Bono says U2’s new political record will ‘offend and annoy some people’ but that’s their ‘job’

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Bono has said U2’s new EP Days Of Ash will ‘offend and annoy‘ some people.

The Irish band has a new album out – released on Ash Wednesday – and, as with a lot of their songs, it tackles current events and political issues.

Topics addressed include the Israel/Palestine conflict, the war in Ukraine and repression in Iran. 

In an interview with The Sun, Bono explained that all the songs on the album ‘Days of Ash’ reflect the challenging times we’re currently living through – times we wish were different, but are facing nonetheless.

These songs express both strong protest and deep sadness, filled with mourning. They felt urgent, like they needed to be shared immediately.

These songs are all about how we’re feeling right now – some are immediate reactions, while others are more thoughtful. We expect they might upset or bother some people, but that’s what we aim for!

He described the songs on the record as portraits of those who are ‘at the frontline of freedom’. 

U2 frequently draws inspiration from current events in their songwriting. For example, their 1983 song “Sunday Bloody Sunday” powerfully portrays the violence and suffering during The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

In 2023, U2 re-released their song ‘Walk On’ to support and inspire the people of Ukraine.

Days Of Ash is the band’s first major release since 2017’s Songs Of Experience. 

Let me tell you, even seasoned pros like Bono can have a bit of a PR stumble! Back in 2014, U2 unexpectedly delivered their album, Songs of Innocence, directly into the iTunes libraries of millions of users worldwide. It caused quite a stir, and Bono ended up having to apologize for the unexpected delivery. It just goes to show, even with the best intentions, things don’t always go as planned!

At the iPhone 6 launch, Apple revealed that everyone with an iTunes Store account in 119 countries would receive the newest album from the Irish band as a free gift.

Some iTunes users were upset when albums were downloaded to their accounts without their consent.

Bono, the lead singer of U2, called Apple’s decision a mix of excessive ambition and kindness. When someone pointed out that automatically adding his band’s music to devices felt pushy, Bono simply apologized, saying, ‘Oops, my mistake.’

The first song on Days Of Ash, American Obituary, is dedicated to the late Renee Good.

Good was fatally shot at 37 on January 7 in Minneapolis during a confrontation with an ICE officer.

The song’s lyrics contain powerful and unsettling imagery, including the lines: ‘Renee Good born to die free/American mother of three/Seventh day January, a bullet for each child, you see.’ These lines suggest a story of freedom, motherhood, and potential violence.

The song’s chorus includes the lines, ‘What can’t be destroyed will live on / America will overcome those who deceive.’

Bono explained in an online article accompanying the album that the song expresses both anger and, more powerfully, sadness.

The singer, known for ‘Beautiful Day,’ also stated that justice wasn’t served for Renee, and that at the very least, her death deserved a proper investigation…

To protect her family, maintain public trust in law enforcement, and ensure they can continue to keep our community safe.

Other tracks on the EP cover issues such as conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East. 

Bono felt the moment was right to share a song responding to the current political debates in the US.

U2 has frequently expressed their fascination with America throughout their career – it’s a country we deeply admire, and that has consistently shown us a lot of support, which is incredible.

‘Americans for the most part have given U2 and me in particular permission to mouth off… 

I’ve always tried to be fair – I’ve definitely challenged people on both sides of the political spectrum, and haven’t hesitated to call out anyone I disagree with, no matter their views. I really believe in holding everyone accountable.

Becca Good, Renee Good’s partner, shared a statement on Wednesday saying Renee wasn’t just a believer in kindness, she truly embodied it. She felt strongly that everyone deserved equal compassion, care, and respect.

Good’s family said they were deeply honored by the tribute from the famous rock band.

They expressed their joy that U2, with their incredible talent and influence, are sharing a message of peace in honor of Renee.

The band’s passionate plea for unity and progress clearly captures the serious challenges facing the nation.

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2026-02-19 12:22