Thomas Peter Meighan (born January 11, 1981) is an English singer. He helped start the rock band Kasabian in 1997 and was its lead singer until 2020.

With Meighan, Kasabian released six studio albums and became popular, including five albums that reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and four songs that reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart. He is known for having an intense and energetic personality both on and off stage. He has been compared to Liam Gallagher, whom he has called the "perfect frontman." He finished 13th in Radio X's poll of the greatest frontmen.

Early life

Thomas Peter Meighan was born in Blaby on 11 January 1981. He is the son of Patricia, an English nurse, and Tom Meighan Sr., an Irish window cleaner. He attended Countesthorpe Leysland Community College. He passed Art and English Literature at school but did not receive grades for other subjects because he missed the exams. He enjoyed music from Motown to hip-hop and often sang songs by Cypress Hill when he was young. He said, "Our home was filled with Motown and soul music. That’s what I grew up with. It was a very loving and warm place."

Career

Meighan became the lead singer of Kasabian when the band started in Leicester in 1997. He sang lead vocals on most of the band's songs. He did not play any instruments except for percussion sometimes and guitar during live performances of "The Nightworkers" and "Test Transmission."

Meighan sang as a guest on the Dark Horses song "Count Me In," which he recorded with that band when they performed with Kasabian on the West Ryder tour. He also sang background vocals on the Jersey Budd song "She Came Back." Meighan has performed onstage with Zak Starkey's band Penguinsrising.

In 2013, Meighan started a project with rapper Wottee Watnot (Andrew Wattie) called Mic Rockers, described as a hip hop and rock collaboration. The first video from the duo, "Mic Rockers," was released on November 13, 2013. In addition to the awards he shares with Kasabian, he was ranked as the 19th best frontman of all time by a Q magazine readers' poll and the 13th best frontman of all time by a 2012 Xfm listeners' poll.

Meighan took his first acting role in early 2011 as Terry Graham in the sitcom pilot Walk Like a Panther. He reportedly turned down offers to appear in Marie Antoinette because he was busy with Kasabian.

On July 6, 2020, it was announced that Meighan was leaving Kasabian by mutual agreement due to personal issues. The next day, he admitted to assaulting his fiancée on April 9, 2020. The rest of the band said, "As soon as we found out about the charges against Tom, we as a band decided we could no longer work with him. Ultimately, as much as Tom hurt us all, we're not the victims in all of this. Domestic violence is something that can never be excused."

In October 2020, Meighan announced he was working on solo projects. A year later, he shared a preview of a song called "Would You Mind" on his Instagram account, explaining that the song was about "asking for help when you need it the most but can't find the courage to ask." He also said he had recorded several songs that were "ready to share." On October 31, 2021, "Would You Mind" was released as a free download.

In 2021, Meighan wrote publicly on the Medium platform about his experiences during his time with Kasabian and the events after his departure.

On May 5, 2023, Meighan released his debut album, The Reckoning, which reached number 17 in the UK album charts.

In December 2024, Meighan's song "Would You Mind" was used by Andy's Man Club for their campaign on men's mental health. In January 2025, Meighan released his second album, RoadRunner. Throughout the year, he performed regularly in England to promote the album.

Public image

Meighan has expressed concerns about how the internet affects the music industry. In 2009, he joined other celebrities in criticizing Simon Cowell’s treatment of Susan Boyle. He said, "This will hurt Susan Boyle for the rest of her life. She is not prepared for this and is not suited for it. She is being controlled. It is very bad."

In 2009, Meighan was trying to reduce the controversy around his public image. He told the Daily Record, "When we released our first album, it was not helpful that we made negative comments about others during interviews. We were joking and having fun, but people took it too seriously. We did it for effect, but we were seen as cruel instead of just young men in a band. People misunderstood us. I do not regret what we said, but it was over the top."

Meighan has supported many charities, including Oxfam, UNICEF, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. To help the Teenage Cancer Trust, he played the role of Ace Face in The Who’s 2011 benefit performance of Quadrophenia.

Because Meighan is known as a fashion icon and a fan of football, he was chosen to unveil Umbro’s away football kit for England in 2010. This was the first time a singer had been asked to do this. He has also modeled for Gio-Goi and Deadly Sins.

Personal life

Meighan dated Kim James and had a daughter named Mimi with her until 2016. On July 7, 2020, one day after leaving the band Kasabian, Meighan admitted in court that he had assaulted his fiancée, now wife, Vikki Ager. Prosecutor Naeem Valli stated that the assault caused Ager to have bruises on her knees, elbow, and ankle, as well as red marks around her neck. The court was informed that Meighan smelled strongly of alcohol during the incident. He was required to complete community service. In a public apology, Meighan explained that he had been dealing with alcohol addiction and ADHD, had left a rehab program three weeks earlier, and was determined to remain sober. He stated that his ADHD diagnosis did not justify his actions but helped him understand his behavioral issues. He also assured his fans that the assault was a one-time event. Meighan married Ager on July 13, 2021.

Discography

• The Reckoning (2023) – Chart Position: No. 17 in the UK
• Roadrunner (2025) – Chart Position: No. 47 in the UK
• The Past, The Present, The Raw (2025)

• "Would You Mind" (2021)
• "Movin' On" and "Out of This World" (2022)
• "Let It Ride" and "Icarus" (2022)
• "Put Your Foot Down" (2022)
• "Don't Give In" (2023)
• "Sunshine" and "Everyday People" (2023)
• "White Lies" (2024)
• "We Can Do It" (2024)
• "High on You" (2024)
• "Better Life" (2024)
• "Headcase" (2024)
• "Silver Linings" (2025)