Chord Overstreet is the son of singer-songwriter Paul Overstreet. Encouraged by his parents to pursue music, he began playing the mandolin, and later the drums and guitar, as a child. His first credited role was in the 2009 web series Private. The same year, he made a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon series iCarly. The following year, he made his film debut, appearing in a supporting part in the thriller The Hole.
Overstreet is best known through his work on the Fox series Glee, which he joined in 2010. His recurring role, Sam Evans, was written as a protege (and later rival) to Cory Monteith's Finn Hudson. Originally slated as a love interest to Chris Colfer's Kurt Hummel, it was later tweaked when producers saw the chemistry between him and co-star Dianna Agron. He left the show at the end of the second season, when he decided to pursue a music career.
- In an interview, he revealed that his father, who was a songwriter, gave him his unique name. "I was the third one in my family born, and there are three notes in a chord, so that's how they came up with my name," he said.