Released today, this is the sixteenth studio album by Irish rock band U2. In the last 20 years, U2 has only released 3 albums of new material, but in 2026 they released 2 albums worth (2 EPs earlier this year and this LP). U2 is also celebrating 50 years as a band this year which is an impressive feat. Like the EPs earlier this year, the chatter from some music fans is that U2 is sounding better than they have for over 20 years, and I think I agree. But I'm not ready to say that it's as good as the stuff they made in their heyday (1983-2003 or so). On this album, a good amount of lyrical phrases are in Spanish/Portuguese, including the album title and a song inspired by the music and performance of pop star Rosalia. And their first tour dates are in Latin America and Europe, primarily countries that speak those languages. The opening track has the same guitar riff as appeared at the end of spring's Easter Lily EP and shows the band is still trying to have fun and experiment with sounds. "The Greatest Show On Earth" is a bit slow to start but has a good vibe and hearkens back to their Joshua Tree days. And Bono tries to keep his head from getting to big with "The Greatest Show..." and "Superficiality". There are some references to a higher power throughout, but the band's biggest message seems to be we need to not fight each other. The final track, "Torn", was a collaboration with Dolly Parton and is a beautiful song that she started and the band worked with her to make it their own. It is the last thing Parton recorded before passing away a few months ago and is a highlight as well as a beautiful closer to the album. It will take me a few more listens to decide exactly where this fits in U2's oeuvre, but it seems like the band still has some of that magic that made them international stars decades ago.

Release Year: 2026
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