Placebo are going back to where it started. Nearly 30 years after their debut album first landed, the band have announced Placebo RE:CREATED, a full reworking of the record that introduced them in 1996. It’s out 19 June 2026 via Elevator Lady Ltd through AWAL.
Rather than a straight re-record, this version pulls directly from the original master tapes. The band have rebuilt the album using what they’ve learned from decades of playing these songs live, letting them land with a bit more weight and space than they did the first time around.
Placebo say:
“We think of this record as a director’s cut. We haven’t recreated it from scratch. We went back to the original master tapes and brought 30 years of playing these songs live back into the record.”
“It’s not about improving it… it’s about completing it.”
“Over the years, the songs took on a life of their own on stage… they kind of completed themselves.”
The new version includes all the original tracks, plus bonus cuts “Drowning By Numbers” and “H.K. Farewell”, with updated takes on “Nancy Boy” and “36 Degrees” sitting at the centre of it.
When the record first came out, it didn’t really fit with what British guitar music was doing at the time. While most bands leaned into Britpop’s nostalgia, Placebo went in the opposite direction — writing about identity, addiction and alienation in a way that felt deliberately uncomfortable. That hasn’t really changed, and if anything, those themes land differently now.
This new version keeps that core intact, just with the scale and confidence of a band that’s spent decades refining it.
Later in 2026, Placebo will take the record back on the road with a full European and UK arena tour, built around their first two albums. Some of the material hasn’t been played live in over 20 years, making this less of a nostalgia run and more of a reset point for the band’s early catalogue.
They’ll also appear at Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, joining Garbage at the invitation of Robert Smith.
FORTHCOMING PLACEBO TOUR DATES
March 28th – London Royal Albert Hall – Teenage Cancer Trust
April 11th – Switzerland – Zermatt Unplugged
PLACEBO 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR:
September 2026
28th – Oporto, Portugal – Super Bock Arena
29th – Lisbon, Portugal – Sagres Campo Pequeno
October 2026
1st – Madrid, Spain – Movistar Arena (The Ring)
3rd – Barcelona, Spain – St. Jordi Club
5th – Toulouse, France – Zenith
7th – Nantes, France – Zenith
9th – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal
12th – Leipzig, Germany – Quarterback Immobilien Arena
15th – Vilnius, Lithuania – Twinsbet Arena
16th – Riga, Latvia – Xiaomi Arēna
18th – Helsinki, Finland – Veikkaus Arena
20th – Stockholm, Sweden – Annexet
22nd – Oslo, Norway – Spektrum
24th – Copenhagen, Denmark – KB Hall
26th – Hamburg, Germany – Barclays Arena
27th – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
29th – Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle
November 2026
1st – Antwerp, Belgium – Afas Dome
2nd – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
4th – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
6th – Milan, Italy – Unipol Forum
9th – Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle
10th – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle
13th – Budapest, Hungary – Budapest Arena
15th – Prague, Czech Republic – Fortuna Sports Hall
16th – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
18th – Lodz, Poland – Atlas Arena
21st – Stuttgart, Germany – Hans-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
23rd – Lyon, France – LDLC Arena
25th – Paris, France – Accor Arena
28th – Nottingham, UK – NIC Arena
30th – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
December 2026
2nd – Dublin, Ireland – 3 Arena
4th – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Arena
5th – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
7th – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
