Ryan Gosling's band Dead Man's Bones returns with first new song in 17 years

Dead Man's Bones, the band formed by actor Ryan Gosling and his friend Zach Shields, has released its first new music in 17 years.

The single, "Lost in the Night", came out on October 27 on Anti- Records, just in time for Halloween. It is the duo's first release since their self-titled debut album in 2009.

A new sound

Dead Man's Bones built a cult following with that first album, a collection of spooky, ghost-themed songs recorded with a children's choir and a deliberately raw, gothic folk sound.

The new song moves in a different direction. Reviewers describe it as trading the gothic folk for electronic textures, post-punk guitars and a sense of nocturnal romance. Rolling Stone said it was still in keeping with the band's eerie debut, but with more synths and a Springsteen-like vocal from Gosling.

According to a press release, Gosling and Shields recorded the song in a single day at a farm outside Los Angeles. It was produced by Tim Anderson, who also produced their 2009 album.

The video

The black-and-white music video stars actors Noah Jupe and Rain Spencer as two young lovers who leave a cemetery and wander through the city at night.

Gosling's partner, the actor Eva Mendes, had teased the return on social media in the run-up to Halloween, joking about trying to "summon new music" from the long-dormant band.

More to come?

There has been no announcement of a new album or tour, and it is not clear whether more music is on the way.

The release comes in a busy year for Gosling, whose science fiction film Project Hail Mary was one of 2026's biggest box office hits. His music career has always been a side project, but Dead Man's Bones has retained a devoted following, and its Halloween-ready catalogue resurfaces every autumn. For many of those fans, a single new song after 17 years is reason enough to celebrate.