The Coral Release Surprise Album 388 After Quiet Indie Shop Drop

Overview

• The Coral officially released their 13th studio album, 388, on Thursday, May 21, 2026 after copies were quietly placed in selected UK independent record shops in the weeks before the wide launch.
• The band issued the single 'Let The Music Play' and an accompanying video to support the release, with frontman James Skelly describing the track as an ode to battered cassette tapes and saying the song finds meaning in music amid a chaotic world.
• Keyboardist Nick Power says the record was shaped by the band revisiting their early influences while making the documentary Dreaming of You, which pushed them toward simpler, gut-driven songs rooted in 2 Tone, ska, rocksteady and Northern Soul.
• The album contains eleven tracks reported to include 'Ride That Train', 'Here Come The Tears' and 'Spirit Catcher', and is being distributed through high-street music stockists, major retailers, digital platforms and the band’s website.
• The Coral will promote 388 on a summer festival run beginning with Southampton’s Summer Sessions on June 12, 2026, and the rollout includes new formats, merchandise and ticket links on thecoral.co.uk.