The Strokes are officially entering a new chapter. The iconic New York rock band has released “Falling Out of Love,” the second single from their upcoming album Reality Awaits, marking another major step toward their first full-length studio release since 2020’s Grammy-winning The New Abnormal.
The new track follows lead single “Going Shopping” and offers another glimpse into the sound of Reality Awaits, an album recorded in Costa Rica with legendary producer Rick Rubin before being completed across multiple locations around the world. The project arrives after a six-year gap between studio albums, making it one of the most anticipated rock releases of 2026.
Fans will get their first televised performance of “Falling Out of Love” when the band appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, one of the final musical performances before the long-running late-night program concludes its run next week.
For a band that helped define indie rock in the early 2000s, Reality Awaits arrives at a fascinating moment. More than two decades after the release of their landmark debut album Is This It, The Strokes continue to evolve while maintaining the sharp songwriting, melodic guitar work, and unmistakable cool that turned them into one of the most influential rock bands of their generation.
The momentum behind the new album is already substantial. Following acclaimed appearances at major festivals and a triumphant return to large-scale touring, the group has announced an ambitious worldwide run stretching from June through December. The tour includes sold-out performances at venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, London’s The O2, Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome, and Paris’ Accor Arena, alongside festival appearances at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Outside Lands, Summer Sonic, and Primavera Sound Buenos Aires.
The support lineup is equally impressive, featuring appearances from Thundercat, Cage the Elephant, Hamilton Leithauser, The Garden, Alex Cameron, Geordie Greep, and several other notable acts across different regions.
Since emerging from New York City’s garage-rock revival at the turn of the millennium, The Strokes have built one of modern rock’s most celebrated catalogs. Albums such as Is This It, Room on Fire, and The New Abnormal have left a lasting imprint on alternative music, influencing countless bands while helping reshape the direction of indie rock worldwide.
With “Falling Out of Love” now available and Reality Awaits arriving this summer, The Strokes appear poised to once again become one of the defining rock stories of the year.
Featured image credit: “Falling out of Love” cover art —licensed courtesy of Glenn Pruyn (1984)
