The War On Drugs have returned with ‘Who’s That’, their first new single in five years. Listen below.
The song follows on from the US band’s fifth and latest studio album, 2021’s ‘I Don’t Live Here Anymore’, and their 2024 live record ‘Live Drugs Again’.
Written and produced by frontman Adam Granduciel at his Burbank studio compound, ‘Who’s That’ is a rousing, synth-drenched anthem that finds him in a reflective state, as he acknowledges his mental state.
“Did I blow it?/ Did it just explode?” the musician contemplates. “There’s a lion hanging from my teeth/ I can taste it, but I can’t get close/ It’s only my depression, baby.”
He adds: “There’s a whole world running away from me/ There’s a lion hangin on my neck/ I can tame it/ But he might break free/ Who’s that?/ It’s only my depression, baby.”
Speaking about the track, Granduciel explained: “‘Who’s That’ was written in 10 minutes somewhere between first coffee and school drop-off.
“It’s a song about trying to love yourself despite things we can’t always control, like the anxiety, depression and self-doubt that may stand in the way of living the life we truly desire.”
The single is accompanied by a Max Flick-directed official video, following Granduciel on a surreal late-night stroll around the streets of Burbank in Los Angeles County, California. Tune in above.
The song features drums from Anthony LaMarca, bass from Dave Hartley, and a selection of Granduciel’s guitars and keyboards.
The War On Drugs are set to play a run of headline shows and festivals in the US this autumn, including stops at Austin City Limits in Texas, and Sea.Hear.Now 2026 in New Jersey. Find any remaining tickets here.
The War On Drugs’ US tour dates for 2026 are:
SEPTEMBER
18 – The Queen, Wilmington, DE
19 – Sea.Hear.Now 2026, Asbury Park, NJ
21 – Asheville Yards, Asheville, NC
23 – Avondale Brewing Company, Birmingham, AL
24 – Bourbon & Beyond 2026, Louisville, KY
OCTOBER
01 – Twilight Concert Series, Salt Lake City, UT
02 – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV
04 – Austin City Limits, Austin, TX
11 – Austin City Limits , Austin, TX
Over the summer, the group made appearances at numerous European events such as Mad Cool, NOS Alive and Rock Werchter. They also opened for Mumford & Sons at BST Hyde Park in London. Reviewing their Mad Cool slot, NME said that “The War on Drugs were made for blissed-out festival moments like this”.
Since releasing ‘I Don’t Live Here Anymore’, Granduciel has produced Sam Fender‘s 2025 third album ‘People Watching’. The LP won last year’s Mercury Prize and earned Fender his third UK Number One record. Granduciel helmed The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn‘s solo album ‘Always Been’, too.
Last spring, The War On Drugs pulled out of supporting Fender on his UK tour due to “personal scheduling issues”. Fender had brought out Granduciel to perform with him during his set at Coachella 2025.
NME last spoke to Granduciel in 2021, when he told us about how he first became aware of Fender: “I know him for sure! Our saxophone player knows them really well. I remember he said, ‘I’m playing on this kid Sam’s record – he’s a big fan of our band; he’s coming to the show’.
“So I knew his name and then I would see him on the cover of some crazy British magazine. I’m like, ‘Oh my god – this guy is like a phenomenon’. We’ve never communicated but it’s so cool any time you see a guy writing songs from his heart and ripping a guitar.”
Speaking about The War On Drugs’ sound, the musician said: “Even from the first record, people always said, ‘I feel like I can hear these songs in stadiums’. I was like, ‘They’re just home-recorded songs!’ But somewhere along the line it became our reality.”
