The Hold Steady have announced the release of their ninth studio album, The Price of Progress (Positive Jams/Thirty Tigers), arriving everywhere on Friday, March 31, 2023. It will be available digitally as well as on CD, standard black vinyl, translucent green-colored vinyl (band store), metallic gold (indie-retail), metallic silver (Vinyl Me, Please), and white (Rough Trade). Pre-orders are available now. The Price of Progress is heralded by today’s premiere of the first song, “Sideways Skull.”

“Sideways Skull is a rocking song about rock and rollers,” says frontman Craig Finn. “In this case, they’ve been taken out of the game for a bit of rest, but still keep their dreams alive as they discuss past glories. We loved the big sound of this when Tad Kubler brought it into the band, and the studio performance of it felt especially joyful. We’re happy to put this forth as a first look at The Price of Progress, and the album’s title even comes from this song.”

THE HOLD STEADY – LIVE 2023

JANUARY

28 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (Official 20th Anniversary Show) #

FEBRUARY

2 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar ^

3 – Washington, DC – Black Cat ^

4 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl ^l

MARCH

10 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom *

11 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom *

12 – London, UK – Colours Hoxton * (SOLD OUT)

MAY

12 – New York, NY – WFUV Highline Bash

JUNE 

30 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed †

JULY

1 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed † (SOLD OUT)

2 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle

NOVEMBER

29-30 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl **

DECEMBER

1 – 2 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl **

# w/Special Guest Two Dark Birds

^ w/Special Guests Friendship

* The Weekender 2023

† w/ Special Guests The Mountain Goats and Dillinger Four

** Massive Nights 2023