Blondie’s ‘High Noon’ Has a Bittersweet Hook: The New LP Begins With Johnny Marr and Ends a Clem Burke Era
Blondie will release High Noon on Feb. 26, 2027, with “Spectral Eyes” out now and the album serving as Clem Burke’s final recording.
Blondie has finally put a date on High Noon, its 12th studio album, and the announcement comes with extra weight for longtime fans. Due Feb. 26, 2027, the record is set to be the band’s last to feature co-founding drummer Clem Burke, and its first single, "Spectral Eyes," is already out.
High Noon arrives through BMG and gives Blondie its first studio album since 2017’s Pollinator. The first taste is "Spectral Eyes," the album opener, which premiered on BBC Radio 2. In the clip below, listeners can hear the new track, written by Johnny Marr, who also plays guitar on it.
The album carries a different meaning now than it did when work began. Recording started before Burke’s death in 2025, and the finished set now stands as his final work with the group. Debbie Harry has said the record brings together Blondie’s many influences and eras into something new, while still reflecting who the band members are and how they live now. Chris Stein, looking back on what he called a long, strange ride, said the band remains very grateful for the support it has received over the years.
Musically, the album ranges across several familiar Blondie lanes. Rock and punk sit beside dance music and Latin rhythms, with outside contributions folded into the mix.
How the album came together
Sessions for High Noon began in New York City in 2022 with producer John Congleton, who also worked on Pollinator. Much of the material was recorded with the band playing together in the same room, continuing a collaborative method that has long been part of Blondie’s approach. David Wrench later joined for additional production and mixing.
The guest list stretches from Marr to Glen Matlock, Zach Condon of Beirut, and Lucius singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. Several songs also point back toward Blondie’s history and orbit. "Heartbreak Kid" was written by Stein with Johnny Thunders in mind. "Sleepwalking" was written by Matlock. "Man Who Had No Face," written by Stein and Harry, combines pulsing keyboards with electric guitar. Blondie also revisits "Little Metal Drummer," first recorded by founding keyboardist Jimmy Destri on his 1981 solo debut, which featured Harry and Burke.
The album runs 13 tracks, closing with "Ah, Sunflower, Weary of Time." Its visual side was developed by artist and director Rob Roth, a Blondie collaborator for more than 25 years, across the artwork, visualizers and an upcoming short film. The news arrives as another milestone approaches too. December marks 50 years since the release of Blondie’s self-titled debut.
