The New Pornographers return with shimmering new single ‘Pure Sticker Shock’

The New Pornographers are back, and they’re looking inward—without losing an ounce of their melodic punch. The beloved indie-pop supergroup shared Pure Sticker Shock, the latest single from their forthcoming album ‘The Former Site Of,’ out March 27 via Merge Records.

Built on glossy synth-pop textures and buoyant hooks, Pure Sticker Shock masks its emotional weight with effortless charm. Frontperson A.C. Newman uses the song to wrestle with questions of value and self-worth, threading introspection through a deceptively bright arrangement. As Newman explains, the track isn’t tied to one specific moment, but rather a feeling that’s felt uncomfortably relevant: What has worth, and who gets to decide? It’s classic New Pornographers—smart, catchy, and quietly cutting.

‘The Former Site Of’ marks the band’s tenth studio album, collecting ten sharp, compact stories about people pushed to personal and societal edges, all rendered as meticulously crafted pop songs. Newman initially built the album in his home studio before bringing the songs to the rest of the band—Kathryn Calder, Neko Case, John Collins, and Todd Fancey—allowing ideas to evolve without friction. The record also introduces legendary session drummer Charley Drayton (Divinyls, The Rolling Stones, Fiona Apple) to the New Pornographers’ world, while Josh Wells (Destroyer, Black Mountain) will handle drums on the upcoming tour.

The new single follows January’s acclaimed Votive, which earned praise from The New York Times, Pitchfork, and AV Club, as well as the album’s first release, Ballad Of The Last Payphone. That track arrived as a limited 7-inch vinyl and leaned into a more reflective, slow-burn mood—one Paste called a melancholy standout filled with acoustic strums, ghostly pedal steel, and memory-soaked vocals.

The album is available to pre-order now via Merge Records and the band’s webstore, including exclusive vinyl variants like the “Mai Tai” LP and “Spilled Ink” LP for collectors who like their pop with a splash of colour.

‘The Former Site Of’ track list

1. Great Princess Story
2. Pure Sticker Shock
3. Ballad Of The Last Payphone
4. Spooky Action
5. Wish You Could See Me I’m Killing It
6. Votive
7. The Wine Remembers The Water
8. Calligraphy
9. Bonus Mai Tais
10. The Former Site Of

To celebrate the release, The New Pornographers will hit the road this spring, kicking off April 22 in Boston and wrapping up May 21 in Washington, DC. The tour includes stops in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and more, with Will Sheff of Okkervil River joining as support.

After more than 20 years, nine albums, and a career defined by harmony-rich hooks and emotional complexity, The New Pornographers continue to prove they’re still evolving—still sharp, still curious, and still writing pop songs that linger long after the last chorus fades.

‘The Former Site Of’ lands March 27. Tour tickets are on sale now.