'2027 Persons of the Year'
MusiCares® has named U2 as the 2027 MusiCares Persons of the Year.
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are 'honored for their groundbreaking body of work and decades of using their reach, resources and music to support people and the fight for justice around the world'
The award will be made at the 36th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 5, 2027, two nights before the 2027 Grammys® at Crypto.com Arena.
Since being founded by the Recording Academy in 1989, MusiCares has distributed nearly $150m in support across the music business. The annual Person Of The Year gala features a star-studded line up of artists, creators and industry professionals in a night of celebration to raise funds for programmes which help music professionals rebuild after disasters like the LA Wildfires, gain access to life-saving mental health and addiction recovery services and receive essential support during times of crisis.
"We are honored to celebrate and recognize U2 as this year's MusiCares Persons of the Year," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy® and MusiCares. "Their impact goes far beyond the stage. Not only has their music defined generations, but they've been equally exemplary in their dedication to humanitarian work and using their platform for good. We are so excited to come together to honor their collective artistry and commitment to giving back on this special night."
The announcement of the award cites the band's work for peace, justice and human rights since their earliest days together. 'First campaigning against apartheid in South Africa before they had a record deal. In 2005, the band received Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award. U2 provided early and ongoing philanthropic funding for Music Generation, Ireland's national music education program, whose mission is to empower young people across the island of Ireland to realize their full potential through access to high-quality lessons in how to play, sing and create music.
In addition to these joint efforts, Bono co-founded sister organizations ONE and (RED) to pressure governments and businesses to do more in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty, and he played a key role in persuading President Bush to create PEPFAR (President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief), which has saved 26 million lives to date. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, The Edge co-founded Music Rising to replace instruments and equipment for musicians, schools and music programs affected by disaster. Adam Clayton, who was honored with the MusiCares Stevie Ray Vaughan Award in 2017, has spoken openly about recovery and supported efforts focused on addiction and mental health, including Ireland's Walk in My Shoes initiative. Larry Mullen Jr. has brought attention to dyslexia and learning differences through his involvement as a producer of the documentary Left Behind. ‘
U2 demonstrate the extraordinary power of music to bring people together, draw attention to urgent needs and inspire action, said Theresa Wolters, Executive Director of MusiCares. "Bono, The Edge, Adam, and Larry have each found meaningful ways to put their voices and resources to work for others, while together U2 has supported causes spanning global health, disaster response, addiction recovery, mental health, and access to music education. What resonates so strongly with MusiCares is their belief that success in music comes with an opportunity to care for the people around you. We are proud to recognize artists that have spent decades pairing extraordinary artistry with a genuine sense of service."
The band have responded to the honor by paying tribute to the people they've worked with over fifty years and the audience who believe in their music.
"We are huge fans of MusiCares and the lifelines they provide across the incredible pool of talent that is the music industry. We've been recording and touring for 50 years because of that pool, from producers and engineers to carpenters and riggers. "Persons of the Year" couldn't be a better title as it's the people we've been so fortunate to work with, and of course our indomitable audience, that have given us the opportunity to keep making music and keep rocking the boat on things we really care about. It's such an honour, and we're very excited to be in the front row of our first ever U2 gig...we know we're gonna be outplayed."
Previous honorees include Mariah Carey, the Grateful Dead, Jon Bon Jovi, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, and Joni Mitchell. MusiCares named Bono the 2003 MusiCares Person of the Year and paid tribute to Adam with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award in 2017.
MusiCares is music's largest charity, providing an essential safety net to the music community through comprehensive financial assistance and preventive services. The charity offers personalized support for mental health, addiction recovery, health care, basic living needs and disaster relief. Read more.. musicares.org.
