U2 Turns 50 With a Carnival of an Album, and a Goodbye From Dolly Parton
U2 has been a band since 1976, and on Friday it marked that 50th year the best way it knows how: with a new studio album. "Carnaval De Luz" is officially out, the band's 16th studio record, and early reviews suggest Bono and company actually sound energized rather than nostalgic.
The album is the last piece of a trilogy that started with two EPs released earlier in 2026, "Days of Ash" and "Easter Lily." Jacknife Lee produced it, and long-time collaborator Brian Eno pops up on three songs. Bono says the idea of a carnival shaped the record from day one, and you can hear it in tracks like "Go (Carnaval De Luz)" and "La Reina". The Irish News singled out those along with "The Mirror Maker (Rosalia)", "Glorify", "Midnight Sunshine" and "Can't Stop Us Now". The Edge even described the single "The Greatest Show on Earth" as something like a sequel to "With or Without You", which is a bold thing to say about any song.
The emotional centerpiece is the closer, "Torn," a duet with Dolly Parton, written with Johnny McDaid. Parton died on August 25, and this could be the last vocal she ever recorded. The Irish News reviewer admitted the track feels a bit out of step with the rest of the album but said that's easy to forgive given what it means.
There's a chart story too. If it hits No. 1 in the UK, Official Charts says it'll be U2's 12th chart-topping album there, tying Bruce Springsteen for the most. And the band is reportedly planning to tour the world next year.