds time for his own band, Bleachers, and even composed music for a new Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet.
On his 40th birthday this year, Antonoff reflected on his evolving career and the pace of his life. “I feel really excited about turning 40,” he says. “I don’t enjoy how fast it all goes, but a lot of my artistic heroes have furthered their vision through age.” He names Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen as inspirations who have shown him that age only enhances the creative process. For Antonoff, the journey has been about continuing to explore new artistic territories while staying true to his voice.
Even though he’s at the height of his career, Antonoff is deeply grounded in his personal life, especially with his wife, actor Margaret Qualley. He describes their home in New Jersey as a sanctuary. “We’ve reached the point in our life where we’re both working pretty hard, filled with ideas and ambitions, but the magical place we go to in our minds is just being home.”
As for his music career, Antonoff is very aware of the ebbs and flows of fame. He recalls the experience with his former band, Fun., whose breakout hit “We Are Young” dominated the charts but faded from memory in the years that followed. “There was something very accidental about Fun.,” Antonoff reflects, noting that it wasn’t his band and that he ultimately prefers to lead his own creative projects with Bleachers.
When asked about his collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, Antonoff reveals a special connection to her song Sharpest Tool. “It’s that ‘born universe’ thing,” he explains. “When we made it, we were like, ‘What is this?’ It puzzles me and delights me.” He compares it to another of his beloved productions, Please Please Please, explaining that the magic of certain songs comes from their unpredictability and ability to defy expectations.
Antonoff also has strong opinions on the music industry’s role in fostering new talent. He believes that 2024’s breakthrough artists like Chappell Roan and Charli XCX succeeded not because the industry was seeking fresh voices, but because they’d been honing their craft for years. “It’s a moment for the record industry to consider who they’ve been dropping and ignoring,” Antonoff says. He stresses that real artist development takes time and freedom, and the music industry needs to give artists the space to explore and grow.
In typical Antonoff fashion, despite his high level of success, he maintains that time is his only true critic. “All that matters is how the stuff ages,” he says. Whether or not a song is initially well-received, he’s more interested in how people feel about it years down the line. For Antonoff, creating music isn’t about winning the moment but about leaving a lasting impact.
As he continues his journey, Antonoff remains focused on the work that speaks to him. He’s not interested in chasing trends or accolades, but rather in creating music that resonates with authenticity and stands the test of time.
