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U2 has dominated headlines this week with the announcement that they will be honored as recipients of the 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize, an award that has previously gone to icons like Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez. According to AOL, Bono and The Edge are set to accept this accolade on October 21 at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, marking their first return to that legendary venue since their 1981 tour for the debut album Boy, when, as several outlets note, most of the band were too young to legally buy a pint in the US. The Woody Guthrie Prize annually spotlights artists whose body of work embodies Guthrie’s social consciousness and musical legacy. Cady Shaw, senior director of the Woody Guthrie Center, praised U2’s decades-long use of music to challenge injustice and inspire global action, a refrain echoed across coverage from WQUT-FM and News 9.

The ceremony will feature remarks from both Bono and The Edge, as well as from Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter Anna Canoni, providing a direct link between Guthrie’s legacy and U2’s present-day impact. The prize underscores U2’s place in music history not just as chart-toppers but as tireless activists on issues spanning human rights, equity, and global justice. After a year that saw them close a 40-date run at Las Vegas’s Sphere with their groundbreaking UV Achtung Baby residency—a feat lauded for revolutionizing live performance staging—this honor is yet another feather in the cap for a band renowned for both their sonic innovation and their activism.

Amid this major honor, there’s background buzz that after wrapping up their Sphere residency last May, the band has spent the summer working on fresh material. Bono recently teased on Jimmy Kimmel Live that the group is “crafting an album that aims to capture the unique sound that happens when U2 plays together,” hinting at a palette ranging from break-up anthems to speedway singalongs. While exact details and a release timeline remain unconfirmed, fans and industry insiders are watching closely.

On social media, the Woody Guthrie Prize announcement triggered a flood of congratulations from fellow artists and fans alike, with the hashtag #U2WoodyGuthriePrize trending in Europe and select US markets. U2’s official channels have amplified this story, celebrating their ongoing mission of fusing stadium rock with social responsibility. No major rumors, controversies, or tour announcements have surfaced in the last few days beyond this landmark news. For now, U2’s legacy is front and center—immortalized yet again as musicians still writing their place in history.

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