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Despite what lead singer Bono says, U2's next album may not be an “unreasonable guitar record,” according to the band's guitarist, The Edge.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, The Edge talked about U2's next album. He did promise that it would feature a hefty amount of his signature guitar, but it will not be centered around it.
“I guess we're at that great honeymoon period of a lot of experimentation, and looking at all kinds of possible themes musically,” he said. “I think the guitar will be a big part of the next round, but I don't think it's going to be a heavy rock album.”
He also added that it will be a “very different kind of use of the guitar, not a straight-up rock thing.”
The Edge's recent clarification comes after lead singer Bono previously claimed U2's next album would be an “unreasonable guitar record.” It sounded like they were set to return to their punk roots, but that no longer appears to be the case.
What is U2 doing next?
Currently, it sounds like U2 is hard at work on their next album. They have not released an album of original material since 2017's Songs of Experience.
Their most recent album, Songs of Surrender, was released in 2023. However, it was a collection of 40 songs from their back catalog that were re-recorded in new arrangements.
The band is also coming off their first-ever concert residency. From September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024, U2 played 40 shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
That was the first time the band performed such a residency. Their residency, which was titled U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, was centered around their 1991 album.
Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were joined by Bram van den Berg for the Sphere shows. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. missed the residency due to his recovery from injuries.
The band is welcoming Mullen back into the studio as they record new material. It is unclear if their next album is the long-rumored Songs of Ascent or something new.
U2 is a Grammy-winning band who rose to fame in 1980 with the release of their debut album, Boy. They released hit albums such as War, The Unforgettable Fire, and The Joshua Tree throughout the eighties.
In the nineties, U2 reinvented themselves with the release of Achtung Baby. They followed it up with Zooropa and Pop throughout the rest of the decade.
U2 is set to release a special 20th anniversary of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. It will feature a collection of previously unreleased songs titled How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb.
