U2 dropped their second surprise EP of 2026, Easter Lily. The six-track release arrives just over 40 days after Days of Ash. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr’s neck surgery recovery paused the band, but new music signals full return.
Bono calls Easter Lily a “noisy, messy, unreasonably colourful” collection from an intimate place. Songs explore friendship, faith, endurance, and renewal. A full studio album follows later this year—U2’s first new material since 2017.
The EP pairs with a digital Propaganda fanzine. Guitarist The Edge describes Days of Ash as “a world in trauma,” while Easter Lily taps inner strength for life’s journey.
Hot Press deputy editor Stuart Clark loves the fire. He notes U2 shunned Joshua Tree nostalgia, staying tour-fresh. The tracks blend personal depth, religious undertones, 80s guitar jangle, and age-aware lyrics.
U2, Dublin-formed in 1976, boasts 175 million album sales. Clark praises the familiar yet fresh vibe—they embrace maturity without chasing youth.
