# Grandson (musician)

Jordan Edward Benjamin (born October 25, 1993), known professionally as Grandson (stylized as grandson), is an American-Canadian singer, songwriter, and rapper currently signed to Fueled by Ramen. He released his major label debut EP, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1, on June 15, 2018, and released the follow-up A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2 on February 22, 2019. The initial EP featured the single "Blood // Water", which appeared on several Billboard charts in the United States and Canada. Benjamin's music focuses on modern-day issues that are less recognized by the media and public. On December 4, 2020, he released his debut studio album, Death of an Optimist, and his second album, I Love You, I'm Trying, was released on May 5, 2023.

## Early life and education

Benjamin was born in New Jersey, United States. When he was 3 years old, his family moved to a Jewish neighborhood in Toronto, Ontario, where his maternal relatives lived (he holds dual citizenship of both countries). He is Jewish. He has two sisters. Benjamin grew up largely in the Eglinton West area of Toronto. He attended Northern Secondary School in Toronto and, after graduation, enrolled in McGill University in Montreal. There, he studied education with the initial goal of becoming a teacher. He also spent a great deal of time DJing and playing shows in Montreal while at McGill. After two years, he transferred to Concordia University, another Montreal institution. He studied communications there briefly before dropping out and moving to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a music career.

## Career

Benjamin began releasing music under the pseudonym grandson in late 2015. In 2016, he released several singles that accrued millions of streams, including "Bills", "Things Change", and "Bury Me Face Down". In 2017, he was signed to RCA Records, and continued releasing singles, including "Best Friends" and "Kiss Bang". He also performed at North by Northeast that year (among other festivals).
In April 2018, it was announced that grandson had signed to the Fueled By Ramen record label. He had also released two new singles, "Blood // Water" (a song about political corruption that would go on to appear on multiple Billboard charts) and "Thoughts & Prayers", which offered a critique of American gun laws in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He released his first EP on Fueled by Ramen, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1, in June 2018. That EP also featured the song "6:00" which discussed police brutality. Also in June 2018, grandson was featured on Mike Shinoda's song "Running from My Shadow", taken from his debut album Post Traumatic; the track was released also with an accompanying music video in May 2018.
Throughout 2018, grandson toured with acts like Hobo Johnson, Joywave, Nothing But Thieves, Smashing Pumpkins, and Young the Giant. He also appeared on an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers in August 2018, performing "Blood // Water".
In February 2019, he released a new single, "Apologize", and announced his second EP, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2, which was released on February 22, 2019. In late May, grandson released a cover of Rage Against the Machine's "Maria", a song featured on the 1999 album The Battle of Los Angeles.
In June 2019, he won the SOCAN Songwriting Prize for his song "Blood // Water", while in September 2019 the singer released A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3, the final installment of the Modern Tragedy trilogy; the record features the lead single "Rock Bottom", which peaked at No. 38 on the Canadian Rock Chart.
On September 23, 2020, Grandson announced on his Facebook page that his debut full-length album Death of an Optimist would be released on December 4, 2020. Death of an Optimist is grandson's debut album, being his first record to have a heavier tone since the release of the last A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3.
He announced a new album, I Love You, I'm Trying in May 2022, and it was released in May 2023.
In September 2024, it was announced that Grandson would be the opening act for Linkin Park on their From Zero World Tour, their first in 7 years and without former lead singer Chester Bennington following his death.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of albums with selected album details and peak chart positions :
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Details | US Heat. |
| Death of an Optimist | Released: December 4, 2020 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download, CD, vinyl | 7 |
| I Love You, I'm Trying | Released: May 5, 2023 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download, CD, vinyl | — |

### EPs

List of EPs with selected album details and peak chart positions :
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Details | US Heat. |
| A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1 | Released: June 15, 2018 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download, CD | — |
| Broken Down Vol. 1 | Released: August 17, 2018 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download | — |
| A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2 | Released: February 22, 2019 (US) Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download, CD | 23 |
| No Apologies Live | Released: June 11, 2019 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download | — |
| A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3 | Released: September 13, 2019 Label: Fueled by Ramen Formats: Digital download, CD | — |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | CAN AC | CAN Rock | CZ | LTU | US Alt | US Main | US Rock | Certifications | Album |
| "Bills" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Things Change" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Bury Me Face Down" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | MC: Gold | Non-album singles |
| "Kiss Bang" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Best Friends" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "War" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Blood // Water" | 2017 | — | 19 | — | 93 | 20 | 17 | 19 | MC: 3× Platinum AFP: Gold ARIA: 2× Platinum BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI AUT: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum SNEP: Gold | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1 |
| "Overdose" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1 |
| "Thoughts & Prayers" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Apologize" | 2019 | — | 5 | — | — | 34 | 20 | — | MC: Gold | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2 |
| "Maria" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Rock Sound Presents: Worship And Tributes Vol. 2 |
| "Despicable" | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1 |
| "Rock Bottom" | 2019 | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3 |
| "Oh No!!!" (original or with Vic Mensa & Masked Wolf) | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3 |
| "Happy Pill" (with Moby Rich) | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Peaches (Text Voter XX to 40649)" (with K.Flay) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Text Voter XX to 40649 Collection |
| "Whole Lotta (Text Voter XX to 40649)" (with DREAMERS) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Text Voter XX to 40649 Collection |
| "How Bout Now (Text Voter XX to 40649)" (with phem) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Text Voter XX to 40649 Collection |
| "Again (Text Voter XX to 40649)" (with Zero 9:36) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Text Voter XX to 40649 Collection |
| "Identity" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Death of an Optimist |
| "Riptide" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Death of an Optimist |
| "Dirty" | 2020 | 50 | 6 | — | — | 10 | — | — | MC: Gold | Death of an Optimist |
| "One Step Closer" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Spotify Singles |
| "We Did It!!!" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Death of an Optimist |
| "Zen" (with X Ambassadors and K.Flay) | 2020 | — | 9 | 48 | — | 24 | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Rain" (with Jessie Reyez) | 2021 | — | 31 | — | — | 26 | — | 49 | | The Suicide Squad (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| "Drop Dead" (with Kesha and Travis Barker) | 2021 | — | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "KULT" (with Steve Aoki feat. Jasiah) | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Eulogy" | 2023 | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | | I Love You, I'm Trying |
| "Drones" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | I Love You, I'm Trying |
| "Something To Hide" | 2023 | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | | I Love You, I'm Trying |
| "One Last Dance" (with Tom Morello featuring Roman Morello) | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | — | | Venom: The Last Dance |
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |||||||||||

### As featured artist

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | US Alt | Album |
| "Running from My Shadow" (Mike Shinoda featuring Grandson) | 2018 | — | Post Traumatic |
| "All in My Head" (Whethan featuring Grandson) | 2020 | — | Fantasy |
| "Heat Seeker" (DREAMERS featuring Grandson) | 2020 | 28 | Palm Reader |
| "Lost Cause" (KennyHoopla featuring Grandson) | 2020 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Cash Machine (Remix)" (Oliver Tree featuring Dillon Francis and Grandson) | 2020 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Hold the Line" (Tom Morello featuring Grandson) | 2021 | — | The Atlas Underground Fire |
| "Until I Come Home" (Two Feet featuring Grandson) | 2021 | — | Shape & Form |
| "GOOD MOOD" (DE'WAYNE featuring Grandson) | 2022 | — | Non-album singles |
| "CHOKE" (The Warning featuring Grandson & Zero 9:36) | 2022 | — | Non-album singles |
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||

### Music videos

| Title | Year | Director(s) |
| "Bills" | 2017 | Joe Cappa |
| "Blood // Water" | 2018 | Miggy & Morgan |
| "6:00" | 2018 | Gus Black |
| "Apologize" | 2019 | Jordan Wozy & Lucas Taggart |
| "Stigmata" | 2019 | Rosco Guerrero |
| "Rock Bottom" | 2019 | Seth Michael Stern |
| "Oh No!!!" | 2019 | Galileo |
| "Identity" | 2020 | Karl Jungquist |
| "Riptide" | 2020 | Karl Jungquist |
| "Dirty" | 2020 | Karl Jungquist |
| "Rain" (From The Suicide Squad) | 2021 | ~ |
| "Drop Dead" (ft. Kesha and Travis Barker) | 2021 | Andrew Sandler |
| "Eulogy" | 2023 | Zach Madden |
| "Drones" | 2023 | Zachary Bailey |
| "Half My Heart" | 2023 | |