Draft:The Golden Years (album)

The Golden Years is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Joshua Bassett, set for release on July 26, 2024, through Warner Records. The album was preceded by its title track as the lead single on May 17.

Background and conception
Bassett rose to mainstream recognition for his role as Ricky Bowen in Disney+'s mockumentary musical drama series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2023); he also performed, wrote, and produced music for the program. In 2020, he signed with Warner Records. Following the release of his self-titled debut extended play in March 2021, Bassett released three more EPs and several singles in 2022 and 2023.

He described his third EP Sad Songs in a Hotel Room (2022) as a "stepping stone" to his debut studio album, which he revealed "[wasn't] done yet". In early 2023, Bassett revealed via his social media and in his cover story for the spring-summer issue of Behind The Blinds magazine—that the album was titled Complicated, at the time.

On May 17, Bassett officially announced his debut album The Golden Years and its release date as July 26, 2024. In a press release, he stated that the album "[encapsulates] the bitter-sweet nostalgia of [his] late teens and early twenties" and described it as a "love-letter to "the golden years" of [his life thus far]". He further said that it "spans the hope and heartbreak of [his] transition into adulthood. It's a genre-bending journal entry from the bottom of [his] heart."

Release and promotion
Warner Records will release The Golden Years on July 26, 2024; the album will be available via download and streaming services.

Singles
The title track was released as the lead single on May 17, 2024.

Tour
On June 7, Bassett announced The Golden Years Tour, his third headlining tour, in support of the album, which will visit North America and Europe. Comprising 39 dates, it will start on July 30 in Phoenix, Arizona, and conclude on October 9 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sign-up for the presale was available the same day as the announcement. The presale took place on June 11, followed by the general sale on June 14. Thomas Day will serve as the supporting act for the whole tour.