Fresh from returning to active duty with a sold-out performance at Veterans Memorial Coliseum as part of the 2025 Arizona State Fair, The Format have announced their first new studio release in 20 years, set to arrive on Jan. 23, 2026.
“Boycott Heaven” was produced by Grammy-winning producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, The Killers) and features O’Brien on bass alongside renowned drummer Matt Chamberlain (David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple).
Led by Nate Ruess and Sam Means, the metro-Phoenix-based indie-pop legends last released an album in 2006, when they followed a celebrated debut titled “Interventions + Lullabies” with “Dog Problems.”
“Boycott Heaven” is set to be released on The Format’s own imprint, The Vanity Label.
‘Holy Roller’ offers a taste of The Format’s 1st album in 20 years
The first single, a rousing anthem titled “Holy Roller,” arrives on Monday, Oct. 6. The Format will debut the track live that same day on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
After nearly two decades apart, during which Ruess formed the chart-topping fun., launched a solo career and collaborated with P!nk, Young Thug, and Paramore’s Hayley Williams, while Means continued to perform and built the highly successful Hello Merch in Phoenix, the two reunited to make an album that revives the alt-rock, grunge and pop-punk sounds they first bonded over as Arizona teenagers.
What to expect from The Format on ‘Boycott Heaven’
Now infused with the maturity and perspective gained from years on their own paths, “Boycott Heaven” is filled with existential protest songs, power-chord-driven rockers, love letters to family and friendship, and a persistent belief in the possibility of something better.
Fans of “Interventions + Lullabies” and “Dog Problems” will recognize the band’s signature hooks and spirit, but “Boycott Heaven” signals a bold new chapter.
The band’s decision to release “Boycott Heaven” independently through The Vanity Label continues the path they began nearly 20 years ago. After parting ways with a major label in 2005, The Format self-released “Dog Problems” and developed a fiercely devoted cult following.
With the self-release of their new album, Ruess and Means are building on that legacy and proving that same DIY spirit that fueled their early years.
New album follows The Format’s sold-out hometown concert
The Format have been on the road for a series of sold-out full-band performances, including a sold-out hometown concert on Sept. 27 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which they curated as a local music festival with an outdoor side stage featuring intimate, stripped-down performances from some of the city’s most exciting rising artists including Sydney Sprague, Astrologer, and JPW & Dad Weed.
AZcentral said the show “was everything Arizona had been waiting for and even more. … From the very first line of ‘Tie the Rope,’ it was obvious that both the crowd and band were ready to erupt after the 18-year wait. Ruess’s signature timbre sounded as if he hadn’t missed a day, and yet he was nearly drowned out by the audience by the time the opening track reached the chorus.”
The band then headed to NYC for two sold out nights at New York City’s Beacon Theatre Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 with Ben Kweller as support. The mini-tour wraps in Los Angeles on Oct. 10 at the legendary Hollywood Forever Cemetery, joined by Phantom Planet.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at [email protected].
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.azcentral.com ’
