Yellowcard taps Blink-182's Travis Barker to produce, drum on fall album

Alt rock favorite Yellowcard announcement of their new album Better Days by releasing the lead single and title track “Better Days” along with album track “honestly i.” Better Days is the band’s first full length album in almost a decade and will be available on October 10. The album is produced and executive produced by Travis Barker. Barker also plays drums on every song.

The single “Better Days” reflects on gratitude, forgiveness, perspective, and purpose. Once ubiquitous on MTV and alt-rock radio, the Vans Warped Tour veteran's first two albums produced double-platinum and gold certified title tracks. 

“Better Days” is also accompanied by a music video that has the guys depicting iconic 80’s movie characters performing in a vintage video shop. Directed by Jordan Phoenix, the video is a reflection of how much fun the guys are having this time around as a band and with their music. Frontman Ryan Key says, “We are focused on this chapter of our career being about happiness. This is the most fun we’ve had making a video in 20 years and we hope everyone has a smile on their face when they watch it.”

Guitarist Ryan Mendez invited friend Nick Long into the writing sessions and it was through Long that Barker became part of the project, coming on board to play drums and produce the whole album.

“I started the record as one version of myself and came out the other side changed,” says Key who credits Barker with a significant impact on his personal and creative studio breakthroughs. “I went in knowing I needed help. I came out of it writing songs like I was 19 again.”

Formed in Florida in 1997, Yellowcard's 2003 breakthrough album Ocean Avenue is certified platinum with the title track now certified 2x platinum. The band has over 4 million albums sold worldwide and over 1 billion streams. After a split in 2017, Yellowcard reunited in 2022.

Yellowcard is: 

William Ryan Key – Vocals/Guitar

Sean Mackin – Violin

Ryan Mendez – Guitar

Josh Portman – Bass

Tour Dates:

June 19 Dessel, Brussels at Graspop Metal Meeting 2025
June 20 Neuhausen Ob Eck, Germany at Southside Festival 2025
June 21 Wiesbaden, Germany at Schlachthof Wiesbaden
June 22 Scheebel, Germany at Hurricane Festival 2025
June 24 Berlin, Germany at Huxleys Neue Welt
June 27 Ysselsteyn, Netherlands at Jera On Air
June 28 Munster, Germany at Vainstream Rockfest 2025
Aug. 23 Curitiba, Brazil at Estadio Couto Pereira
Aug. 30 São Paulo, Brazil at Allianz Parque
Oct. 18 Las Vegas, NV at When We Were Young Festival
Oct. 19 Las Vegas, NV at When We Were Young Festival

Track listing: 

1. Better Days
2. Take What You Want
3. Love Letters Lost (feat. Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio)
4. honestly i
5. You Broke Me Too (feat. Avril Lavigne)
6. City of Angels
7. Bedroom Posters
8. Skin Scraped
9. Barely Alive
10. Big Blue Eyes