.jpg "Pearl Jam - Dark Matter (2024) album front cover")
.jpg "Pearl Jam - Dark Matter (2024) album back cover")
Tracklist, Album Image Covers and Info
Dark Matter (2024)
Artist: Pearl Jam
Type: Studio album (12th)
Released: April 19, 2024
Label: Monkeywrench Records / Republic Records
Genre: Alternative rock • Hard rock
Length: ~48:21
Producer: Andrew Watt
Dark Matter is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, arriving seven years after Lightning Bolt (2013) and continuing the band’s legacy of powerful rock music with fresh energy and modern production.
📦 Cover Art & Design
The album cover for Dark Matter is a standout piece of contemporary art created using light painting photography — a technique where light is used to “paint” imagery during a long camera exposure.
Design Details:
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🎨 Artwork by Alexandr Gnezdilov: The cover art uses light painting, where each letter in the title was handwritten mid‑air with a custom flashlight and captured via slow‑exposure photography.
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🌌 Self‑made kaleidoscope: A large, handcrafted kaleidoscope was used to create the unique, pearlescent textures seen in the artwork.
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🧠 Abstract and immersive: The visual approach conveys mystery, atmosphere and energy — fitting the album’s thematic scope.
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📀 Special editions for Record Store Day (April 20) featured additional art, collectible vinyl variations and 24‑page booklets.
This artistic direction underscores Pearl Jam’s interest in combining visual innovation with their musical evolution — the abstract imagery echoing the album’s conceptual depth.
🎵 Tracklist
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Scared of Fear
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React, Respond
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Wreckage
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Dark Matter
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Won’t Tell
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Upper Hand
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Waiting for Stevie
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Running
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Something Special
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Got to Give
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Setting Sun
👥 Band Lineup (Dark Matter Era)
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Eddie Vedder – Lead vocals
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Mike McCready – Lead guitar
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Stone Gossard – Rhythm guitar
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Jeff Ament – Bass
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Matt Cameron – Drums (his final album with the band before departing in 2025)
Producer: Andrew Watt — known for his work with younger and legacy artists alike, bringing fresh dynamism to Pearl Jam’s sound.
📊 Release & Reception
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🗓 Released: April 19, 2024
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🛍️ Available in multiple formats: standard & deluxe vinyl editions, CD and deluxe CD/Blu‑ray with Dolby Atmos mixes.
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🌍 The band also supported the album with the Dark Matter World Tour, a global tour spanning 2024–2025.
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🏆 The album received critical acclaim, with Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance (“Dark Matter”).
🎶 Notable Singles & Songs
⭐ Dark Matter
The title track and lead single — a gritty, atmospheric rocker grounding the album’s themes.
⭐ Wreckage
A heartland‑rock infused song that topped Billboard’s rock charts in 2024.
⭐ Running
Muscular, dynamic and driven with compelling rhythm and lyricism.
⭐ Waiting for Stevie
Later released as a single; introspective and melodic with thematic depth.
📈 Themes & Musical Style
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🌌 Organic and urgent: Produced in sessions at Shangri‑La Studios (Malibu) and Watt’s home studio, Dark Matter captures Pearl Jam playing with spontaneity and intensity.
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🎸 Balance of styles: The album blends classic rock roots with modern production — from high‑energy rockers to reflective mid‑tempo pieces.
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🧠 Lyrics focus on personal insight, resilience and contemplation, matching the album’s evocative title.
🎤 Fun Facts & Trivia
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📷 The light painting cover art was created specifically for this project and is different on special versions and deluxe editions.
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🎸 Pearl Jam hosted an exclusive listening event at The Troubadour in West Hollywood before the album release.
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🌍 The album’s announcement was paired with a global world tour, the first such simultaneous reveal in their career.
🤯 Did You Know?
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Dark Matter is the first Pearl Jam album since 2020’s Gigaton (their tenth) and continues their evolution three decades after their debut.
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Matt Cameron’s departure in 2025 marks the end of a 27‑year tenure with the band.
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