In early 2026, U2 surprise released a pair of six-track EPs to bookend the Lent season: Days of Ash in February on Ash Wednesday , and Easter Lily in April on Good Friday . They were the group’s first collections of newly written songs since Songs of Experience in 2017, and they marked Mullen’s return to the band after his absence from their Sphere residency. Days of Ash included protest songs addressing the killings of Minneapolis woman Renée Good , Iranian teenager Sarina Esmailzadeh , and Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen , while by contrast, Easter Lily featured lyrical themes of friendship, loss, faith, and renewal. Preceding the band’s 50th anniversary, in July 2026 U2 released the single “Street of Dreams”, said to be from their forthcoming album. The song was accompanied by a short film starring footballer David Beckham in conjunction with the 2026 FIFA World Cup .
Days of Ash and Easter Lily EPs
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