U2 on Dolly Parton's final duet; and the 'grudge match' behind their new album
U2 discusses their recent shift toward releasing music spontaneously, moving away from the high-hype marketing strategies of their past. The band reflects on their latest EPs, which address contemporary political and social issues.
Why it matters
It highlights a significant shift in how legacy artists engage with their audience and the music industry's traditional promotional models.
Image caption, U2 speaking to BBC News in Dublin, 2026 (L-R): Larry Mullen Jr, Edge, Bono, Adam Clayton
Music correspondent Published 10 minutes ago U2 are at their best when they act on instinct.
Their biggest songs are fuelled by fiery indignation (Pride, Sunday Bloody Sunday) or sudden inspiration (One, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own).
When they overthink, they misfire. An attempt to marry grunge and hip-hop on the 2006 single Get On Your Boots was, in the words of drummer Larry Mullen Jr, "a catastrophic choice".
So it was a good sign when, at the start of 2026, the band rushed out two EPs of new music, ripped from the headlines of a world in turmoil.
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