Last month, country-rock rule-breaker Sturgill Simpson announced plans for Mutiny After Midnight, his second album under his Johnny Blue Skies alter-ego. (This one is credited to Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds.) Originally, Mutiny After Midnight was supposed to be only available on physical editions. Before the release, however, Simpson went ahead and posted the entire thing on YouTube, and we reviewed it. (He has since taken the original video down.) Mutiny After Midnight is officially out today, and Simpson has some things to say about the release.
What Do We Know About The Pretty Reckless Album Dear God?
The Pretty Reckless will release their fifth studio album Dear God on June 26, alongside a global headlining tour and the explosive new single “When I Wake Up.”
TL;DR
• The Pretty Reckless have announced their fifth studio album Dear God • The album arrives June 26 via Fearless Records • New single “When I Wake Up” introduces the band’s next era • A major 2026 world tour will support the release • The band continues one of modern rock’s most successful chart runs
For nearly fifteen years, The Pretty Reckless have built a reputation as one of the most dominant modern rock bands.
Now they’re entering a new chapter.
A New Era Begins With Dear God
Fronted by Taylor Momsen, The Pretty Reckless have officially announced their fifth studio album Dear God, arriving June 26.
The record follows the band’s critically praised 2021 album Death By Rock And Roll, which delivered multiple rock radio hits and drove home the fact that this badass band was among modern hard rock’s most reliable chart performers.
With Dear God, the group says they aimed to push themselves creatively.
The record reportedly embraces vulnerability and raw songwriting while still delivering the explosive guitars and massive choruses fans expect.
Momsen described the lead single as a story about the darker side of excess.
“When I Wake Up is the story of a dream becoming a nightmare,” she explained. “When a life of excess leads you on a rollercoaster that is doomed to crash but you just can’t see it.”
New Single “When I Wake Up” Kicks Off The Album Cycle
The band launched the album announcement alongside the new single “When I Wake Up.”
While longtime fans will recognize the band’s sound immediately, the single also hints at a slightly broader sonic palette heading into this album cycle.
The release marks the start of what is shaping up to be a massive year for the band.
Alongside the album announcement, The Pretty Reckless revealed plans for an extensive 2026 world tour.
The trek begins in North America before heading overseas to Europe and the UK.
Tour Dates:
U.S. Leg 1: Fri, July 10th – Ritz Raleigh, Raleigh, NC Fri, July 17th – Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL Tue, July 21st – Midland, Kansas City, MO Thu, July 23rd – ACL Live at the Moody Theater, Austin, TX Sat, July 25th – House of Blues, Dallas, TX Fri, July 31st – Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA Sun, Aug 2nd – Van Buren, Phoenix, AZ Fri, Aug 7th – Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR Tue, Aug 11th – The Palace, Calgary, AB, CA Sat, Aug 15th – The Moore, Seattle, WA
U.S. Leg 2: Fri, Aug 28th – Avondale Brewery, Birmingham, AL Sat, Aug 29th – House of Blues, New Orleans, LA Thu, Sep 3rd – The Ryman, Nashville, TN Wed, Sep 9th – Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN Thu, Sep 10th – House of Blues, Cleveland, OH Sun, Sep 13th – History, Ottawa, ON, CA Sat, Sep 19th – The Fillmore, Detroit, MI Tue, Sep 22nd – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH Thu, Sep 24th – House of Blues, Boston, MA Sat, Sep 26th – The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
EU/UK Leg: Mon, Nov 9th – La Riviera, Madrid, ES Tue, Nov 10th – Razzmatazz, Barcelona, ES Sat, Nov 14th – Fabrique, Milan, IT Mon, Nov 16th – Forum Karlín, Prague, CZ Wed, Nov 18th – Huxleys, Berlin, DE Sat, Nov 21st – Carlswerk Victoria, Cologne, DE Mon, Nov 23rd – AFAS Live, Amsterdam, NL Tue, Nov 24th – Zénith, Paris, FR Thu, Nov 26th – The Prospect Building, Bristol, UK Fri, Nov 27th – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK Sun, Nov 29th – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, UK Tue, Dec 1st – O2 Academy Brixton, London, UK Thu, Dec 3rd – Barrowland, Glasgow, UK
The tour then returns for a second North American leg before heading to Europe later in the year.
Fans interested in attending upcoming shows can find tickets at this location.
A Band That Keeps Breaking Records
The Pretty Reckless have quietly built one of the most impressive chart runs in modern rock.
Since their debut album Light Me Up, the band has achieved a remarkable milestone.
They became the first female-fronted band to score eight No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
Over the years, they’ve also shared stages with legendary artists including:
• AC/DC • The Rolling Stones • Soundgarden
Most recently, the band spent two years touring globally with AC/DC on the PWR UP Tour, exposing them to massive arena audiences worldwide.
The past year has been especially high-profile for Taylor Momsen.
She performed at the 2026 MusiCares Person Of The Year Gala, honoring Mariah Carey alongside acts like Foo Fighters.
Momsen also appeared during the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, performing with Soundgarden during their induction tribute.
The band also released a holiday EP titled Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas, which revisited the song “Where Are You Christmas?” and reignited nostalgia among longtime fans.
Dear God Tracklist
The upcoming album features fourteen songs:
Life Evermore Pt. 2 For I Am Death When I Wake Up Love Me Dragonfire Dear God Life Evermore Pt. 3 About You Spell On You Rollercoaster Of Life Eye Of The Storm Devil In Disguise (Michelle’s Song) Dark Days Life Evermore Pt. 1
The title itself hints at a thematic arc running throughout the album.
Multiple “Life Evermore” entries suggest a larger conceptual thread connecting the songs.
Why This Album Could Be Their Biggest Yet
The Pretty Reckless have steadily expanded their audience over the past decade.
Their ability to bridge hard rock radio, festival crowds, and modern streaming audiences has made them one of the few rock bands still breaking through to younger listeners.
With a new album, a fresh single, and a global tour all arriving in the same year, Dear God could represent the band’s biggest moment yet.
For rock fans watching the genre’s evolution in 2026, this rollout feels like one of the year’s major stories.
FAQ
When does The Pretty Reckless album Dear God come out? The album will be released June 26.
What is the first single from Dear God? The band has released “When I Wake Up” as the lead single.
Will The Pretty Reckless tour in 2026? Yes, the band has announced a global headlining tour supporting the album.
About The Pretty Reckless
Formed in New York, The Pretty Reckless rose to prominence with their debut album Light Me Up. Led by Taylor Momsen, the band has become one of modern rock’s most successful acts, combining arena-sized hooks with dark, emotionally charged songwriting.
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This article was brought to you by new Seattle-based occasional columnist, KAOS_agent, who is making it a point to make his way to some of the more unique metal festivals out there.
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A little over a decade ago, I started noticing a trend in the American metal scene and festivals as a whole: the necessity to create something of a spectacle. Whether it’s assembling a bunch of stoner rock bands to play in a casino, a cavalcade of genres on a cruise ship, or performing animistic rituals in the Cascadian wilderness, festivals have been attempting, with varying levels of success, to create unique and memorable backdrops that justify the difficulty and viability of attracting some of Europe’s best acts. We certainly aren’t making things easier for overseas bands to tour these days.
At a certain point, I got tired of waiting for the density of European metal talent to come stateside, which is how Fortress Festival 2026 caught my eye. Now in its fourth year, Fortress continues to bring together exclusive and relatively obscure performances in a venue with a black metal aesthetic; a Victorian-era building located on the shores of Scarborough, UK.
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Photo Credit: Acidolka
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From its inception, founder Gary Stephenson had a clear vision for Fortress: to coax some of the world’s most eccentric names in black metal to the small seaside town of 60,000. Unlike many festivals, as the lineup gradually trickled out, a couple of eyebrow raisers made me utter, “Well, that’s interesting.”
As the festival has grown, it has also shown a willingness to take risks, including full-album exclusive sets and specialty stages, with this year introducing a dedicated dungeon synth seated theater third stage.
Whether I am right or wrong in this, I think making sure this festival has those worldwide exclusives, live debut performances and rare appearances from acts you thought you would never see live, are crucial.
-Gary Stephenson, Curator & Founder
Fortress Festival takes place this year on May 30-31, and attendees also have the advantage of getting access to a pre-show the night before at The Cask & Keg (I’m very happy to finally see Wode for that). Tickets are in low supply and most likely will sell out, so make sure to keep an eye on what Reaper Agency is up to, including a newly announced beer-fueled festival, Tynebound. Read on for a small selection of tracks from bands that I’m particularly excited to be seeing, and I’m sure I’ll be getting an education on dungeon synth as well.
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Fluisteraars – “Zijsselt”
Aeon Winds –“Molpir”
Vespéral – “IV – Lorsqu’une Chandelle S’atténue”
A Forest of Stars – “Drawing Down the Rain”
Mesarthim – “Interstellar”
Gallowbraid – “Ashen Eidolon”
Dødheimsgard – “Et smelter”
Whoredom Rife – “Pilgrim”
Misþyrming – “Algleymi”
–KAOS_agent
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The rest of the Fortress Festival line-up is as follows:
Abigail Williams
Akercocke (performing Choronzon in full)
Antrisch
Atlantean Sword
Black Cilice
Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult
Darkenhöld
Emyn Muil
Gate Master
Groza
Midnight Odyssey
Mortiis
Old Man’s Child
Old Sorcery
Ossaert
This Gift Is A Curse
Totenwache
Vinterland (celebrating 30 years of Welcome My Last Chapter and performing it in full)
DEICIDE – HEADLINING SHOWS & FESTIVALS w/ support from Rotting Christ & Immolation:
4/09 – Baton Rouge LA – Chelsea’s Live 4/10 – Houston TX – White Oak Music Hall 4/11 – San Antonio TX – Vibes Event Center 4/13 – Las Vegas NV – Fremont Country Club 5/01 – Reading PA – Club Reverb* 5/03 – Albany NY – Empire Live 5/07 – Daytona Beach FL – Welcome To Rockville # 5/14 – Columbus OH – Sonic Temple After-Party 5/22 – Tucson AZ – The Rialto #^ 5/23 – El Paso TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill # 5/24 – Albuquerque NM – Sunshine Theater # 5/26 – Little Rock AR – The Hall #
