In 2024, Rolling Stone dubbed him "the hottest name in dance music," while Variety hailed him as "one of EDM's biggest rising stars." His music, featuring several #1 hits on the US Dance charts, combines original tracks, remixes, and legendary marathon DJ sets.
Summit was an active DJ while studying accounting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, [3] where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.[4] He would frequently DJ at venues like The Red Lion in Champaign and Canopy Club in Urbana. In 2019, finding his accounting job as a CPA at Ernst & Young[3] "soul-sucking," he switched to full-time producing, supporting himself with money he had saved.[5]
Summit's breakthrough onto the national stage came in 2020 with his track "Deep End," released on Defected Records,[3] which became the longest-running Beatport No. 1 track of the year.[6]
More career growth followed in 2021 with the release of singles "Sun Came Up," a collaboration with Sofi Tukker, and "Human," (featuring Echoes) which became a No. 1 US dance track.[7][8] By the end of 2021, he had amassed more than 4 million listeners on Spotify, rising to 7.8 million by September 2023. To close out 2021, Dancing Astronaut named him its Breakout Artist of the Year[9] and he became Beatport's top-selling artist in all genres in 2021.[6]
2022–present: Experts Only
In 2022 Summit toured Europe, Australia, and the US.[3] While on tour, he started his own label and events brand, Off the Grid, which was rebranded in 2023 to Experts Only.[10] The name "Experts Only" reflects his love of mountains and skiing, as does his stage name (originally just "Summit").[11] Since its launch, the label has released music by John Summit himself and various other artists.[12][13][14] In 2022 Summit was named 1001tracklist's #4 Producer of the Year.[15]
In early 2023, Summit released "Where You Are" (feat. Hayla) with Experts Only in partnership with Darkroom Records.[16] The release, which Rolling Stone called "a festival mainstay[17]," led him to his first Billboard Top 10 in March 2023,[18] and in June, the record hit #1 on the Mediabase US Dance Radio chart.[19][20]
Shortly after the inception of “Where You Are”, BBC Radio 1 aired Summit’s first BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in February 2023.[21] In September, Summit and fellow DJ Dom Dolla debuted a collaborative events brand called Everything Always at the Gas Works Park in Seattle, Washington.[22]
Summit's major live appearances in 2023 included Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater,[23] The Brooklyn Mirage,[24] and Petco Park, as well as festivals such as EDC Las Vegas, HARD Summer,[25] Lollapalooza Brazil, Creamfields North,[26] Hangout, and ARC Music Festival Chicago.[27]
In November 2023 Summit was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Music list.[28] At the end of the year, Barack Obama named Summit's song with Hayla, "Where You Are," as one of his favorite songs of the year.[29]
On February 14, 2024, Summit released his single "Shiver" (featuring Hayla) with Experts Only in partnership with Darkroom Records. The song led to his second top 10 on the Billboard Hot Electronic / Dance Songs chart and was praised by Jon Caramanica of The New York Times who shared, "very rarely does something come along that feels like it has a pulsing heart."[30] In April, he performed sets at Coachella, including with Dom Dolla as part of Everything Always and a solo set that saw Summit closing out the Sahara stage.[31]
On May 16, Summit teamed up with Sub Focus and Julia Church for the release of their collaboration "Go Back," which NYLON praised as “an undulating house and drum and bass smasher that’ll undeniably be another hit.” [32]
Summit currently lives in Miami, Florida,[12] where he purchased a residence in early 2023.[33]
In May 2024, Summit announced his debut album Comfort in Chaos, which was released on July 12, featuring "Where You Are", "Shiver", and "Go Back".[34] It debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart and number 39 on the US Billboard 200[35] and received significant praise around the world, with Forbes describing it as “a masterclass in unbound creativity.”[36]
Following an incredibly successful debut album launch, a sold-out, 5-hour performance at Madison Square Garden in June, and an announcement of three headline dates at the Kia Forum for November, Summit was named 1001tracklist’s #1 Producer of 2024.[37]
"Sweet Disposition" (John Summit & Silver Panda Remix)
2024
—
10
Sweet Disposition
"Shiver" (with HAYLA)
8
4
Comfort in Chaos
"EAT THE BASS"
36
—
Comfort in Chaos
"Go Back" (with Sub Focus, feat. Julia Church)
12
6
Comfort in Chaos
"Resonate" (with Kaskade, feat. Julia Church)
35
—
Comfort in Chaos
"Tears" (with Paige Cavell)
22
33
Comfort in Chaos
"Gas Pedal Remix" (with Subtronics, Tape B, and Sage The Gemini)
19
—
Gas Pedal
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.
References
^Chicago DJ and Producer John Summit Comes Back Home for Northerly Island Shows - Axios Chicago, www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/10/11/john-summit-northerly-island-shows. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
