From a quiet groove on wax to a full-blown digital roar, Sam Fender’s “Tyrants” is finally out in the wild. Originally pressed as part of his vinyl-only Me and the Dog EP for Record Store Day, the track has now arrived on streaming via Capitol Records — just in time to soundtrack a year that’s seen Fender go from festival golden boy to full-on stadium slayer. Listen below.

“Tyrants” is textbook Fender: righteously bruised, emotionally unguarded, and sharpened by social observation. Built on moody guitar swells and Fender’s unmistakable vocal ache, the track feels like a bruised protest song sung from the inside of a hangover. It's stark and stirring — one of those songs that doesn’t just play, it haunts. And while fans lucky enough to catch his recent sold-out runs through Europe and North America may already recognize it from his live set, its official arrival feels timely, poignant, and long overdue.

The drop of “Tyrants” caps what’s already been a banner year. Sam’s third album People Watching debuted at #1 in the UK — his third chart-topping LP — and became 2025’s fastest-selling release, shifting over 100,000 copies in its first week alone. It’s earned him another BRIT for Best Rock/Alternative Act and critical praise that’s beginning to border on the mythic. The Guardian called it “subtle social realism at blockbuster scale” in a glowing five-star review, while The Times dubbed him “a man of the people who is out on his own.” Fair.

He’s barely had time to soak it in. With the U.S. tour wrapped last night in Denver, Sam now sets his sights on a run of sold-out stadium shows that would make even Springsteen sweat. Next month, he returns to UK soil to headline Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool, then it's off to the races: a record-breaking 78,000-capacity headline gig at London Stadium on June 6, followed by a hat-trick of homecoming shows at Newcastle’s St. James’ Park. Those, too, are already sold out. No surprise.

In a world of viral hits and fleeting fame, Sam Fender remains a rare thing: a rockstar with his boots still muddy from the streets he came up in. And with songs like “Tyrants,” he reminds us why we believed in him in the first place. Anthems don’t have to be shiny. Sometimes they come with scars — and sound all the more powerful because of it.

Author: Adam Bailey

Adam is a regular contributor for established press release distribution website Release-News.com. He writes on a wide range of topics including music.