Second Song
2026 studio album by Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts
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Second Song is the fiftieth studio album by Neil Young, released on September 18, 2026, by Reprise Records.[1] Recorded at Shangri La in Malibu and produced by Lou Adler, it is his second album recorded with his band the Chrome Hearts.[2] It follows Young's previous album Talkin' to the Trees, also produced by Adler and recorded at Shangri La.[1] The first single, the title track, released on August 7, runs for nearly 11 and a half minutes long.[1][3]
| Second Song | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 18, 2026 | |||
| Studios | Shangri La, Malibu | |||
| Length | 42:15 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producers | ||||
| Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Second Song | ||||
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Background and release
Second Song contains "Casting Me Away from You" and "I'll Love You Forever",[4] both written sometime in the 1960s that went unreleased until Second Song.[3] According to a press release, Second Song is primarily an acoustic album.[5] According to Andy Greene of Rolling Stone, the title track is about "the passage of time and the need for human connection."[6] Neil Young said of the album: "I'm in the studio recording a new album with the Chrome Hearts. I love the songs and the feelings of life and love. Music is. So far we have eight new songs. They make me feel".[7] The album was released on September 18, 2026, on Reprise Records.[1]
Critical reception
Any Decent Music gave the album a weighted average score of 7.6 out of 10 from nine critic scores.[8] According to Metacritic, it received "generally favorable" reviews based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from eight critic scores.[9]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Neil Young.[10]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Foggy Edge of Time" | 4:05 |
| 2. | "Day After Day" | 7:03 |
| 3. | "Earth Girl" | 3:31 |
| 4. | "Second Song" | 11:15 |
| 5. | "Casting Me Away from You" | 2:38 |
| 6. | "Soon I Might Be Going" | 9:14 |
| 7. | "I'll Love You Forever" | 4:29 |
| Total length: | 42:15 | |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Tidal.[10]
Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts
- Neil Young – vocals, production (all tracks); vibes (tracks 2–4), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 7); Marxophone, Mellotron, piano (1, 3); harmonica (4, 5), electric guitar (6)
- Anthony LoGerfo – drums, associate production (all tracks); vocals (3, 4), percussion (4–6)
- Corey McCormick – upright bass (all tracks), vocals (1–4, 7), electric bass guitar (4)
- Micah Nelson – vocals (1–4, 7), electric guitar (1–3, 5–8), dulcimer (4)
- Spooner Oldham – Hammond B3 organ (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), Mellotron (1), Farfisa organ (2, 5, 6), piano (2), pump organ (3), vibes (7)
Technical
- Lou Adler – production
- Niko Bolas – production
- Manny Adler – associate production
- John Hanlon – engineering, recording, mixing
- Mark Humphreys – monitor engineering
- Emily Paalman – engineering assistance
- Nick Hodges – engineering assistance
- Pedro Laet – engineering assistance
- Sofia Staedler – engineering assistance
- Taylor Goss – engineering assistance
- Jon Tan – Pro Tools
- Louis Remenapp – tape operation
- Chris Bellman – mastering
- Jeff Pinn – backline technician
- Greg Back – bass technician, guitar technician
- Jarrett Borba – drum technician
- Bob Rice – guitar technician
- Jeff Tweedy – guitar technician
- Marcus Douglas – sound technician
Charts
| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[11] | 52 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[12] | 33 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[13] | 87 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)[14] | 8 |
| Danish Vinyl Albums (Hitlisten)[15] | 10 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] | 37 |
| Finnish Physical Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] | 10 |
| French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP)[18] | 43 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] | 18 |
| German Rock & Metal Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] | 7 |
| Norwegian Physical Albums (IFPI Norge)[21] | 2 |
| Swedish Physical Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[22] | 9 |
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[23] | 23 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] | 18 |
| UK Albums Sales (Official Charts)[25] | 27 |
| UK Americana Albums (Official Charts)[26] | 4 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[27] | 29 |