In a recent Instagram post made on October 9th, famous Irish band Kodaline made a video stating the following:
“Hey everyone. After over a decade together, we’ve made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Kodaline. It might come as a surprise, and it’s definitely bittersweet for us too. What we’ve shared has changed our lives forever. From busking on the streets of Dublin to playing shows across the world, it really has been the stuff that dreams are made of. We want to end it on a high, so before we say goodbye, we’re heading into the studio one last time to record our fifth and final album as Kodaline. We are, and always will be, forever grateful for your love and support. It’s been a journey that we’ll never forget and we hope that the music stays with you long after we’re gone.”
The post was simply captioned; “After over a decade, it’s time to say goodbye. With all our love, VSMJ”
While such news has come to the shock of both fans and the general public, the band has announced two final farewell shows in Ireland to say goodbye to their fans and conclude their musical journey as a group. The first of these final shows will be played in Virgin Media Park in Cork on Friday, 19th June 2026 and the last show will be played in Marlay Park in Dublin on Saturday, 20th June 2026.
Originally formed in 2005 under the former name “21 Demands”, the indie group consisted of members Steve Garrigan, Vincent May, Mark Prendergast and Jason Boland. In March 2007, the band released their first single “Give Me a Minute”. At this time, the band had made Irish music history by being the first independently released single to hit number 1 on the Irish Singles Chart.
In 2012, the band changed their name officially to “Kodaline”. The band released their debut album, “In A Perfect World” on the 17th June 2013 with hits such as “All I Want”, “Pray” and “High Hopes” reaching mass success and critical acclaim. “All I Want” paved the way for their commercial success as the single hit the top 10 in several countries, hitting number 1 in Ireland and number 3 on the Official Single Charts in the UK. It became the fourth Irish song to hit over a billion streams on Spotify. The song was featured on shows such as The Vampire Diaries, Catfish: The TV Show, and the 2014 film The Fault In Our Stars.
Their latest release, 2020’s “One Day at a Time” for fans was one of Kodaline’s most introspective works, especially as this album was released during the Pandemic. This made the search for deeper meaning and the search for inner resolution more apparent for listeners of their music, especially as the band made this journey the forefront of their album. The album went on to hit number 2 on the Irish Albums Chart.
After announcing their imminent split, fans were promised along with an Irish tour, a final album to conclude their musical journey, as band and their collective story, turning their experiences and perspectives into art for the masses to foster connection with in 2026.
Despite coming onto the scene when indie music was having its heyday, Kodaline’s roots in the Irish music scene is what helped the group stand out among other indie groups. Likewise, with further experimentation and creative evolvement in their sound and lyricism, this extended the longevity of the band in comparison to other bands that emerged in the 2010s. After announcing their upcoming disbandment, this hit fans even more. For their fans, the transparency and vulnerability of Kodaline’s work is what earned the respect and adoration Kodaline has enjoyed up until now. Even after the band concludes their musical journey, Kodaline’s legacy will be cemented as one of the staple Irish bands that the world recognises as being musically progressive in their sound while never selling out their signature style, despite spending their early career as an unsigned band.
