Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, and multiple-time GRAMMY nominee John Oates released Oates— his long-awaited new solo album — on August 29, 2025. The self-titled LP marks a return to the soulful, groove-driven sound that helped define a generation, while introducing a vibrant new chapter in one of music’s most celebrated careers.
Oates is now available on DSPs.
To celebrate the release, Oates has shared a visualizer for the album’s track “A Ways Away.” A new music video for the track will be coming soon.
With Oates, the legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist plugs back in — quite literally — embracing the rhythm-rich pop and R&B spirit of the ‘70s and ‘80s with renewed energy and creative fire. The 13-track collection was recorded primarily in his longtime hometown of Nashville and co-produced by Oates alongside multi-platinum producer David Kalmusky (Keith Urban, Shawn Mendes, Carrie Underwood). Together, they crafted a sound that’s both timeless and modern — smooth, funky, and brimming with soul.
“This album is a full-circle moment,” says Oates. “I’ve spent years exploring the roots of American music — folk, blues, acoustic storytelling — but this time, I wanted to revisit the soul and pop that shaped me early on. It’s music that feels good, grooves hard, and still says something real.”
The album features standout collaborations with a new generation of artists who inspired Oates’ return to this sound: Clyde and Gracie Lawrence (of the band Lawrence) lend their powerhouse vocals to lead single “Enough Is Enough,” and Devon Gilfillian joins on the soaring track “Mending.” Other highlights include the slinky “Pushin’ a Rock,” the optimistic and groove-heavy “Real Thing Going On,” and a smoky, Spanish-tinged reimagining of “Walking in Memphis.” The track also receives a high-energy reinterpretation from genre-defying producer and artist Grabbitz, who delivers a bold, futuristic remix to close out the record.
Oates is more than just a new release; it’s a definitive statement from an artist who continues to explore, innovate, and honor his roots. It is the sound of a master musician who is not only a keeper of the flame, but is still using it to light new fires.
Oates just wrapped a successful cross-country tour, which culminated in a packed album release show this week at the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood. Audiences were treated to electrifying previews of the new material, with the full-band arrangements bringing the record's soulful energy to life on stage and building massive excitement for today's official drop.
The buzz for the new record was amplified in August when NPR Music featured Oates as part of their prestigious Field Recordings series, captured live from the Aspen Ideas Festival. The intimate, outdoor performance saw Oates, accompanied by percussionist John Michel, deliver a raw and heartfelt set. Showcasing the new album's expert songwriting, the setlist included stripped-down versions of the new tracks "A Ways Away" and "Get Your Smile On," offering a unique preview of his latest work.
Although many people around the world know him as the co-creator of the pop group Hall & Oates, this versatile artist’s musical roots run deep. As a young child in the early 1950s John’s life and influences parallel the evolution of American rock and roll. Playing and singing from the age of five he was born into a life of music. “I am old enough to remember music before the birth of rock and roll so when it hit, I was aware that something new and groundbreaking had happened.” Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers and Elvis laid the foundation and the regional sounds crackling out of the AM radio from labels like Stax Volt/ Specialty / Sun / Chess were Oates’ sonic pallet from which to draw inspiration.
In the early 1960s, when the folk revival swept the college campuses, John immersed himself in songs he heard from all the newly rediscovered artists, many of whom traced their careers back to the 1920s and 30s at the beginning of phonograph recordings. Living in Philadelphia at that time John haunted the coffee houses and festivals to hear folks like Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee and spent many a Saturday night at the fabled Uptown Theater to experience R&B greats like Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, the Temptations, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown. It was from these early influences that John Oates became the musician he is today. A keeper of the flame, an Americana amalgamation of all that he heard and all that has come before him.
Working and moving to Nashville in the early 2000s John was embraced by the burgeoning Americana music community and surrounded by kindred spirits and with their help he began to tap back into his earliest musical DNA to establish and re-define himself. The results of which have been seven solo albums, multiple singles, and many classic collaborations.
Oates Tracklist
Enough Is Enough (feat. Lawrence)
Real Thing Going On
Mending (feat. Devon Gilfillian)
A Ways Away
Let Me Be the One
World Gone Wrong
Pushin' a Rock
Disconnected
Get Your Smile On
Dreaming About Brazil
Bajo la Luz de la Luna
Walking In Memphis
Walking In Memphis (Grabbitz Remix)
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