Following a chequered history of label deals, Morrissey has returned with new single Make-up Is A Lie.
The former Smiths frontman has returned to Sire Records in the US for his first album in six years. Morrissey’s 14th solo studio album, also titled Make-up Is A Lie, is released on March 6 via Sire/Warner Records.
In a statement the label described Morrissey as a “truly iconic English singer and songwriter” and suggested the album will further cement his status “as one of the most acclaimed and potent voices of the last four decades”.
The new album reunites Morrissey with producer Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes, The White Stripes, Weezer, My Morning Jacket). Its lead single was co-written by keyboardist Camila Grey. The LP includes a cover of Roxy Music’s 1973 track Amazona.
“The wait has sometimes felt like a tragedy, but the release today of Make-up Is A Lie is like a reunion of lovers,” wrote Morrissey in a new post on Morrissey Central. “And after several plays it seems to have existed always. We can now place our faith in what is visible. Please sit in your favourite chair in your dark cabin with the lights out – or, get off your head and enjoy some impulsive self-humiliation – as I often do. I hope you consider Make-up Is A Lie to be worth the attention that you give it. Many of us, here, and in France, Turkey, Poland, The Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, America, England… We have waited because our belief is unchallengeable: let the squawkers squawk. What survives beyond their grasp is love. I insist on being myself in spite of much discouragement, and this new music is a valid portrait of much more to come in 2026.”
The confirmed release follows a turbulent period in the industry for the singer and songwriter, who’s also attracted media controversy for his statements.
Morrissey’s most recent album, I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, peaked at No.3 in the UK – but his then-label BMG parted company with him. Plans for the next album to be released via Capitol in the US were reportedly shelved.
The wait has sometimes felt like a tragedy
Morrissey
The new partnership with Sire is a return to the label that helped launch his solo career, including the UK No.1 album Viva Hate in 1988 and the chart-topping Vauxhall And I in 1994. Sire was also The Smiths’ original label in the US.
It also means that Morrissey is back at Warner Music, which has been the catalogue home of The Smiths since the early 1990s when the band’s UK label and distributor Rough Trade went into administration.
The Smiths’ classic catalogue remains hugely popular with 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify amid signs that a younger audience is discovering the band.
The Sound Of The Smiths compilation is a streaming perennial – it finished at No.64 in the UK year-end rankings in 2025 (123,273 units in 2025 – Official Charts Company), ahead of fellow Rhino catalogue releases by David Bowie, Phil Collins and Madonna. In fact, The Smiths were the Warner label’s best albums chart performer apart from Fleetwood Mac.
First released in 2008, The Sound Of The Smiths only peaked at No.21 upon its arrival but has since amassed consumption to date of 1,037,513 units (299,414 physical copies, 145,480 downloads and 592,619 sales-equivalent streams). The band’s most consumed studio album is The Queen Is Dead on 627,210 units (post-1994).
In September 2025, Morrissey claimed he was selling all his business interests in The Smiths although there has been no further announcement since his original social media post.
While Morrissey has been quiet on the recordings front for several years, he has continued to tour extensively – as well as cancelling multiple shows for various reasons. The next leg of his international tour will start this month with dates in the US, Europe and UK, including a return to the O2 Arena in London on February 28.
Morrissey’s return coincides with a new song by Robbie Wiliams named after The Smiths frontman. ‘Morrissey’ the song, a co-write with Gary Barlow, appears on Williams’ new album Britpop (released February 6).
PHOTO: David Mushegain
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