Canadian rock veterans 54-40 will open 2026 with the release of their new studio album Porto, scheduled for 23 January 2026. The announcement follows the rollout of four new singles, Running For The Fence, Die To Heaven, Time Will Tell, and the newest track Virgil, which signals a renewed creative surge for the long-running band.
Frontman Neil Osborne says the new body of work centres on renewal and resilience, a theme that has followed the group across more than four decades. Bassist Brad Merritt says the new songs stay true to their grounded style, while pushing forward into the next phase of their career.
Formed in 1981 in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, 54-40 grew from the region’s post-punk and college rock circuit into one of Canada’s most recognisable alternative rock acts. Their name references the 54°40′ northern boundary line once contested during the Oregon boundary dispute, a nod to their West Coast beginnings and independent ethos.
Osborne and Merritt began playing together while still in high school, long before platinum albums and national tours became part of their lives. Early shows across Vancouver’s underground venues helped build an audience that valued the band’s melodic songwriting, poetic expression, and work ethic. Their debut EP in 1982 and early albums on independent labels paved the way toward a major-label deal and the breakthrough success that would define their commercial trajectory.
Across the late 1980s and 1990s, 54-40 delivered a string of albums that turned them into one of the most significant Canadian rock acts of the era. Early singles such as Baby Ran and I Go Blind broadened their audience, while One Day In Your Life, Ocean Pearl, Since When, She-La, Nice To Luv You, and Love You All cemented their place in Canadian music history.
Their catalogue has produced multiple platinum-certified releases and remains a foundation of Canadian radio programming. When American band Hootie & The Blowfish covered I Go Blind in the 1990s, the royalty flow helped 54-40 build their own studio, a move that would support the next stage of their creative independence.
Porto was recorded in Portugal with longtime producer Warne Livesey. Osborne says the sessions moved with a sense of immediacy, a quality that echoes through the new material. The album extends themes of endurance, artistry, continuity, and the ongoing momentum that has guided the group since their earliest days.
The track It Takes A Lot reflects this outlook, with the band emphasising connection, persistence, and passion as key virtues that keep them pushing forward. The members say the album captures where they have travelled and where they intend to go.
54-40 emerged from the same period that introduced Canadian peers such as The Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo, artists who redefined the national rock identity through storytelling, melody, and introspection. Their work has influenced later generations, with numerous bands citing them as essential figures within the Canadian alternative rock lineage.
Their live performances remain central to their reputation. After thousands of shows across North America, the group continues to bring presence, musicianship, and connection to every performance. Osborne says the band’s live chemistry is not built on nostalgia, but on the ongoing relationship between the songs, the audience, and the band members.
Porto Track Listing
Die To Heaven
Running For The Fence
It’s A Rough Life
Time Will Tell
Virgil
Thank You Mother
Beautiful All Of It
It Takes A Lot
Go Get’Em
Wail (Numinous)
Work Not Worry
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