Sublime announce ‘Until the Sun Explodes,’ their first album in 30 years, out June 12 via Atlantic Records with Jakob Nowell on vocals
Thirty years is a long time to carry a name. On Wednesday, March 25, Sublime announced ‘Until the Sun Explodes’, their first studio album since the 1996 self-titled record that turned the Long Beach trio into legends and closed on the worst possible note. Out June 12 via Atlantic Records, the 21-track project is fronted by Jakob Nowell, the 30-year-old son of late frontman Bradley Nowell, alongside original members bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh. The lead single and title track is out now.
The announcement arrives just as Sublime prepares to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their self-titled album with two sold-out nights at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 17 and 18, where they will perform the 1996 record in its entirety for the first time ever. The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles has also opened a dedicated exhibit titled “Sublime: Straight From Long Beach,” running from March 27 through September 7. The momentum behind this band in 2026 is real, and Until the Sun Explodes lands at the center of it.
Jakob Nowell on What This Album Actually Is
Jakob Nowell has been careful and specific about how he wants this record understood. He does not claim it as a reinvention or a replacement. “The last Sublime record that will ever be made is Self-Titled. There’s no replacing history, period,” he said in a statement. “Until the Sun Explodes the album is an epilogue, and ‘Until the Sun Explodes’ the single is the epilogue to the epilogue. It is a tribute to the expansive works of Sublime, it is an acknowledgment for all that my father has done for me my entire life, and most importantly it is a thank you. I love you dad, and I owe you my life.”
That framing is not deflection. It is clarity. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Nowell described the album as a resolution of something deeply personal. “How do I feel about this death or being related to this mythological figure or living in a shadow, all of that just melted away into the studio, man. This Sublime record is the work that right now I’m the most proud of ever having made.” The lead single, “Ensenada,” already proved that the project has commercial legs, holding the Number One spot on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart longer than any other song on that chart in all of 2025.
The Album, the Guests, and the Road Ahead
Until the Sun Explodes runs 21 tracks and pulls in a cast of collaborators that maps the edges of Sublime’s world. Bad Brains’ H.R. appears on “Trey’s Song.” Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge appears on “247-369.” G Love guests on “Come Correct.” FIDLAR and Australian surf-rockers Skegss round out a list that signals the band is operating inside a genuine creative community rather than simply trading on legacy. The title track’s music video, directed by Ryan Baxley, moves through Long Beach landmarks tied to Sublime’s history and features skateboard legendsChristian Hosoi and Omar Hassan, grounding the project in the Southern California punk and skate culture that built the band in the first place.
Bassist Eric Wilson kept his statement simple and direct: “I am really excited about the album that’s coming out. I think it will set the tone for the summer of 2026.” Gaugh echoed the sentiment with something closer to a philosophy: “Until the Sun Explodes is our reality. Thank you for enjoying life with us.” Beyond the album, Sublime’s touring festival launches May 9 in Fort Worth, Texas, with additional dates in Portland and Salt Lake City. The Sublime Reef Madness cruise sets sail in November. For a band carrying thirty years of grief and greatness, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be their boldest chapter yet.
