Brandon Flowers: Is fame worth it? I'm not sure anymore
Brandon Flowers, frontman of The Killers, discusses his shift toward country music for his third solo album, 'Thrasher'. He reflects on the toll of fame and his desire to explore more personal, rural-inspired songwriting.
Why it matters
The piece highlights the evolving creative process of a major music figure and the personal challenges associated with long-term celebrity.
Image source, Chris Phelps Image caption, Brandon Flowers is on a break from The Killers, with his first solo album in 11 years
Music correspondent Published 21 August 2026, 01:25 BST Updated 18 minutes ago Brandon Flowers has a confession.
For the last 25 years, he's been the frontman of The Killers, channelling his love of stadium rock and British new wave on songs like Mr Brightside, When You Were Young and Human.
But in the back of his mind, there's always been an alternative soundtrack.
"You know, a lot of guys in my line of business develop drug addictions," he says.
It started when he was a kid in Nephi, Utah. His dad would play Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and John Conlee on the car stereo. School dances, held at the local golf club, would always feature country and western slow dances.
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