Pat Metheny Announces Is This America? EP

Contemporary jazz legend Pat Metheny has announced a new EP, Is This America?, arriving November 27, 2026, as an exclusive vinyl LP and CD release for Record Store Day Black Friday.

The title immediately brings to mind one of Metheny’s most memorable collaborations, “This Is Not America,”recorded with David Bowie for the 1985 film The Falcon and the Snowman. More than 40 years later, Metheny may be revisiting that musical territory, and the timing is particularly interesting as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.

According to the Record Store Day release information, Is This America? includes a reworking of music associated with Metheny’s Bowie collaboration, along with “We Shall Overcome,” the historic civil rights anthem, and a new composition titled “Peace Universal.” Taken together, the selections suggest a project with something to say about America, its history, and its future.

There’s another interesting connection. Back in June, Metheny surprised fans with the digital single “America the Beautiful / The People United Will Never Be Defeated,” accompanied by a thought-provoking visualizer. The recording combined one of America’s best-known patriotic hymns with a Chilean protest anthem that became an international symbol of democracy and resistance. We wrote about that release when it arrived on June 26. Whether the recording will appear on Is This America? hasn’t been confirmed, but the thematic connection is hard to miss.

For collectors, there’s good news: Is This America? will be available on both vinyl and CD, rather than the vinyl-only format often associated with Record Store Day exclusives. The release is being issued through Uniquity Music and Green Hill Productions and will be available exclusively at participating independent record stores.

A complete track listing and recording personnel have not yet been announced. Still, the prospect of Metheny revisiting music from his past while reflecting on America today makes this one of the more intriguing jazz releases on the fall calendar.

Pat Metheny’s Is This America? arrives November 27, 2026, for Record Store Day Black Friday. Visit Record Store Day to find a participating independent record store near you.