Noah Kahan | The Great Divide
"The Great Divide", the highly anticipated new album from 2x Grammy Nominee Noah Kahan.
Written across locations including Nashville, Guilford (Vermont), upstate New York, and Only, Tennessee, the album reflects a creative process rooted in place and memory. In announcing the project, Kahan described the songs as an attempt to explore the relationships, landscapes, and emotional experiences that shaped him. The record is framed by themes of reflection and distance, capturing the words he would say if he could — alongside the fears that surface in quiet moments before sleep.
The album was produced with longtime collaborator Gabe Simon and Aaron Dessner, reinforcing a sound expected to continue Kahan’s introspective, folk-leaning sound.
![Cover for Noah Kahan · The Great Divide (LP) [American Rust Coloured Vinyl edition] (2026)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/290/0199957317290.jpg?noah-kahan-2026-the-great-divide-lp&class=scaled&v=1769667267)
Noah Kahan has emerged as one of the defining voices in contemporary folk-leaning pop, building a global following through introspective songwriting and a grounded storytelling style rooted in his New England upbringing. Born in Vermont and taught guitar by his father, he began writing songs as a child and uploading them online before signing with Republic Records in 2017 — a turning point that set his professional career in motion.
His early years were marked by steady development rather than instant mainstream visibility. Kahan toured at just 19 and released his debut album "Busyhead" in 2019, featuring 'Hurt Somebody,' which reached No. 24 on Billboard’s Hot Rock chart and delivered his first chart appearance.
He followed with "I Was / I Am" (2021), a record shaped by themes of personal growth during the pandemic, though it produced no major hits at the time.
That trajectory shifted dramatically with "Stick Season", his third studio album, released in October 2022. Driven by candid lyricism and an authentic folk perspective, the project gained unexpected momentum online, where viral attention helped propel Kahan from internet popularity into broad mainstream recognition — including a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
Commercially, the album established a new tier of success. The deluxe edition debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and topped multiple genre charts, while all 18 tracks landed simultaneously on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative chart. A rare feat shared by only a handful of artists.
The album itself has been certified Double Platinum, while the title track reached 4× Platinum status and surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams. The single 'Stick Season'became a defining hit: it accumulated about 1.14 billion global streams in 2024 alone and ranked among the year’s top-selling songs internationally.
What distinguishes Kahan’s ascent is the way it unfolded: from small-town songwriter to arena-level draw, powered less by trend cycles than by emotional clarity and relatability. His music frequently explores isolation, mental health, and identity - themes that have helped foster a devoted fanbase while positioning him within a modern wave of folk-influenced artists bridging traditional songwriting with contemporary reach.