Breaking Waves…New Album, U2 X-Radio, Emmy Awards

Original Story by Aaron J. Sams (2025-09-08)

U2 are reconvening in studio later this month to continue work on their next album of new material. We’re told that the project is getting closer to completion. Our previously reliable contacts have shared that the band feels they should be able to finish work on the album towards the end of this year. We do not believe the album design work has started, nor does the album have a name at this point, but some photoshoots have been completed for the cover as well.

The band, however, are not talking about release dates until they feel the work is complete. Once finished with the album, these days it is approximately a six month turnaround time until physical product (vinyl) can be produced and on store shelves. If the band are eyeing an end of 2025 schedule to be finished with the album, that suggests the album would be released in the second half of 2026. Where work is not yet complete on the album those dates could still shift further.

U2’s last full album of new material was 2017’s Songs of Experience. Both Songs of Surrender (2023) and How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb (2024) saw U2 revisiting older material to create new sounds.

You can find our most recent full update on the album here, including quotes from the band members about the progress of the album.

U2 have recently renewed their contract with SiriusXM to keep U2 X-Radio on the air for the next few years. This will cover next year’s 50th anniversary year for the band and beyond. In recent weeks there have been some new elements added to the station including new promotional bumpers promoting the content on the station.

One of the bigger changes is a new format for “Desire” on U2 X-Radio. Previously this was one fan sharing their five favourite songs for a half hour on air. The show is now being transitioned to an hour-long show appearing every Friday, hosted by Philly Taggart. Each week the show will have a theme, and fans will pick one song that will fit that theme and discuss it on the program. Five fans will be featured weekly. The fan will introduce song and Taggart discusses each pick after it plays, as well as introducing the show each week. The first category, which aired on Friday was “Best U2 Driving Songs” and next week the category will be “Best U2 Songs with Single Word Titles”.

The station also recently introduced a bunch of radio bumpers recorded by The Edge called “Best Ever Guitar Sound” which sees The Edge interviewing someone about what they choose as their “Best Ever Guitar Sound” and then the song is played. Guest have included Martin Garrix, Little Steven, Bono, and Edge’s children Levi and Sian Evans. These pieces are spread throughout the day.

Another feature sprinkled throughout the day is also by The Edge, on a feature called “Respect”. Here, The Edge features artists that have his respect, with a brief introduction, and then features a song by the artist. Artists featured include The Clash, Al Green, Public Enemy and The Waterboys. Like “Best Ever Guitar Sound” these are featured throughout the day. Available on demand is a special compilation of these pieces into a nearly two hour special.

Another rotating feature that pops up through the day is Bono reading excerpts from Surrender taken from the audiobook recording of his memoir.

Adam Clayton now has two shows on the station, his monthly Playlist feature where he features songs that fit in a theme for a 90-minute show. Recent playlists have featured Hollywood music, Marianne Faithfull, U2 collaborations, and features on many of U2’s producers such as Jacknife Lee, Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno and more. The second show is “Don’t Ask Me I’m the Bass Player” where Adam sits down with other bass players to discuss music and art and talk about songs. The show debuted just before Christmas with an episode that featured Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood. The second episode took a while to appear but in August we heard a conversation between Adam Clayton and Jenny Lee Lindberg of Warpaint.

If that wasn’t enough, Adam Clayton also recently interviewed U2’s original manager, Paul McGuinness for an hour long program featuring discussion and songs. Topics discussed include how the “Mission: Impossible” theme came about, early touring and the formation of Live Nation, CBS making the request that U2 leave their drummer behind, Paul’s first meeting with U2 and more.

The Emmy Awards are being given out next Sunday, September 14, 2025, but some of the technical awards were given out this weekend. Bono’s film on AppleTV, Bono: Stories of Surrender was eligible for awards, but had only been nominated in one category. The film has been nominated in a technical category, “Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special.” It was up against Evening with Dua Lipa, Evening with Elton John & Brandi Carlile, The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Induction 2024 and Saturday Night Live 50: The Anniversary Special. The Saturday Night Live 50: The Anniversary Special took home the award.

U2 were previously nominated for U2 Elevation 2001: Live from Boston (Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special), and for Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with Dave Letterman (Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special). In both these cases, as in this years awards, the award went to another nominee.

We get a lot of covers of U2 songs sent our way. We can’t highlight all of this, but this one by Jocelyn & Chris doing a very different cover of “Where the Streets Have No Name” caught our ear. Thanks for sending it in Brad.

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