George Thorogood and the Destroyers are celebrating more than five decades together with a 2026 concert album, The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live, and tour. Spanning 1978–2024, the collection showcases some of the legendary blues rockers’ most electrifying live performances including such enduring crowd pleasers as “Who Do You Love,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Bad to the Bone” and “Move It on Over.” The title arrives via Craft Recordings on June 12 on LP (with four previously unreleased tracks), while the expanded CD includes eight previously unreleased performances. Both versions feature new liner notes from GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and blues musician Scott Billington and are available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.

Listen to a previously unreleased performance of “Who Do You Love” captured live in Atlanta in 1980

From the March 19 announcement: For more than 50 years, George Thorogood and The Destroyers have remained one of the most consistent progenitors of blues-based rock. Formed in 1973 by guitarist, singer, and songwriter Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon, the Delaware-based band honed their sound on stages across the Northeast, building a devoted word-of-mouth following through their high-energy performances and blistering grooves.

Things began to heat up in the late ’70s, after the band relocated to Boston and signed with Rounder Records. Channeling the raw power of their live shows in the studio, they released their self-titled debut in 1977, followed a year later by their breakthrough album, Move It on Over. Their profile continued to rise with a string of popular releases, including More George Thorogood and the Destroyers (1980), Bad to the Bone (1982) and Maverick (1985). Still, their true passion always remained in the live arena.

“George’s connection to unvarnished, primal rock and roll made the music relevant in a way that no one could have predicted,” writes Billington, who spent over 40 years as Rounder’s Vice President of A&R. “And even though he went on to make many wonderful records…he’s the first to say that he’d rather be on stage than in a recording studio.”

The collection features highlights from the band’s earliest years. Standout performances include the previously unreleased “Ride on Josephine,” captured in 1978, and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” recorded in 1980. The latter—also making its debut on record—features stellar interplay between Thorogood and his late, longtime saxophonist Hank Carter. “Bad to the Bone” is culled from a triumphant 1982 homecoming show in Boston.

Fiery renditions of two blues classics, Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ for My Baby” (2023) and Willie Dixon’s “Tail Dragger” (2020), are exclusive to the CD and digital editions.

Today, the lineup, which currently consists of Thorogood, Simon (drums, percussion), Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (rhythm guitar), and Buddy Leach (saxophone)—have played more than 8,000 live shows. Career highlights include their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates tour in 1981; over 15 million albums sold worldwide; plus performances at Live Aid and on Saturday Night Live.

They are currently on the road once again for their “The Baddest Show on Earth” tour, with dates across North America, Europe & the U.K. (See below.)

George Thorogood The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live CD Tracklist
1. Who Do You Love (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
2. Move It On Over (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
4. Ride On Josephine (Live in Roslyn, New York – 1978)*
5. Madison Blues (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
6. Bad To The Bone (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
7. Born To Be Bad (Live in Sarasota, Florida – 2024)*
8. Steppin’ Out (Live in Midland, Texas – 2022)*
9. Howlin’ For My Baby (Live in Hyannis, Massachusetts – 2023)*
10. Tail Dragger (Live in Kansas City, Missouri – 2020)*
11. Boogie Chillun (Live in Toronto, Canada – 1978)*

*previously unreleased

George Thorogood and the Destroyers The Baddest Show on Earth Tour (Tickets are available here)
Mar 22: Conexus Arts Centre (Regina, Canada)
Mar 24: Burton Cummings Theatre (Winnipeg, Canada)
Mar 25: Amsoil Arena (Duluth, MN)
Mar 27: FireKeepers Casino (Battle Creek, MI)
Mar 28: Brown County Music Center (Nashville, IN)
Mar 29: Rialto Square Theatre (Joliet, IL)
Mar 31: The Midland Theatre (Newark, OH)
Apr 02: FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton, Canada)
Apr 03: Casino Rama Resort (Rama, Canada)
Apr 04: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa (Ottawa, Canada)
May 01: The Capitol Theatre (Port Chester, NY)
May 02: The Paramount (Huntington, NY)
May 03: Penn’s Peak (Jim Thorpe, PA)
May 05: Capital One Hall (Tysons, VA)
May 06: The Carolina Opry (Myrtle Beach, SC)
May 07: St. Augustine Amphitheatre (St. Augustine, FL)
May 09: Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival (Key West, FL)
May 10: Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel & Casino (Okeechobee, FL)
May 12: Macon City Auditorium (Macon, GA)
May 13: Pensacola Saenger Theatre (Pensacola, FL)
May 15: Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival (Richardson, TX)
May 16: Riverwind Casino (Norman, OK)
May 17: The Astro (La Vista, NE)
May 19: Vibrant Music Hall (Waukee, IA)
May 21: The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor (Windsor, CA)
May 22: Rose Music Center at The Heights (Huber Heights, OH)
May 23: Beaver Dam Amphitheater (Beaver Dam, KY)
Jun 20: Holland International Blues Festival (Grolloo, NL)
Jun 23: Uber Eats Music Hall (Berlin, DE)
Jun 26: Bataclan (Paris, FR)
Jun 29: The Civic Hall (Wolverhampton, UK)
Jun 30: Indigo at The O2 (London, UK)
Jul 4: Puistoblues (Järvenpää, FL)
Jul 10: Lakefront Music Fest 2026 (Prior Lake, MN)
Sep 04: Champlain Valley Fair (Essex Junction, VT)
Sep 25: One805Live! 2026 (George Thorogood & Buddy Leach) (Montecito, CA)

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