U2 released a six-track EP, Days of Ash, on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The band framed it as a quick-response set of songs shaped by real-world crises and the lives caught within them.
In notes shared with the release, U2 pointed to “American Obituary” as the opening statement. The song centers on Renée Nicole Macklin Good, a Minneapolis mother of three who was killed in January during a federal immigration operation known as “Operation Metro Surge.” Bono’s lyrics challenge the government’s classification of Good as a “domestic terrorist,” a label that is the subject of a high-profile lawsuit filed by her family against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Other tracks broaden the focus to global conflicts, including material tied to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. One of the closing pieces, “Yours Eternally,” features Ed Sheeran alongside Ukrainian musician Taras Topolia. U2 linked the collaboration to their earlier visit to Kyiv and announced a short documentary connected to the song for February 24, marking four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Alongside the EP, U2 revived their official Propaganda fan magazine, stating that proceeds and support will go to groups including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the UN Refugee Agency.
