Posting some speculation just trying to pass the time during this excruciatingly long wait for Ritual and Ego to be released (Why are they not out by now btw? Yungblud fans who were Warned in the last two weeks are now looking for the songs they heard at the show and can't find them... like... hello??)
Well, anyways.
Some of us were speculating that TW5 would be released during the summer this year, because... well, because KMF finished recording in December of 2023 and came out 7 months later, so it would make sense for TW5 to also come out roughly half a year after it was recorded (which seems to have been completed some time in December 2025).
Clearly though, a summer release seems very unlikely, or it would have been announced by now (the album name of KMF was announced on March 8, 2024).
Looking at the TW's schedule for the year it's pretty packed for the rest of the spring and summer and then there is this glaring lack of things happening in October, November and December. I think a lot of us have been expecting more tour dates to be added for the rest of the year, but no, TW started selling official merch t-shirts with the '2026 World Tour' dates a little while back, and they don't have any additional dates for the fall. So what are they planning to do then for the rest of the year, if they're not touring?
The last time I brought this up in a comment I was accused of denying DPA any rest or time off, so let me be clear: I don't begrudge them rest or time off. However, I just don't think that's how the industry works. As a full time working artist, outside of a few weeks off here and there (just like the rest of us working stiffs), you are either 1) writing and recording new music, 2) touring, or 3) promoting your music in some other way. Which brings me to my question:
Do you think we are looking at album release in the fall? And do you think it could be because Lava may have asked TW to keep their schedule clear of tour dates around that time in order to be available for a lot of media appearances to promote the album? We have to assume that the promotion campaign for TW5 is going to be the biggest we've ever seen for the band so far. I'm talking interviews, morning shows, late night shows, podcasts, streaming and Youtube performances (maybe a Tiny Desk show, maybe KEXP and the like), maybe more sporting events, and so on. Maybe these things are easier to organize if you don't have to try to fit them in between already booked shows and travels all over the world? (Which was sort of the case with KMF).
Thoughts?