Today, rapidly ascending four-piece unpeople announce their unifying, genre-spanning debut album we are unpeople out October 9 on SharpTone Records, which takes the philosophy behind the band's name and turns it into a powerful, uncompromising statement of intent.
The announcement is accompanied by brand new single "friends" — listen below.
"'friends' is essentially a love song from the perspective of someone who is wholly skeptical about the very concept of love and what it's come to mean in a modern context," explains vocalist Jake Crawford. "I am essentially saying I am going to kill the very concept of love before it's even had a chance to get a hold of me - I am that afraid of being that vulnerable. I'd rather not bother than risk saying something I don’t mean, and then pay for it emotionally down the line. I'm fully aware that this is not necessarily healthy, but the mind takes you to some strange places when strong feelings are involved."
A seamless ability to connect across boundaries and conjure communal spirit, sits at the very heart of this debut album. Built upon massive choruses, four-part vocal harmonies, and unabated heaviness, we are unpeople captures a band whose ambition is matched by their belief in the power of music to unite people.
With stadium-busting choruses,to '00s Reuben-esque mega riffs, and the stunningly unpredictable eccentricity of System Of A Down, the album is colorful and joyous, yet aggressive and intense, having already spawned infectious tasters that include "clouds," "the garden," and "waste."
Comprised of Jake Crawford, Luke Caley, Em Lodge, and Richard Rayner,unpeople have quickly established themselves as one of the UK's most exciting new alternative bands, earning themselves a reputation for creating music that feels equally at home on the biggest rock stages and the heaviest festival bills — having fittingly been described as the lightest band at Bloodstock, and the heaviest band at Kendal Calling — finding themselves equally at home in both settings.
Originally used to describe those considered politically unimportant or without value, the term "unpeople" has since become another way to dismiss those whose views differ from our own. The band have reclaimed the phrase entirely, transforming it into a celebration of shared humanity, individuality, and belonging.
Since forming in 2023, that approach has seen unpeople rise at remarkable speed, with Kerrang! hailing them as "one of alternative music's best new bands." Live, they've opened for Metallica in Vienna, shared bills with Smashing Pumpkins andCoheed & Cambria, drawn huge crowds at 2000trees, and will a perform a landmark Main Stage-opening set at Download Festival this weekend — as well as appearances at Reading & Leeds Festival, Copenhell, Hurricane, Southside & many more this summer.
The rest of 2026 and beyond is there for the taking for a band rapidly on the ascension. "'we are unpeople is released into the world on October 9 and we couldn’t be more proud of it," says the band. "We collectively put our absolute everything into it and we can’t wait to share it with you all!
we are unpeople.
you are unpeople.
we are all unpeople."
UNPEOPLE LIVE:
6/10–6/14 — Hradec Králové, CZ — Rock For People
6/11–6/13 — Interlaken, CH — Greenfield Festival
6/14 — Donington, UK — Download Festival
6/19–6/21 — Scheeßel, DE — Hurricane Festival
6/19–6/21 — Neuhausen ob Eck, DE — Southside Festival
6/25–6/27 — Ysselsteyn, NL — Jera On Air
6/27 — Copenhagen, DK — Copenhell
7/17–7/18 — Joensuu, FI — Ilosaarirock
7/31–8/2 — Manchester, UK — Radar Festival
8/27–8/30 — Reading & Leeds Festival — UK
9/3 — Torquay, UK — The Foundry
UNPEOPLE ARE:
Jake Crawford — Guitar, Lead Vocals
Luke Caley — Guitar, Vocals
Meg Mash — Bass, Vocals
Richard Rayner — Drums, Vocals
