Irish rock band U2 will be honoured as the 2027 MusiCares Persons of the Year, making frontman Bono the first artist to receive the distinction both as a solo honouree and as a member of a group.
The 36th annual charity gala will take place on 5 February, 2027, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event will be held two nights before the 69th Annual Grammy Awards at the nearby Crypto.com Arena.
U2, comprising Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr., will become the fourth band to receive the honour. Fleetwood Mac was recognised in 2018, followed by Aerosmith in 2020 and the Grateful Dead in 2025.
Bono previously received the MusiCares Persons of the Year honour as an individual in 2003.
“We are huge fans of MusiCares and the lifelines they provide across the incredible pool of talent that is the music industry,” the band said in a joint statement.
They added that the title reflects the people they have worked with and their audience, who have allowed them to continue making music and supporting causes they care about.
Harvey Mason jr, CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, praised U2 for combining musical influence with humanitarian work.
“Their impact goes far beyond the stage,” Mason said. “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.”
U2 formed at a Dublin high school in 1976 and is marking 50 years together. The band remains the most decorated group in Grammy history, with 22 wins. It is also the only act to win Album, Record and Song of the Year twice.
The four members have also maintained individual and collective commitments to humanitarian causes. U2 campaigned against South African apartheid before securing its first record deal and received Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award in 2005.
The band continues to support Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education programme.
Bono co-founded ONE and (RED), organisations focused on poverty and HIV/AIDS, and played a key role in the creation of the US PEPFAR programme. The Edge co-founded Music Rising in 2005 to help replace instruments for musicians affected by disasters.
Adam Clayton has supported addiction recovery through initiatives including Ireland’s Walk in My Shoes, while Larry Mullen Jr has promoted dyslexia awareness through his work as a film producer.
The 2027 gala will also move from the Los Angeles Convention Center to the 7,100-capacity Peacock Theater. MusiCares will introduce individual theatre seating for the tribute concert alongside the traditional gala tables, allowing a wider public audience to attend.
Produced by Lewis & Clark, the event will raise funds for MusiCares programmes supporting health, mental wellness, addiction recovery and emergency financial assistance for music professionals.
