Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch recently discussed the band’s upcoming eighth album. He revealed a significant departure from their recent concept album approach in a statement shared on My Weekly Mixtape.
Kerch explained that the new album will move away from the concept record format that defined their previous releases, Attention Attention and Planet Zero.
“Thank God it’s not a concept record,” Kerch said. “I had a great time with ‘Attention Attention’ and ‘Planet Zero’. ‘Attention’ was purposely a concept record. ‘Planet Zero’ just happened to become one because of the time period, recording it during COVID.”
The drummer elaborated on how their latest concept album came together unexpectedly during the pandemic.
“We were talking about what’s going on in the world, and, ‘Oh, shit. We wrote another concept record,'” he continued. “We purposely said, ‘Can we just get a collection of songs together that are fun and put out a record, like old-school rock and roll record?’ And that’s what this one will be.”
Kerch teased that fans can expect variety and surprises on the upcoming release.
“There’s gonna be things that you’re gonna be, like, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect that.’ And there’s gonna be some that are, like, ‘Oh, that took my head off,'” he said. “Is it a reflection of where we’re at right now? Sure. But every song is its own little animal, and I think that’s kind of the excitement of it. I think there’s gonna be some fun stuff that comes out that fans are gonna really glom on to.”
He concluded by describing the diverse range of material fans can anticipate.
“And there’s certain ones I’m thinking of in the back of my head that are, like, it’s different, that one’s different, but I love it,” Kerch said. “And then there’s some that, oh, yeah, that’s just a straight-ahead, hit-you-over-the-face Shinedown rock song, which I think ‘Dance, Kid’ is, in a lot of ways. Get ready for a ride, just like we always do.”
This announcement comes as the band prepares to build on their highly successful 2025. The year saw significant momentum across multiple fronts.
Rock 101 reported that the band had an eventful 2025 that included the release of four new singles—”Three Six Five,” “Dance, Kid, Dance,” “Killing Fields,” and “Searchlight.” The year also featured their Dance, Kid, Dance arena tour. The band recently shared a recap video looking back at their productive year while expressing excitement for what’s ahead.
The upcoming eighth album carries the working title “Eight.” It is set for release in 2026. This timeline positions the new record as one of the most anticipated rock releases of the coming year, following the success of their 2022 album Planet Zero.
Adding to the anticipation, Blabbermouth noted that Shinedown will headline the prestigious Sonic Temple festival. They will take the main stage on Friday, May 15, 2026. This major festival appearance will likely serve as a key platform for promoting their new material.
The band has also been teasing new content recently. 98 Rock Online revealed that Shinedown shared a mysterious “Hundred % Human” teaser on social media. This sparked speculation about potential new music to celebrate the new year. This suggests the band may have additional surprises in store for fans as they transition into 2026.
