GORILLAZ ANNOUNCE NINTH STUDIO ALBUM AND 2026 ARENA TOUR
Gorillaz have announced their highly anticipated ninth studio album, The Mountain, set for release on 20 March 2026, marking the band’s first release on their newly launched label, KONG. The first track, ‘The Happy Dictator’ featuring Sparks, is out now.
The Mountain is an ambitious and expansive sonic journey - 15 tracks that weave together a rich tapestry of sounds, voices, and styles that epitomize Gorillaz' boundary-pushing, collaborative spirit. The album features an extraordinary and eclectic list of collaborators, including: Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Sparks, Trueno, and Yasiin Bey. It also honors the voices of past collaborators and late legends such as Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E. Smith, Proof, and Tony Allen.
Described as a "playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next," the album dives deep into the themes of life, death, and the thrill of existence.
Produced by Gorillaz, James Ford, Samuel Egglenton, Remi Kabaka Jr., and Bizarrap (Orange County), The Mountain was recorded across an impressive list of global locations - from Studio 13 in London and Devon to cities throughout India (including Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Varanasi), as well as Ashgabat, Damascus, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. The album features performances in five languages: Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba.
Visually, the album is brought to life through the lens of Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett, whose signature yet continually evolving style adorns the project. The artwork chronicles Murdoc, Noodle, Russel, and 2D’s time in India, captured through a series of intricate, hand-drawn images.
Pre-order The Mountain here.
Today’s announcement also brings exciting news of The Mountain Tour, set to hit arenas across the UK and Ireland in Spring 2026, with rising Argentine star Trueno joining on select dates. The tour follows Gorillaz’ critically acclaimed, sold-out House of Kong exhibition and four triumphant shows at London’s Copper Box Arena, where The Guardianpraised the band as “still riveting and relevant.” One of those shows included a surprise debut of The Mountain during last week’s mysterious and much-hyped Mystery Show.
The Mountain Tour will launch in Manchester on March 21, 2026, with stops in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Nottingham, Liverpool, Belfast, and Dublin. A major highlight of the run is a headline show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, June 20, 2026, featuring special guests Sparks and Trueno.
Full dates and ticket details are available at Gorillaz.com.
Gorillaz - The Mountain Tour 2026 - Dates:
March 21 - MANCHESTER, Co-op Live
March 22 - BIRMINGHAM, bp pulse LIVE
March 24 - GLASGOW, OVO Hydro*
March 25 - LEEDS, First Direct Arena*
March 27 - CARDIFF, Utilita Arena*
March 28 - NOTTINGHAM, Motorpoint Arena*
March 29 - LIVERPOOL, M&S Bank Arena*
March 31 - BELFAST, SSE Arena*
April 1 - DUBLIN, 3Arena*
*support from Trueno
June 20 - LONDON, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
With support from Sparks and Trueno
The Mountain – Album Tracklisting:
The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought)
The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)
The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen)
Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar)
The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof)
The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith)
Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)
The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr)
The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)'
The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar)
