U2 have released “The Greatest Show on Earth,” a new single from forthcoming album Carnaval De Luz, and named their 2027 world tour after the same song. The record is scheduled for November 13.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Bono called the track his favorite on the album and “maybe our greatest song in a very long time,” adding that it was “a reason to stay in the band.” The accompanying video, directed by longtime collaborator Anton Corbijn in the California desert, places the group in a stylized religious-cult tableau that leans into the lyric’s mix of cathedral imagery and hard-won dreams.
Touring under the banner The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour, U2 open in February 2027 in Mexico City, then play São Paulo and Buenos Aires. North American and European dates are still forthcoming. In a band statement, the four framed the title as a dare to themselves as much as to audiences: “a bit of showman, a bit of shaman, a riot of color, unreasonable guitar, bass and drums, and tunes you can hold onto.”
The single follows earlier Carnaval De Luz previews “Silencio” and “Street of Dreams.” Bassist Adam Clayton told Rolling Stone the album is “an extraordinary collection of songs” and “the culmination of the work that everyone has been doing for 50 years,” positioning the November release and the 2027 roadshow as a linked next chapter rather than a one-off single drop.
Image credit: Viviane Sassen / Rolling Stone.
Source: Rolling Stone.