It's been nearly five years since Arctic Monkeys released their hugely successful album AM, but it now looks like the wait for new music from the band could be coming to an end.
Frontman Alex Turner was stopped by fan William Hann on Monday and asked about the prospect of shows in the UK and new music.
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While Turner remained tight-lipped on the subject of UK tour dates, he reportedly said that new music will arrive 'soon'.
This follows an admission from the band's bassist Nick O'Malley that their sixth album would arrive at some point in 2018. He told motorcycling magazine The Ride that 'if it isn't, we've got problems'.
This news comes after it was announce that the band will be hitting the road again for a whole load of dates across the world. This includes plenty of European dates, but as yet their only announced gig in the UK for 2018 is at Glasgow's TRNSMT festival at the end of June.
The band are hitting up a load of festivals this summer, so it wold make sense for them to have some new stuff to play during those appearances, so it could be that the next few months will see new stuff creeping out.
It had been thought that the band might play at this year's Reading and Leeds festival, but organisers have said that it was never on the cards.
When asked about the possibility, Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn told NME: "Not really. The Arctic Monkeys have headlined Reading and Leeds twice before so they're an act we're always talking to.
"Was it ever likely for this year? No, it wasn't. They've got their own plans."
Either way, it looks like it is going to be a big year for band with their world tour and the release of their highly anticipated sixth album.
Very little is known about the album. We've got no name, no track listing, and we don't even know where it has been recorded.
O'Malley said that the process began back in September of last year but would only say that it took place in a 'top secret location'.
That location could be in California, given that they recorded AM and the most recent album by Last Shadow Puppets (Turner's other band with fellow songwriter Miles Kane) out there.
It's not much to go on, but it is something.
Also, hardcore fans will be disappointed to learn that Alex is still sporting his beard. Last month a petition was started to get him to shave it off but as you can see, the protests have fallen on deaf ears.
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