Sturgill Simpson Finally Brings ‘Mutiny After Midnight’ to Streaming

At long last, Sturgill Simpson’s latest album as Johnny Blue Skies, Mutiny After Midnight, has officially arrived on streaming services. The country innovator quietly uploaded the project on Monday, June 8, coinciding with his birthday.

The digital release includes a special bonus track: a cover of Procol Harum’s classic, “Whiter Shade of Pale,” performed by Johnny Blue Skies and the Dark Clouds. This rendition previously appeared on a limited Record Store Day single alongside a version of the soul standard, “You Don’t Miss Your Water.”

This move to digital platforms comes nearly three months after the album’s initial release, which was restricted to CD, vinyl, and cassette. When Simpson first announced the project in February, he emphasized a desire to support independent record shops and foster a tangible connection between artists and fans. The strategy proved highly effective, with Mutiny After Midnight debuting at Number Three on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

While the album was briefly teased on YouTube just before its physical launch, that version was quickly removed, maintaining the exclusivity of the physical-only strategy. Reflecting on the unconventional rollout, Simpson quipped, “I’ve always really wanted to leak my own record.”

In his initial statement regarding the release, Simpson encouraged fans to embrace the physical format, jokingly advising, “Go buy a physical copy… or don’t. Stream it illegally… or don’t. But as your attorney, I advise you to put the phone down, get out of the house, and go grab a copy and find a place to crank it with some friends or even strangers… you might even get laid.”

With the album now widely available, fans can look forward to seeing the material performed live. Johnny Blue Skies and the Dark Clouds are scheduled to hit the road later this year, with a tour kicking off on September 4 in Austin, Texas, and concluding on October 30 in Lexington, Kentucky.