Irish rock icons U2 have suddenly dropped new music with no warning — a politically charged, surprise-released EP titled Days of Ash on 18 February 2026 (Ash Wednesday). It’s their first set of original songs in nearly a decade and arrives well ahead of a full studio album expected later this year.
The six-track Days of Ash includes five brand-new songs and a poem, all of which are now streaming widely with accompanying lyric videos. The project was produced by Jacknife Lee and released through Island Records as a self-contained collection responding directly to urgent global events and human rights struggles.
The EP features:
- “American Obituary” — a pointed tribute to Renée Nicole Good, the Minneapolis mother killed by ICE agents.
- “The Tears of Things” — a moving reflection on loss and resilience.
- “Song of the Future” — about Iranian schoolgirl Sarina Esmailzadeh.
- “Wildpeace” — a poem by Yehuda Amichai set to music, read by Nigerian artist Adeola.
- “One Life at a Time” — inspired by Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen.
- “Yours Eternally” — featuring Ed Sheeran and Ukrainian musician-soldier Taras Topolia, written as a letter from a soldier’s perspective. A short documentary accompanying this track is set to premiere on 24 February, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Vocalist Bono explained that these songs “couldn’t wait” to be released — that their urgent themes of defiance, lamentation, and social upheaval demanded an immediate platform.
He emphasized the EP’s distinct tone, contrasting it with the more celebratory material planned for the full album later in 2026.
Bassist Adam Clayton echoed the timing’s importance, saying the music feels like “the right moment” for these stories to be shared. Guitarist The Edge framed the project as a stand for human dignity and the belief that cultural identity and memory shouldn’t be erased by force.
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr., recently recovered from health issues that previously sidelined him, suggested these tracks reflect some of the band’s “best work” — and that the decision to drop them now was rooted in conviction rather than strategy.
To accompany the release, U2 revived their long-running fanzine Propaganda with a special 52-page edition titled Days of Ash: Six Postcards From The Present… Wish We Weren’t Here. The issue includes lyrics, insights from band members, interviews with the documentary creators, and commentary on the themes of the EP.
Though Days of Ash stands on its own, U2 confirmed that it precedes a new full-length studio album slated for late 2026. The band stresses that the EP’s raw, politically charged tone is intentionally different from the more celebratory and expansive sound planned for that upcoming release.
