Gorillaz announce new album, The Mountain, and UK tour dates alongside new single The Happy Dictator

Gorillaz are gearing up for a massive 2026 with the announcement of their ninth studio album, The Mountain, set for release on 20th March. Not only are they bringing us new music, but they’re also heading out on a UK and Ireland tour, promising a stadium show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, alongside a slew of other big dates. And to kick things off, they’ve shared a new single, The Happy Dictator, featuring the legendary Sparks.

Gorillaz - The Happy Dictator ft. Sparks (Official Visualiser) - YouTube

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This isn’t just another Gorillaz album—The Mountain marks the band's first release on their own label, KONG. The album has a bit of everything: high-energy collaborations, a mind-bending narrative, and a slew of artists from all over the globe.

The first single is a lively, synth-driven tune that’s both playful and loaded with political undertones. It’s inspired by a trip Damon Albarn took to Turkmenistan, where the country’s dictator insisted that only happy thoughts be allowed—“no bad news.”

Albarn explained to BBC Radio 1 that the song is a "joyful" satire of this dark, surreal reality: “You can imagine people singing it back, and it being a joyful experience, even though the origins are quite sinister.”

As with every Gorillaz project, the album features a jaw-dropping list of collaborators, including Sparks, IDLES, Johnny Marr, Black Thought, and even sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar. There are also appearances from several legendary figures, including Bobby Womack, Tony Allen, and David Jolicoeur (aka Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul), who tragically passed away last year. Albarn and co-founder Jamie Hewlett have woven these voices into the record, creating a sense of continuity and tribute to their late collaborators.

The album’s themes are vast, touching on life, death, and everything in between, but India’s influence looms large. The duo travelled to the country during a deeply personal time of loss, and the experience left a mark on The Mountain.

Albarn said they were “blown away” by the country’s rich, colourful culture, and it became the perfect backdrop for the album’s exploration of life and death. Hewlett added that it was a strange yet meaningful time, “losing our fathers… and being in India as an artist. It doesn’t get any more inspiring than that.”

Fans can expect to hear songs in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Arabic, and Spanish, adding to the album's global flavour. With a mix of genres and collaborators from all corners of the world, The Mountain is shaping up to be an expansive, genre-defying journey. Albarn has called it a “playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next,” and the music seems to capture that sense of boundless possibility.

Ahead of the album’s March release, Gorillaz are set to hit UK arenas for a tour that starts in March 2026. Dates include shows in Manchester, Glasgow, and Leeds, with a highly anticipated performance at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 20th of June Trueno, an Argentine rapper, will be joining them as a special guest, adding even more international flair to the already star-studded lineup.

Gorillaz UK and Ireland tour dates (2026)

• 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
• June 20 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (with Sparks)

Tickets go on sale on the 19th of September... good luck.

Tracklist for The Mountain (2026)

• The Mountain – Featuring Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash
• The Moon Cave – Featuring Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda & Black Thought
• The Happy Dictator – Featuring Sparks
• The Hardest Thing – Featuring Tony Allen
• Orange County – Featuring Bizarrap, Kara Jackson & Anoushka Shankar
• The God of Lying – Featuring IDLES
• The Empty Dream Machine – Featuring Black Thought, Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar
• The Manifesto – Featuring Trueno & Proof
• The Plastic Guru – Featuring Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar
• Delirium – Featuring Mark E. Smith
• Damascus – Featuring Omar Souleyman & Yasiin Bey
• The Shadowy Light – Featuring Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash
• Casablanca – Featuring Paul Simonon & Johnny Marr
• The Sweet Prince – Featuring Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar
• The Sad God – Featuring Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna & Anoushka Shankar