Austin Meade

Austin Meade channels unbridled rock & roll energy yet tempers it with pop instincts that yield melodic, instantly memorable tracks without softening the weight of his guitars. Born in New Braunfels, Texas, in 1994, the Texas artist first gained notice through his 2014 LP Chief of the Sinners, which merged vintage hard rock and heartland rock influences with Americana-styled songcraft. He increased the intensity on the buoyant 2019 album Waves, then reached wider audiences with the hard-charging 2021 release Black Sheep, driven by the success of “Happier Alone.” On 2022’s Abstract Art of an Unstable Mind he incorporated glossy pop production methods and unconventional instrumental textures, ideas he extended on the 2024 EP Pretty Little Waist.

His father, a minister with a deep appreciation for rock & roll, took young Meade to concerts by classic hard rock bands including AC/DC, Judas Priest, and Cheap Trick. While absorbing that rock foundation, Meade also gravitated in his early teens toward the emo and pop-punk styles of Fall Out Boy and Paramore, along with the songwriting and guitar approach of John Mayer. He first picked up drums and played in local groups, yet when his father required a guitarist for the church praise band, Meade was tasked with learning the instrument. He embraced the challenge, soon joining additional regional ensembles.

After leaving New Braunfels to study agriculture and business at Texas A&M, he kept writing and recording, issuing his self-released debut Chief of the Sinners in 2014 as a sturdy roots-rock statement. Upon earning his degree in 2015 he settled in Austin, Texas, to focus on music full time. There he connected with Cody Canada of Cross Canadian Ragweed, who supplied guidance, encouragement, and an opportunity to teach drumming at the local School of Rock franchise. In 2019 Meade signed with 7013 Records, the imprint operated by Texas country artist Red Shahan, and delivered his second album, Waves. The track “Pay Phone” earned regional radio exposure and strong streaming figures, prompting Snakefarm Records—an offshoot of the hard rock label Spinefarm—to sign him for 2021’s Black Sheep, which received extensive airplay for both “Happier Alone” and “Cave In.” The ambitious two-LP set Abstract Art of an Unstable Mind in 2022 marked a deliberate shift, layering electronic keyboard accents and radio-friendly pop sheen over guitar-driven material. That same fusion of pop elements and rock guitars carried forward to the 2024 EP Pretty Little Waist, which produced another streaming hit with “Blackout.”