Totally weird and random piece of mail today. Must be from the @u2 fan club. Very cool that they did this! pic.twitter.com/UCnchdwWBP
— Jeff (@duranimalJeff) August 21, 2017
U2’s 2014 album Songs Of Innocence, aka the record that Apple spammed into everybody’s iTunes library, was supposed to be quickly followed up by another album called Songs Of Experience, a reference to William Blake’s collection of poems titled Songs Sf Innocence And Of Experience.
In a letter to fans written by Bono and posted on U2.com shortly after the first album’s release, he wrote, “If you like Songs Of Innocence, stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…”
The band announced last Christmas that their 2017 plans include finally releasing Songs Of Experience, and now it definitely looks like something is actually happening. Fans started to report yesterday that they received mysterious letters in the mail, which appears to be teasing a new song called “Blackout.”
The letter features text blocked out by a black silhouette of Bono’s son Eli and The Edge’s daughter Sian holding hands, the original image of which the band has shown during their Joshua Tree anniversary tour and which may be the cover art for Songs Of Experience.
In the image are some empty spaces scattered across the page, which reveals the message:
“Blackout … It’s clear who you are will appear … U2.com.”
The bottom of the letter also reads, with the details blacked out, “U2 will announce _____ on ______.” U2 fan site @U2 also notes that fans who have reported receiving the letter are located in Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas City, and Charlotte, all of which were either in or very close to the path of yesterday’s solar eclipse.
It’s very possible that’s just a coincidence, but a connection between the Earth being literally blacked out by the moon and U2’s “Blackout” letters also seems to make some sense. Maybe it wasn’t Taylor Swift who blotted out the sun after all.
Although nothing has been confirmed yet, The Irish Sun reported last week that U2 plans to release Songs Of Experience on December 1st, in collaboration with charitable organization (RED) for World AIDS Day. They also say a single called “You’re The Best Thing About Me” will drop on September 8th. At this point, though, these rumors should be considered just that: rumors.
Watch U2 take to Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “The Little Things That Give You Away,” a new song that’s expected to appear on Songs Of Experience, below.
