Keith Urban announces new album, releases fresh track, ‘Wildside’

Keith Urban is ready to elevate fans’ musical experience with his new album, High , arriving September 20.

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Urban recently revealed plans for the new album, which will be his first in nearly four years. Described in a press release as a “musical journey, intentionally sequenced through themes of what it is to be alive,” Urban is excited to highlight the excitement of “human connection, cutting loose… hope, nostalgia, shredding solos, straight-up fun, and some personal life revelations.”

“I’ve always been drawn toward the subject of living in the moment, because it’s all there is, and it’s hard to do,” shared Urban of the album’s overall concept.  “And these days with so much ‘content’ flying at us, it can feel like drinking from a fire hose.”

While the title, ‘High,’ can have a different meaning to everyone, Urban encourages each fan to tap into their own definition and let the music move them.

“What makes you ‘high’ can mean whatever you want it to mean,” said Urban. “It might be physical, spiritual, herbal, meditative, chemical or musical, but it’s definitely a place of utopia. For me it’s my family, my friends, and this rollercoaster musical journey I’m on. Playing guitar, writing songs and the place where I always feel high – playing live. Every night I get a chance to bring an energy and a release to people.”

The highs of this album definitely came with some lows for Urban who shared with Audacy’s Rob + Holly earlier this year that it’s a product of many tears.  During his time on the Friday Night Takeover , the 56-year-old shared the creation of the album started more than two years ago before hitting a major roadblock and causing Keith to take things back to the drawing board.

LISTEN NOW : Keith Urban put blood, sweat, and actual tears into new album: ‘I bawled my eyes out’

“I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. I went about recording all these songs and I ended up with 13 songs and in February of 2023, I took that album in — very excited to play it for my team —  and about 4 or 5 songs in, I could feel all this air going out of my everything — deflated — because I knew it wasn’t finished... I knew it just wasn’t there.”

Overwhelmed by the dissatisfaction he felt over a project he labored on for the past year, Urban knew he needed to re-group and get to work on a more authentic album, but first, he let the tears flow.

“It would have been so much easier to just go, ‘It’s fine,’ but I’ve got to be 100% in. I can’t be 99% in otherwise it’s not gonna work,” he expressed. “I hate saying this, but it’s so true — I left that meeting, went out and sat in my car and I bawled my eyes out. I literally did. I know that sounds pathetic to a lot of people, but after putting in that much work and knowing what was ahead of me work-wise, which I didn’t want to do, it just gutted me. It was like being kicked in the stomach.”

After picking himself up, Urban let himself be guided by the music, and turned all his energy to doubling down to create a new album that he’s now 100% proud (and certain) of.

“It’s a more concise record. It’s got all the flow and diversity that I think particularly our concerts are known for,” he said. That feeling was shared with priorly released tracks from the project, including “Straight Line,” “Go Home W U“ featuring Lainey Wilson , “Messed Up As Me,” and now, newly released track, “Wildside,” which he released alongside his announcement of the new album.

Find the full track list for the new project below and mark your calendar for a September 20 release of all new Keith Urban music.

HIGH TRACK LISTING:
1. "BLUE SKY"
2. STRAIGHT LINE
3. MESSED UP AS ME
4. WILDSIDE
5. GO HOME W U (WITH LAINEY WILSON)
6. CHUCK TAYLORS
7. DAYTONA
8. LOVE IS HARD
9. HEART LIKE A HOMETOWN
10. LAUGHIN’ ALL THE WAY TO THE DRANK
11. DODGE IN A SILVERADO
12. BREAK THE CHAIN