U2 surprise-dropped their new EP Days of Ash on Ash Wednesday, and it hit me hard. Six tracks, no warning, no marketing buildup, but a need to stand up for something. It’s a punk move, a loving punch through the office walls of the greedy expansionists, a peace threat delivered with flowers.
These songs sound like they demanded to be written and sung. Deeply moving stuff. Not hit-seeking, but emotion-driven. This music isn’t trying to get on any charts, and that’s exactly why it succeeds in getting on the list of meaningful songs in people’s hearts.
Days of Ash is an immediate response to current events, inspired by people fighting on the frontlines of freedom. Each song carries the weight of a real human story. “Song of the Future” is dedicated to Sarina Esmailzadeh, a 16-year-old Iranian girl killed by security forces during the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests. “One Life at a Time” honors Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian father, teacher, and activist killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank.
My favorites — “Song of the Future” and “One Life at a Time” — are deeply impactful. Every track on this EP carries emotional weight. These songs give hope. They remind us of human connection and a life driven by values, not the greedy expansion of empires. They speak of love, and of building a society that puts people first.
“We get to carry each other” U2 sang decades ago. With Days of Ash, they’re carrying that message forward, and it feels more urgent than ever.
As a musician, this is exactly what I believe music should do. Not chase algorithms, but move people. Not optimize for playlists, but for heartstrings. That’s what I want my music to do as well. Thank you, U2, for being a torchbearer of hope. I’m very much inspired by this release, and can’t wait to get back to writing new meaningful songs. Songs that have to be written.