Madonna has announced her return to the dancefloor with a new album set for 2026, marking a significant homecoming to Warner Records after more than a decade away from the label that launched her into superstardom.
As per Rolling Stone, the pop legend confirmed the upcoming release will serve as a spiritual successor to her 2005 album Confessions on a Dancefloor, reuniting with producer Stuart Price who crafted much of that critically acclaimed record. The new album represents Madonna’s first studio effort since 2019’s experimental Madame X, signalling a return to the dance-pop sound that has defined many of her career highlights.
Madonna’s return to Warner Records completes a full-circle journey that began in 1982 when she first signed with Sire Records, a Warner subsidiary. During her initial 25-year tenure with the label, she released career-defining albums including Like a Virgin (1985), Like a Prayer (1989), and Ray of Light (1998), while also establishing her own Maverick imprint.
“From being a struggling artist in New York City to signing a record deal to release just three singles it seemed at the time my world would never be the same again, and in fact that couldn’t have been truer,” Madonna stated. “Since the beginning Warner Records has been a real partner with me. I am happy to be reunited and look forward to the future, making music, doing the unexpected while, perhaps, provoking a few needed conversations.”
The partnership dissolved in 2008 following Hard Candy, after which Madonna signed a comprehensive 360 deal with Live Nation that included a three-album arrangement with Interscope Records. Under this deal, she released MDNA(2012), Rebel Heart (2015), and Madame X (2019) before departing Interscope in 2020.
Warner Records co-chairmen Tom Corson and Aaron Bay-Schuck described Madonna as “the blueprint, the rule breaker, the ultimate cultural juggernaut” while welcoming her return. The executives emphasised her role in defining global pop music and reshaping culture through “her vision, innovation, and fearless artistry.”
The reunion officially began in 2021 when Madonna announced plans to consolidate her catalogue under Warner Records, bringing her three Interscope releases back to the label in 2025. This move accompanied a substantial reissue campaign, beginning with 2022’s Finally Enough Love, a comprehensive collection featuring remixes of her 50 number one singles to commemorate her 40th anniversary in recording.
Most recently, Madonna released Veronica Electronica in July 2025, a previously shelved remix album of Ray of Light material that had remained unreleased for 27 years.
