Full Breakdown
U2 Unveil “Street of Dreams” – First New Music in Nine Years
7/10/2026, 5:42:35 PM
New Single and Video Details
U2 released “Street of Dreams,” the first single from an as-yet-untitled studio album slated for later this year. The official video, produced by Jacknife Lee, premiered on YouTube on July 7. Filmed on a bus atop Plaza Santo Domingo in Mexico City, the shoot was interrupted by a thunderstorm that damaged a generator, prompting the band to finish the performance on a local family’s balcony. The video highlights the band’s long-standing Mexican fanbase, a connection dating back to the 1987 album *The Joshua Tree* and its subsequent stadium tours.
Larry Mullen Jr.’s Return
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who stepped away in 2023 for three and a half years to recover from major neck and back surgery, appears on drums for the first time since his hiatus. His return has been noted by fans and marked as a key element of the new release.
Context: “Days of Ash” EP and Mexican Audience
The single follows the February release of the six-track EP *Days of Ash*, which spotlighted individuals killed in conflict, including Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen and Iranian schoolgirl Sarina Esmailzadeh. Bono has emphasized that the EP’s tone differs markedly from the material planned for the forthcoming album. The Mexico City shoot also coincided with the band’s attendance at the 2026 Street Child World Cup Finals at Parque Ecológico Lago de Texcoco, underscoring their engagement with local events.
Official Statements
Bono confirmed that the group remains in the studio, aiming for an album “intended for live performance” and described the project as “vibrant and unpolished.” He noted that the *Days of Ash* tracks “couldn’t wait” and that the upcoming album will feature a different mood and theme.
Verbatim Quotes
- “La calle, calle de los sueños” — Bono, Frontman
- “We are in the studio, still working towards a noisy, messy, 'unreasonably colour xerox album to play LIVE… which is where U2 lives.” — Bono, Frontman
- “These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. The songs on Days of Ash are very different in mood and theme to the ones we’re going to put on our album later in the year.” — Bono, Frontman
- “Drummer seeks musicians to form band” — Larry Mullen Jr., Handwritten note (September, 50-year anniversary)
