U2 Releases ‘Easter Lily,’ Band’s Second All-New EP of 2026

U2, which until this year had not released a batch of newly written material since 2017, is really starting to prolifically make up for lost time. At the stroke of midnight on the east coast, as Good Friday was ushered in, the band released “Easter Lily,” its second six-song EP of 2026.

With this release, U2 has bookended Lent with two very different collections. This new one follows on the heels of “Days of Ash,” which came out for Ash Wednesday on Feb. 18. That six-song set was largely concerned with war and strife in different parts of the world, while “Easter Lily,” as the title might suggest, has gentler and more spiritually themed material.

The track list for the new EP:

Song for Hal
In a Life
Scars
Resurrection Song
Easter Parade
COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?) – ft. a new soundscape by Brian Eno

As with “Days of Ash,” “Easter Lily” is only being offered digitally, not as an LP or CD release, and arrives with an epic version of Propaganda, their newly revived fan magazine. Links to the music and the digital issue of Propaganda can be found here.

Bono shared a note with fans, once again assuring them that a new album is still in the works, and that these EPs are side detours on the way to a wholly separate full-length.

“We are in the studio, still working towards a noisy, messy, ‘unreasonably colourful’ album to play LIVE… which is where U2 lives,” the singer wrote. “We still look to vivid rock ‘n’ roll as an act of resistance against all this awfulness on our small screens. These are for sure ‘wilderness years’ for so many of us looking at the mayhem out there in the world.”

He continued, “It’s a time that has our band digging deeper into our lives to find a wellspring of songs to try meet the moment… With ‘Easter Lily’ we ended up asking very personal questions like: Are our own relationships up to these challenging times? How hard do you fight for friendship? Can our faith survive the mangling of meaning that those algorithms love to reward? Is all religion rubbish and still ripping us apart…? Or are there answers to find in its crevices? Are there ceremonies, rituals, dances that we might be missing in our lives? From the rite of Spring to Easter and its promise of rebirth and renewal… Patti Smith’s album ‘Easter’ gave me so much hope when it was released in 1978. I wasn’t yet 18. The title is a nod to her.”

Bono concluded, cheekily, “We will attempt hoopla and fanfare at a later date to remind the rest of the world we exist but in the meantime… this is between you and us.”

An announcement about the EP described the individual songs as follows:

“‘Song for Hal’ is a COVID-19 lockdown lament, with the Edge on lead vocals, written for the band’s friend, the music-maker, Hal Willner, who would have turned 70 on Easter Monday and passed away almost 6 years ago to the day. 

“‘In a Life’ is a song celebrating friendship. 

“‘Scars’ is a song of encouragement and acceptance; scars and all, with a twist. 

“‘Resurrection Song’ is about pilgrimage, a road trip into the unknown with a lover or friend. 

“‘Easter Parade’ is a devotional song, a celebration of new life, rebirth and resurrection. ‘

“‘COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)’ is a lullaby for parents of children caught up in war, featuring a soundscape by Brian Eno.”