Placebo have shared their first single in five years ‘Beautiful James’.

The band, who haven’t released an album since 2013’s ‘Loud Like Love‘, tonight (September 16) finally returned with their comeback single described “as powerful as it is tender – a resolutely defiant and ultimately necessary piece of art”.

“If the song serves to irritate the squares and the uptight, so gleefully be it. But it remains imperative for me that each listener discovers their own personal story within it – I really don’t want to tell you how to feel,” said frontman Brian Molko.

It comes after the band teased their new single earlier this week. You can listen to it below.

In May, the band comprising Molko and Stefan Olsdal said their eighth album was “being primed for release” but nothing has yet materialised.

The duo wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post in May that their new album is “finished” and also asked fans what kind of merchandise they’d like to see.

“NFT’s, posters & art prints, masks, cassette tapes, retro tees, a brand new fan club, even a fanzine, maybe dolls…. what placebostuff would you really like to get your hands on?” part of the deleted message read.

“New music & concerts!!’ is the rallying cry & we hear you. Please do not despair & trust that Album 8 is finished & being primed for release. We are also presently busy booking live dates.

“In the meantime, what else can we do for you? Can you help us by letting us know what you’re after? We’d love to hear from you. And since we’ll all be seeing a lot more of each other soon, we’d really like to know.”

Earlier this month Placebo announced an exclusive 2022 UK festival show at Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering, which takes place next May at Derbyshire’s Catton Hall.

They will top the bill alongside Patti Smith and The Flaming Lips and will give fans a “tantalising taste of some brand-new material”.