David Byrne has released a new single, “T Shirt”, his first new track since the arrival of his 2025 album, Who Is The Sky?
Co-written by longtime friend and collaborator Brian Eno, the song’s upbeat electro-pop drum machines buoys Byrne’s earnest, legato vocals about the astuteness of cheesy t shirt slogans. (“Simple things, a line or two / Succinct and clear, a kind of truth / No pretension, no deep intent / There’s no mistaking what I meant.”)
“T Shirt” has already become a fan-favorite thanks to its inclusion in Byrne’s acclaimed Who Is The Sky? tour, which began in September 2025 and is set to make its way around the globe through mid-March of 2026. During performances of the song, Byrne and his band appear in front of a triptych slide show of slogans and kitschy logo designs ranging from cliché (“well-behaved women seldom make history,” “I’m with stupid,” etc.) to locally focused (“[Insert tonight’s city] Kicks Ass”) to political (“Make America Gay Again”).
Back on October 18th, when Byrne performed at The Met Philadelphia after attending the city’s No Kings Day march earlier in the afternoon, he spent several minutes early in the show presenting photos from his time at the demonstration. But while the images from the protest were a new addition that night, they echoed themes already embedded in the DNA of this latest live Byrne production: During “T Shirt”, one logo in particular that had been there throughout the tour—a Burger King logo reworked to read “No Kings”—prompted a palpable swell of excitement in the Met. Revisit our review of David Byrne’s No Kings Day performance in Philadelphia: Everybody Resists: David Byrne Brings Subversive Love to Philadelphia on No Kings Day.
Listen to new David Byrne single “T Shirt” on the platform of your choice now or view the official video for the track via the player below. Scroll down to watch a crowd-shot video of Byrne performing “T Shirt” live in Washington, D.C.
David Byrne – “T Shirt” (Official Video)
David Byrne – “T Shirt” (Live) – Washington, D.C. – 9/21/25
[Video: Oh No Compassion]
This year’s Who Is The Sky? is Byrne’s first album since his acclaimed 2018 LP American Utopia, which was later adapted into a hit Broadway production and HBO film. Who Is The Sky? was produced by the Grammy-winning Kid Harpoon, who notably co-produced the best-selling single in the world in both 2022 (Harry Styles’ “As It Was”) and 2023 (Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers”). Its 12 songs were arranged by the members of New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra, who served as the backing ensemble in the studio. Other guests on the album include Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and The Smile drummer Tom Skinner. Read more about the new David Byrne album here.
“At my age, at least for me, there’s a ‘don’t give a shit about what people think’ attitude that kicks in,” Byrne said about the mindset behind Who Is the Sky? in a press statement. “I can step outside my comfort zone with the knowledge that I kind of know who I am by now and sort of know what I’m doing. That said, every new set of songs, every song even, is a new adventure. There’s always a bit of, ‘how do I work this?’ I’ve found that not every collaboration works, but often when they do, it’s because I’m able to clearly impart what it is I’m trying to do. They hopefully get that, and as a result, we’re now joined together heading to the same unknown place.”
Scroll to the bottom of this page to view photo galleries from recent David Byrne Who Is The Sky? tour dates at San Francisco, CA’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (11/17/25, via Ryan Myers) and Philadelphia, PA’s The Met Philadelphia (10/18/25, via Andrew O’Brien).
View a full list of upcoming David Byrne tour dates below. Grab your tickets here.
DAVID BYRNE – WHO IS THE SKY? TOUR – UPCOMING DATES
USA
11/20/2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theatre
11/21/2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Dolby Theatre
11/25/2025 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
11/26/2025 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
11/28/2025 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
11/29/2025 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
12/02/2025 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
12/03/2025 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
12/05/2025 – Miami, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
12/06/2025 – Miami, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theatre
Australia & New Zealand
01/14/2026 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena
01/17/2026 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Center
01/21/2026 – Sydney, Australia – ICC Sydney Theatre
01/22/2026 – Melbourne, Australia – Sidney Myer Music Bowl
01/24/2026 – Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Entertainment Centre Arena
01/27/2026 – Perth, Australia – RAC Arena
Europe & United Kingdom
02/12/2026 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
02/15/2026 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
02/16/2026 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live
02/18/2026 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National
02/21/2026 – Milan, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/22/2026 – Milan, Italy – Teatro degli Arcimboldi
02/24/2026 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle
02/26/25 – Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg – Rockhal Main Hallin
02/27/2026 – Zurich, Switzerland – The Hall
03/02/2026 – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
03/03/2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
03/04/2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
03/06/2026 – Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo
03/07/2026 – Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo
03/09/2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo
03/10/2026 – Manchester, UK – o2 Apollo
03/13/2026 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
03/15/2026 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
03/18/2026 – Paris, France – La Seine Musicale
03/19/2026 – Paris, France – La Seine Musicale
