After an 18-year hiatus, the duo Gnarls Barkley – singer CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse – released their first single, “Pictures,” on Thursday, February 26, 2026, signaling the impending arrival of their third and final album, Atlanta, on March 6.
The song is an ode to the city’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) public transportation system, a detail Green described as “a full circle moment,” according to USA Today. Green, born Thomas Burton (later Calloway) in Atlanta, reflected on a childhood experience riding the MARTA train alone after school, an experience directly informing the song’s lyrics and themes.
“The song came from a childhood experience,” Green said in a statement to Spin. “I had a middle school principal who, every Friday, would tell me to go when I would get to school. Without fail. I was in eighth grade and I would leave school and ride the train alone from 8am until 2:30pm. The hook of the song is literally about being on the train. When you are in transit it’s like a motion picture passing you by.”
Gnarls Barkley first emerged in 2006 with their debut album, St. Elsewhere, and the chart-topping single “Crazy,” which according to Wikipedia, peaked at number two on the US Hot 100 and topped the UK Singles Chart. The album garnered Grammy nominations for both Record and Album of the Year and achieved platinum certification for sales exceeding 1,000,000 records.
The duo followed up with The Odd Couple in 2008, playing over 100 live shows, often incorporating elaborate costumes. Plans for a third album were consistently discussed, but individual pursuits delayed its realization. Green continued a multifaceted career, releasing solo albums, reuniting with his former hip-hop group Goodie Mob, and serving as a coach on the television program The Voice. Danger Mouse, whose real name is Brian Joseph Burton, formed the band Broken Bells with James Mercer of The Shins and produced albums for artists including U2, Adele, A$AP Rocky, and Gorillaz, as detailed by Wikipedia.
Atlanta is set to include the following tracklist: “Tomorrow Died Today,” “I Amnesia,” “Pictures,” “Line Dance,” “Turn Your Heart Back On,” “Let Me Be,” “Cyberbully (Yayo),” “Perfect Time,” “Sweet Evil,” “Boy Genius,” “The Be Be King,” “Sorry,” and “Accept It.”
The release of Atlanta is being handled by 10k Project/Atlantic Records. Whether the album will mark a definitive end to the Gnarls Barkley project remains unconfirmed, but the duo has described it as their final collaborative work.
