New Arctic Monkeys album is “pretty much” finished, according to Matt Helders

Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders has revealed that their new album is "pretty much" completed and is likely to be released early next year.

Numerous rumours and reports have surfaced in the last year around the eagerly-awaited follow up to 2018's Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. In Jaunary this year, the Sheffield rockers manager announced they were making new music, with Helders later confirming the news that they were in the "early stages" of the album while trying to deal with recording issues brought on by the pandemic. It also emerged in August that they had been recording material in a hotel and wedding venue called The Butley Priory in Suffolk, according to a since-deleted blog post that the venue had on their website.

Now, speaking on BBC 5's Live Breakfast this morning, as part of the BBC's Drumathon, Helders told presenters the new album should be finished in time for the band to start touring next summer.

"It was a bit disjointed how we had to do it, and there are bits to finish off, but yeah, it’s all in the works. I think by the time we get everything together it’ll be next year. Hopefully we can get out and tour next summer."

"We tend to always move it on a little bit," he said, speaking on the potential sound for the new record.

"For us, because we’re so involved in it, it always makes sense. They always kind of pick up where the other one left off in a way. It makes sense when you think about it in the context of the last record. But we always do try and do something a bit different – it’s kind of hard to describe. You can tell it’s the same band."