U2 Announces 16th Album, ‘Carnaval De Luz’
The LP features a contribution from the late, great Dolly Parton.
U2 has announced Carnaval De Luz, marking the legendary band’s 16th studio album.
Carnaval De Luz features Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. celebrating 50 years together in U2. The album includes singles like “Street of Dreams,” “Silencio,” and the one-of-a-kind “Torn,” which features a guest appearance from the late, great Dolly Parton. Produced by Jacknife Lee and recorded in locations around the world, Carnaval De Luz features 12 songs exploring themes of spirituality, friendship, freedom, and endurance. The album follows U2’s six surprise-released EPs Days of Ash and Easter Lily, which were recorded during the same creative period.
It comes at a thrilling time for the band, as they were recently named MusiCares’ 2027 Persons of the Year, recognizing the Irish band’s five-decade career and long record of humanitarian work. All four members of the group will accept the honor at next year’s Persons of the Year gala, set for February 5 at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater—two nights before the Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena. In years past, artists have gathered to perform songs by the night’s recognized act, and this year, that concert will be open to the public for the first time ever. Lineup details have yet to be announced.
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“We are huge fans of MusiCares and the lifelines they provide across the incredible pool of talent that is the music industry,” U2 said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “We’ve been recording and touring for 50 years because of that pool, from producers and engineers to carpenters and riggers. ‘Persons of the Year’ couldn’t be a better title as it’s the people we’ve been so fortunate to work with, and of course our indomitable audience, that have given us the opportunity to keep making music and keep rocking the boat on things we really care about. It’s such an honour, and we’re very excited to be in the front row of our first ever U2 gig…we know we’re gonna be outplayed.”
On the new music front, U2 has stayed busy outside of prepping their 16th LP. In August, they shared their contribution to the upcoming tribute album 20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan. The band covered the Pogues’ 1988 classic “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah” for the collection, out November 13 via Rubyworks.
