U2 to Release Carnaval de Luz Studio Album on November 13, 2026

U2 reaches for the re-enchantment of a weary world on Carnaval de Luz, their 15th studio album and first collection of original material in nearly a decade, arriving November 13, 2026.

Produced by Jacknife Lee alongside Martin Garrix, Brian Eno, and Ryan Tedder, the record finds drummer Larry Mullen Jr. back behind the kit and Bono rediscovering his creative spark across an eclectic mix of rock anthems and spiritual ballads.

U2 marks fifty years with Carnaval De Luz

• A Decade in the Making: Marking nine years since 2017’s Songs of Experience and celebrating 50 years together, the Dublin rock band offers an album of two halves defined by loud guitars and unashamed optimism. In the interim, fans saw the publication of books, the Vegas Sphere residency, and the 2023 release Songs of Surrender, which found the group revisiting and reworking 40 tracks spanning their career. U2 kicked off 2026 on a high note by launching a pair of EPs titled Days of Ash and Easter Lily, before shifting their focus toward their 16th studio record, Carnaval De Luz.
• Collaborative Heavyweights: The record features contributions from Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and a poignant final recording from the late Dolly Parton on the closing duet “Torn.”
• Contrasting Tones: Moving away from the dourness of U2’s last few studio albums, the album ranges from experimental electronica to soaring pop anthems, despite a few clunkers and potholes along the way.

Opening the Carnival with Electronic Experiments

The spirit of mischief continues on “La Reina,” which retools the classic guitar hooks of “Even Better Than The Real Thing.” Meanwhile, XS Noize noted that tracks like “Street Of Dreams” carry distinct echoes of “Get On Your Boots” from No Line On The Horizon. The Guardian observed that Bono reflects directly on the band’s 1976 origins at Mount Temple comprehensive school in Dublin during the opening of “If the World Is at War We Better Not Be.”

Or as Bono has it, We made the melodies sweeter and the songs, they better shine, because if the world is in darkness, we better not be. “Nobody is alone, but nobody knows that,” sings Bono, in the manner of David Bowie’s “Oh no love, you’re not alone” coda on Rock’n’Roll Suicide, and just as effectively.

Shifting Gears into the Second Half

The Guardian highlighted the lightness of touch on songs like “Glorify,” a Tropicália-infused gospel track that grows richer with every listen. The Tropicália-infused “Glorify” is a 21st-century gospel track that grows with every listen. “Midnight Sunshine” pairs an anxious lyrical warning about bunkers with a sweet guitar jangle and twinkling bells.

The atmospheric epic “Can’t Stop Us Now” stretches its legs with shimmering synths and clattering drums. The song features Adam Cayton’s best bass part in years and the Edge in excelsis amid banks of shimmering synths and clattering drums.

Photo: The Guardian

Closing with a Historic Duet

The record saves its most emotionally resonant moment for the very end. Following in the footsteps of Johnny Cash’s haunting turn on 1993’s “The Wanderer” from Zooropa, the final track “Torn” features the late Dolly Parton. RTE.ie reported that Parton delivers her final ever recording on a moving, faltering duet addressing a divided house where brothers turn to strangers.

Album Element	Key Collaborators	Notable Tracks
Production	Jacknife Lee, Martin Garrix, Brian Eno, Ryan Tedder	“Go (Carnaval De Luz)”
Guest Appearances	Rosalía, Daniel Lanois, Dolly Parton	“The Mirror Maker”, “Torn”
Rhythmic Core	Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton	“Can’t Stop Us Now”, “The Greatest Show On Earth”

As U2 marks half a century of playing together, Carnaval de Luz proves the band is unwilling to coast quietly on legacy alone. By pairing modern electronic textures with classic rock arrangements, the group keeps the show firmly on the road.

More on this story: U2's Carnaval De Luz: First New Album In Nine Years