Bono says U2 are aiming to create “the sound of the future” on their next studio album, teasing an ambitious direction for the iconic rock band.
Despite being 65 and decades into their career, Bono made it clear that the group isn’t interested in playing it safe.
In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the U2 frontman shared some insight into their studio work. “We’ve been in the studio and you’ve sometimes got to deal with the past to get to the present, in order to make the sound of the future,” he said. “That’s what we want to do.”
U2 may have sold out stadiums and topped charts around the world, but Bono stressed that their hunger hasn’t gone away. In fact, he says the stakes feel higher than ever. “It’s the sound of four men, who feel like their lives depend on it. I remind them, they do. Nobody needs a new U2 album unless it’s an extraordinary one. I’m feeling very strong about it.”
He hinted that the new music will span a wide emotional range. “[There are] songs to make up to, songs to break up to,” Bono explained, adding that the band’s chemistry plays a big role in shaping their sound. “U2 makes a very unique sound when we play together. The sound of a room is what we’re going for.”
Earlier this month, Bono also opened up about the band’s latest recording sessions with the BBC. “It was just the four of us in a room, trying a new song and going, ‘What’s that feeling? Oh right, that’s chemistry,’” he said. That stripped-back approach is something the band is leaning into this time around.
“We had it when we were 17. We’ve had it over the years but you lose it sometimes, [especially because] the way music is assembled these days is not friendly to that chemistry,” Bono added. “But isn’t it strange that it’s just got to the moment when just bass, drums, guitar and a loudmouth singer sounds like an original idea. That’s where we’re at in 2025.”
He emphasized that they’ve taken time to reflect on where they came from, but only as a way to move forward. “We spent a moment thinking about the past , but you do that because you need to understand where that desire to be heard came from,” Bono explained.
“And then you can get to the present and to the future, because the sound of the future is what we’re most interested in. It doesn’t exist yet. It’s ours to make, and that’s what we have the chance to do.”
If Bono’s words are anything to go by, U2 aren’t just planning a new release, they’re chasing something bold, fresh, and truly extraordinary.
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