Wikimedia Commons, U2 and Guinness announced a limited edition of Carnaval De Luz on 4 November, pressed on pearl-white marbled vinyl. In Dublin, copies are due to go on sale at the Guinness Storehouse on 13 November 2026, the album’s release date. To understand why the band and the brewery have come together around a record, it is necessary to go back to a competition in Limerick.
In Limerick, the first chapter of the story
In 1978, four young musicians and a studio session
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. were still performing as The Hype before adopting the name U2. In 1978, they won a Guinness-sponsored young bands competition in Limerick. The prize, as Universal Music recalled in its 4 November announcement, was £500 Irish pounds and a recording session. For a band just starting out, that session gave them the chance to have their songs heard beyond the competition stage.
The connection therefore spans two cities. In Limerick, Guinness was among the backers of a young bands competition. In Dublin, nearly half a century later, the public will be able to seek out the record in the building dedicated to the brewery’s history. Between those two dates, Guinness’s role has changed: the 1978 prize gave the group studio time; the 2026 initiative accompanies the release of an album already anticipated internationally.
The U2 × Guinness vinyl: what the Dublin edition includes
A marbled record and an illustration by Bono
This edition brings together the 12 tracks from Carnaval De Luz, a 16-page booklet and a double-sided illustration by Bono. It is a variant of the new album, distinct from the yellow vinyl for independent record shops. It is U2’s 16th studio album and their first to feature new songs in nine years, according to the label. The Guinness pressing stands out above all for its format: a 180-gram record, a black, white and gold sleeve, and Bono’s print enclosed inside. The official German shop provides details of the edition’s presentation. Two limited-edition T-shirts are also due to be released on 13 November. According to the label, part of the proceeds from vinyl and T-shirt sales will go to the Guinness Dublin 8 Community Fund.
Where to look for the record from 13 November
The Guinness Storehouse, in the St James’s Gate area, is the announced Dublin point of sale. Limited quantities are also planned in London on the same day, followed by Chicago on 20 November. Online pre-orders for subscribers to U2.com were announced from 4 November. If you are planning a special trip, check stock availability and shop access arrangements before setting off: the press release gives neither the number of copies available in Dublin nor the price charged on site.
If your stay in Dublin is already planned, the Storehouse can be part of a half-day in the Liberties. If you are coming solely for the vinyl, first check with the Guinness Storehouse about the sales arrangements and ask whether access to the point of sale requires a visitor ticket. The label’s announcement confirms the venue and date; it gives neither a time when the record will go on sale nor reservation arrangements in Dublin.
The record’s sale dates are separate from pre-sales for U2’s European tour.
