If you’ve spent any time on the dance floor lately, or even just scrolled through your feed during festival season, you’ve definitely seen the face of modern house music. He’s usually shirtless, likely holding a drink, and definitely making a crowd of 20,000 people lose their minds. But behind the "bender" brand and the high-energy sets, fans have one nagging question while they watch him dominate the stage at Ultra or Coachella: how old is John Summit, exactly?
It’s a fair question. The guy has a weirdly relatable energy that makes him feel like he could be your older brother’s chaotic friend or a veteran who’s been in the game for decades. The truth is actually a bit more grounded than the "rockstar" persona suggests.
John Summit—born John Walter Schuster—is 31 years old.
He was born on July 29, 1994, in Naperville, Illinois. This means as we move through 2026, he’ll be hitting that 32-year-old milestone this summer. It’s a bit of a "sweet spot" in the music industry. He’s old enough to have the business savvy required to run his own label, Experts Only, but young enough to still have the stamina for those legendary five-hour marathon sets at Club Space in Miami.
Why People Get Confused About How Old Is John Summit
The confusion usually stems from how fast he blew up. To a lot of people, it felt like he appeared out of thin air in 2020. Usually, when a DJ becomes a global headliner, they’ve been grinding in the underground for fifteen years.
Summit’s trajectory was different. It was steep.
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Before he was "John Summit," he was just John from suburban Chicago. He didn't spend his early twenties touring the world. Instead, he was at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He wasn't even a music major; he was studying accounting. Honestly, it’s the most "non-DJ" origin story you could imagine.
He was actually a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Think about that for a second. While most future superstars were trying to get signed to labels at 21, John was probably looking at spreadsheets and worrying about tax season. He even worked at Ernst & Young (EY), one of the "Big Four" accounting firms.
He famously called the corporate life "soul-sucking." It wasn't until he got fired from his accounting job—a moment he now describes as a blessing—that he went all-in on music. This happened right around the time the world shut down in 2020. Because he started his "public" career a bit later than some child prodigies, people often assume he’s younger than he is.
The Naperville Roots to Miami Nights
Growing up in Naperville, John wasn't always the life of the party. He was actually a cross-country runner in high school. He once ran a 5K in under 18 minutes. That kind of discipline probably helps him now when he’s playing back-to-back shows in three different time zones in a single weekend.
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His "aha" moment with electronic music didn't happen in a cool European club. It happened at Lollapalooza in 2011. He was 17. He saw Deadmau5 and Kaskade, and basically decided right then that this was his genre.
But he didn't drop out of school to chase the dream. He finished his degree. He got the Masters in Accounting. He did the "responsible" thing first.
The Breakout Year
When "Deep End" dropped in June 2020, John was 25 turning 26. The track became a massive lockdown anthem. Since nobody could go to clubs, they were listening to his music at home. By the time the world reopened, he was already a star.
By the time he turned 30 in 2024, he had already:
- Sold out Madison Square Garden in under two hours.
- Launched his Experts Only label.
- Released his debut album, Comfort in Chaos.
- Established a massive residency in Ibiza.
The 2026 Perspective: Age is Just a Number
Now that we are in 2026, John is entering a new phase of his career. At 31, he’s moving past the "new kid on the block" phase and into "industry titan" territory.
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He’s headlining the final night of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open’s Birds Nest and closing out the Mainstage at Ultra Music Festival in March. You don't get those slots just by being a "party guy." You get them by being a professional.
His age gives him a unique perspective. He’s part of the last generation that remembers life before TikTok took over the world, but he’s savvy enough to use social media better than almost anyone else in the industry. He’s authentic. If he’s having a rough day, he tweets about it. If he’s at a bender, you’ll see it.
What You Can Learn From John's Timeline
The biggest takeaway from looking at how old is John Summit isn't just a number on a calendar. It's the fact that it’s never too late to pivot.
Most people feel like if they haven't "made it" by 22, they should just give up and stay in their 9-to-5. John was literally sitting in an accounting office at 24, probably dreaming of the Terrace at Club Space.
If you're looking to follow in his footsteps or just find your own version of success, here are a few actionable takeaways:
- Don't fear the pivot: Being an accountant wasn't a waste of time for John. It gave him the business mind to manage his own brand later.
- Consistency over hype: He released music almost every month for years before "Deep End" hit.
- Own your story: He doesn't hide his "boring" past; he uses it to connect with fans who are also stuck in jobs they hate.
Next time you see him behind the decks, remember he’s not just some kid who got lucky. He’s a 31-year-old who did the math, took the risk, and ended up exactly where he was supposed to be.
Actionable Insight: If you're feeling stuck in a career that doesn't fit, use your "off-hours" to build your craft. John didn't quit his job until he had a foundation. Build your skills, save your money, and when the opportunity (or a pink slip) comes, be ready to jump.