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Photo Credit: Jonathan Weber [Download Hi-Res]
“‘2005’ is a daydream of a song with shimmering synths brushed up against Mike Carden’s riffs and both drummer Andy Mrotek and bassist Adam Siska’s insistent rhythms.”
- ROLLING STONE
“On ‘Almost There,’ they reflect on the perspective and change they’ve experienced in 20 years, reconnecting with each other, and returning home.”
- ALTERNATIVE PRESS
Influential and beloved Chicago alt-rock band The Academy Is… have released “Miracle,” the second single from their long-awaited new album, Almost There, arriving via I Surrender Records on March 27, 2026. The song sways between intense, driving guitars and reflective moments underlined by glimmering tones. The band throws themselves into the iridescence headfirst, as William Beckett sings, “I need to love again/Turn me on my head/I need to feel the warmth/Tell me I’m not dead.”
“With this track, we were chasing the feeling of when you discovered your new favorite song…” guitarist Mike Carden explains. “‘Miracle’ reminds us of LimeWire era vibes; finally finding that song that takes you by surprise, a very distinct feeling. We wanted it to hit and pull you straight in. We feel like...mission accomplished.”
LISTEN TO “MIRACLE”
PRE-SAVE ALMOST THERE
PRE-ORDER ALMOST THERE
The first new The Academy Is… studio album in over 18 years, Almost There, was heralded by the release of the urgent and melodic lead single “2005,” available now on all digital platforms. The news was shared exclusively via Rolling Stone and eagerly welcomed by fans and tastemaking outlets such as Alternative Press, Brooklyn Vegan, The Needle Drop, and more. Bursting with shimmering guitars, driving rhythms, and one of Beckett’s most emotionally direct vocal performances to date, the first single captures the band’s ability to fuse youthful immediacy with hard-won perspective. An official music video is now on YouTube.
“Almost Here was the beginning. Almost There is the reflection,” Beckett says. “It’s about checking in with who you thought you’d be twenty years later, seeing what changed, what stuck, and what still feels like home.”
WATCH THE “2005” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
The follow-up to 2008’s Fast Times at Barrington High, Almost There finds The Academy Is… reflecting on distance, from youth, from expectations, and from the versions of themselves that once felt permanent. Across 11 new songs, the band revisits the emotional intensity that defined their early work while embracing a more expansive, mature approach to songwriting. The result is a record that feels both familiar and newly sharpened, rooted in pop-punk urgency but unafraid to slow down, open up, and linger in uncertainty. Pre-orders and pre-saves are available now. Vinyl, CDs, and merch are available for pre-order now in the band’s webstore, with limited signed vinyl available in I Surrender’s webstore.
Almost There was shaped in studios around a grounded emotional center. Guitarist Mike Carden, bassist Adam Siska, and drummer Andy Mrotek lean into dynamic arrangements that balance punchy immediacy with textured detail — songs often begin with stripped-back melodies before swelling into full-band catharsis, driven by soaring choruses and tightly coiled tension.
After some teasing and speculation, The Academy Is… announced their return last year with the Almost Here 20th Anniversary Tour. Fans were treated to high-energy sets built around the songs that defined the mid-2000s, performed with the intensity and emotion that made the debut record a cult classic. The show blends past and present, weaving in refreshed arrangements, new creative elements, and glimpses of what the band is creating next.
The response has been overwhelming, with many markets selling out instantly and demand continuing to climb. The band recently announced a second leg to meet the momentum, marking this as one of their most anticipated touring moments in years. The first date kicks off on April 10 at Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY, with dates throughout April and May. For more information on upcoming performances, see below.
THE ACADEMY IS…
ALMOST HERE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2026
APRIL
10 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
11 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
15 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
16 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
18 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
19 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Orlando
24 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
25 – Dallas, TX – The Echo
26 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston
MAY
1 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
2 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at The Market
7 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
8 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
9 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
23 - Mexico City, MX - Pabellón del Palacio de los Deportes
JUNE
13-14 – Washington, DC – Festival Grounds at RFK Campus †
JULY
25-26 – Long Beach, CA – Shoreline Waterfront †
† - Warped Tour
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