U2 announce 16th album Carnaval De Luz for November with Dolly Parton and Rosalia
U2 have put a date on their 50th year as a band: Carnaval De Luz, a 12-track studio album due on 13 November 2026.
The band confirmed the details on 24 Sept alongside the release of second single Silencio, as reported by Billboard. The release date and pre-orders are listed on U2.com.
It is the group’s 16th studio album. It is also their first full album of new material in nine years, following 2017’s Songs of Experience.
That gap stretches back to 2017. U2 kept busy this year with two shorter collections, the EPs — extended plays — Days of Ash and Easter Lily.
Street of Dreams started the new campaign in July. Silencio follows it as the second single. Its video was shot in Mexico City and directed by Cliqua.
The full tracklist runs: Go (Carnaval De Luz), La Reina, Street of Dreams, The Mirror Maker, Superficiality, If the World is At War We Better Not Be, Silencio, The Greatest Show on Earth, Glorify, Midnight Sunshine, Can’t Stop Us Now and Torn.
The closing song brings the biggest guest name. Torn features Dolly Parton and is described as her final vocal performance. It was co-written by U2, Parton and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid.
Elsewhere, The Mirror Maker features Rosalía. For fans, this means two very different voices sit inside the same album sequence, one at track four and one at track twelve.
Behind the boards, the album was produced by Jacknife Lee. Brian Eno co-wrote and played synthesiser on Go (Carnaval De Luz) and The Greatest Show on Earth. Martin Garrix co-wrote Glorify, Daniel Lanois played pedal steel guitar on Torn, and Ryan Tedder provided additional production on Silencio.
Physical buyers get choice. According to U2.com, Carnaval De Luz will be available as a Limited Edition Deluxe Vinyl Boxset, a Limited Edition Dark Blue Marble Vinyl, a Limited Edition Cassette and a Limited Edition Deluxe CD Boxset. Pre-orders are open now.
