Kodaline have claimed the top spot on this week’s Pure M Music Video Chart with their latest single, We Were Only Young. The video, which premiered on 15 April, entered the chart at number three before rising to number one, replacing last week’s leader KNEECAP.
The track is the first release from the Dublin band’s upcoming fifth studio album, which is due later this year via Fantasy Records. Pre-orders for the record are now open. The album will be their final studio release, marking the end of a recording chapter for the group.
We Were Only Young is a piano-led ballad featuring layered vocal harmonies and orchestral backing. Frontman Steve Garrigan co-wrote the song with producer Mads Christensen. Speaking about the track, Garrigan said, “‘We Were Only Young’ is a bittersweet song about looking back on better times, knowing you can’t ever go back. Like most songs I write, it comes from something real, that feeling of being part of something special, and only fully understanding it with time. In some ways, it reflects the journey we’ve been on together.”
Formed in Dublin in 2012, Kodaline built a wide international audience over the past decade. Garrigan, Vinny May, Jason Boland and Mark Prendergast first gained attention with their 2013 debut album In A Perfect World. The record reached number one in Ireland, earned double platinum status, and peaked at number three in the UK.
Their later releases also performed well across charts and streaming platforms, helping to establish the band globally. To mark Record Store Day on 18 April, In A Perfect World will be reissued as an expanded two-LP edition, featuring additional tracks on vinyl for the first time.
The forthcoming album will combine new material with a look back at their earlier work. It is set to close this phase of the band’s career.
Kodaline will support the release with a farewell tour throughout 2026. The tour begins in June with three Irish shows, including a date at Malahide Castle in Dublin, following a sold-out performance in Belfast.
The run will continue across Asia, Australia, Europe and the UK. Several dates have already sold out, with extra shows added in cities including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Paris and London. Venue upgrades have also been confirmed in some locations due to demand.
The European leg includes stops in Paris, Berlin, Milan and Prague. UK dates will conclude in December with shows in London, Glasgow and Manchester. The tour is expected to feature both new songs and established material, bringing Kodaline’s recording and touring career to a close.