U2 will release its first studio album of new material in nine years this November, with the highly anticipated record featuring a duet with the late Dolly Parton that is described as her final recorded vocal performance.
Titled “Carnaval De Luz,” the Irish rock band’s 16th studio album is scheduled for release on Nov. 13, 2026. The 12-track record was produced by Jacknife Lee and follows two surprise EP releases by the band earlier this year.
The album will close with “Torn,” a duet between U2 frontman Bono and Parton. The song was co-written by U2, Parton and Snow Patrol songwriter Johnny McDaid and explores broken family relationships through a country-inspired sound.
Parton died on Aug. 25 at the age of 80, making the recording especially significant. Bono revealed that the song was recorded in June and said Parton had made the effort to record her vocals despite being unwell.
The album also brings together several prominent collaborators. Brian Eno contributes to three tracks, Martin Garrix co-wrote “Glorify,” Daniel Lanois plays pedal steel on “Torn,” and Ryan Tedder provided additional production on “Silencio.”
U2 has already released two songs from the project. “Street of Dreams” arrived in July, followed by “Silencio” on Sept. 24 alongside the album announcement. The band filmed the “Silencio” music video in Mexico City earlier this year.
The album arrives during a milestone year for U2. September 2026 marks 50 years since drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice at Dublin’s Mount Temple Comprehensive School seeking musicians to form a band. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Mullen ultimately became the core lineup that has remained together across five decades.
“Carnaval De Luz” follows the band’s two six-track EPs released earlier this year, “Days of Ash” and “Easter Lily.” The new album continues the creative period that produced those releases while moving into themes of spirituality, friendship, freedom and endurance.
The record also marks another collaboration with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who previously worked with U2 on major albums including “The Unforgettable Fire,” “The Joshua Tree” and “Achtung Baby.”
With U2 returning to a full-length album of new material and Parton’s final recorded vocal serving as its closing moment, “Carnaval De Luz” is set to become one of the band’s most closely watched releases in years.
The album’s November arrival will bring together a five-decade U2 legacy, new collaborations and one final recording from Parton — giving “Torn” a significance that extends far beyond its place as the record’s closing track.
