A new tribute album celebrating the music of Shane MacGowan has been announced with contributions from some of the biggest names in rock and alternative music. The project will feature artists including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Primal Scream performing new interpretations of songs originally written and recorded by The Pogues. Titled 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan, the compilation is scheduled for release on November 13th of this year.
The tribute album honors the legacy of MacGowan, the influential frontman and songwriter of The Pogues who died in 2023 at the age of 65. Known for blending punk energy with traditional Irish folk influences, MacGowan helped shape one of the most distinctive sounds of the 1980s with songs that explored Irish identity, storytelling and working class life. Bruce Springsteen has already shared a cover of the Pogues’ 1986 song A Rainy Night in Soho as the first preview of the album.
According to PitchFork, the tribute album brings together more than two dozen artists performing reinterpretations of MacGowan’s catalog. The project takes its name from an album MacGowan himself once envisioned creating, with the new compilation reimagining many of the songwriter’s best known works.
Many of the artists involved come from across rock, folk and alternative music scenes, reflecting the wide influence MacGowan had on generations of musicians. Contributors include established figures such as Steve Earle and David Gray alongside voices like Hozier, who collaborates with Jessie Buckley on one of the tracks.
The album is expected to serve as a major musical tribute to MacGowan’s songwriting legacy and the lasting cultural impact of The Pogues band. With artists from multiple generations contributing covers, 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan aims to highlight the enduring influence of MacGowan’s catalog decades after many of the songs were first written.
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