Photo credit: Madison Hedgecock
According to Consequence, Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness has confirmed that the band will release a new album in May 2026, ending a 15-year gap since their last full-length, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. The news came casually rather than through a formal announcement, but for longtime fans, it landed as a major moment.
Ness shared the update while speaking backstage at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas in Los Angeles, where he was asked directly about the status of new music. His answer was straightforward, the album is done and set for release next May. He has also indicated that the first single is expected to arrive earlier, likely in January, offering the first new Social Distortion material in more than a decade.
The long wait hasn’t been a matter of inactivity. Over the past several years, Ness has dealt with significant health challenges, including treatment for tonsil cancer, a process that forced him to step away from touring and relearn basic aspects of singing. His recovery has been gradual, but by all accounts successful, with Ness returning to the stage and regaining confidence in his voice.
While details about the album itself remain limited, its arrival carries weight beyond just the time gap. Social Distortion’s catalog has always reflected lived experience, loss, survival, loyalty and hard-earned perspective. This record arrives after one of the most difficult chapters of Ness’s life. After years of uncertainty, the confirmation alone feels meaningful. A new Social Distortion album in 2026 isn’t about chasing relevance or trends, it’s about continuity. For a band that has always moved at its own pace, simply making it back to this point says a lot.
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