Bits & Bytes

A collection of the latest U2 news and announcements posted by our staff.

(Rumor) Irish Sun says U2 album out Dec. 1, single out Sept. 8

Nothing's official, but the Irish Sun is reporting that U2's Songs Of Experience will be released December 1 as part of a World AIDS Day collaboration with (RED). The Sun also says U2 will release "You're The Best Thing About Me" as the first single from SOE on September 8.

The dates match rumors that have been circulating online for the past month or so -- first reported by U2songs.com and since corroborated by several other sources.

U2 played select songs from the new album for journalists and others throughout the first two legs of The Joshua Tree Tour 2017. The Sun's article includes quotes from Irish DJ Dave Fanning, who heard some of the album not long ago, and says: "The songs I heard were more personal from Bono, singing about later on after he left Cedarwood Road. Reflecting back on his life. I like the way Bono comes clean and wears his heart on his sleeve. This is very, very personal."

Fanning also gives quick thoughts on a handful of new songs that he heard:

• "You're The Best Thing About Me"
• "The Little Things That Give You Away"
• "Much More Better"
• "The Showman"
• "Summer Of Love"

U2 recently shot a video for "You're The Best Thing About Me" while playing two shows in Amsterdam. Not mentioned in the Sun's article is a song titled "The Blackout" (or just "Blackout"), a second song for which U2 shot a video while in Amsterdam.

Bono Featured in Environmental Video

Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power was released Friday as a follow-up to his Oscar-winning documentary An Iconvenient Truth. In it, he continues his pursuit to advance policy worldwide in favor of fighting climate change and promoting environmental lifestyles that are healthier for the planet.

In conjunction with that film, celebrities including Paul McCartney, Pharrell and Bono came together to pledge their #BeInconvenient commitment.

Watch it here (Bono comes in at the :007 mark):