The Boys of Dungeon Lane
2026 studio album by Paul McCartney
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The Boys of Dungeon Lane is the upcoming twentieth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, scheduled to be released on 29 May 2026. Co-produced with Andrew Watt in sessions dating back to 2021, it was announced on 26 March 2026 along with the release of its lead single, "Days We Left Behind". The second single, "Home to Us", is a duet with Ringo Starr.
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| Released | 29 May 2026 | |||
| Recorded | 2021–2025[1] | |||
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| Label | Capitol | |||
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| Paul McCartney studio album chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Boys of Dungeon Lane | ||||
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Background
"The boys of Dungeon Lane" was a lyric used by McCartney in the song "In Liverpool",[2] an early demo for his 1993 album Off the Ground.[3] Dungeon Lane is a road in the Speke area of Liverpool, and the album is generally inspired by McCartney's childhood memories in the area.[4] The lane leads from Speke to Oglet Shore on the Mersey,[5] an area that was popular with birdwatchers.[2] Before the album's announcement, McCartney teased the album using bird emojis on his social media.[2]
On 25 March 2026, McCartney's brother Mike made a social media post about posters being put up around Liverpool featuring the artwork for the album, and stating that his son, Josh, was the designer.[2] The artwork is inspired by Liverpool's street signs and features the Speke postcode L24.[6]
Production
The album is co-produced by Andrew Watt. McCartney and Watt first met in 2021, and their first recording session together resulted in the album opener "As You Lie There". McCartney played the majority of instruments. It was recorded in sessions between legs of his Got Back tour, spanning five years and alternating between Los Angeles and McCartney's Hogg Hill Mill studio in East Sussex.[2][7]
"Home to Us" features Ringo Starr on drums and vocals,[8] with backing vocals by Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri.[9]
Promotion and release
The lead single, "Days We Left Behind", was released on 26 March 2026.[10] Early promotion of the album included updated Google Street View imagery of Dungeon Lane.[11] On 5 May, McCartney hosted an album listening party at Abbey Road Studios.[12]
The second single, "Home to Us", was released on 8 May,[13] and the album is scheduled to be released on 29 May.[6] Jacaranda Records was announced to be hosting the first public listening event of the album on 22 May at its flagship venue The Jacaranda, a bar and club long associated with McCartney's early musical career.[14]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 89/100[15] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Mojo |   [16] |
| Record Collector | [17] |
| Rolling Stone |  [18] |
| The Telegraph | [19] |
| The Times | [20] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, The Boys of Dungeon Lane received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 89 out of 100 from five critic scores.[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "As You Lie There" | 4:45 |
| 2. | "Lost Horizon" | 3:04 |
| 3. | "Days We Left Behind" | 3:18 |
| 4. | "Ripples in a Pond" | 2:43 |
| 5. | "Mountain Top" | 3:40 |
| 6. | "Down South" | 2:23 |
| 7. | "We Two" | 3:01 |
| 8. | "Come Inside" | 3:14 |
| 9. | "Never Know" | 4:15 |
| 10. | "Home to Us" (with Ringo Starr) | 3:12 |
| 11. | "Life Can Be Hard" | 3:15 |
| 12. | "First Star of the Night" | 2:57 |
| 13. | "Salesman Saint" | 3:19 |
| 14. | "Momma Gets By" | 4:04 |
| Total length: | 47:07 | |