Alabama Shakes Reunion Sparked by Local Bar Owners Request
Brittany Howard revealed that the Alabama Shakes’ return to the stage was set in motion by a simple request from a longtime friend who owns a bar in Alabama. The band, which went on hiatus in 2018, re‑emerged in 2024 with a surprise performance at the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa and has since announced a 2026 reunion tour and a new album, "I Must Be Dreaming," slated for release on August 28, 2026.
During an appearance on the Broken Record podcast, Howard explained that the reunion began when her friend Bo, the owner of a local bar that had supported the band in its early days, asked for help after the COVID‑19 pandemic had hurt his business. "I hit up the guys and I was like, ‘Hey, do y’all want to help Bo out?’" Howard said. "Everybody loves Bo. They’re like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’" The offer to perform at the bar prompted the band to regroup.
Rehearsals quickly turned into a touring conversation. "We’re like, maybe we should just get together and, I don’t know, do a tour," Howard recalled. The idea of a tour led the group to record a few songs, and the initial three tracks expanded to seven. "Let’s just make some more and make an album," Howard added. The band had always left the door open for a reunion, but Howard said the decision to record was a natural extension of the momentum that had built up.
The Alabama Shakes formed in Athens, Alabama, in 2009 and released their debut album, Boys & Girls, in 2012. Their second album, Sound & Color, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2015 and earned the group three Grammy Awards. After a 2018 hiatus, Howard pursued a solo career, releasing Jaime in 2019 and What Now in 2024. The band’s first performance since the break was the 2024 Tuscaloosa show, followed by a 2025 reunion tour that ran from July to September.
The new album, I Must Be Dreaming, is the band’s first studio release in eleven years and follows the 2026 spring tour that includes stops across North America and Europe. The album was announced in July 2026 with a trailer and pre‑save options on Spotify. It is being released through Island Records, the same label that handled the band’s earlier releases.
The reunion and new album come at a time when the music industry is still adjusting to post‑pandemic touring realities. The Alabama Shakes’ return demonstrates how a local community need—Bo’s bar struggling after COVID—can catalyze a major artist’s comeback. The band’s decision to record new material rather than simply perform old hits reflects a broader trend of legacy acts creating fresh content to re‑engage audiences.
As of September 10, 2026, the Alabama Shakes are on tour and the album is available on all major streaming platforms. The group’s next steps include continued touring through the fall and potential future releases, though no further announcements have been made.
