End of August

"End of August"
Song by Noah Kahan
from the album The Great Divide
ReleasedApril 24, 2026
Genre
Length5:17
LabelMercury
Songwriters
Producers

"End of August" is a song by American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, released on April 24, 2026 from his fourth studio album The Great Divide. Kahan and Aaron Dessner wrote the song and produced it with Gabe Simon.

Composition

The song begins with ambient sounds of bugs buzzing.[1] It is a piano ballad,[2][3][4] which is described as "gentle, twinkling"[2] and capturing the intimate tone of the song.[2][3] The lyrics find Noah Kahan lamenting that summer is ending soon[3][5] and depict him driving into his home state of Vermont.[2][1] He mentions his brothers, seeing cars with New York license plates and reaching Interstate 89.[1] He points out that although his angst cannot be healed by his memories or medicine (which he considers to stop taking for this reason), it is what makes him feel alive.[2][6][7] Kahan additionally describes his hometown as a place where most people "grow up and have kids who build homes for the rich",[4][6] implying he is different from them.[4] Throughout the song, he makes references to his previous album Stick Season.[2]

Critical reception

The song received generally positive reviews. Lyndsey Havens of Billboard ranked it as the second best song from The Great Divide and considered it a "fitting start" for the album, "as it seems a similar feeling shadowed Kahan's rise through Stick Season — and now that it is over, he can finally try to make sense of it all."[3] Maxim Mower of Holler remarked "The way the hook builds is stunning, and it's refreshing to hear Kahan singing across some pared-down keys, rather than his usual guitar-led backing."[2] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone described the song as a "beautifully forlorn folk-rock epiphany."[6] Reviewing the album for Clash, Robin Murray wrote "He starts strong with previously-teased 'End Of August', the opener of the record, which is still remarkably fresh. With undertones that mimic the known sadness of his repertoire, the slight eeriness brings an odd wave of happiness, which allows the track to shine."[8] Hannah Jocelyn of Pitchfork commented "Knowing that Kahan is capable of a song like 'August' just makes the more pro forma arrangements on the rest of the album more frustrating."[7]

Charts

Chart performance for "End of August"
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 30
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] 11
Global 200 (Billboard)[11] 29
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 17
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[13] 39
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 14
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[15] 3

References

  1. ^ a b c Fell, Nicole (April 24, 2026). "Noah Kahan Proves He's Here to Stay on Vulnerable New Album 'The Great Divide': A Track-by-Track Breakdown". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Mower, Maxim (April 23, 2026). "'End of August' by Noah Kahan - Lyrics & Meaning". Holler. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d Havens, Lyndsey (April 27, 2026). "Noah Kahan's 'The Great Divide': All 21 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  4. ^ a b c Epstein-Gross, Casey (April 24, 2026). "The sum of The Great Divide is less than its parts". Paste. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  5. ^ Mosk, Mitch (April 24, 2026). ""It Gets Harder to See Me the Closer You Try to Look": Noah Kahan Turns Distance, Identity, & Time into His Most Defining Statement Yet on 'The Great Divide'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Dolan, Jon (April 22, 2026). "Noah Kahan Is a Rock Star Now, and a Good Dude, Too, on 'The Great Divide'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  7. ^ a b Jocelyn, Hannah (April 29, 2026). "Noah Kahan: The Great Divide". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  8. ^ Murray, Robin (April 24, 2026). "Noah Kahan – The Great Divide". Clash. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  9. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 4, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  10. ^ "Noah Kahan Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  11. ^ "Noah Kahan Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  12. ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. May 1, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  13. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart on 7/5/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  14. ^ "Noah Kahan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  15. ^ "Noah Kahan Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
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