After over two decades since their last studio album, Britpop legends Pulp have a new record label, and fans are hoping it means a new album will follow. The band has officially signed with Rough Trade Records, marking their first collaboration with the independent label as a group. While the announcement stops short of confirming new music, there are plenty of signs pointing to a potential album release in 2025.
Rough Trade’s relationship with Pulp dates back over 30 years, having managed the band throughout much of their career. Jarvis Cocker, Pulp’s iconic frontman, has also previously worked with the label on his solo projects. In a statement released by Rough Trade, the band expressed their excitement, saying: “Rough Trade have managed Pulp for over 30 years so it feels great to be finally on the label. We did it!”
The signing aligns Pulp with a roster that includes modern indie icons like The Strokes and The Libertines, as well as a legacy that boasts post-punk pioneers The Smiths and The Fall. Rough Trade has a reputation for creative freedom, which adds to the anticipation of what Pulp might produce while signed with them.
While no official timeline for a new album has been announced, speculation is rife. Cocker was recently photographed in Walthamstow and reportedly revealed that the band had returned to the studio. Adding fuel to the fire, Pulp has been performing an unreleased track, ‘A Sunset’ on their current ‘This Is What We Do for an Encore’ tour. The song, co-written with fellow Sheffielder, Richard Hawley, debuted in 2024 at a show in Finland and could appear on any forthcoming release.
Pulp’s reunion comes during a nostalgic revival of the Britpop era. Fellow icons Blur released their chart-topping The Ballad of Darren in 2023, and Oasis recently announced a massive reunion tour.
However, Pulp’s observational lyrics and class-based themes set them apart, often providing sharp social commentary. Their greatest example of this is their track ‘Common People’ from the album Different Class. Telling the story of a woman who wants to “live like common people”, the track explored themes of class disparity, and summing up this form of cultural tourism will the line “If you called your dad he could stop it all”. The song recently went viral on TikTok, with the audio being used to highlight the struggles ordinary people face.
Fans will be curious to see how this perspective evolves if the band chooses to address contemporary issues in any new material. While Pulp’s music is inevitably viewed through a Britpop lens, there’s room for the band to explore fresh directions while maintaining their distinctive sound.
Pulp’s legacy as one of the “big four” Britpop bands—alongside Blur, Oasis, and Suede—is well established. From their meteoric rise in the ’90s under Island Records to their celebrated Glastonbury 1995 set, which included the debut of “Sorted for E’s and Wizz,” the band’s influence on British music is still felt today in bands like Yard Act. Yet, despite their historic successes, Pulp has not released new material since the 2013 single “After You,” which failed to break into the top 100.
As fans take to social media to celebrate the Rough Trade signing, many are speculating about Pulp’s future. Could this mean a Glastonbury 2025 headline slot? Will ‘Sunrise’ serve as a gateway to more new music?
@glastonbury would be the perfect place to try any new material (and play all the old tunes of course). Just saying…. — travelmeerkat (@travelmeerkat) December 12, 2024
Whether or not a new album materialises, Pulp’s partnership with Rough Trade has reignited excitement for one of Britain’s most beloved bands. For now, the band seems content, currently touring the US and now signed with one of the UK’s most recognisable record labels.
