Sports step forward on long-awaited self-titled album Sports + announce debut AU tour this July
PRAISE FOR Sports
“Sports are refining their sound through a process of complete creative independence, which defines their upcoming self-titled album”
“Recorded at Salvation Studios in Brighton, ‘Keep Falling in Love’ is an understated yet radiant love song”
“With “Nice 2 Meet Myself (Bang Bang Bang),” Sports delivers a track that combines playful experimentation with a deeper message. It is an example of how their eccentric style can be more than just fun, channeling complex ideas through an engaging and carefully constructed sound”
“The latest from Sports is every bit as groovy and as their previous releases. Toeing the line between psychedelic R&B and rock”
LP TRACKLIST
Gravestone
Nice 2 Meet Myself (Bang Bang Bang)
If You Want Me
Magic Trick
Jelly
My Superstar
Keep Falling In Love
Don’t Forget About Me
Drama King
Stay Mad
I Can’t Cry
Metaphors
Sports LP is out now, buy/stream it here.
Oklahoma-based dream-pop duo Sports share their long-awaited self-titled album, Sports, out now via ONErpm. Along with the release comes the announcement of Australian tour dates in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane this July, as part of the band’s global tour. Live Nation Presale begins Tue 24 Feb at 10am local, with general on-sale from Wed 25 Feb at 11am local. LISTEN HERE + TOUR INFO HERE.
The 12-track project brings together a run of acclaimed singles released over the past year alongside a collection of brand-new songs that show the band sharpening and expanding their sound. Bright, rhythmic and textural, the album, led by focus track ‘Jelly’ moves between smooth, shimmering pop and more off-kilter, distorted moments, drawing from indie-pop, electronic and psychedelic influences without settling into a fixed identity.
Marking a major milestone in the duo’s career, Sports is the first project entirely self-produced by the band. Written, recorded and produced in a studio they built from scratch in their Tulsa hometown, the album is a complete realisation of their shared vision. It highlights not only their songwriting instincts, but their development as producers.
Across the record, Sports pull from a wide range of inspirations. Touchpoints span experimental pop frameworks, unpredictable production and expansive emotional writing – from A.G. Cook and Lady Gaga to U2 and Dr. Dre – alongside ideas drawn from David Byrne’s How Music Works. Rather than overt references, these influences quietly inform the album’s structure, textures and emotional tone, helping shape a sound that feels personal and fluid.
The album’s focus track ‘Jelly’, highlights the duo’s shift toward bolder pop instincts and more intentional transitions across the album. Speaking on the track, Christian says: “This is one of my favorites on the record because it feels very different from anything we’ve done before. We were really into pop at the time – A.G. Cook, which led me to Charli – and we wanted every sound to feel bold, with a vocal that really hits. Even though it sounds like there’s a lot going on, it’s actually pretty sparse.”
The record collates the band’s acclaimed pre-released singles – ‘Nice 2 Meet Myself (Bang Bang Bang)’, ‘If You Want Me’, ‘Keep Falling In Love’ and most recently ‘Drama King’ – alongside a set of brand-new tracks. Each single has been praised for its inventive blend of shimmering synths, psychedelic undertones, and left-of-centre pop structures by outlets including Notion, Galore, LadyGunn, Fault, Ones To Watch, and Clash Magazine.
Throughout the album campaign, the duo have also continued to gain momentum across streaming and radio. ‘Drama King’ landed on the cover of Spotify’s New Music Friday US, alongside placements on Indie Pop, All New Indie, New Music Friday UK, The New Alt and The Indie List. Sports have also received airplay support from BBC 6 Music and John Kennedy’s Radio X show, signaling a growing international reach.
With Sports, the duo present their most complete work to date – a self-contained project built entirely on their own terms. In support of the release of Sports, the duo will embark on a Headline North American in April 2026, before their debut Australian shows in July, and then heading overseas for a UK & EU tour in October. For all global dates and details, see HERE.
Sports have come full circle. The Oklahoma band hinges on the friendship between Christian Theriot and Cale Chronister, two musicians who met as kids and instinctively bonded. Finding mammoth viral success, they’ve released three acclaimed albums, each one distilling their indie pop elixir. With their new record, the band have gone back to their roots – self-produced, self-recorded, and self-titled, it’s the sound of people with an incredible bond, making the music that thrills them.
Small town heroes who are taking on the world, Sports credit their Tulsa upbringing as fostering their mindset. A world apart from the bright lights of Los Angeles or New York, the band had to work hard to make their mark. “The odds of us meeting, having the same interests, forming a band, and making it out to have a career… it’s like, how did that happen?” Christian marvels.
Sports struck gold first time out, with early single ‘You Are The Right One’ becoming a generational indie pop anthem. Nudging 180 million streams on Spotify alone, the track has become their hallmark, a fan favourite and also an economic support structure. “I think what’s kept us going is that we just haven’t stopped,” says Cale. “We keep moving, we keep putting out music.”
After three albums working with Chad Copelin, Sports decided to take the reins themselves. Opting to self-produce, the band found a space in their Tulsa hometown, a studio HQ they could call their own. “We’d been through the same experience with all our records,” Christian says, “where the producer would hold our hand. But we wanted a different challenge this time.”
Building the studio from scratch, the band fell in love with the Astroturf at a local sports pitch – and installed it as carpet. “We just kind of got obsessed with it!” Cale laughs. “It’s so nice to walk into a studio and see grass. It may have been fake, but we were touching grass every day!”
Arriving 10 years on from their breakout moment, the Oklahoma group have found a way to be respectful to their past, while embracing the future. “It’s kind of surreal to have that number ten associated with the band,” Christian laughs. “It’s hard to think about the weight of it… it makes me feel old, I guess.”
It all comes down to the core friendship between Christian and Cale, and the boundless possibilities they find within one another. “We’ve known each other since middle school,” Cale reflects. “And we’re still doing it. To me, we’re just getting started.”
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