Carly Simon released her new single “Howl” this week, a sparse and emotionally charged track that pulls listeners in from the first note.
The song taps into what it feels like when trust gets broken. On Instagram, Simon’s official account described “Howl” as a song that begins in anger and works its way toward acceptance and forgiveness. Simon also shared written reflections on the track alongside the release. Those notes give listeners a direct look at her headspace during the writing process. They deepen the experience considerably.
Healing is the thread running through this whole project. “Howl” isn’t a standalone release. It’s a preview of COMES IN WAVES, Simon’s forthcoming album due August 14, 2026. Per the Instagram post, that healing theme carries through the entire record. Simon is building a whole album around the arc from hurt toward peace. That’s a bold commitment.
The album title, COMES IN WAVES, says a lot on its own. Real heartbreak and real forgiveness don’t run on a schedule. They fade and come back. The title alone suggests Simon isn’t softening the truth of that experience.
Carly Simon has been one of the most emotionally honest songwriters in American music since the early 1970s. She broke through with “Anticipation” in 1971. That song became a genuine cultural reference point. Then came “You’re So Vain” in 1972, one of the decade’s most talked-about tracks. It mixed sharp wit and personal pain in a way that still resonates more than 50 years later. Simon also won an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe in 1990. All three came for “Let the River Run,” the theme from the 1988 film Working Girl. In 2015, she published a memoir called Boys in the Trees. It took readers inside her childhood and the relationships behind her music.
At 80 years old, Simon is still putting raw, new music into the world. That’s the real story here.
The title “Howl” carries extra weight. A howl isn’t polished or planned. It escapes you. It’s the kind of sound that comes after holding something in too long. That’s the energy Simon is bringing to this release, and COMES IN WAVES looks set to carry that same rawness all the way through.
“Howl” is streaming now. Pre-saves and pre-orders for COMES IN WAVES are available via the link in Simon’s Instagram bio. August 14, 2026 is the date to mark.