Chicago based American rock band The Academy Is… were a definitive force in the pop punk emo era. The poster boy members of the band are William Becket, Adam Sitka, Mike Carden and Andy Mrotek. The young men had asymmetrical fringes mirroring the rise in emo culture that burst into the music scene. The melodic group rose to popularity on early 2000 social media site MySpace and had countless young people struggling to illegally download their music on Limewire, never accessing the correct files but finding solace in the love-ridden lyrics.
In the year 2026 the Academy Is… have officially made their long overdue return. A lead single, ‘2005’ has been catapulted into the world. The daydream of a song wraps its arms around fans that have sat idly with the group’s absence for over 20 years. Alongside the intoxicating new song, we have received the announcement of an entire new LP. ‘Almost There’ is set to release on March 27, 2026, the name of the LP itself is a nod to their notorious 2005 debut record ‘Almost Here’.
The band announced their new album on social media, sharing an instagram post featuring a tracklist and a lovingly written statement which read, “Almost Here was the beginning. Almost There is the reflection. It’s about being alive in the moment, checking in with who you thought you’d be, seeing what changed, what stuck, and what still feels like home.”
The stem-winding new music announcement was accompanied by a tracklist that follows.
1. Up In The Air
2. Miracle
3. 2005
4. Freak Out
5. Snow Days
6. 100MPH
7. Floating Through Time (interlude)
8. L Train
9. Lost Signals
10. Lulu Boy
11. Ten Tears
The release of new music marks the bands first LP since 2008. Their last LP release was ‘Fast Times at Barrington High’ which was home to the hit classic “About a Girl” now amounting almost 50 million streams on Spotify.
The band is aware that not only are they growing as individuals, but their fanbase is changing too, they are not still the bruised knee, wide grinned individuals they once were. Many individuals hold The Academy Is… dear to their hearts, they were the ones drying eyes through the all-too-common harsh adolescent moments that we all encounter.
The band attracted a diverse fanbase in the early years; their lyrics were consistently tugging on the heart strings of young people in a gentle manner. An attraction from an outcasted urban youth followed them for years to come, making their hit ‘Slow Down’ from their debut album rise to stardom. The groups relatable humanism and imperfect personas made them all the more exciting as shiny new toys for young alternative girls.
Last year, The Academy Is… embarked on a 20-anniversary tour in celebration of ‘Almost Here’. Tickets rapidly sold out displaying the eager demand for new music from the group. An extension of tour dates was required, and the band continues to play shows up until early 2026.
We simply cannot wait for new music from the richly melodious masterminds. Prepare to break out your converse once more and fall back in love with The Academy Is… in 2026.
