It’s official — after lots of speculation and a few teasers, Gorillaz have announced their surprise sixth studio album The Now Now.
The follow-up to 2017’s Humanz — which Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn supposedly left in a cab once — will be out Friday, 29th June, if co-founder Jamie Hewlett’s wife, Emma de Caunes, is to be believed.
She uploaded an image to Instagram which had the album title and release date on it, which you can see below.
This is an unusually prolific move for Gorillaz, as Humanz came out seven years after the album before it, 2010’s The Fall.
On top of that, it has been a whopping eight years since the animated group last toured Australia. Let’s hope this new album brings them back to our shores.
While no tracklist or any further details have been released by the band, we do know that homegrown hero Flume has collaborated with Damon Albarn lately. No word yet on whether their collaboration(s) will feature on The Now Now.
The Now Now is out on Friday, 29th June.
16 Huge Concert Tours Australia Desperately Needs In 2018
16 Huge Concert Tours Australia Needs In 2018
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Metallica
We're getting a little annoyed that we haven't seen any Aussie dates for Metallica's most recent LP Hardwired... To Self Destruct. But they ~have~ confirmed a "WorldWired" tour, while Soundwave boss AJ Maddah previously promised that the band would be coming to Australia in 2017. That clearly isn't happening, so hopefully 2018 will be the year. Let's just hope it's not the day that never comes. (Photo: Matthew Baker / Getty Images) -
Eminem
There was a fake '2017 Eminem Australian Tour' poster going around earlier this year which had fans freaking, and now that Eminem's released his new album Revival, it's about time he returned to Australia for his first local shows since 2014. (Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images) -
Rihanna
Ri-Ri has covered Tame Impala and become BFFs with ex-PM Julia Gillard, so it's a bloody outrage that she hasn't toured down under since releasing her 2016 album Anti. In fact, the 'Work' singer hasn't visited her Aussie fans since 2013. Better get Julia on the blower to sort this out. (Photo: Sergione Infuso / Getty Images) -
Avenged Sevenfold
A7X haven't been on Aussie turf since Soundwave Festival in 2014, and they've since released their epic new album The Stage. The band have reportedly been in talks with Aussie promoters to bring their album tour down under, so it looks like 2018 could be the year Australia becomes Bat Country again! (Photo: David Wolff / Getty Images) -
Gorillaz
It’s been almost eight years since these animated punks brought their live show to Australia, and we’re getting more than a little antsy. But with Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett officially reactivating the band and hitting us with brand new album Humanz this year, 2018 will surely be the year they return to Oz. Splendour In The Grass, anyone? (Photo: Brian Rasic / Getty Images) -
Lady Gaga
Mother Monster is yet to bring her Joanne World Tour down under, and hasn't performed in Australia since 2014. There are probably a ~Million Reasons~ why, but we're going Gaga for any tour news. (Photo: Scott Legato / Getty Images) -
Radiohead
Thom Yorke and co. last toured our shores in 2012 behind The King Of Limbs, and six years later we're still without a tour for their latest album A Moon Shaped Pool. The band are planning a "little tour" in 2018 though, and are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of OK Computer -- two reasons for them to make Australia's dream a reality next year. (Photo: Andy Buchanan / Getty Images) -
30 Seconds To Mars
Jared Leto already said the band are "absolutely" touring Australia in 2018, so we're just playing the waiting game now. Oh and they've got a new album on the way too! (Photo: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images) -
Beyoncé & JAY-Z
Queen B's world tour plans for Lemonade may have been derailed by the whole getting-pregnant-with-twins-thing, but we're confident that we'll eventually see her return down under for the first time since 2013. And with her hubby JAY-Z sweeping the Grammy noms and revealing that he and Bey have made a joint album, maybe they could come together and bring the whole fam? (Photo: Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images) -
Rammstein
It's been over half a decade since Rammstein were down under, so it's about time they brought their gimp-suited, dildo-wielding, fire-scorched antics back to Australia. (Photo: Santiago Bluguermann / Getty Images) -
System Of A Down
SOAD last tore up Aussie stages as part of Soundwave 2012, and haven't been back since. What are we, Chop Suey? They were rumoured for Download Festival Australia, but that was just a glitch, so hopefully 2018 will be the year they return to patch things up. (Photo: Francesco Castaldo / Getty Images) -
Depeche Mode
The English electro heroes haven't toured Australia since 1994, and it's making us a bit sad. The group released their 14th (!) studio album Spirit earlier this year, and while it's unlikely they'll return down under anytime soon, we can't ~Enjoy The Silence~ for too much longer. (Photo: Luca Marenda / Getty Images) -
Tool
Tool last toured Australia in 2013, and with their long-awaited new album looking like it might drop in 2018, it could be the perfect time for the band to return down under. That said, we could easily end up waiting another 10,000 Days for their next tour. (Photo: Steven Ferdman / Getty Images) -
Kylie Minogue
Kylie recently revealed that she's planning a new album and Aussie tour for 2018, and that's just enough time for us to go buy some new hotpants. (Photo: Christie Goodwin / Getty Images) -
U2
U2 fans have been petitioning the band to return to Australia, and the group recently said they'll "absolutely" tour Australia soon, potentially in 2018, and potentially as part of their 30th anniversary tour for 1987 album The Joshua Tree. (Photo: Daniel Knighton / Getty Images) -
Smashing Pumpkins' Original Lineup
(UPDATE: Smashing Pumpkins have now announced their reunion tour.) There have been hints that the OG Smashing Pumpkins lineup could be getting back together (and might even drop an album!) next year, and if that happens they need to come back to Australia immediately. Just 'cause. (Photo: Gie Knaeps / Getty Images)
