# Ammar Malik

Ammar Malik (born June 22, 1987) is an American songwriter. He has co-written several modern pop songs, most notably Maroon 5's "Moves like Jagger" and Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" which have both been certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. He tied for 17th place in Songtrust's publication of the top 20 songwriters of 2011. Ammar Malik's songs have sold over 100 million copies worldwide in total.

## Early life and education

Malik was born in Northern Virginia, on June 22, 1987, to first-generation American born to Pakistani parents. He first started learning guitar when he was 14. As a high school and college student he wrote and performed music locally with several different bands.
Malik attended George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he majored in English.

## Songwriting

Malik's close friend and co-manager David Silberstein had a childhood connection to producer Benny Blanco along with his brother and now co-manager Jeremy Levin. After Malik and Blanco were introduced, Blanco suggested he try his hand at writing songs for other artists. Though Malik had intentions of being an artist himself, when nearing the end of college he decided to give it a shot. In an interview Malik said that two of his biggest influences are Radiohead and Rx Bandits. He also co-wrote "Compass" by Lady Antebellum in 2013's single.
In 2013, Malik won the coveted BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year title, along with Benny Blanco, and Claude Kelly. Each contributed four songs to the year's most performed list. Malik co-penned "Ass Back Home", "Moves Like Jagger, "Payphone" and "Stereo Hearts". Benny Blanco, Adam Levine and Ammar Malik also clinched BMI Pop Song of the Year honors for their co-write of "Moves Like Jagger".

### Songwriting discography

| Year | Artist(s) | Song | Album |
| 2011 | Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera | "Moves like Jagger" | Hands All Over |
| 2011 | Gym Class Heroes ft. Adam Levine | "Stereo Hearts" | The Papercut Chronicles II |
| 2011 | Gym Class Heroes ft. Neon Hitch | "Ass Back Home" | The Papercut Chronicles II |
| 2011 | Taio Cruz | "Make It Last Forever" | TY.O |
| 2012 | Sean Paul | "Put It on You" | Tomahawk Technique |
| 2012 | Maroon 5 | "Payphone" | Overexposed |
| 2012 | Maroon 5 | "Beautiful Goodbye" | Overexposed |
| 2012 | B.o.B ft. Taylor Swift | "Both of Us" | Strange Clouds |
| 2012 | Adam Lambert | "Naked Love" | Trespassing |
| 2012 | Rome | "Seasons" | Dedication EP |
| 2012 | Rome | "Oz of Love" | Dedication EP |
| 2012 | Marina and the Diamonds | "How to be a Heartbreaker" | Electra Heart |
| 2012 | Cher Lloyd feat. Becky G | "Oath" | Sticks + Stones |
| 2012 | Kesha | "Thinking of You" | Warrior |
| 2012 | Kesha | "Last Goodbye" | Warrior |
| 2013 | Wallpaper. | "Drunken Hearts" | Ricky Reed is Real |
| 2013 | Keith Urban | "Shame" | Fuse |
| 2013 | Travie McCoy | "Rough Water" | Rough Water |
| 2013 | Twin Forks | "Cross My Mind" | Twin Forks |
| 2013 | Jessie J | "Excuse My Rude" | Alive |
| 2013 | Jessie J | "Harder We Fall" | Alive |
| 2013 | Lady Antebellum | "Compass" | Golden |
| 2013 | Gavin Degraw | "Make A Move" | Make a Move |
| 2013 | Rixton | "Make Out" | TBA |
| 2013 | James Blunt | "Always Hate Me" | Moon Landing |
| 2013 | Mikky Ekko | "Place for Us" | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
| 2014 | Rixton | "Me and My Broken Heart" | Me and My Broken Heart EP |
| 2014 | Pitbull ft. G. R. L | "Wild Wild Love" | Globalization |
| 2014 | Maroon 5 | "Maps" | V |
| 2014 | Maroon 5 | "Leaving California" | V |
| 2014 | Maroon 5 | "Shoot Love" | V |
| 2014 | Jason Mraz | "Quiet" | Yes! |
| 2014 | Nick Jonas | "Chains" | Nick Jonas |
| 2014 | Nick Jonas | "Teacher" | Nick Jonas |
| 2014 | Ariana Grande | "Why Try" | My Everything |
| 2014 | James Blunt | "When I Find Love Again" | Moon Landing (Apollo Edition) |
| 2014 | James Blunt | "Trail of Broken Hearts" | Moon Landing (Apollo Edition) |
| 2015 | Olly Murs | "Seasons" | Never Been Better |
| 2015 | Rixton | "Whole" | Let the Road |
| 2015 | Rixton | "We All Want the Same Thing" | Let the Road |
| 2015 | Rixton | "I Like Girls" | Let the Road |
| 2015 | Prince Royce | "Double Vision" | Double Vision |
| 2015 | Max Frost | "Withdrawal" | Withdrawal |
| 2015 | BØRNS | "The Fool" | Dopamine |
| 2015 | Matt McAndrew | "Counting On Love" | Counting On Love |
| 2015 | Cashmere Cat | "Adore (feat. Ariana Grande)" | Adore |
| 2015 | JoJo | "When Love Hurts" | III |
| 2015 | One Direction | "I Want to Write You a Song" | Made In The A.M. |
| 2015 | The Vamps | "Wake Up" | Wake Up |
| 2015 | The Vamps | "Be with You" | Wake Up |
| 2015 | The Vamps | "I Found a Girl" | Wake Up |
| 2015 | The Vamps | "Windmills" | Wake Up |
| 2015 | The Vamps | "Volcano" | Wake Up |
| 2016 | DJ Snake | "Sober (feat. JRY)" | Encore |
| 2016 | Birdy | "Lifted" | Beautiful Lies |
| 2016 | Olivia Holt | "Phoenix" | Olivia |
| 2016 | Reggie 'n' Bollie | "New Girl" | New Girl - Single |
| 2016 | Matoma | "Wonderful Life (Mi Oh My)" | The Angry Birds Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| 2016 | 5 Seconds of Summer | "Girls Talk Boys" | Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| 2016 | Martina Stoessel | "Don't Cry for Me" | Tini |
| 2016 | Maroon 5 | "Don't Wanna Know (feat. Kendrick Lamar)" | Don't Wanna Know - Single |
| 2016 | Clean Bandit | "Rockabye (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)" | What Is Love? |
| 2016 | OneRepublic | "Born" | Oh My My |
| 2016 | Robin Schultz, David Guetta & Cheat Codes | "Shed A Light" | Shed A Light - Single |
| 2017 | Ed Sheeran | "New Man" | ÷ |
| 2017 | Clean Bandit | "Symphony (feat. Zara Larsson)" | What Is Love? |
| 2017 | Zara Larsson | "Sundown" | So Good |
| 2017 | Jessie Ware | "Selfish Love" | TBA |
| 2017 | Maroon 5 | "Wait", "Who I Am" (featuring LunchMoney Lewis), "Closure" | Red Pill Blues |
| 2018 | Lost Frequencies | "Melody (feat. James Blunt)" | Melody - Single |
| 2018 | Galantis | "Spaceship (feat. Uffie)" | Spaceship - Single |
| 2019 | Weezer | "I'm Just Being Honest" | Weezer (Black Album) |
| 2019 | Thomas Rhett | "Look What God Gave Her" | Center Point Road |
| 2019 | Fitz and the Tantrums | "I Need Help!" | All the Feels |
| 2019 | Deorro | "Obvious" | Obvious - Single |
| 2019 | Jonas Brothers | "Trust" | Happiness Begins |
| 2019 | Why Don't We | "What Am I" | What Am I - Single |
| 2020 | Halsey | "More" | Manic |
| 2020 | Selena Gomez | "Feel Me" | Rare |
| 2020 | Lauv | "Tattoos Together" | How I'm Feeling |
| 2020 | HOKO | "Hellogoodbye" | Hellogoodbye - Single |
| 2020 | Biffy Clyro | "Instant History" | A Celebration of Endings |

## Personal life

Malik married Chyna Bardarson on June 19, 2022 in Malibu, California.