U2 have announced Carnaval de Luz, their 16th studio album and first set of new material in nine years. Island Records will release the 12-song collection on November 13, 2026, landing in the band’s 50th year.
New single “Silencio” is out now, following July’s “Street of Dreams.” The Edge called the album “a messy, provocative, sacred collection of songs,” while Bono framed it as a louder, more defiantly joyful carnival of light against darker forces outside.
Closing track “Torn” features Dolly Parton’s final recorded vocal performance, a duet with Bono completed before Parton’s death on August 25 at age 80. Other guests include Brian Eno on synths and co-writes, Martin Garrix on “Glorify,” Daniel Lanois on pedal steel for “Torn,” Ryan Tedder with additional production on “Silencio,” and Rosalía on “The Mirror Maker.”
Jacknife Lee produced the record, which follows this year’s surprise EPs Days of Ash and Easter Lily. The release arrives roughly 50 years after Larry Mullen Jr.’s Mount Temple school noticeboard ad that started the band.
Image: U2 — Viviane Sassen / The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/sep/24/u2-announce-new-album-carnaval-de-luz-featuring-final-recording-by-dolly-parton