The Strokes explain why their new album release was delayed

The Strokes have revealed the reason behind the delay of their upcoming seventh studio album Reality Awaits, which will now arrive later than originally planned.

The New York indie rock band announced in April that their new record would be released on June 26 after sharing the lead single “Going Shopping.”

However, just one week before the planned release date, the band announced that the album would be pushed back to July 24.

Guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. later explained that the delay was due to the band wanting the digital release to align with the vinyl release.

According to NME, Hammond Jr. shared the update in a now-deleted response to a fan on X, adding that the album has the energy of a “weird, young band.”

Reality Awaits will serve as the follow-up to the band’s 2020 album The New Abnormal, which marked their return after a seven-year gap between studio records.

The Strokes had been teasing new music since 2022, when producer Rick Rubin revealed that the band had been working on recordings during sessions in Costa Rica.

Hammond Jr. previously discussed the project, explaining that the band had created a significant amount of new material but did not know when the finished album would arrive.

“We went and did a bunch of recording,” he said at the time, adding that the record could take “a year or two years” before being completed.

Frontman Julian Casablancas also addressed speculation surrounding the album, confirming that the group was working together again while noting that the project was still far from release.

With the delay now confirmed, fans will have to wait until July 24 to hear The Strokes’ latest chapter.