Surprise! Black Country Communion announce first album in seven years, share 2024's funkiest rock single Stay Free

Black Country Communion, 2024
(Image credit: Rob Bondurant)

Black Country Communion have returned with their first new music in seven years, the hard funk strut of Stay Free.

The single is the first taste of V, the forthcoming fifth album from the the hard rock supergroup - comprised of vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes, guitarist Joe Bonamassa, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Jason Bonham - which is scheduled for a June 14 release, and available to pre-order now. The album was produced by the band's longtime collaborator Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden/Aerosmith) and recorded at the legendary Sunset Sound studios in Los Angeles, where Van Halen recorded their early albums.

“In my opinion, we had the best time recording this record at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, tons of fun & a magical recording,”  says Hughes. “Meet you inside the Music.” 

Listen to Stay Free below:

The tracklist for V is as follows:

1. Enlighten
2. Stay Free
3. Red Sun
4. Restless
5. Letting Go
6. Skyway
7. You're Not Alon
8. Love And Faith
9. Too Far Gone
10. The Open Road

The quartet are set to play their first US gig in over 11 years at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 17. Presented by Joe Bonamassa's Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, all profits from the concert will be donated to support music education and musicians in need.

The band is also booked to perform on the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea music festival, sailing from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico from March 18-22. The cruise will be headlined by Joe Bonamassa, with Grace Potter, The Marshall Tucker Band, John Oates and more on the supporting bill. 

Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.