Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

Ep. 36 - JON FOREMAN of Switchfoot ("Dare You to Move")

Episode Summary

Jon Foreman is the front man and primary songwriter for the spiritually-minded alternative rock band Switchfoot. The group has released nine studio albums, including 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, which sold more than two and a half million copies, earning it double platinum status. Their last six albums have hit the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, with five of them going to #1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. With RIAA certified Gold selling singles “Meant to Live,” “Dare You to Move,” and “Stars,” Switchfoot has won 14 Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year, which they took home in 2005. They won a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2010 for their Hello Hurricane LP. Foreman has released two albums with Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins under the name Fiction Family, as well as two thematic series of critically acclaimed solo EPs. His songs have been covered by Mandy Moore, Taylor Swift, Mutemath, Meatloaf, Amy Grant, and others. In 2001 Foreman was honored with the Les Paul Horizon Award as the most promising up-and-coming guitarist at the annual Gibson Guitar Awards in Los Angeles. He is an avid surfer and a contributor to the Huffington Post, where he blogs about life, music, and culture.

Episode Notes

Jon Foreman is the front man and primary songwriter for the spiritually-minded alternative rock band Switchfoot. The group has released nine studio albums, including 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, which sold more than two and a half million copies, earning it double platinum status. Their last six albums have hit the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, with five of them going to #1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. With RIAA certified Gold selling singles “Meant to Live,” “Dare You to Move,” and “Stars,” Switchfoot has won 14 Dove Awards, including Artist of the Year, which they took home in 2005. They won a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2010 for their Hello Hurricane LP. Foreman has released two albums with Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins under the name Fiction Family, as well as two thematic series of critically acclaimed solo EPs. His songs have been covered by Mandy Moore, Taylor Swift, Mutemath, Meatloaf, Amy Grant, and others. In 2001 Foreman was honored with the Les Paul Horizon Award as the most promising up-and-coming guitarist at the annual Gibson Guitar Awards in Los Angeles. He is an avid surfer and a contributor to the Huffington Post, where he blogs about life, music, and culture.