U2 Release Second Surprise EP of 2026: Easter Lily
Irish rock icons U2 have unveiled their second surprise EP of 2026, titled Easter Lily, featuring six tracks. This release arrives just over 40 days after their earlier EP, Days of Ash.
Following a period of relative quiet as drummer Larry Mullen Jr. recuperated from neck surgery, these two EPs come after last year's confirmation that the band is working on a new studio album.
Lead vocalist Bono has described the upcoming album as a "noisy, messy, unreasonably colourful" record, expected to be released later this year.
Regarding Easter Lily, Bono stated it originates from "a more intimate place" and contains songs that explore themes of "friendship, faith, endurance and renewal."
These EPs mark U2's first new material collections since 2017.
The release of Easter Lily is accompanied by a digital e-zine edition of U2's fanzine, Propaganda.
In the e-zine, guitarist The Edge commented that while Days of Ash addressed "a world in trauma," Easter Lily reflects where the band draws "strength to walk through this world."
Critical Perspectives and Industry Insights
Speaking to NI, Hot Press deputy editor Stuart Clark expressed his appreciation for the EP, noting,
"I really like it, I think with the other six songs [released in February] you feel like the fire is in the belly.
I suppose when they went and did the Joshua Tree tour you thought are they going to retreat into the back catalogue a wee bit and maybe for a few years they did.
But throughout their career U2 have always been about the new album, the next bunch of songs."
Clark observed that the songs are evidently deeply personal and that a religious element has consistently been present in U2's work.
He added,
"What I like about it is that it sounds fresh but there's still the 80s guitar jangle.
They're not pretending to be 20 anymore, but there are nods to really classic U2.
It feels familiar, while lyrically they are writing about their age."
"Mullen Jr in Fearsome Form"
Clark further commented on the band's current productivity and sense of liberation, stating,
"It sounds like they are being very productive and maybe a little liberated because [before] they were a band that had to plan an album release, tour it for an x amount of years, then repeat the cycle."
He highlighted the significance of Larry Mullen Jr.'s return, describing him as being "in fearsome form."
Clark remarked,
"It's always been the four, rarely have bands been so deeply rooted in friendship,"
"You thought if for some reason Larry wasn't able possibly to continue, you do wonder would they have had the same appetite they obviously have at the moment."
He also praised the band's ability to maintain secrecy around the releases, noting,
"It's always been the four, rarely have bands been so deeply rooted in friendship,"
"You thought if for some reason Larry wasn't able possibly to continue, you do wonder would they have had the same appetite they obviously have at the moment."
"It's always been the four, rarely have bands been so deeply rooted in friendship,"
Clark emphasized the impressive nature of avoiding leaks in an industry rife with scrutiny and technology, stating,
"In an industry with so much scrutiny and so many people around the place with camera phones, they've been really good at keeping things secret.
When those tracks came out earlier this year - normally you get a bit of advance warning, the fan sites, hints - but they really have managed to keep these two collections of songs coming under the radar."
Reception of Easter Lily
Reviews of Easter Lily have generally been positive.
The Irish Times described the EP as "an endearingly honest, questing record about friendship, faith, art, meaning and, appropriately for Easter, death and the possibility of rebirth." Reviewer Patrick Freyne noted,
"They have taken on a more euphoric register as they've aged."
Music magazine Mojo praised the EP as "their best collection of songs in decades," adding,
"While the Days Of Ash material landed like news bulletins from the world's multiple conflict zones – naming names, taking sides – this latest EP is a dispatch from the internal frontline, testing whether ties of faith and friendship will suffice in these dark times."
Variety commented that the band "is really starting to prolifically make up for lost time," and stated,
"With this release, U2 has bookended Lent with two very different collections."
Band Background and Legacy
Formed in Dublin in 1976, U2 rose to become one of the world's leading rock bands, selling over 175 million albums worldwide.
The group has won 22 Grammy Awards and achieved chart-topping success on both sides of the Atlantic.
The band members Bono (Paul Hewson), The Edge (David Evans), Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have remained consistent for five decades.
Their most recent album, Songs of Surrender (2023), is a collection of re-recorded songs, preceded by their 14th studio album, Songs of Experience (2017).
Easter Lily is currently available as a digital download and on streaming platforms.
