The Longest Johns are a Bristol-based a cappella folk trio - Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley and Robbie Sattin - who formed in 2012 after bonding over sea shanties at a friend's barbecue. They built a loyal following through YouTube and festival stages before their recording of "Wellerman" became a centrepiece of the global ShantyTok craze in early 2021, landing them a deal with Decca Records. Alongside traditional maritime songs, they write and record their own material, and their catalogue now spans ten albums including the fan-funded Voyage (2024) and Ends of the Earth (2026).
The Longest Johns released their tenth album Ends of the Earth on 1 May 2026, featuring mostly original songs and produced by Paul Worthington at Salt Studios in Newcastle.
The band launched a Kickstarter campaign in January 2026 to fund Ends of the Earth, raising £86,431 from 1,500 backers against a £50,000 goal.
The Longest Johns are touring across the UK, Europe, North America and Canada in 2026 in support of Ends of the Earth, with over 29 dates scheduled.
The band performed at the opening of the 2025 Pokémon Europe International Championships, debuting a new track called Face the World written specifically for the event.
The Longest Johns released the fan-funded album Voyage in 2024, accompanied by a companion book of original short stories, artwork and lyrics.
British sea shanty group The Longest Johns perform in Cologne as part of their "The Ends of the Earth Tour".
British sea shanty group The Longest Johns brings their "The Ends of the Earth Tour" to Hamburg.