Full Breakdown
Cage the Elephant Debuts “Beaches in Tennessee” After Two-Year Hiatus
7/11/2026, 1:08:16 PM
Return with a New Single
Cage the Elephant released “Beaches in Tennessee,” their first new music in two years, on July 2026. The track arrives as the band’s inaugural release on Big Loud Rock, the rock-focused imprint of Big Loud Records. The single follows the group’s 2024 album *Neon Pill* and a period of extensive touring.
Background and Context
Frontman Matt Shultz’s near-three-month hospitalization for a mental-health crisis in 2023 shaped the lyrical core of the new song. The band’s previous comeback, *Neon Pill*, marked a dramatic return after that personal upheaval, and the group has since maintained a heavy festival presence. “Beaches in Tennessee” serves as a fictionalized retelling of Shultz’s experience, allowing the band to address the episode “in a lighthearted way” while signaling a “new chapter” for the group.
Key Figures and Creative Team
- Matt Shultz – lead vocals, primary songwriter for the single.
- Brad Shultz – rhythm guitar, co-writer and commentator on the production process.
- Nick Bockrath, Matthan Minster, Daniel Tichenor, Jared Champion – remaining band members contributing to the recording.
- Justin Raisen and Jeremiah Raisen (SADPONY) – producers who shaped the track’s garage-rock sound.
- Joey Moi – co-founder and president of Big Loud Rock, who announced the label partnership.
Data and Statistics
- The single ends a two-year gap since the band’s last release in 2024.
- Cage the Elephant’s career spans more than 20 years, with Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album in 2015 (*Tell Me I’m Pretty*) and 2019 (*Social Cues*).
- They have achieved 13 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart.
- Big Loud Rock’s roster includes Dexter and the Moonrocks, Blame My Youth, and Common People.
Official Statements & Responses
Matt Shultz described the song as a personal milestone, noting that the band “always try to write from life experience” and that confronting difficult seasons can produce “light memories.” He emphasized that the track reflects his gratitude for having emerged from a mental-health crisis. Joey Moi highlighted the partnership, stating that the band’s “accomplishments over the last twenty years speak for itself” and that their “renewed energy and perspective” promise continued artistic growth. Brad Shultz added that the group “always wants to reinvent Cage the Elephant,” underscoring the experimental production approach with the Raisen brothers.
Verbatim Quotes
- “‘Beaches In Tennessee’ is about wanting to be rescued from everything,” — Matt Shultz, vocalist
- “He said in a statement, “It’s no secret that I went through a mental health crisis a few years back; this song for me symbolizes me finally being able to move past it.” — Matt Shultz, vocalist
- “What Cage The Elephant has accomplished over the last twenty years speaks for itself, and what excites me most is that they’re nowhere near finished,” — Joey Moi, Big Loud Rock president
- “I liked several different albums Justin had worked on, including Kim Gordon and Yves Tumor,” — Brad Shultz, rhythm guitarist
- “Musically, we always want to reinvent Cage The Elephant,” — Brad Shultz, rhythm guitarist
The release of “Beaches in Tennessee” marks both a personal and professional renewal for Cage the Elephant, coupling a candid reflection on mental-health recovery with a fresh partnership that could shape the band’s next creative phase.
