Matt Cameron Says Pearl Jam's Next Album Is 'In the Can'

Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron has confirmed that the grunge giants’ next album is completed.

“We did make a record with Andrew Watt,” Cameron admitted during an appearance on the Vinyl Guide podcast, adding that the LP is “in the can, mastered, mixed, ready to go.”

The drummer suggested that he expects the album to come out in 2024, but noted that the “powers that be are trying to figure out when that's going to come out and touring and all that stuff.”

Speaking of touring, Cameron admitted he hoped to return to the road in the New Year. Pearl Jam played a handful of dates in 2023 and had a longer tour last year, though Cameron revealed the latter situation was less than ideal in the pandemic’s wake.

“We did kind of a big tour in 2022 and we had to wear masks and the crew had to wear masks and we had to test. It was just no fun,” he explained. “We got through it great and the crowds were fantastic.”

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Earlier this year, Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard admitted to Consequence that the band had been working with Watt. He described the producer as “the most hardcore Pearl Jam fan you’ll ever meet. He can play all of our songs and all of Soundgarden’s songs back at us — better than we can play them!”

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Watt’s credits include work alongside such rock legends as Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John and the Rolling Stones, but he’s also helmed pop projects from Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus. Gossard suggested both styles could be present in Pearl Jam’s next LP.

“The energy [Watt is] looking for … he’s a fan club member,” the guitarist explained. “He’s fucking seen [Pearl Jam] 50 times. But he is also literally a top-flight pop producer.”