After nearly two decades, beloved Chicago alt-rock band The Academy Is… are officially back. The band has announced their long-awaited new album, Almost There, arriving March 27, 2026 via I Surrender Records. It marks their first full-length studio release in 18 years and a reflective companion to their classic debut.
Leading the return is the new single “2005,” available today on all streaming platforms alongside an official music video. Packed with shimmering guitars, propulsive rhythms, and one of William Beckett’s most emotionally direct vocal performances to date, the track bridges the urgency of the band’s early sound with the perspective gained over time.
“Almost Here was the beginning. Almost There is the reflection,” Beckett shares. Across 11 new songs, the album explores distance from youth, expectations, and former versions of self, blending familiar pop-punk energy with a more expansive, mature approach to songwriting.
The announcement follows the success of the Almost Here 20th Anniversary Tour, which continues this spring after overwhelming demand and multiple sold-out dates. The tour’s second leg kicks off April 10 in Buffalo, NY, celebrating the past while signaling a powerful new chapter ahead.
Pre-orders for Almost There are available now, including vinyl, CDs, and limited signed editions.
