As frontman of The Killers since 2001 and with another solo album on the way, Brandon Flowers should be at the top of his game right now. But the 2000s indie rock icon recently revealed that he’s been questioning the trajectory of his career for a while.
Flowers’ third solo album, Thrasher, drops on August 21. He also recently announced a tour in support. But while speaking with The Times in a July 31, 2026 interview, he posed a terrifying yet strangely freeing question: “How much longer do I want to do this?”
“My dad goes to yard sales, where he buys frames to take home and paint,” he said. “He’s never had any money in his life, and he’s happier than I am.”
Flowers continued, “I’m really going through it right now: how much longer do I want to do this, what does it mean, why am I doing it anyway?” He then added, “Whenever I finish a tour, without fail I get sick.”
Brandon Flowers Could Potentially Call It Quits After Latest Solo Album, but Seems Like He’s Still Holding Onto Optimism
The Killers burst onto the indie rock scene in 2004 with Hot Fuss and the undeniable hit “Mr. Brightside”. They continued to release acclaimed albums at a decent pace, with their latest being Pressure Machine in 2021. A fourth compilation album, Rebel Diamonds, came in 2023, celebrating 20 years of The Killers.
And in between, Brandon Flowers made two solo albums, Flamingo in 2010 and The Desired Effect in 2015. Thrasher is, of course, due out in a couple of weeks. His bandmates have each released their own solo work as well, so there’s no shortage of creative freedom within The Killers, it seems.
However, Flowers brought up another longtime rock star while discussing his possible retirement from music. What has kept the frontman of The Rolling Stones touring and making music well into his 80s?
Well, money is one obvious answer. But Brandon Flowers considered the question with a far less capitalist mindset.
“I think of Mick Jagger and ask myself: what keeps him getting up on that stage?” he asked. “I guess it’s because there are powerful moments in a concert. How could I not want to do that?”
This Isn’t the First Time the Killers Frontman Has Been in This Situation
This crisis of creativity isn’t brand new, however. Brandon Flowers admitted to being in a “crisis” after The Killers released two singles, “Boy” and “Your Side of Town” in 2023. The singles were planned for an upcoming Killers record that was ultimately scrapped. To hear Flowers tell it, nothing felt “authentic” about what they were doing.
“Halfway through recording I realized, ‘I can’t do this’,” Flowers told The Times in 2023. There was a moment where he stumbled through some potentially big revelations. “This isn’t the kind of record …” he started, then paused. “I think this will be the …” he trailed off again. Until finally, he landed on, “I don’t think you’ll see us making this type of music any more.”
He continued, “This is the crisis I’m in. The Killers are my identity and our songs fill the seats, but I’m more fulfilled making music like [2021 album] ‘Pressure Machine’.”
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
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