Dan + Shay Release 'Young,' Their Most Autobiographical Album, After Nearly Splitting in 2022
Dan + Shay's sixth studio album, Young, arrived everywhere on 21 August 2026 — a 10-track collection that Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney describe as their most autobiographical record to date (Billboard).
The country duo, who have been together 13 years, admitted to Billboard that they nearly broke up in 2022. The new album, released on Warner Records Nashville and Warner Music Canada, follows 2024's Bigger Houses and sits as their sixth studio release, according to the label (Warner Music Nashville). It was made available on 21 August, as listed on their official website at danandshay.com (Dan + Shay).
The lead single, "Say So," grapples with the death of Ben Vaughn, the head of Warner Chappell Music — the publishing arm of the Warner Music Group — who died by suicide in 2025 (Billboard). Vaughn signed Dan + Shay to their first publishing deal before the two were even a band, making the song a personal farewell to the executive who gave them their start.
"Marry You Again" was the third song released ahead of the album (Warner Records Nashville). The full 10-track collection was confirmed by Country 102.5 ahead of release (Country 102.5).
Dan + Shay have also launched a tour in support of Young, with Tyler Hubbard and Josh Ross joining as opening acts (Country 102.5). A stop at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana is scheduled for 11 September 2026, according to the duo's official website (Dan + Shay).
The duo's mainstream reach extends beyond country radio. Their collaboration with Justin Bieber, "10,000 Hours," reached No. 2 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 (Billboard).
What makes Young stand out is the distance between where Dan + Shay were and where they are now. Two people who almost walked away from each other in 2022 have spent the years since releasing a candid, self-referential album — one that opens with a song about the publishing executive who believed in them first. The 10 tracks move through grief, commitment and the particular kind of reflection that comes from surviving a near-ending. For fans, that means a record built on lived experience rather than convention.
The tour continues through the autumn, bringing Hubbard — formerly of Florida Georgia Line — and rising Canadian artist Josh Ross to venues across North America.
