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The latest Alabama band new music release is “Still Reelin’ (From Those Rock & Roll Days),” a duet with the late Dan Seals that came out on July 10, 2026. If you were actually looking for Alabama Shakes, their album I Must Be Dreaming arrived on August 28, 2026.
Two bands, one name, plenty of confusion. The team at Ultimate Fandom hears this question a lot, so here is a clear, no-fluff rundown of what is new, who made it and where you can hear it.
“Alabama” can point to two very different acts. Alabama is the country-rock group from Fort Payne, Alabama, now led by cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry after Jeff Cook died in 2022. Alabama Shakes is the soulful rock band from Athens, Alabama, fronted by Brittany Howard.
Search results blend the two, and so do plenty of fans. The good news is that both have fresh music this year, which does not happen often. Let’s take them one at a time.
This one is a tribute more than a comeback single. “Still Reelin’ (From Those Rock & Roll Days)” pairs Owen and Gentry with Dan Seals, the singer once nicknamed “England Dan,” who died in 2009. Seals wrote it with Nashville songwriter Allen Shamblin, and it looks back at the musicians, Elvis Presley among them, who shaped his career.
Owen has said he felt honored to be asked and was struck by how heartfelt Seals sounded on the original recording. That warmth is exactly what the song is about.
It is also Alabama’s first new music since 2023, when the band teamed up with Gaither and The Oak Ridge Boys on “Jesus and John Wayne.” The duet sits on Dan Seals & Friends: The Last Duet, a tribute album due August 28.
For a group with 43 No. 1 singles and a Country Music Hall of Fame induction, choosing a quiet, sentimental duet says a lot. It is less about chasing radio and more about honoring a friend. As for a brand-new Alabama studio album, none has been announced in the sources we checked, and the last full one remains Southern Drawl from 2015.
On the rock side, the headline is bigger. I Must Be Dreaming is Alabama Shakes’ third album and their first in 11 years, following 2015’s Sound & Color. It came out through Island on August 28, 2026.
The band produced it with longtime collaborator Shawn Everett and recorded at Sound Emporium Studios and Blackbird Studio in Nashville. Early descriptions point to psychedelic soul, bigger textures and a more cinematic feel, while Howard’s voice still anchors everything.
The story behind it is almost accidental. After a surprise reunion performance in December 2024, the band said in January 2025 that they were working on new music and later announced reunion shows for the summer. Howard first imagined a short EP, but the opening studio session produced seven songs, so the project grew into a full album.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Howard said she hopes listeners come away knowing they can rely on each other. After a decade apart, that message lands as both a theme and a description of the band itself.
To save you the scrolling, we at Ultimate Fandom put the key releases into one quick table.
Release | Artist | Date | Type | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Still Reelin’ (From Those Rock & Roll Days)” | Alabama with Dan Seals | July 10, 2026 | Single | First new Alabama music since 2023 |
| Dan Seals & Friends: The Last Duet | Dan Seals and guests | August 28, 2026 | Tribute album | Home of the new duet |
| I Must Be Dreaming | Alabama Shakes | August 28, 2026 | Studio album | First album in 11 years |
| Southern Drawl | Alabama | 2015 | Studio album | Last full Alabama studio album |
Both stories are about legacy. Alabama is honoring a friend and a catalog that shaped country radio for decades. Alabama Shakes is proving that a long break does not have to mean a quiet ending.
They also show how different “new music” can look. One is a heartfelt single built on memory. The other is a full album built on fresh ideas. If you only follow one band, it is worth giving the other a listen, because the contrast is half the fun.
Alabama’s single is available on major streaming services, and Apple Music lists it as the band’s latest release. Alabama Shakes’ album is also on the main platforms. Because the tribute album shares a release date with I Must Be Dreaming, August 28 was a busy day for fans of anything “Alabama.”
New to either band? Start with the fresh release, then work backward. For Alabama, early hits like “Mountain Music” show where the sound began. For Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color is the natural stepping stone before I Must Be Dreaming. Hearing old and new side by side is the easiest way to notice what has changed, and what hasn’t, across all those years.
Tip: save both releases to one playlist, so the contrast between country storytelling and psychedelic soul does the talking for you.
What is the latest Alabama band new music release?
The newest song from Alabama is “Still Reelin’ (From Those Rock & Roll Days),” a duet with the late Dan Seals released on July 10, 2026.
Is there a new Alabama album in 2026?
Not a new studio album, as far as we could find. The band’s new duet appears on the tribute album Dan Seals & Friends: The Last Duet, due August 28.
When did Alabama Shakes release I Must Be Dreaming?
The album was released on August 28, 2026 through Island. It is their first record in 11 years.
Who is in the band Alabama now?
The country band Alabama is now Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry. Founding member Jeff Cook passed away in 2022.
Where can I listen to the new Alabama music?
Both releases are on major streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, and physical or digital options may vary by release.
Whether you grew up on “Mountain Music” or fell for Brittany Howard’s voice, 2026 has given Alabama fans something to celebrate. Keep checking back with Ultimate Fandom for more music updates as new details drop.
Want the band’s own words on the album? Read the full interview in Rolling Stone’s Alabama Shakes feature.
