| Days of Ash | ||||
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | 18 February 2026 | |||
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| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 23:30 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Jacknife Lee | |||
| U2 chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Days of Ash | ||||
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Days of Ash is an EP by the Irish rock band U2. Produced by Jacknife Lee, it was released on 18 February 2026 by Island Records,[2] coinciding with Ash Wednesday. The six-track EP contains five new songs, including protest songs addressing the killings of Minneapolis woman Renée Good, Iranian teenager Sarina Esmailzadeh, and Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, as well as a poem by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai set to music.[3] It is the first collection of original songs released by the band since their studio album Songs of Experience in 2017.[4] The EP release was accompanied by a lyric video for each track[5] and a one-off special edition of the group's official magazine, Propaganda.[6]
Band commentary
U2's lead vocalist Bono commented on the sudden release of the EP, and the nature of its contents, stating: "These EP tracks couldn't wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation". He also confirmed that a studio album would follow later in 2026, with songs of a different style: "The songs on Days of Ash are very different in mood and theme to the ones we're going to put on our album later in the year".[4]
The EP release was accompanied a one-off edition of Propaganda, their official magazine. The 52-page digital magazine described Days of Ash as "six postcards from the present... Wish we weren't here".[6] The 'zine contains interview material from the artists,[4] including drummer Larry Mullen Jr. commenting that "we've never shied away from taking a position and sometimes that can get a bit messy, there's always some sort of blowback, but it's a big side of who we are and why we still exist". U2 guitarist the Edge stated that U2 believes in "a world where borders are not erased by force" and Bono recognised the positive impact of Jewish morality, and scientists, writers and songwriters; he also commented that "the rape, murder and abduction of Israelis on 7 October was evil, but self-defence is no defence for the sweeping brutality of Netanyahu's response", and "ask anyone in east Germany or Poland or Latvia if they think Putin will stop at Ukraine if he can get away with it?"[4] The band mentioned that financial contributions will be made to the UNHCR, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Amnesty International.[5]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [8] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [9] |
| The Guardian | [10] |
| Mojo | [11] |
| Pitchfork | 6.0/10[12] |
| The Standard | [13] |
| The Times | [14] |
In a four-star review, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian found the songs a return to form for U2, saying that they "reaffirm[ed] the band as a vital political force" and "that zeal, purpose and belief has been recaptured". The songs were likened to U2's 1983 album War and were likewise noted for their combination of biblical imagery and political messaging.[10] Una Mullally of The Irish Times described the band as "reinvigorated" with the songs having a "surprising urgency [with] power and tenderness". Specific regard was given to "The Tears of Things", which was described as "melodically and structurally rather stunning". The song "Yours Eternally" was praised as being "an immediate and technicolour banger".[15] Billboard called Days of Ash an "emotional, classically stirring U2 collection" and felt that U2 "met the moment" with the material attuned to the current political and social climate.[5] Writing in The Daily Telegraph, critic Neil McCormick gave Days of Ash four out of five stars and described it as U2’s most overtly political and urgent release in years, comparing its themes and intensity to the band's protest-era work of the 1980s. He highlighted the EP's focus on contemporary global conflicts and social unrest, noting a mix of punk-driven aggression and more reflective, melodic material. McCormick singled out "The Tears of Things" as a standout track with a poetic, meditative, and atmospheric character with anthemic qualities.[9] Pat Carty in The Irish Independent wrote that Days of Ash was their best release in decades, and that "American Obituary" in particular, "rocks like a battleship balancing on a bottle of milk".[16]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Bono, except where noted; all music is composed by U2, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "American Obituary" | 4:23 | ||
| 2. | "The Tears of Things" | 5:25 | ||
| 3. | "Song of the Future" | 3:55 | ||
| 4. | "Wildpeace" (spoken word by Adeola) | Yehuda Amichai | 1:18 | |
| 5. | "One Life at a Time" |
| 4:03 | |
| 6. | "Yours Eternally" (featuring Ed Sheeran and Taras Topolia) |
| 4:26 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]
U2
- Bono – vocals (tracks 1–3, 5, 6)
- The Edge – guitar (all tracks), vocals (1–3, 5, 6)
- Adam Clayton – bass guitar
- Larry Mullen Jr. – drums
Guest musicians
- Jacknife Lee – programming (2–6), guitar (2, 3, 5, 6), piano (2, 5), background vocals (3), keyboards (4, 6), synthesizer (4), additional vocals (6)
- Adeola – spoken word (4)
- Ed Sheeran – vocals (6)
- Taras Topolia – vocals (6)
- Bob Geldof – choir vocals (6)
- Chupryna Valeria – choir vocals (6)
- Dmytro Vodovozov – choir vocals (6)
- Dmytro Zholud – choir vocals (6)
- Jeanne Marine – choir vocals (6)
- Kateryna Motrych – choir vocals (6)
- Maksym Syvolap – choir vocals (6)
- Mykhailo Chirko – choir vocals (6)
- Nadya Tolokonnikova – choir vocals (6)
- Sergii Vusyk – choir vocals (6)
- Vladyslav Greziev – choir vocals (6)
Technical personnel
- Jacknife Lee – production (all tracks), mixing (1, 2, 4)
- Duncan Stewart – engineering
- Tom Elmhirst – mixing (3, 5, 6)
- Scott Sedillo – mastering
Charts
| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] | 54 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19] | 14 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] | 14 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] | 8 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[22] | 123 |
| French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP)[23] | 5 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] | 87 |
| Irish Albums (OCC)[25] | 32 |
| Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[26] | 10 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 8 |
| UK Albums Sales (OCC)[28] | 8 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[29] | 18 |
References
- ^ Fontana, Stefano (18 February 2026). "Song Of The Future - U2". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "U2 surprise-release new EP Days Of Ash". Hot Press. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ Corcoran, Nina (18 February 2026). "U2 Release New EP Days of Ash". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (18 February 2026). "Bono lambasts ICE, Putin, Netanyahu and more as U2 release first collection of new songs since 2017". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ a b c Kaufman, Gil (18 February 2026). "U2 Meet the Moment With 'Days of Ash' EP Spotlighting Renée Good Killing, Gaza, Ukraine Wars: 'These EP Tracks Couldn't Wait'". Billboard. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ a b "U2 Propaganda Days of Ash EP". U2 Propaganda Days of Ash EP. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
- ^ "Days of Ash EP by U2 Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ Yeung, Neil Z. (25 February 2026). "Days of Ash − U2". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ a b McCormick, Neil (18 February 2026). "U2 are back on the barricades with their most political work in years". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (18 February 2026). "U2: Days of Ash review – six new tracks reaffirm the band as a vital political voice". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ Doyle, Tom (19 February 2026). "U2 − Days of Ash". Mojo. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ Sodomsky, Sam (25 February 2026). "Days of Ash EP: U2". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Robinson, Martin (20 February 2026). "U2's Days of Ash EP: Political fury drives a thrilling set of comeback songs". The Standard. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Will (19 February 2026). "U2: Days of Ash review — the protest song is alive once more". The Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ Mullally, Una (18 February 2026). "U2 Days of Ash review: You may loathe the politically broad tone, but the band sounds reinvigorated". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ Carty, Pat (19 February 2026). "A band revitalised and full of political fire – U2's surprise 'Days of Ash' EP is their best release in decades". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
- ^ "Days Of Ash EP / U2 / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 March 2026". The ARIA Report. No. 1878. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 March 2026. p. 6.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – U2 – Days of Ash EP" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Days of Ash EP" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – U2 – Days of Ash EP" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ "Top Albums (Semaine du 27 février 2026)". Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Top Rock & Metal Albums (Semaine du 27 février 2026)" (in French). Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – U2 – Days of Ash EP" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart on 27/2/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: 2026-03-02" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 25 February 2026. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – U2 – Days of Ash EP". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart on 20/02/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
- ^ "U2 Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
External links
- Days of Ash at U2.com
- Days of Ash playlist on YouTube
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