Bono makes history as U2 named 2027 MusiCares Persons of the Year

Irish rock titans U2 will be honored as the 2027 MusiCares Persons of the Year, making frontman Bono the first artist in history to receive the distinction both as an individual and as part of a group.

The 36th annual charity gala will take place on Friday, Feb 5, 2027, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, two nights prior to the 69th Annual Grammy Awards at nearby Crypto.com Arena.

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U2—comprising Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.—becomes the fourth band to receive the honor, following Fleetwood Mac (2018), Aerosmith (2020), and the Grateful Dead (2025). Bono was previously honored as an individual at the 2003 gala.

“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. “‘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.”

Harvey Mason jr, CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, highlighted the band's balance of cultural impact and philanthropy. “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.”

Celebrating 50 years together after forming at their Dublin high school in 1976, U2 remains the most decorated group in Grammy history with 22 wins. They are also the only act to win Album, Record, and Song of the Year twice.

Beyond the music, all four members have maintained distinct humanitarian footprints. The group campaigned against South African apartheid before securing their first record deal, received Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award in 2005, and continues to support Music Generation, Ireland’s national music education program. 

Individually, Bono co-founded ONE and (RED) to combat poverty and HIV/AIDS, playing a pivotal role in creating the U.S. PEPFAR program. The Edge co-founded Music Rising in 2005 to replace instruments for disaster-stricken musicians, Clayton advocates for addiction recovery through initiatives like Ireland’s Walk in My Shoes, and Mullen Jr. has championed dyslexia awareness as a film producer.

The 2027 event marks a venue shift from the Los Angeles Convention Center to the 7,100-capacity Peacock Theater. MusiCares is also introducing individual theater seating for the tribute concert alongside traditional gala tables, opening the performance to a broader public audience. Produced by Lewis & Clark, the event raises funds for MusiCares’ health, mental wellness, addiction recovery, and emergency financial assistance programs for music professionals.