The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter returns with his second single from the forthcoming album, blending sharp wit and dance-leaning grooves in a confident new phase of his career
by Paul Cashmere
Joe Jackson has unveiled Fabulous People, the second single from his eagerly anticipated studio album Hope And Fury, set for release on April 10 via EarMusic. The track builds on a tight, rhythmically precise groove, pairing Jackson’s unmistakable melodic acumen with the incisive wit that has defined his work for more than four decades.
The new album represents Jackson’s first rock-focused studio release since 2019’s Fool, following the orchestral and theatrical directions explored on 2023’s What A Racket. Recorded across Berlin and New York, Hope And Fury sees Jackson reuniting with his longstanding band – bassist Graham Maby, guitarist Teddy Kumpel, and drummer Doug Yowell – complemented by the Latin percussion of Peruvian musician Paulo Stagnaro. The sessions were split between Michael Tibes’ Fuzz Factory studio in Berlin and Reservoir Studios in New York City with co-producer Patrick Dillett.
Jackson’s work on Hope And Fury recalls his varied past catalogue, weaving echoes of 2019’s Fool, 1991’s Laughter And Lust, and 1982’s seminal Night And Day into nine new compositions. The album’s title suggests a balancing act between resilience and frustration, a thematic tension Jackson has long explored with his lyrical sophistication and keen observational eye.
Born David Ian Jackson in Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire in 1954, Jackson emerged from Portsmouth’s working-class milieu to study at London’s Royal Academy of Music. After early stints in local bands, he was signed to A&M Records in 1978. His debut album Look Sharp! arrived in 1979, establishing him as a distinct voice in the new wave movement with tracks such as Is She Really Going Out With Him? and It’s Different For Girls. The follow-up I’m The Man that same year cemented Jackson’s reputation for sharp, melodic rock, a blueprint he has adapted and reinvented across pop, jazz, swing, and classical idioms.
Throughout the 1980s, Jackson alternated between jazz-influenced pop and rock experimentation. His 1982 album Night And Day achieved international acclaim, propelled by hits like Steppin’ Out, Breaking Us In Two, and Real Men, the latter reflecting the complexities of New York’s early 1980s gay culture. Over the decades, he has continued to experiment, earning a Grammy for Symphony No. 1 in 2001 and charting globally with albums that defy simple categorisation.
Hope And Fury features nine tracks: Welcome To Burning-By-Sea, I’m Not Sorry, Made God Laugh, Do Do Do, Fabulous People, After All This Time, The Face, End Of The Pier, and See You In September. Fans can expect the interplay of rhythmic sophistication, melodic elegance, and incisive lyrics that have long distinguished Jackson’s work, with a leaner rock focus compared with his recent orchestral projects.
Jackson will support the album with a major international tour in 2026, commencing in North America in May and moving to Europe in September. The North American leg includes multiple stops in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, while the European schedule spans Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
2026 International Tour Dates
NORTH AMERICA
5/11 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Bardavon 1869 Opera House
5/13 – Montreal, QC – Place Des Arts, Theatre Maisonneuve
5/14 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
5/16 – Rochester, NY – Kodak Theatre
5/17 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Cathedral
5/19 – Chicago, IL – Park West
5/20 – Chicago, IL – Park West
5/22 – Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre
5/23 – Minneapolis, MN – Pantages Theatre
5/27 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue
5/28 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
5/30 – San Francisco, CA – Curran Theatre
5/31 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theatre
6/2 – Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
6/3 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Theatre
6/5 – Albuquerque, NM – Kimo Theatre
6/6 – Boulder, CO – Chautauqua Auditorium
6/9 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
6/10 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
6/12 – Omaha, NE – Admiral
6/14 – Austin, TX – The Paramount Theatre
6/16 – Houston, TX – Heights Theatre
6/17 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
6/19 – San Antonio, TX – Empire Theatre
6/21 – New Orleans, LA – The Joy Theatre
6/24 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
6/26 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
6/27 – Charlotte, NC – Knight Theatre
6/29 – Orlando, FL – Steinmetz Hall, Dr. Phillips Center
7/1 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
7/2 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre
7/7 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre
7/8 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre
7/10 – Providence, RI – Uptown Theater
7/11 – Portland, ME – State Theatre
7/14 – Medford, MA – Chevalier Theatre
7/15 – Stamford, CT – Palace Theatre
7/17 – Philadelphia, PA – The Lansdowne Theater
7/18 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
EUROPE
9/24 – Cork, Ireland – Cork City Hall
9/27 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Olympia Theatre
9/29 – Bristol, UK – Beacon
10/1 – Cambridge, UK – Corn Exchange
10/2 – Bournemouth, UK – Pavilion Theatre
10/4 – London, UK – Palladium
10/5 – Liverpool, UK – Philharmonic Hall
10/7 – York, UK – Barbican
10/9 – Glasgow, UK – Saint Luke’s
10/12 – Paris, France – L’Olympia
10/13 – Lyon, France – Le Radiant-Bellevue
10/14 – Toulouse, France – Theatre du Casino Barrière
10/17 – Porto, Portugal – Casa da Musica
10/18 – Lisbon, Portugal – Aula Magna
10/20 – Madrid, Spain – Teatro La Latina
10/21 – Valencia, Spain – Teatro La Rambleta
10/23 – Barcelona, Spain – Paral.lel 62
10/25 – Bordeaux, France – Theatre Femina
10/27 – Lille, France – Theatre Sebastopol
10/28 – Stuttgart, Germany – Liederhalle/Hegelsaal
10/31 – Bremen, Germany – Metropol Theater
11/1 – Munich, Germany – Circus Krone
11/2 – Berlin, Germany – Admiralspalast
11/4 – Essen, Germany – Lichtburg
11/5 – Hamburg, Germany – Fabrik
11/7 – Darmstadt, Germany – Staatstheater
11/9 – Zürich, Switzerland – Kaufleuten
11/11 – Bologna, Italy – Teatro Duse
11/12 – Rome, Italy – Auditorium Parco Della Musica: Sala Sinopoli
11/14 – Milan, Italy – Teatro Lirico
11/16 – Vienna, Austria – Globe
11/17 – Cologne, Germany – Gloria
11/18 – Luxembourg – den Atelier
11/20 – Antwerp, Belgium – De Roma
11/21 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
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