The Darkness Announce Greatest Hits Album ‘Crock of Hits’ and December 2026 UK Arena Tour

British rock royalty The Darkness have officially announced their first-ever personally curated best-of album, Crock of Hits, set for release on November 27th via Warner Music. Alongside the blockbuster album announcement, the spandex-clad icons have confirmed an intimate London album launch show this month, followed by a massive UK arena tour slated for December 2026.

For fans of high-octane guitar solos, soaring falsettos, and unapologetic theatrical rock, this autumn and winter are shaping up to be legendary.

What is Crock of Hits? The Ultimate The Darkness Collection

Compiled entirely by the band themselves, Crock of Hits serves as a magnificent sonic highlight reel spanning their multi-platinum, award-winning catalogue. The collection pulls tracks from across their eight studio albums, starting with their game-changing 2003 debut, Permission to Land, right through to their critically acclaimed 2025 record, Dreams On Toast, which soared to No. 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Frontman Justin Hawkins characteristically pulled no punches when discussing the compilation: “Listen upon our works ye mighty and rejoice! ‘Crock of Hits’ will startle you. Hold you as you tremble. And gently force you to succumb to its aural splendour. A ‘best of’ curated by us, so you can be certain it’s the bestest of the bestiest. Suck it up, people…”

The career-spanning collection also features their iconic festive smash hit single, “Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)”.

Formats and Special Features

Crock of Hits will be available across a variety of physical and digital formats, including:

1LP & 2LP Vinyl (featuring expanded tracklists and gatefold artwork)
1CD & Deluxe 3CD Box Set

The extended formats feature spectacular bonus additions, including rare live tracks, BBC radio sessions, and a brand-new edition of “Masters Of The Universe” featuring a guest appearance by Queen legend Brian May.

Intimate Album Launch Show at London’s Moth Club

To celebrate the upcoming release, The Darkness will play an exclusive, intimate album launch show at London’s Moth Club on September 17th, 2026.

True to form, Justin Hawkins offered some characteristically unique guidance regarding the venue: “The first rule of Moth Club is, don’t fly into the lightbulb. Just kidding – nocturnal Lepidoptera rejoice! We’re coming to play at the Moth Club. That thing about burning yourself to a crisp is more of a guideline than a rule, so come celebrate The Darkness on this special night…”

Pre-sale: Starts at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 8th, 2026.
General On-Sale: Commences at 10:00 AM on Thursday, September 10th, 2026.

The Best of The Darkness UK Arena Tour (December 2026)

Following the release of Crock of Hits, The Darkness will embark on their largest headline tour in 20 years. The Best Of The Darkness UK Tour kicks off on December 8th in Glasgow and culminates in a landmark milestone for the band: their debut headline performance at London’s The O2 on December 16th.

The arena run promises an awe-inspiring, high-energy rock spectacle. To make things even better, The Darkness will be joined on all dates by stellar support acts: GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum American country rock outfit Brothers Osborne, and multi-million streamed UK rock favourites A.

Full 2026 Tour Dates

December 8th – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
December 9th – Leeds, FD Arena
December 11th – Manchester, AO Arena
December 12th – Birmingham, Utilita Arena
December 13th – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
December 15th – Brighton, Brighton Centre
December 16th – London, The O2

Tickets for the December arena tour are on sale now via thedarknesslive.com. Whether you are looking to secure physical copies of Crock of Hits ahead of its November 27th release or planning your winter gig calendar, ensure you grab your tickets early before these iconic rock anthems sell out.