Blur released their ninth studio album, The Ballad of Darren, on July 21, 2023, via Parlophone. It is the group's first album of new material since 2015's The Magic Whip.

The record was made in about six months at Damon Albarn's London studio and produced by the band with James Ford. The songs deal with aging, loss and melancholy, with more restrained arrangements than the arena anthems of the 1990s.

The Narcissist was the first single, followed by St. Charles Square. Before the release, Blur played two shows at London's Wembley Stadium on July 8 and 9.

The album was received as a mature, emotional return, with the band revisiting its sound while keeping lyrics sharp about adult life.