The rock group, known for its political engagement since its beginnings, will release a new album at the end of 2026.
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/2026/02/19/000-329p39b-6996cb107ec84162483372.jpg "War in Ukraine, Donald Trump…the Irish group U2 releases a politically charged EP")
The Irish rock band U2 released new songs on Wednesday, February 18, featuring Ed Sheeran and a Ukrainian soldier, addressing the war in Ukraine and the American immigration police. “Days of Ash” is “a direct response to current events, inspired by the many extraordinary and courageous people fighting on the front lines for freedom,” the group wrote on their site.
This EP (short format) consists of five songs and a poem, released ahead of an album announced for late 2026, their first with new songs since 2017. The group, a star of the 80s and 90s with their politically engaged songs, explores themes of war, violence, and politics. In “Yours Eternally,” focusing on the war between Ukraine and Russia, U2 gives the microphone to Ukrainian soldier Taras Topolia. The group is set to release a video on February 24 to mark the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.
American Obituary deals with the death of Renee Good, a mother killed on January 7 by an agent of the American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These new tracks are “songs of defiance, dismay, and lament,” commented 65-year-old singer Bono.
“There’s nothing normal about this crazy and exasperating period, and we must rally before we can regain confidence in the future,” added the group’s leader.
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