U2 Records 'Defiantly Joyful' Album
U2 is back in the studio recording a "defiantly joyful" album with Larry Mullen Jr. returning on drums. The new material is said to differ in mood and theme from their recent releases, hinting at another evolution in the band's storied career.
- Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. sat out the band's recent 40-show "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere" residency in Las Vegas to recover from neck surgery and other injuries related to drumming. Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg filled in, marking the first time U2 had performed without Mullen since 1978. - The band's last collection of new original songs was the surprise EP *Days of Ash*, released on February 18, 2026. Bono described those politically charged songs as "impatient to be out in the world" and different in mood and theme from the upcoming full album. - Before that, their most recent album was *Songs of Surrender* (2023), which featured 40 re-recorded and reimagined tracks from their extensive back catalog. The band's last full album of new material was 2017's *Songs of Experience*. - Reports suggest the band is reuniting with producer Brian Eno, who was at the helm for some of their most iconic albums, including *The Joshua Tree* and *Achtung Baby*. Other sessions have reportedly involved producers Steve Lillywhite and Jacknife Lee. - Bassist Adam Clayton has intriguingly described the new material's direction as "science fiction Irish folk music." The band has also stated a desire to strip back their sound and capture the energy of playing live together in a room. - The Las Vegas residency, which ran from September 2023 to March 2024, was a massive commercial success, grossing over $244 million. Larry Mullen Jr. attended one of the final performances as an audience member, where the band dedicated "Beautiful Day" to him.
