Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has indicated that the band will return to the studio in 2026, offering the clearest sign yet that another album is planned. The update matters because it follows the group’s recent run of two albums released in 2022 and suggests a period of new material after extensive touring.

Smith did not provide a precise recording date, release schedule or details of the prospective songs. The band’s most recent studio albums were ‘Unlimited Love’ and ‘Return of the Dream Canteen’, both released in 2022, with the latter largely drawn from the same recording sessions.