U2 Named MusiCares 2027 Persons of the Year

U2, the legendary Irish rock quartet featuring Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., has been named MusiCares' 2027 Persons of the Year. The 36th annual benefit gala will take place on Friday, Feb. 5, 2027, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, marking a change in venue for the prestigious event. The ceremony will occur just two evenings before the 2027 Grammy Awards, which are set to be held at Crypto.com Arena.

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, praised the band's selection. "We are honored to celebrate and recognize U2 as this year's MusiCares Persons of the Year," he said. "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." The Peacock Theater, part of the L.A. Live entertainment complex, has hosted major events such as the Primetime Emmy Awards and serves as a central hub during Grammy Week.

U2 formed in 1976 after the four members met at a Dublin high school, and they are now marking 50 years together. Over that period, the group has won 22 Grammy Awards and sold more than 170 million albums worldwide. Beyond music, all four members have supported various philanthropic efforts. In 2005, Amnesty International awarded the band its Ambassador of Conscience Award. U2 also provided essential and ongoing funding for Music Generation, Ireland's national music education program, which helps young people across the island reach their potential through quality instruction in playing, singing, and creating music. As a measure of their enduring influence, U2 remains one of the few acts to have topped the Billboard 200 in five consecutive decades, a testament to their cross-generational appeal.

Each member has also followed his own humanitarian path. Bono co-founded ONE and (RED), sister organizations that push governments and corporations to step up the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. He played a key role in persuading President George W. Bush to create PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, which official estimates credit with saving 26 million lives. The Edge, in response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005, co-founded Music Rising to provide replacement instruments and equipment to musicians, schools, and music programs affected by disaster. Adam Clayton, who received the MusiCares Stevie Ray Vaughan Award in 2017, has spoken openly about his recovery journey and supported addiction and mental health initiatives, notably Ireland's Walk in My Shoes. Larry Mullen Jr. has raised awareness of dyslexia and learning differences as a producer of the documentary "Left Behind."

Theresa Wolters, Executive Director of MusiCares, emphasized the band's unwavering commitment. "Throughout their career, U2 has demonstrated the extraordinary power of music to bring people together, draw attention to urgent needs and inspire action," she said. "What resonates so strongly with MusiCares is their belief that success in music comes with an opportunity to care for the people around you." MusiCares had previously honored Bono individually as its 2003 Person of the Year. The 2027 award, by contrast, recognizes the collective and individual contributions of all four bandmates.

In a joint statement, U2 expressed their gratitude. "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," the band said. "It's such an honor, and we're very excited to be in the front row of our first ever U2 gig…we know we're gonna be outplayed."

The MusiCares Persons of the Year gala is one of Grammy Week's most anticipated events, featuring a cocktail reception, dinner, and a tribute concert with artists performing U2's music and celebrating their humanitarian legacy. Since 1991, the event has raised funds for MusiCares programs including health and wellness services, addiction recovery, mental health support, preventive care, disaster relief, and financial aid for music professionals. U2 joins a distinguished list of past honorees such as Mariah Carey, the Grateful Dead, Jon Bon Jovi, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson, and Joni Mitchell. Lewis & Clark, the live event broadcast team of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark, will once again produce the ceremony.