The War on Drugs debuted a new song dubbed “Who’s That” way back in May 2024 and have continued to play it live ever since, and now its maiden studio version has finally arrived today (Sept. 9). The Adam Granduciel-led band’s first fresh recording since 2022 is accompanied by a video directed by Max Flick, during which Granduciel walks around the streets of his adopted Burbank, Ca., home base after dark.
The artist says “Who’s That” was “written in 10 minutes somewhere between first coffee and school drop off. It’s a song about trying to love yourself despite things we can’t always control, like the anxiety, depression and self doubt that may stand in the way of living the life we truly desire.”
Granduciel is backed on the recording by longtime War on Drugs bandmates Dave Hartley (bass), Robbie Bennett (keyboards), Anthony LaMarca (drums, guitar), Jon Natchez (organ, saxophone) and Eliza Hardy-Jones (vocals). It was mixed by Jonathan Low (the National, Taylor Swift), whose work with War on Drugs dates back to the 2010 album Future Weather when they were both still based in Philadelphia.
For now, it’s unknown if “Who’s That” is earmarked for the next War on Drugs album. If it is, that project will be the follow-up to 2021’s Grammy-nominated I Don’t Live Here Anymore, which was the band’s last album under contract for major label Atlantic Records after a long stint with Indiana indie Secretly Canadian. A concert album, Live Drugs Again, followed in 2024. Granduciel also made major production and performance contributions to Sam Fender’s 2025 album People Watching, which won the U.K.’s Mercury Music Prize.
After six European festival gigs this summer, the Drugs will play a handful of headline and festival dates starting Sept. 18 in Wilmington, De., and concluding with appearances at both weekends of Austin City Limits on Oct. 4 and 11.