U2, Guinness Toast 50 Years With Limited-Edition Carnaval Vinyl
U2 and Guinness are raising a glass—or, more precisely, pressing one in pearl-white marble vinyl—to the band’s 50th anniversary.
Island Records and the Dublin stout institution have announced an exclusive, limited-edition release of U2’s Carnaval de Luz, which comes out Nov. 13. It’s the band’s first album of new material in nine years.
The collab has some history behind it. In 1978, the four musicians then known as The Hype changed their name to U2 to enter a Guinness-sponsored talent competition in Limerick. They won the top prize of £500 and a recording session, helping set the band on its way.
Nearly five decades later, the two frothy Irish institutions are back together, this time with a package featuring the 12-track album on heavyweight pearl-white marble vinyl, a 16-page booklet of lyrics and photographs and a double-sided Guinness collectors’ art print by Bono. Also available: a pair of limited-edition U2/Guinness T-shirts.
A portion of sales of the vinyl and apparel will benefit the Guinness Dublin 8 Community Fund. Limited quantities will also be sold at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and Guinness Open Gate Brewery in London starting on release date, with a further allocation arriving at the Chicago brewery Nov. 20.
U2 will support Carnaval on a 2027 stadium tour beginning April 26 in Stockholm. It will likewise headline Netflix’s inaugural Thanksgiving Eve NFL halftime show, Nov. 25 at SoFi.