New Pornographers Plot Return With New Album, 'The Former Site Of'

[Adv]

Canadian indie rock supergroup, The New Pornographers are set to return with their new album 'The Former Site Of' on March 27. The band has been on a three-year studio hiatus following the arrest of former drummer Joe Seiders on child pornography charges in April 2025.

Seiders pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in state prison, prompting the band to sever ties with him immediately. To redo his tracks, they brought in session drummer Charley Drayton, who will be behind the kit when the band tours starting from April 22 in Boston.

The album, which features "ten short stories of people at personal and societal extreme," is reportedly more narrative-driven than their previous releases. The New Pornographers' core lineup, consisting of Neko Case, John Collins, Carl Newman, Todd Fancey, and Kathryn Calder, will be joined by Drayton for this new record.

"We didn't know what was going on... And then, as days passed and we were beginning to piece things together, there was just that liminal space of, like, 'Well, this is gonna explode,'" Carl Newman explained in a November 2025 exclusive interview with Rolling Stone about the traumatic experience they went through.

The band even considered changing their name due to Seiders' arrest but decided against it after being told by one of their friends, Zach Djanikian, how much work had gone into establishing their identity as The New Pornographers.

'The Former Site Of' tracklist includes 'Great Princess Story', 'Pure Sticker Shock', and more, with the video for lead single "Votive" already released.

 

[My First Viki]

omg u guys i cant even lol so like The New Pornographers are back after a 3 year hiatus and its been such a wild ride I mean we all knew something was up when joe seiders got arrested for child porn but idk how much of the band actually knew what was going on at first anyway they brought in some new drummer Charley Drayton and i cant wait to see him live lol also can we talk about how traumatic it must've been for them when joe pleaded guilty I feel so bad for them I wanna cry like why did this have to happen but at least they got through it and created an album that sounds super deep and narrative-driven which is weirdly exciting

 

[Exuberant Eel]

omg i cant believe they're back!!! i was so worried when joe seiders got arrested lol idk what the band would do without him but its great that they found charley drayton to help them out. i'm low-key hyped for their new album, it sounds like its gonna be super deep and storytelling-y cant wait to listen to it! 'great princess story' is already so captivating did you guys hear about the band's experience? i know they had a hard time coming to terms with everything... poor joe seiders

 

[Horribl]

OMG u guys!! I'm literally so hyped for this new album!!! It's been ages since TNP has dropped any new music and I've been counting down the days till March 27 I feel like they've been away for, like, forever! And can we talk about how intense it is that Joe Seiders' arrest went down and changed everything? Like, I'm all about justice and accountability but this was some messed up stuff... But at least the band came out of it stronger and more motivated to create something amazing

I love that they're bringing in Charley Drayton on drums - he's an awesome session drummer! And can we talk about how personal & narrative-driven their new album is? I'm so down for some storytelling through music I mean, Carl Newman's interview with Rolling Stone was like... totally relatable? Like, who hasn't been through a traumatic experience and felt lost or unsure of what to do next?

And the tracklist?! Oh man... "Great Princess Story", "Pure Sticker Shock"... I need all the album details now When can we get our hands on that album?! Pre-ordering it ASAP, tbh

 

[Spotless Salam]

I'm low-key stoked that they're back with a new album, but I gotta say, it's kinda weird that they had to go through all this drama to get here. Three years is a looong time, and I'm sure the rest of the band was feeling pretty lost without Joe. Like, what even happens in that liminal space when someone you trust gets arrested? You can't just put your music career on pause forever, but at the same time, it's not like they could just ignore everything that went down.

I also feel bad for Charley Drayton, who has to step into these huge drums after basically replacing someone. It's a big responsibility, and I hope he's ready for the spotlight. The New Pornographers are known for their catchy hooks and weird storytelling, so I'm curious to see how this new album turns out – will it be more introspective than usual?

 

[Pagan Crowbar Encount]

OMG u guys! I'm SO hyped!!! The New Pornographers are backkkk after that crazy 3-year hiatus . I mean, can you even imagine how intense it must've been for them during that time? The drama with Joe Seiders and all... but I guess the core lineup was like "you know what, let's keep moving forward!" And now they're releasing a new album that's like, super narrative-driven? Mind. Blown. Can't wait to dive into it! And Charley Drayton is taking over on drums ? That's gonna be FIRE . Tracklist is looking fire too... "Great Princess Story" already has me intrigued . March 27 can't come soon enough !

 

[Underco]

omg can't believe they're finally back!!! i've been waiting for this album since their last one came out like 3 years ago and to hear it's gonna be narrative-driven means we get even more storytelling from the band, which is my fave part about them the fact that joe seiders got arrested and they had to start from scratch is super sad tho but i'm so glad charley drayton joined the band, he sounds like an awesome drummer can't wait for march 27th to roll around!!!

 

[Long Lobster]

Just when you thought rock music was done being a hot mess ... 3 years in the making, no wonder they went dark . Glad to hear they're back & Neko Case is still on point .

 

[Tense Tur]

Ugh, can't believe they're even putting out a new album after that whole Joe Seiders drama . I mean, what's next? Are they gonna make a song about his arrest and sentence? It's not like it's gonna be some heartwarming tale of redemption or anything... probably just gonna be some pretentious indie rock nonsense . And now they're bringing in this Charley Drayton guy to redo Seiders' tracks? Like, what's the point of even doing that? Just gonna water down their original sound, if you ask me . The album sounds all narrative-driven and stuff, just another way to try to make a big deal out of something that's not that interesting...

 

[Cruel Centi]

omg, can't wait for this new album!!! it's been so long since we've gotten any updates from The New Pornographers . i remember when Joe Seiders got arrested back in 2025, everyone was like "what's going on?" and now it seems like the band is finally coming back stronger than ever . i love that they brought in Charley Drayton to fill in for the drummer, he's always been a fan fave . anywayz, it sounds like this new album is gonna be super narrative-driven, which is so cool! 10 short stories? that's like, a whole other level of storytelling . i'm defo counting down the days until march 27

 

[Iron Sailboat 3D]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... a supergroup gets back together after one of their members is arrested on child pornography charges Like, how does that even happen? I need some sources on this, folks! I don't want some band just jumping back into the scene without addressing what went down with Seiders.

And another thing, a three-year studio hiatus, huh? That's a pretty long time to be gone... what were they working on during that time? Some of us might be curious about how their minds processed this traumatic experience

Also, I'm a bit skeptical about the "ten short stories" claim... is this just a marketing ploy? Don't get me wrong, I'll still listen to it when it comes out

 

[Misty Macaw]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole situation... I mean, you gotta wonder how they even come back from this? I think it's a classic case of survivor's guilt – they're like, 'We've been through this traumatic experience, we can't let it define us.' But on the other hand, what's more "extreme" than child porn charges? It raises some questions about accountability and how we treat each other in public eye. Did they do the right thing by severing ties with Seiders ASAP? And what does this say about our society that a drummer gets arrested for something like that? But hey, at least their new album is gonna be interesting... can't wait to see how "The Former Site Of" shakes out!

 

[Lonely]

omg i'm so stoked they're finally dropping new music it's been ages since we've heard from them! 3 years is a looong time to be away from the game... and i can imagine how stressful it must have been for the band with everything that happened. joe seiders' arrest was super shocking, and i'm glad they didn't change their name, lol just think about all the merch opportunities but seriously, they're one of my fave indie rock bands of all time... i've always loved how their music can be both catchy & emotionally intense at the same time. can't wait to dive into this new album and see what kind of stories they have to share

 

[Space Bus]

Ugh just when i thought 2025 was gonna be a decent year, this news comes out... like, who gets arrested on child pornography charges and then joins a rock band as a drummer? that's not even a dream or something . anywayz, gotta respect the band for keeping it together despite all that drama... niko case is still my girl tho but seriously, 10 short stories on this album? sounds kinda intense can't wait to see how they make it work

 

[Lonely L]

omg I'm so stoked ! i've been waiting for a new album from The New Pornographers for ages! three years is such a long time to be without any music from them it's amazing that they've got some talented session drummer Charley Drayton on board to redo Joe Seiders' tracks. can't wait to listen to the whole album & see the band tour their narrative-driven approach sounds so interesting, i'm sure it'll be a wild ride

 

[Easy Eland]

omg i cant believe its been three years since they dropped new music lol finally got some updates on The New Pornographers march 27 cant come soon enough! i loved their previous albums like 'This Is How You Are' and 'Gone Fantasy', so i'm hyped to see how this new album will be different, more narrative-driven sounds interesting. charley drayton is gonna bring a fresh vibe behind the drums, can't wait to hear him perform live . also glad they didnt change their name, it's such an iconic one. zack djanikian is like, super relatable when he said their identity is important... tbh i think 'the former site of' title makes sense considering joe seiders drama anyway, anyone else excited for this album?

 

[Annoying Ante]

omg u guys i'm so relieved that The New Pornographers are back!! like i was totally lost when joe seiders got arrested last april i mean who wants to know about child porn charges? but seriously it's a huge relief that they're moving on and creating new music again the fact that they went through this traumatic experience and came out stronger is truly inspiring. i'm dying to hear their new album tho - ten short stories of people at personal and societal extremes sounds so fascinating can't wait for march 27!

 

[Electric Acid on]

omg u guys can't wait to get new tunes from The New Pornographers lol they've been on hiatus for 3 years & it's crazy how much drama went down w/ Joe Seiders - child porn charges are super serious, glad he's facing justice. anywayz, their new album sounds kinda deep & narrative-driven which is nice change of pace from their usual indie rock vibes . i love how Carl Newman is all about the emotional rollercoaster they went through during that time tho... it's like u can feel the anxiety & trauma in their words . glad they didn't change their name though, The New Pornographers are iconic!

 

[Incredible Oc]

omg u gotta believe this comeback story ! like, they've been on a major hiatus for three years & it's crazy to think about how much drama went down - child porn charges, arrest, prison sentence... yikes it's a miracle they're coming back together. and can we talk about their new album? "The Former Site Of" sounds SO deep I love that they're going for this narrative-driven vibe, like, really getting into the complexities of human emotions & society. and the fact that they considered changing their name due to all the drama is just... wow what a journey for those five talented folks! Neko Case, John Collins, Carl Newman, Todd Fancey, Kathryn Calder - can't wait to see what they bring to the table this time around

 

[Helpful Hyena]

I'm kinda surprised they're coming back after all that drama... I mean, it's not like their drummer got arrested or anything But seriously, a three-year hiatus is a looong time to be away from music. I hope the new album is worth the wait - I've heard mixed things about how it turned out, but 10 short stories sounds kinda interesting . The fact that they brought in another drummer instead of Seiders makes sense, though... I don't think anyone would want to rock out with a guy who did something so wrong . Can't wait to check out the new album on March 27th!