John Henry Ryan II (born August 19, 1987), also known as John the Blind and JRY, is an American songwriter, singer and record producer from Rochester, New York. He is best known for co-writing and co-producing One Direction's last four albums and many of their singles. He has written songs for many acclaimed artists. His compositions and productions have sold over 30 million units worldwide.
John Ryan | |
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| Birth name | John Henry Ryan II |
| Also known as |
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| Born | August 19, 1987 |
| Origin | Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 2010–present |
Early life edit
Ryan is from Pittsford, New York.[1] He grew up the youngest in his family with his mother, older brother Joe, and older sister Julie.[1] Ryan wrote his first song in third grade, learning to play guitar and piano at a young age.[1] He continued to write throughout his childhood, even making an album in eighth grade that he was selling out of his locker.[1] By the time he was 16 or 17, he remembers having to choose between music and sports and states that "music came the most naturally and made [him] the happiest."[1] He sent his only college application to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. During his time at Berklee, Ryan learned music theory, fronted two bands, and continued to write his own material. He also spent the latter half of his college years learning to produce pop, hip hop, and alternative music. Ryan was lead guitarist for classmate Isom Innis' project, Southern Belle.[2]
During his junior year, Ryan visited a few friends in Los Angeles, and met Damon Bunetta, who later became his manager, at a party.[1] They exchanged numbers, ideas, and kept in contact. At the time, Damon, his brother Julian Bunetta, and their father Peter Bunetta were expanding their company, Family Affair Productions, and were looking to add another producer/artist/writer to the team.[1] After graduating from Berklee in 2010, Ryan moved to Los Angeles to begin his career as an artist and producer.[1]
Career edit
Ryan had many friends (including Julian Bunetta) who were working on the American version of The X Factor in 2011. Hit songwriter, Savan Kotecha, was involved in the television program at the time, and worked on One Direction's first two records. After hearing Kotecha rave about an emerging act discovered on UK's X Factor and explaining that there was a break in the market for boy bands, Ryan and Bunetta got onboard.[1] Ryan's first big cut was "Story of My Life" with One Direction, reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard charts.[3]
Influenced by Booker T. & the M.G's, Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Radiohead, The Beatles, MGMT and Julian Casablancas. Ryan has co-written and/or produced multiple songs by artists including One Direction, John Legend, David Guetta, Thomas Rhett, Harry Styles, Maroon 5, Niall Horan, Pitbull, Jason Derulo, Charlie Puth, Rudimental, Fifth Harmony, Cody Simpson, Nick Jonas, and Emblem3 among others. In total, he has 27 tracks which have been released on four of One Direction's albums (Take Me Home, Midnight Memories, Four, and Made in the A.M.).[1] Ryan co-wrote and co-produced the songs "Midnight Memories" and "Steal My Girl".
In addition to writing and producing for pop artists, Ryan formed his solo project John the Blind.[4] The moniker references ancient Bohemian king John of Bohemia who fought his wars blind and was carted onto the field of battle on horseback by his men.[5][6]
Ryan was a featured vocalist on Pitbull's "Fireball", and appeared in the music video.[7] He was also a featured vocalist on Brass Knuckles' "As Long as I'm Alive" and "Water Gun", as well as DJ Snake's "Sober" (as JRY). As JRY, Ryan has additionally released the singles "Pray" featuring Rooty, and "FWY" (with audacy).
Discography edit
Singles edit
- Featured in
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
AUS [8] |
GER [9] |
SPN [10] |
UK | ||||
| "Fireball" (Pitbull featuring John Ryan) | 2014 | 23 | 26 | 22 | 6 | 49 | Globalization | |
Production discography edit
| Title | Year | Artist | Album | Songwriter | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Do You Feel What I Feel?" | 2011 | JLS | Jukebox | 
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| "C'mon, C'mon" | 2012 | One Direction | Take Me Home |
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| "I Would" |
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| "They Don't Know About Us" |
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| "She's Not Afraid" |
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| "Loved You First" |
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| "I Wish" | 2013 | Emblem3 | Nothing to Lose |
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| "Me & My Girls" | Fifth Harmony | Better Together |
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| "Best Song Ever" | One Direction | Midnight Memories |
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| "Story of My Life" |
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| "Diana" |
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| "Midnight Memories" |
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| "You & I" |
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| "Strong" |
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| "Little Black Dress" |
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| "Little White Lies" |
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| "Better Than Words" |
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| "Does He Know?" |
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| "Alive" |
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| "One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)" |
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| "Good News" | 2014 | Daley | Days + Nights |
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| "Wiggle" (featuring Snoop Dogg) |
Jason Derulo | Talk Dirty |
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| "If You Love Me Let Me Go" | Colbie Caillat | Gypsy Heart |
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| "Take Over" | Nick Jonas | Nick Jonas |
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| "Steal My Girl" | One Direction | Four |
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| "Ready to Run" |
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| "Girl Almighty" |
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| "Night Changes" |
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| "No Control" |
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| "Fireproof" |
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| "Spaces" |
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| "Stockholm Syndrome" |
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| "Clouds" |
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| "Change Your Ticket" |
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| "Illusion" |
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| "Once in a Lifetime" |
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| "Act My Age" |
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| "Fireball" (featuring John Ryan) |
Pitbull | Globalization |
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| "Day Drinking" (featuring Heymous Molly) |
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| "Work This Body" | Walk the Moon | Talking Is Hard |
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| "We Are the Kids" |
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| "Headlights" (featuring Ilsey) |
2015 | Robin Schulz | Sugar |
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| "Vacation" | Thomas Rhett | Tangled Up |
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| "Babylon" | Omi | Me 4 U |
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| "Hey Angel" | One Direction | Made in the A.M. |
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| "Drag Me Down" |
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| "Perfect" |
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| "Infinity" |
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| "End of the Day" |
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| "Long Way Down" |
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| "Never Enough" |
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| "Olivia" |
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| "I Want to Write You a Song" |
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| "History" |
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| "Walking in the Wind" |
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| "A.M." |
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| "Sober" (featuring JRY) |
2016 | DJ Snake | Encore |
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| "Darkness and Light" (featuring Brittany Howard) |
John Legend | Darkness and Light |
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| "Love Me Now" |
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| "Temporarily Painless" |
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| "Pray" (featuring Rooty) |
2017 | JRY | Fifty Shades Darker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
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| "Two Ghosts" | Harry Styles | Harry Styles |
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| "Guys My Age" | Hey Violet | From the Outside |
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| "Crawling" | Chase & Status | Tribe |
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| "Shed a Light" (with David Guetta featuring Cheat Codes) |
Robin Schulz | Uncovered |
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| "Leave Right Now" | Thomas Rhett | Life Changes |
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| "Renegades" |
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| "Finish What We Started" | Jessie Ware | Glasshouse |
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| "On the Loose" | Niall Horan | Flicker |
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| "Slow Hands" |
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| "Flicker" |
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| "Fire Away" |
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| "The Tide" |
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| "Best 4 U" | Maroon 5 | Red Pill Blues |
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| "Wait" |
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| "Bet My Heart" |
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| "Who I Am" (featuring LunchMoney Lewis) |
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| "Whiskey" (featuring ASAP Rocky) |
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| "Closure" |
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| "Don't Wanna Know" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) |
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| "Cold" (featuring Future) |
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| "Lost in the Wild" | Walk the Moon | What If Nothing |
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| "These Days" (featuring Jess Glynne & Dan Caplen) |
2018 | Rudimental | Toast to Our Differences |
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| "Dance" | DNCE | Non-album single |
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| "Think About You" | Delta Goodrem |
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| "Hate to Say" | Tory Lanez | Memories Don't Die |
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| "Done for Me" (featuring Kehlani) |
Charlie Puth | Voicenotes |
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| "Preacher Man" | The Driver Era | Non-album single |
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| "How Badly" | In Real Life | She Do |
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| "Doesn't Matter" | Gallant | This Song Does Not Fit |
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| "Finally Free" | Niall Horan | Smallfoot: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
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| "16 Steps" (with Olivia Holt) |
Martin Jensen | TBA |
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| "Dear Sense" (with Max) |
Louis the Child | Kids at Play EP |
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| "Epa Wei" | Danny Ocean | TBA |
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| "Never Let Me Go" | Jess Glynne | Always In Between |
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| "Big Bills" (featuring Big Boi) |
The Knocks | New York Narcotic |
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| "Room for You" |
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| "Close to Me" | Isaiah | Non-album single |
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| "Cashmere" | Rita Ora | Phoenix |
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| "First Time High" |
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| "Out at Night" (featuring Kyle & Big Boi) |
Clean Bandit | What Is Love? |
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| "Better to Lie" (with Jesse & Swae Lee) |
Benny Blanco | Friends Keep Secrets |
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| "24 Hours" (featuring Yasmin Green) |
Clean Bandit | What Is Love? |
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| "We Made It" | 2019 | Louis Tomlinson | Walls |
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| "Ain't Shit" | 2020 | ASL | SKYLOFT |
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| "Human Zoo" |
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| "Slash My Tire" |
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| "Room for One More" |
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| "Where Will I Remember You" |
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| "Shots with Mariah" |
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| "Slow Motion" |
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| "What Happens Here" |
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| "What Makes a Woman" | Katy Perry | Smile |
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| "Call My Friends" | Shawn Mendes | Wonder |
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| "One More" | 2021 | SG Lewis featuring Nile Rodgers | Times |
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| "My Whole Life" | ASL | EL GANZO |
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| "It's Not Easy" |
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| "Leona" |
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| "On The Roof" |
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| "Hey Mister" |
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| "Leona Interlude" |
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| "Still Awake" |
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| "12:42" |
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| "Best Sex" |
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| "Jump In" |
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| "Fast Times" | 2022 | Sabrina Carpenter | Emails I Can't Send |
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| "Because I Liked a Boy " |
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| "Already Over" |
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| "Decode " |
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| "Heaven" | 2023 | Niall Horan | The Show |
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| "Feather " | Sabrina Carpenter | Emails I Can't Send (Deluxe Edition) |
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References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kawashima, Dale (November 10, 2016). "Interview With John Ryan, Hit Songwriter & Producer For One Direction, Jason Derulo, John Legend and Pitbull". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ "Interview: Southern Belle & Isom Innis – Music Review". Pinpointmusic.com. February 19, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ "One Direction Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ "Atlantic Records John The Blind". Atlanticrecords.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Atlantic Records Welcomes John The Blind". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ "John-The-Blind-2019". Press.atlanticrecords.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ Pitbull – Fireball ft. John Ryan (Official Video), retrieved November 19, 2019
- ^ "Italian Charts – John Ryan discography". Australian-charts.com.
- ^ "German Charts – John Ryan discography". Germancharts.com.
- ^ "Spanish Charts – John Ryan discography". Spanishcharts.com.
- ^ "British certifications – John Ryan". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 22, 2023. Type John Ryan in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.