Hi John,
2016. What a year it's been.
We toured in South Africa, South America, Europe, Canada and North America. We made and performed music with some incredible talents including Baaba Maal, The Very Best and Beatenberg. We headlined at some amazing festivals, including British Summer Time at Hyde Park in our home town. Mostly it comes down to you though. We do what we do because of your support - and we love you for it.
Marcus and Winston have shared some highlights from the past year, along with their top tracks of 2016 and some thoughts for the future.
Marcus's highlights include: - Playing with Willie Nelson at the Austin City Limits festival
- Crowdsurfing with 65,000 people in Hyde Park, London
- Everything about South Africa and South America
- Motorcycle rides wherever we've been on tour
- AFC Wimbledon's first season in League One
- Meeting some of my heroes with War Child in Gaza and the Central African Republic
Winston's top moments include: - The best touring ever done with Mumford & Sons - South Africa, South America, best ever European tour with not a cloud in the sky til the third week, plus America and Hyde Park
- Making and playing the Johannesburg record
- DJing on the beach at Lighthouse Festival in Croatia
- Impromptu DJ set at a nightclub in Bogota off my tits
- Gatecrashing a house party in Mexico City where the whole house was dancing to a mariachi band off their tits
- Escaping my echo chamber
Marcus shared his top musical picks for the year: - Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
- Hamilton Leithauser & Rostam - I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
- Bon Iver - 22, A Million
- Kevin Garrett - Coloring
- Liv Dawson - Tapestry
Winston's favourites include: - Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine
- Drake - Views
- Various Artists - Day Of The Dead
- Shura - Nothing's Real
- Beyoncé - Lemonade
Marcus told us that his fan highlights for 2016 include meeting South American fans for the first time, especially the show in São Paulo. Plus a special mention for "the people I get to dance with during Ditmas every night in the crowd!"
Marcus and Winston are both looking forward to making a new Mumford & Sons record in 2017. Yes.. a new record!
The lads also gave us a peek behind the scenes, sharing a few candid phone pics.
Marcus and Winston go to the Euros:
Marcus riding in Argentina:
...and Switzerland:
...and Antwerp:
It's not all glamour though - Marcus was bitten by a water snake in a swimming hole in upstate New York:
Kicking back with the crew playing flip cup:
Lads' retreat with manager Adam:
Ted's tech Ryan strikes a pose:
Keeping track of the setlists backstage:
Winston walks his baby to the bus:
Check out the new live video for "Believe", filmed in South Africa in February, taken from our forthcoming live concert spectacular, Dust And Thunder. You can now pre-order Dust And Thunder along with the documentary We Wrote This Yesterday, telling the story of how our mini-album Johannesburg was written and recorded.
PRE-ORDER NOW 
Our love and thanks to each and every one of you! We'll be seeing you soon.
M&S HQ x
In loving memory of Beth Eilers, whom we were honoured to call our friend.
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