The Strokes' Reality Awaits album: release date, single, tracklist & what we know so far...
8 April 2026, 13:12 | Updated: 13 April 2026, 19:13
The Strokes have confirmed the details of their seventh studio effort. Here's what we know so far...
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This week saw The Strokes return to the stage and announce the news of their Reality Awaits album.
After some heavily suggestive teasers were dropped earlier this month, the band - comprised of Julian Casablancas, Nikolai Fraiture, Albert Hammond Jr., Fabrizio Moretti and Nick Valensi - confirmed that their seventh studio album would be "out this summer".
They also gave 100 lucky fans the first listen to its first single, Going Shopping, which they sent as a cassette in special packages sent to their address and even debuted the track at their San Francisco show.
Now, ahead of their stint at Coachella this weekend, the NYC indie heroes have confirmed the release date of the record - which is the follow-up to 2020's The New Abnormal - and shared the official audio of their lead single.
So what do we know about The Strokes' new album, when it is released and what can we expect from its sound? Here's what we know so far below...
When is The Strokes new album out?
The Strokes' Reality Awaits is set for release on 26th June 2026 via Cult Records/RCA. The album is available to pre-order and pre-save here.
What's the first single from The Strokes new album?
The first track to be taken from Reality Awaits is new single Going Shopping, which you can listen to the official audio for below:
The Strokes - Going Shopping (Audio)
What will The Strokes Reality Awaits album sound like?
If their first single, Going Shopping, is anything to go by, we can expect a melodic, rhythmic and summery sound from the Last Nite rockers, no doubt with a helping of vocoder from frontman Julian Casablancas.
Back in 2023, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. teased that the new record - which saw the band working with acclaimed producer Rick Rubin - would be "looser" than 2020's The New Abnormal.
Speaking on The Shaky Experience podcast three years ago, he said: “There’s not much detail I can give besides what [Rubin] said. In my own words: We got to record in the most fantastical environment I have ever been able to record in."
He went on: “I almost want to leave part of that description to when the record comes out and what we show of it. It was very exciting for me, and for all of us.”
Asked if the album's sound will be influenced by the "beachy setting of Costa Rica, where initial sessions took place, he said: "I think the environment can affect you… sure, sometimes it might come out in a song or a part. And because you know that, you’ll be like, ‘Oh, it feels like this’. Maybe it adds to it, but I think if there’s any vibe that comes from an environment like that, it’s that the songs might be a little looser in a sense of our style."
Listen to the full episode here for more info.
Read more:
- What are The Strokes' biggest songs?
- The Strokes & Yeah Yeah Yeahs deliver noughties nostalgia at All Points East 2023
What's the tracklist for The Strokes' Reality Awaits album?
- Psycho Shit
- Dine N'Dash
- Lonely in the Future
- Falling Out of Love
- Going to Babble On
- Going Shopping
- Liar's Remorse
- The Fruits of Conquest
- Pros and Cons
What does The Strokes' Reality Awaits come after?
Reality Awaits follows the band's previous releases Is This It (2001), Room on Fire (2003), First Impressions of Earth (2005), Angles (2011). Comedown Machine (2013) and The New Abnormal (2020).
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