U2


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array(1) { [0]=> array(4) { ["title"]=> string(2) "U2" ["timestamp"]=> string(20) "2010-09-06T10:02:25Z" ["text"]=> string(79780) "{{About|the band}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = U2 | Img = 2005-11-21_U2_%40_MSG_by_ZG.JPG | Img_capt = U2 performing at [[Madison Square Garden]] in November 2005, from left to right: The Edge; Larry Mullen, Jr. (drumming), Bono, and Adam Clayton | Img_size = 250 | Landscape = yes | Background = rock band | Origin = [[Dublin]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] | Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[alternative rock]], [[post-punk]] | Years_active = 1976–present | Label = [[Mercury Records|Mercury]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]], [[Island Records|Island]] | URL = [http://www.u2.com/ u2.com] | Current_members = [[Bono]]
[[The Edge]]
[[Adam Clayton]]
[[Larry Mullen, Jr.]] | Associated_acts =[[Original Soundtracks 1|Passengers]], [[Virgin Prunes]] }} '''U2''' are a [[rock music|rock]] band from [[Dublin]], Ireland. The group consists of [[Bono]] (vocals and guitar), [[The Edge]] (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), [[Adam Clayton]] (bass guitar), and [[Larry Mullen, Jr.]] (drums and percussion). The band formed at Mount Temple secondary school in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed to [[Island Records]] and released their debut album ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]''. By the mid-1980s, they had become a top international act. They were more successful as a live act than they were at selling records, until their 1987 album ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'',{{cite video | people =[[Paul McGuinness]] | title =Classic Albums: The Joshua Tree | medium =Television documentary | publisher =Rajon Vision |date=1998}} which, according to ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars".Gardner (1994), p. xx Their 1991 album ''[[Achtung Baby]]'' and the accompanying [[Zoo TV Tour]] were a musical and thematic reinvention for the band. Reacting to their own sense of musical stagnation and a late-1980s critical backlash, U2 incorporated [[Electronic dance music|dance music]] and [[alternative rock]] influences into their sound and performances, abandoning their earnest image for a more ironic, self-deprecating tone. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1990s. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more conventional sound, while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations. U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the most critically and [[List of best-selling music artists|commercially successful]] groups in popular music. They have won 22 [[Grammy Award]]s,{{cite web | url = http://www.livedaily.com/news/13932.html | title = U2 signs on with Live Nation | publisher = LiveDaily | first = Kym | last = Kilgore | date = 31 March 2008 | accessdate = 11 September 2008}} more than any other band,[http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=u2&year=0&genreID=0&hp=1 Grammy Winners List] grammy.com. Retrieved 15 October 2006. and they have sold more than 150 million records.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=affhHzviHNZQ|title=U2 Singer Bono Has Emergency Back Surgery Before Tour|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]|first=March|last=Beech|date=21 May 2010|accessdate=16 June 2010}} In 2005, the band were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in their first year of eligibility. ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".{{cite magazine | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/5702/31963/32099 | first = Chris | last = Martin | title = The Immortals: The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time: U2 | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = 15 April 2004 | issue=946}} Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including [[Amnesty International]], the [[ONE Campaign|ONE]]/[[DATA]] campaigns, [[Product Red]], and The Edge's [[Music Rising]]. {{TOC limit|limit=3}} == History == {{See also|Timeline of U2}} === Formation and early years (1976–79) === [[Image:U2-teenagers.jpg|thumb|U2 in 1980. Shown from left to right: Clayton, Mullen, Bono, The Edge.]] The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.McCormick (2006), p. 27 [[Larry Mullen, Jr.]], then 14 years old, posted a notice on his secondary school ([[Mount Temple Comprehensive School]]) notice board in search of musicians for a new band. Setting up in his kitchen, Mullen later described it as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." Mullen was on drums, [[Bono|Paul Hewson (Bono)]] on lead vocals, [[The Edge|Dave Evans (The Edge)]] and his older brother [[Dik Evans]] on guitar, [[Adam Clayton]], a friend of the Evans brothers on bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.Chatterton (2001), p. 130 Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), p. 30 Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of the group's material initially consisted of cover versions, which the band said was not their forté.McCormick (2006), pp. 35, 40 The band's early original material was influenced by [[punk rock]] acts, such as [[The Jam]], [[The Clash]], and [[The Sex Pistols]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} {{Quote box | quote = "We couldn't believe it. I was completely shocked. We weren't of an age to go out partying as such but I don't think anyone slept that night.... Really, it was just a great affirmation to win that competition, even though I've no idea how good we were or what the competition was really like. But to win at that point was incredibly important for morale and everyone's belief in the whole project." | source = â€”The Edge, on winning the CBS competitionMcCormick (2006), pp. 46–47 | width = 25% | align = left | style = padding:10px; }} In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".de la Parra (2003), p. 6 Dik Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out. The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble and he was "phased out" in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in [[Howth]], which featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".McCormick (2006), pp. 46–48 Steve Averill, a punk rock musician and family friend of Clayton's, had suggested six potential names from which the band chose "U2" for its ambiguity and open-ended interpretations, and because it was the name that they disliked the least.McCormick (2006), p. 44 On [[Saint Patrick's Day]] in 1978, U2 won a talent show in [[Limerick|Limerick, Ireland]]. The prize consisted of £500 and studio time to record a demo which would be heard by CBS Ireland. This win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios in Dublin, in May 1978.Wall (2005), p. 45 ''[[Hot Press]]'' magazine was influential in shaping the band's future; in May, [[Paul McGuinness]], who had earlier been introduced to the band by the magazine's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's [[band manager|manager]].McCormick (2006), pp. 53–56 U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled ''[[Three (EP)|Three]]'', was released in September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.de la Parra (2003), p. 8 In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.de la Parra (2003), p. 10 In February 1980, their second single "[[Another Day (U2 song)|Another Day]]" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.Stokes (1996), p. 142; McCormick (2006), p. 88 === ''Boy'', ''October'', and ''War'' (1980–83) === [[Island Records]] signed U2 in March 1980, and in May, the band released "[[11 O'Clock Tick Tock]]" as their first international single.Stokes (1996), p. 142 The band's debut album, ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]'', followed in October. Produced by [[Steve Lillywhite]], it received generally positive reviews.{{cite magazine | title = Review of ''Boy'' | magazine = [[Hot Press]] | first = Declan | last = Lynch | date = 11 October 1980}}; {{cite magazine | title = Boy's Own Weepies | magazine = [[NME]] | first = Paul | last = Marley | date = 25 October 1980}}; {{cite news | title = U2: Aiming for Number 1 | newspaper = [[Washington Post]] | first = Boo | last = Browning | date = 27 February 1981}} Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, a common theme was the dreams and frustrations of adolescence.{{cite magazine | title = U2: Here Comes the "Next Big Thing" | magazine = Rolling Stone | first = James | last = Henke | date = 19 February 1981 | issue = 337}} The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit single, "[[I Will Follow]]". ''Boy'''s release was followed by the [[Boy Tour]], U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.de la Parra (2003), pp. 16, 17 Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.{{cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4540228.stm | title = Voice of Influential U2 Frontman | publisher = BBC | date = 23 December 2006 | accessdate = 6 September 2007}} The band's second album, ''[[October (album)|October]],'' was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes. During the album's recording sessions, Bono and The Edge considered quitting the band due to perceived spiritual conflicts.{{cite album-notes |title=October |albumlink=October (album) |bandname=U2 |year=2008 |last=McCormick |first=Neil |format=Remastered deluxe edition CD booklet |publisher=[[Island Records]] |publisherid=B0010948-02}}; McGee (2008), p. Bono, The Edge, and Mullen had joined a Christian group in Dublin called the "[[Shalom Fellowship]]", which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the rock and roll lifestyle.Flanagan (1995), pp. 46–48 Bono and Edge took time off between tours and decided to leave Shalom in favour of continuing with the band. Recording was further complicated when a briefcase containing lyrics for several working songs was stolen from backstage during the band's performance at a nightclub in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], Oregon.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3945519.stm |title=U2 lyrics returned after 23 years |publisher=BBC News |date=22 October 2004 |accessdate=7 February 2009}} The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. Low sales outside the UK put pressure on their contract with Island and focused the band on improvement.McCormick (2006), p. 120 {{listen |pos=left | filename = U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday.ogg | title = "Sunday Bloody Sunday" (1983) | description = "Sunday Bloody Sunday" features a martial drumbeat, raw guitar, and lyrically, a bleak emotionally charged response to violence. | format = [[Ogg]] }} Resolving their doubts of the ''October'' period, U2 released ''[[War (album)|War]]'' in 1983.Stokes (1996), p. 36 A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade",Reynolds (2006), p. 367 ''War'''s sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" [[synthpop]] of the time.Graham (2004), p. 14 The album included the politically charged "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]", where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] with [[Easter|Easter Sunday]].McCormick (2006), p. 135 ''Rolling Stone'' magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting. ''War'' was U2's first album to feature the photography of [[Anton Corbijn]], who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.McCormick (2006), p. 127 U2's first commercial success, ''War'' debuted at number one in the UK, and its first single, "[[New Year's Day (song)|New Year's Day]]", was the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK."New Year's Day" reached number ten on the UK charts and received extensive radio coverage in the US, almost breaking that country's Top 50. (McCormick (2006), p. 139); {{cite web | url = http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=892 | title = Songfacts: New Year's Day by U2 | publisher = Songfacts.com | accessdate = 6 September 2007}} [[Image:U2 21081983 01 800b.jpg|thumb|alt=A black and white image of a light-skinned man with a microphone held to his mouth. He is visible from the chest up and wears a sleeveless black shirt with an opened sleeveless white vest overtop. A small cross is worn around his neck. His black hair is styled into a mullet. The man looks past the camera to the left. A mixture of trees and sky are visible in the background.|Bono performs in Norway during the [[War Tour]] in 1983.]] On the subsequent [[War Tour]], the band performed sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the US. The sight of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became the tour's iconic image.{{cite magazine|url=http://motherjones.com/media/1989/05/bono-bites-back|title=Bono Bites Back|magazine=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|MotherJones]]|first=Adam|last=Block|date=1 May 1989|accessdate=18 June 2010}} U2 recorded the ''[[Under a Blood Red Sky]]'' live album on this tour, as well as the ''[[Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky|Live at Red Rocks]]'' concert film, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, expanding the band's audience and showcasing their prowess as a live act.{{cite web | url = http://netmusiccountdown.com/inc/artist.php?artist=U2 | title = Net Music Countdown: U2 | publisher = netmusiccountdown.com | accessdate = 6 September 2007}} Their record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 the band signed a more lucrative extension. They negotiated the return of their copyrights (so that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms, at the expense of a larger initial payment.{{cite magazine | last = Connelly | first = Christopher | title = Keeping the Faith | magazine = Rolling Stone | date = 14 March 1985 | issue = 443}} === ''The Unforgettable Fire'' and Live Aid (1984–85) === {{Quote box | quote = "We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to [[The Who]]. All we had to do was to keep doing what we were doing and we would become the biggest band since [[Led Zeppelin]], without a doubt. But something just didn't feel right. We felt we had more dimension than just the next big anything, we had something unique to offer." | source = â€”Bono, on ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]''{{'}}s new direction.McCormick (2006), p. 147 | width = 25% | align = left | style = padding:10px; }} ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]'' was released in 1984. [[Ambient music|Ambient]] and abstract, it was at the time the band's most marked change in direction.de la Parra (2003), pp. 52–55 The band feared that following the overt rock of the ''War'' album and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band".{{cite magazine| last =Pond | first =Steve | title =Review: The Joshua Tree | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=9 April 1987 | issue=497}} Thus, experimentation was sought,Graham (2004), p. 21 as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty." The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of [[Brian Eno]], who, along with his [[audio engineering|engineer]] [[Daniel Lanois]], eventually agreed to produce the record.Island Records boss [[Chris Blackwell]] initially tried to discourage them from their choice of producers, believing that just when the band were about to achieve the highest levels of success, Eno would "bury them under a layer of avant-garde nonsense". (McCormick (2006), p. 151) ''The Unforgettable Fire'' has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Mullen's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Clayton's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs.Stokes (1996), pp. 50–51 Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel". Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting responsibility—about which he had always been reluctant—was a poetic one.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "[[Bad (U2 song)|Bad]]" and "[[Pride (In the Name of Love)]]" were incomplete "sketches".McCormick (2006), p. 151 "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]], was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit to that point, including being their first to enter the US top 40.Graham, (2004), pp. 23–24 {{Listen | pos=right | filename=Tuf sample.ogg |title="The Unforgettable Fire" (1984) |description="[[The Unforgettable Fire (song)|The Unforgettable Fire]]" has a rich, symphonic sound built from ambient instrumentation, a driving rhythm, and a lyrical "sketch".Stokes (1996), p. 55 '' |format=[[Ogg]] | help = no }} Much of [[The Unforgettable Fire Tour]] moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.de la Parra (2003), pp. 62–63 The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "[[The Unforgettable Fire (song)|The Unforgettable Fire]]" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performances. One solution was programmed [[Music sequencer|sequencers]], which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances. Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage.''Rolling Stone'', which was critical of the album version of "Bad", described its live performance as a 'show stopper'. {{cite magazine | last =Henke | first =James | title =Review: Wide Awake in America | magazine =Rolling Stone |date=18 July 1985|issue=452–453}} U2 participated in the [[Live Aid]] concert for [[1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia|Ethiopian famine relief]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in July 1985.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1504968/20050629/geldof_bob.jhtml|title=Live Aid: A Look Back At A Concert That Actually Changed The World|work=MTV.com|publisher=[[MTV Networks]]|first=Gil|last=Kaufman|date=29 June 2005|accessdate=31 October 2006}} U2's performance in front of 82,000 fans was a pivotal point in the band's career.McCormick (2006), p. 164 During a 14-minute performance of the song "Bad", Bono leapt down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.de la Parra (2003), pp. 72–73 In 1985, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine called U2 the "Band of the '80s", saying that "for a growing number of rock-and-roll fans, U2 have become the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters". === ''The Joshua Tree'' and ''Rattle and Hum'' (1986–89) === {{Quote box | quote = "The wild beauty, cultural richness, spiritual vacancy and ferocious violence of America are explored to compelling effect in virtually every aspect of ''The Joshua Tree''—in the title and the cover art, the blues and country borrowings evident in the music ... Indeed, Bono says that 'dismantling the mythology of America' is an important part of ''The Joshua Tree''{{'}}s artistic objective." | source = â€”''Rolling Stone''{{cite magazine | last =DeCurtis | first =Anthony| title =Truths and Consequences | magazine =Rolling Stone | date = 7 May 1987 | issue=499}} | width = 25% | align = right | style = padding:10px; }} Motivated by friendships with [[Bob Dylan]], [[Van Morrison]], and [[Keith Richards]], the band looked back to the roots of rock music, and Bono focused on his skills as a song and lyric writer.McCormick (2006), p. 179 Realising "that U2 had no tradition", the band explored American [[blues]], [[folk music|folk]], and [[gospel music]].McCormick (2006), pp. 169, 177 For their fifth album, ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'',so named as a "tribute" to, rather than a "metaphor" for, America (McCormick (2006), p. 186) the band wanted to build on ''The Unforgettable Fire''{{'}}s atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures.{{cite magazine | last =DeCurtis | first =Anthony | title =U2 Releases The Joshua Tree | magazine =Rolling Stone |date=26 March 1987 | issue = 496}} U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on [[Amnesty International|Amnesty International's]] [[A Conspiracy of Hope]] tour. Rather than being a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music.McCormick (2006), p. 174 In 1986, Bono travelled to [[San Salvador]] and [[Nicaragua]] and saw first-hand the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts that were subject to American political intervention. The experience became a central influence on the new music. [[File:Joshuatree.JPG|thumb|upright|left|The tree pictured on ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'' album sleeve. [[Adam Clayton]] said "The desert was immensely inspirational to us as a mental image for this record".Stokes (1996), p. 72.]] ''The Joshua Tree'' was released in March 1987. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.McCormick (2006), p. 186 The band wanted music with a sense of location and a "cinematic" quality, and the album's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading.Graham (2004), pp. 27–30 ''The Joshua Tree'' became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.{{cite video | title =Classic Albums: The Joshua Tree | medium =Television Documentary | publisher =Eagle Rock Entertainment |date=1998}}; McCormick (2006), p. 186 The album's first two singles, "[[With or Without You]]" and "[[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For]]", quickly went to number one in the US. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of ''Time'' magazine,[[The Beatles]], [[The Band]], and [[The Who]] were the first three. which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket"."[http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19870427,00.html Rock's Hottest Ticket]" ''Time'' Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January 2007. The album won U2 their first two [[Grammy Award]]s,[[Grammy Award for Album of the Year]] and a Grammy for the [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal]]. [http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=u2&year=1987&genreID=0&hp=1 Grammy Winners List] grammy.com. Retrieved 4 December 2006. and it brought the band a new level of success. Many publications, including ''Rolling Stone'', have cited it as one of rock's greatest.{{cite magazine|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=11 December 2003|issue=937}} [[The Joshua Tree Tour]] was the first tour on which the band played shows in stadiums, alongside smaller arena shows.de la Parra (2003), pp. 102–103, 111 The documentary ''[[Rattle and Hum]]'' featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music,Stokes (1996), p. 78; Graham (2004), pp. 36–38 and included recordings at [[Sun Records|Sun Studios]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and performances with [[Bob Dylan]] and [[B. B. King]]. ''Rattle and Hum'' performed modestly at the box office and received mixed reviews from both film and music critics;[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:zsd1vwvva9lk ''Rattle and Hum'' review]. Allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006; Christgau, Robert. "[http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=u2 ''Rattle and Hum'']. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006. one ''Rolling Stone'' editor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided".Gardner (1994), p. xxiii The film's director, [[Phil Joanou]], described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2".Gardner (1994), p. xxiv Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's [[Lovetown Tour]], which visited Australia, Japan and Europe, because the band wanted to avoid the American backlash. In addition, they had grown dissatisfied with their live performances; Mullen recalled that "We were the biggest, but we weren't the best".{{cite magazine|url = http://web.archive.org/web/20071026111642/www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/u2s_serious_fun | title=U2's Serious Fun |magazine=Rolling Stone |first=David |last=Fricke |authorlink=David Fricke |date=1 October 1992 | accessdate = 26 April 2010|issue=640}} With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono said to fans on one of the last dates of the tour that it was "the end of something for U2" and that they had to "go away and [...] just dream it all up again".McCormick (2006), p. 213; "A Story of One" [Video documentary]. === ''Achtung Baby'', Zoo TV, and ''Zooropa'' (1990–93) === {{Quote box | quote = "Buzzwords on this record were ''trashy, throwaway, dark, sexy,'' and ''industrial'' (all good) and ''earnest, polite, sweet, righteous, rockist'' and ''linear'' (all bad). It was good if a song took you on a journey or made you think your hifi was broken, bad if it reminded you of recording studios or U2..." | source = â€”[[Brian Eno]], on the recording of ''[[Achtung Baby]]''{{cite magazine | last =Eno | first =Brian | authorlink =Brian Eno | title =Bringing Up Baby | magazine =Rolling Stone | date = 28 November 1991|issue=618}} | width = 27% | align = right | style = padding:10px; }} Stung by the criticism of ''Rattle and Hum'', the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album, ''[[Achtung Baby]]''; the shift was one of their most dramatic since ''The Unforgettable Fire''.Flanagan (1995), pp. 4–6; Graham (2004), p. 43 They began work on the album in East Berlin in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, seeking inspiration on the eve of [[German reunification]].Flanagan (1995), p. 7 The sessions instead proved to be difficult, as conflict arose within the group over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While Clayton and Mullen preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and Edge were inspired by [[alternative rock]] and European [[electronic dance music|dance music]] and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had composed to improvise the song "[[One (U2 song)|One]]".Flanagan (1995), pp. 6–11 They completed the album in 1991 in Dublin. {{listen | pos=left | filename = Fly sample.ogg | title = "The Fly" (1991) | help = no | description = "[[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]]" features hip-hop beats, distorted vocals, and a hard industrial edge that differed from U2's typical sound.Flanagan (1995), p. 30; Graham (2004), p. 49; Stokes (1996), p. 102 | format = [[Ogg]] }} In November 1991, U2 released ''Achtung Baby''. Sonically, it incorporated alternative rock, dance, and [[industrial music|industrial]] influences of the time, and the band referred the album's musical departure as "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree".{{cite magazine | title = Achtung Stations (Part 1) | magazine = [[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] | first = Stephen | last = Dalton | date = 26 October 2004}} Thematically, it was a more inward-looking and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant than the band's previous work. Commercially and critically, it has been one of the band's most successful albums. It produced the hit singles "[[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]]", "[[Mysterious Ways (song)|Mysterious Ways]]", and "One", and it was a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.Graham (2004), p. 44 Like ''The Joshua Tree'', many publications have cited the record as one of rock's greatest. [[File:ZooTVBstage.jpg|thumb|alt=In an outdoor stadium at night with an elaborate concert stage set bearing a logo that reads "Zoo TV", a number of white lights shine from various angles into the center of the audience on the stadium floor, where a musical performance is taking place on a very small stage.|The Zoo TV Tour was a multimedia-intensive event, featuring a stage that used dozens of video screens.]] The [[Zoo TV Tour]] of 1992–1993 was a [[multimedia]] event and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of dozens of video screens, upside-down flying [[Trabant]] cars, mock transmission towers, [[satellite television|satellite TV]] links, and [[subliminal message]]s. Bono featured several over-the-top stage characters, such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "Mr. MacPhisto", in live performances. The extravagant shows were intentionally in contrast to the austere staging of previous U2 tours and mocked the excesses of rock and roll by appearing to embrace these very excesses. The shows were, in part, U2's way to represent the pervasive nature of cable television and its blurring of news, entertainment, and home shopping.de la Parra (2003), pp. 139–141; Flanagan (1995), pp. 12, 13, 58–61; Stokes (1996), pp. 110–111 Prank phone calls were made to [[George H. W. Bush|President Bush]], the United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn [[Sarajevo]] caused controversy.de la Parra (2003), pp. 153, 166 Quickly recorded during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, the ''[[Zooropa]]'' album continued many of the themes from ''Achtung Baby'' and the Zoo TV Tour. Initially intended as an [[Extended play|EP]], the band expanded ''Zooropa'' into a full-length [[LP album]]. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating [[techno]] influences and other electronic effects.Graham (2004), p. 51 [[Johnny Cash]] sang the vocal on "[[The Wanderer (U2 song)|The Wanderer]]". Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which extended through Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the setlist.de la Parra (2003), pp. 166–172 === Passengers, ''Pop'', and PopMart (1994–99) === In 1995, U2 released an [[experimental music|experimental]] album called ''[[Original Soundtracks 1]]''. Brian Eno, producer of three previous U2 albums, contributed as a full partner, including writing and performing. For this reason and due to the record's highly experimental nature, the band chose to release it under the moniker "Passengers" to distinguish it from U2's conventional albums. Mullen said of the album, "There's a thin line between interesting music and self-indulgence. We crossed it on the Passengers record."{{cite newspaper | title = Eno, U2 Make An 'Original' | newspaper = [[Boston Globe]] | first = Jim | last = Sullivan | date = 7 November 1995}} It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "[[Miss Sarajevo]]" featuring [[Luciano Pavarotti]], which Bono cites as one of his favourite U2 songs,McCormick (2006), pp. 261–262 was successful. {{Quote box | quote = "It's not enough to write a great lyric; it's not enough to have a good idea or a great hook, lots of things have to come together and then you have to have the ability to discipline and screen. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended..." | source = â€”Bono, on ''[[Pop (album)|Pop]]''McCormick (2006), p. 269 | width = 25% | align = right | style = padding:10px; }} On 1997's ''[[Pop (album)|Pop]]'', U2 continued experimenting; [[tape loop]]s, [[programming (music)|programming]], rhythm sequencing, and [[Sampling (music)|sampling]] provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Graham (2004), pp. 62–63 Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries and drew mainly positive reviews.{{cite magazine | title = Pop: Kitsch of Distinction | magazine = [[NME]] | date = 1 March 1997}}; {{cite news | title = Pop | newspaper = [[The Sunday Times]] | first = Andrew | last = Smith | date = 23 March 1997}} ''Rolling Stone'', for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives".{{cite magazine|title=Review: Pop|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Barney|last=Hoskyns|date=20 March 1997|issue=756}} Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.andrewmueller.net/display.lasso?id=88|title=U2's "Pop" Reconsidered|first=Andrew|last=Mueller|authorlink=Andrew Mueller|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] Legends|volume=1|issue=3|date=May 2004|accessdate=18 June 2010}}; {{cite news|first=Matt|last=Dentler|date= 30 October 2000| title=U2 makes album world is waiting for|newspaper=[[The Daily Texan]]}}; {{cite web|url=http://www.thefish.com/music/reviews/11618586/|title=The Best of 1990–2000 â€“ U2|work=[[Christianity Today]]|publisher=The Fish|first=Russ|last=Breimeier|accessdate=7 January 2008}} The band was hurried into completing the album in time for the impending pre-booked tour, and Bono admitted that the album "didn't communicate the way it was intended to".{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/u2-set-to-rerecord-pop|title=U2 Set to Re-Record Pop|publisher=[[Contactmusic.com]]|accessdate=31 October 2006}} The subsequent tour, [[PopMart Tour|PopMart]], commenced in April 1997. Like Zoo TV, it poked fun at pop culture and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. The stage included a {{convert|100|ft|m|sing=on}} tall golden yellow arch (reminiscent of the [[McDonald's]] logo), a {{convert|150|ft|m|sing=on}} long video screen, and a {{convert|40|ft|m|sing=on}} tall mirrorball lemon. U2's "big shtick" failed, however, to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band's new kitsch image and elaborate sets.{{cite journal|last=Carter|first=Geoff|title=U2 live: Play-by-play of the concert|journal=The Las Vegas Sun|date=27 April 1997}}; Anderson, Kyle (4 October 2006). [http://www.spin.com/blog/u2-brute U2, Brute?] spin.com. Retrieved on 29 December 2006. The delay of ''Pop''{{'}}s release date in order to complete the album meant rehearsal time for the tour was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.de la Parra (2003), pp. 193–202 A highlight of the tour was a [[1997 U2 concert in Sarajevo|concert in Sarajevo]] where U2 were the first major group to perform there following the [[Bosnian War]].[http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-u/u2_main.htm Rock On The Net: U2] rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006 Mullen described the concert as "an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show, and have done that, I think it would have been worthwhile."[http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=106185&mpc=2 U asked U2!] msn.com. Retrieved 15 January 2007; Furthermore, Bono described the show as "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life". ([http://www.u2station.com/news/archives/1997/09/index.php Bono in Conversation.] ''The Independent'' (26 September 1997). Retrieved 15 January 2007) One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', "[[Trash of the Titans]]", in which [[Homer Simpson]] disrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert.{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1435008/19980424/u2.jhtml |title=U2 And Homer Share Stage In "Simpsons" 200th Episode |publisher=MTV |date=14 August 1997 |accessdate=9 May 2008}} {{Clear}} === "Reapplying for the job of the best band in the world" (2000–06) === [[Image:U2 Super Bowl.jpg|thumb|U2 perform at [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] Halftime Show, 3 February 2002]] Following the comparatively poor reception of ''Pop'', U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... [of] the best band in the world",{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,212605,00.html|title=Bono's Mission |accessdate=10 March 2007|last=Tyrangiel|first=Josh|work=Time|date=23 February 2002}} and they have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations.McCormick (2006), pp. 289, 296 ''[[All That You Can't Leave Behind]]'' was released in October 2000 and was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace;[http://www.guardian.co.uk/friday_review/story/0,,388228,00.html#article_continue Time to Get the Leathers Out.] Guardian.co.uk (27 October 2000). Retrieved on 31 October 2006 ''Rolling Stone'' called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside ''The Joshua Tree'' and ''Achtung Baby''.{{cite magazine| first = James | last = Hunter | title = Review: All That You Can't Leave Behind | magazine = Rolling Stone | issue = 853 |date=9 November 2000}} The album debuted at number one in 22 countries[http://www.therockradio.com/u2/biography.html The Rock Radio: U2 biography.] therockradio.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006. and its worldwide hit single, "[[Beautiful Day]]" earned three Grammy Awards. The album's other three singles also won Grammy Awards. For the [[Elevation Tour]], U2 performed in a scaled-down setting, returning to arenas after nearly a decade of stadium productions. A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the [[September 11 attacks]], the new album gained added resonance,McCormick (2006), pp. 308–309 and in October, U2 performed at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City. Bono and The Edge later said these New York City shows were among their most memorable and emotional performances.{{cite video | title =VH1: All Access: U2 | medium =Television documentary |date=2005}}; McCormick (2006), p. 309 In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of [[Super Bowl XXXVI]],de la Parra (2003), p. 268 which [[SI.com]] ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.{{cite web | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0901/top.10.super.bowl.halftime.shows/content.10.html | title = Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime shows | work = Sports Illustrated | accessdate = 1 February 2009}} {{listen |pos=left | filename = U2 Vertigo.ogg | title = "Vertigo" (2004) | help = no | description = "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]", with its aggressive riff, became a hit worldwide and was used in a cross-promotion with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]. | format = [[Ogg]] }} The band's next studio album, ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]'', was released in November 2004. The band were looking for a harder-hitting rock sound than ''All That You Can't Leave Behind''. Thematically, Bono stated that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness."{{cite magazine | last =Wenner | first =Jann S. | title =Bono on the Records | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=3 November 2005 | issue =986 }} The first single, "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]", was featured on a widely aired television commercial for the [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] [[iPod]], and a U2 iPod and an [[The Complete U2|iTunes U2 box set]] were also released as part of a promotion with Apple. The album debuted at number one in the US, where first week sales doubled that of ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' and set a record for the band.[http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-u/u2_main.htm Rock On The Net: U2] rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006. Claiming it as a contender as one of U2's three best albums, Bono said, "There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me." The [[Vertigo Tour]] featured a setlist that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and it included songs not played since the early 1980s. Like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a commercial success.Waddell, Ray (13 December 2005). [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001659352 U2's Vertigo Leads Year's Top Tours.] ''Billboard''. Retrieved 31 October 2006. The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated. In 2005, [[Bruce Springsteen]] inducted U2 into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4349877.stm|title=U2 stars enter rock Hall of Fame|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=15 March 2005|accessdate=18 June 2010}} A [[3-D film|3-D]] [[concert film]], ''[[U2 3D]]'', filmed at nine concerts during the South America leg of the Vertigo Tour was released on 23 January 2008. In August 2006, the band incorporated its publishing business in The Netherlands following the capping of Irish artists' tax exemption at €250,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/u2-move-their-rock-empire-out-of-ireland-133364.html|title=U2 move their rock empire out of Ireland|date=6 August 2006 | accessdate=8 February 2008 |author=McConnell, Daniel|work=The Independent}} The Edge stated that businesses often seek to minimise their tax burdens. The move was criticised in the [[Oireachtas|Irish parliament]].{{cite news|url=http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&refer=home&sid=aef6sR60oDgM|title=Bono, Preacher on Poverty, Tarnishes Halo With Irish Tax Move|first=Fergal|last=O'Brien|date=15 October 2006|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=19 August 2009}}{{cite news |first=Marina |last=Hyde |title= They live like aristocrats. Now they think like them |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/dec/09/comment.music|work=[[The Guardian]]| publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]| date=9 December 2006|accessdate=18 June 2010}} The band said the criticism was unfair, stating that approximately 95% of their business took place outside of Ireland, that they were taxed globally because of this, and that they were all "personal investors and employers in the country".{{cite web |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/u2-reject-tax-avoidance-claims-14203636.html |title=U2 reject tax avoidance claims |publisher=Belfast Telegraph |date=26 February 2009 |accessdate=26 February 2009}} === ''No Line on the Horizon'' and U2 360° Tour (2007–present) === [[File:U2 360 Tour Croke Park 2.jpg|thumb|alt=A concert stage; four large legs curve up above the stage and hold a video screen which is extended down to the band. The legs are lit up in green. The video screen has multi-coloured lights flashing on it. The audience surrounds the stage on all sides.|The band's 360-degree stage layout from their 2009 U2 360° Tour]] The band began work on their twelfth album ''[[No Line on the Horizon]]'' in 2006, originally writing and recording with producer [[Rick Rubin]], but the material was shelved. The band subsequently chose to begin writing and recording for the album with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno in June 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/theticket/articles/2009/0227/1224241878162.html |title=The background: making No Line on the Horizon |first=Brian |last=Boyd |work=[[The Irish Times]] |date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-02-28 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kjAFbEWQ |archivedate=2009-10-23}} Note: subscription required. A two-week trip to [[Fez, Morocco]] where the six recorded led to the band experimenting with North African sounds and indicating the album would be more experimental than their previous efforts.{{cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/taking-care-of-business--the-u2-interview-1698937.html |title=Taking care of business |work=Irish Independent |first=Brian |last=Hiatt |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2009-04-07 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kjAvxiXo |archivedate=2009-10-23}} During the album sessions, on 31 March 2008, it was confirmed that U2 signed a 12 year deal with [[Live Nation]] worth an estimated $100 million (£50 million),{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/2787228/U2-ties-the-knot-with-Live-Nation-deal.html|title=U2 ties knot with Live Nation deal|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|first=Emma|last=Thelwell|date=31 March 2008|accessdate=17 August 2010}}{{Failed verification|date=June 2010}} which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website. The band completed ''No Line on the Horizon'' in December 2008, and it was released on 27 February 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/february-release-on-the-horizon-for-u2-album-14116528.html|title=U2 set to release new album in March|work=[[The Belfast Telegraph]]|date=20 December 2008|accessdate=17 August 2010}} The album received generally positive reviews, but critics noted the end result was not as experimental as expected. The [[U2 360° Tour]] began on 30 June 2009 and featured European and North American stadium dates in 2009, with additional shows in Europe in 2010 and North America in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/exclusive-u2-to-kiss-the-future-on-global-1003948418.story |title=U2 to 'Kiss the Future' on Global Stadium Tour |work=Billboard |first=Ray |last=Waddell |date=6 March 2009 |accessdate=6 March 2009}} The shows feature a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans surround the stage from all sides.{{cite web |url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/5293385.html |title=Paul McGuiness on U2's World Tour |work=[[Hot Press]] |date=4 March 2009 |accessdate=6 March 2009}} U2 were scheduled to headline the [[Glastonbury Festival 2010|Glastonbury Festival]] on 25 June 2010,{{cite magazine |title=U2 to headline 2010 Glastonbury Festival on 25 June |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=23 November 2009 | first=Daniel |last=Kreps}} but an injury to Bono's back necessitated the cancellation of their appearance, along with the postponement of the entire North American leg until 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/180384 |title=U2 announce return to the stage in homemade video |work=Rolling Stone |date=13 July 2010 |accessdate 13 July 2010 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5rCo678Ji |archivedate=13 July 2010}} Bono stated, "I'm heartbroken. We really wanted to be there to do something really special—we even wrote a song especially for the Festival."{{cite web |url=http://www.u2.com/news/title/glastonbury-appearance-cancelled |title=Glastonbury Appearance Cancelled |work=U2.com |publisher=[[Live Nation]] |date=25 May 2010 |accessdate=25 May 2010}} In 2009, ''Rolling Stone'' named U2 one of eight "Artists of the Decade".{{cite magazine | title=The Voices: Artists of the Decade | magazine=Rolling Stone | date = 24 December 2009 â€“ 7 January 2010 | issue=1094–1095}} The group's tours ranked them second in total concert grosses for the decade, after [[The Rolling Stones]].{{cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/#/features/top-touring-artists-of-the-decade-1004053065.story | title=Top Touring Artists of the Decade | work=Billboard | accessdate=19 December 2009}} == Musical style == [[File:U2 360 at Cowboys Stadium.jpg|thumb|alt=U2 performs on a stage. Bono stands in the center facing away towards a drum kit, with each leg on an amplifier. The Edge, playing guitar to his right, faces him. Adam Clayton, playing bass to his Bono's left, faces him. Many fans are seen in the background|The Edge has described U2, seen in 2009, as a fundamentally live band.]] Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals.{{cite web|url=http://80music.about.com/od/artistsqu/tp/topu2songs.htm|first=Steve|last=Peake|title=Top 10 U2 Songs of the '80s|work=[[About.com]]|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|accessdate=17 August 2010}} This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of record producer [[Steve Lillywhite]] at a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency.{{cite magazine|title=U2 Drops Bomb|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=David|last=Fricke|authorlink=David Fricke|date=30 December 2004|issue=964}} The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature [[delay (audio effect)|delay]]{{cite web|url=http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/|title=A Study of the Edge's (U2) Guitar Delay|first=Tim|last=Darling|date=May 2006|publisher=amnesta.net|accessdate=17 August 2010}} to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced [[drone (music)|drone]] played against his syncopated melodies{{cite magazine|url=http://www.amnesta.net/edge_delay/musician_magazine_1986.html|first=John|last=Hutchinson|date=September 1986|title=U2's Leading Edge|magazine=[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]|issue=95|page=33|accessdate=17 August 2010}} that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured his [[falsetto]] operatic voice{{cite web|url=http://www.atu2.com/news/column-off-the-record-vol-6-201.html|first=Marylinn|last=Maione|date=12 February 2006|title=Column: off the record..., vol. 6–201|publisher=atu2.com|accessdate=17 August 2010}} and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, The Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band. Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced brand new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as [[Television (band)|Television]] and [[Joy Division]], and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".Reynolds (2006), p. 368 U2's sound began with [[post-punk]] roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on ''Boy'' and ''October'', but evolved through ''War'' to include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive.{{cite magazine|title=Review: War|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=J.D.|last=Considine|date=20 January 1983| issue=387}} ''Boy'' and ''War'' were labelled "muscular and assertive" by ''Rolling Stone'', influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing. ''The Unforgettable Fire'', which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up ''The Joshua Tree'', had [[Brian Eno]] and [[Daniel Lanois]] at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The songs from ''The Joshua Tree'' and ''Rattle and Hum'' placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning fascination with America's culture, people and places. In the 1990s, U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesisers, [[distortion (guitar)|distortion]], and [[electronica|electronic]] beats derived from [[alternative rock]], [[industrial music]], [[electronic dance music|dance]], and [[Hip hop|hip-hop]] on ''Achtung Baby'',{{cite magazine |title=Review: Achtung Baby |magazine=Rolling Stone |first=Elysa |last=Gardner |date=9 January 1992|issue=921}} ''Zooropa'', and ''Pop''.{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/28/arts/under-a-golden-arch-sincerely-u2.html|title=Under A Golden Arch, Sincerely U2|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=Jon|last=Pareles|authorlink=Jon Pareles|date=28 April 1997|accessdate=18 June 2010}} The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with a more traditional rhythm and less obvious use of synthesisers and effects.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}} === Lyrics and themes === Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian and spiritual imagery,{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/arts/music/14pare.html?scp=1&sq=U2:%20The%20Catharsis%20in%20the%20Cathedral|title=U2: The Catharsis in the Cathedral|first=Jon|last=Pareles|authorlink=Jon Pareles|date=14 November 2004|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=17 August 2007}} are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)|Sunday Bloody Sunday]]", "Silver and Gold", and "[[Mothers of the Disappeared]]" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written about [[The Troubles|the troubles]] in [[Northern Ireland]],McCormick (2006), pp. 135, 139 while the latter concerns the struggle of COMADRES—the Mothers of the Disappeared—a group of women whose children were killed or "disappeared" by the government during the [[Salvadoran Civil War]].McGee (2008), p. 98 Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil inspired family colour songs like "[[Mofo (song)|Mofo]]", "[[Tomorrow (U2 song)|Tomorrow]]" and "[[Kite (song)|Kite]]". An emotional yearning or pleading frequently appears as a lyrical theme, in tracks such as "[[Yahweh (song)|Yahweh]]",{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/u2/reviews/400|title=U2 â€“ How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Review|work=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|accessdate=18 February 2007}} "[[Peace on Earth (U2 song)|Peace on Earth]]", and "[[Please (U2 song)|Please]]". Much of U2's songwriting and music is also motivated by contemplations of loss and anguish, coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, themes that are central to ''The Joshua Tree''. Some of these lyrical ideas have been amplified by Bono and the band's personal experiences during their youth in Ireland, as well as Bono's campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as [[Zoo TV Tour|Zoo TV]] and [[PopMart Tour|PopMart]] to caricature social trends, such as media overload and consumerism, respectively. While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of their music, U2's lyrics and music have been criticised as apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to actual people or characters.{{cite web|title=The soaring nothingness of U2|author=Plotz, David|url=http://www.slate.com/id/2061087/|date=25 January 2002|work=Slate|accessdate=19 January 2008}} === Influences === The band cites [[The Who]],McCormick (2006), p. 113 [[The Clash]],{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2600669.stm|title=Clash Star Strummer Dies|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=27 December 2002|accessdate=18 June 2010}} [[Ramones]],{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,107223,00.html?internalid=ACA|title=Eulogy: Bono Remembers Joey Ramone|author=Bono|work=Time|month= April | year= 2001|accessdate=13 February 2008}} [[The Beatles]],{{cite web | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/24/1058853193517.html | date = 26 July 2003| title = Saint Bono | work = The Age | accessdate = 7 January 2008}} [[Joy Division]],''NewOrderStory'' [DVD]. Warner Bros., 2005. [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]],McCormick (2006), p. 56, 58, 96 [[Elvis Presley]],{{cite magazine |title=The Immortals â€“ The Greatest Artists of All Time: Elvis Presley |author=Bono |work=Rolling Stone |date=15 April 2004}} and [[Patti Smith]]{{cite magazine |title=Bono â€“ The Rolling Stone Interview |work=Rolling Stone |first=Jann |last=Werner |date=3 November 2005}} as influences. [[Van Morrison]] has been cited by Bono as an influenceBayles (1994), p. 321 and his influence on U2 is pointed out by the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/van-morrison/|title=Van Morrison: Induction year 1993 |work=rockhall.com|publisher=[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]|accessdate=18 June 2010}} Other musicians and bands such as [[Snow Patrol]],{{Cite web|url=http://www.interference.com/8559-snow-patrol-talks-opening-for-u2-and-new-album/|accessdate=7 May 2009|date=20 June 2005|author=Carrie Allison|title=Snow Patrol Talks Opening For U2 and New Album}} [[The Fray]],{{cite news|last=Gitlin|first=Lauren|work=Rolling Stone|title=Enter the Fray|date=10 August 2006}} [[OneRepublic]],[http://www.amiannoying.com/%28S%284m04003a3ryxvb4542h01y55%29%29/view.aspx?ID=21766 Musicians.] OneRepublic's AmIAnnoying.com. Retrieved on 8 February 2008. [[Coldplay]],''Rolling Stone'', Issue #1025–1026, 3–17 May 2007. This Allure,[http://www.inreview.net/story/this_allure_this_allure] This Allure â€“ InReview.net [[The Academy Is...]],{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/academy_is/related_artists.jhtml?influencedBy=true |title=The Academy Is... | Related Music Artist | Discover New Music | MTV |publisher=MTV|date= |accessdate=2 November 2008}} [[The Killers]], [[Your Vegas]],{{cite web|url=http://musicunderfire.com/2008/05/muf-interviews-your-vegas.html |title=Music Under Fire: MUF Interviews Your Vegas |publisher=Musicunderfire.com |date= |accessdate=2 November 2008}} and [[Angels & Airwaves]]NME's 10 Most Influential Bands/Artists. NME Magazine, 2002; Chan, Alvin. [http://www.musicomh.com/music/features/angels-and-airwaves_0606.htm Angels & Airwaves â€“ Between the Blinks.] musicOMH.com June 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2007. have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including [[Johnny Cash]], [[Green Day]], [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[B.B. King]], [[Luciano Pavarotti]],McCormick (2006), pp. 39, 113, 343 [[Bob Dylan]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Wim Wenders]], [[R.E.M.]], [[Salman Rushdie]], and [[Anton Corbijn]]. == Campaigning and activism == [[Image:LulaAndBonoVox.jpeg|thumb|Bono with [[President of Brazil|President]] [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]] of Brazil]] Since the early 1980s, the members of U2—as a band and individually—have collaborated with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice. In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] to raise money for [[Ethiopia]]n famine relief. The initiative produced the hit charity single "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and [[Bob Geldof]]. In July 1985, U2 played [[Live Aid]], a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by [[World Vision]], later visited Ethiopia where they witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting.Tyrangiel, Josh (4 March 2002). [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001931-2,00.html Bono.] ''Time''. Retrieved 16 January 2007; McCormick (2006), p. 289 In 1986, U2 participated in the [[A Conspiracy of Hope]] tour in support of [[Amnesty International]] and in [[Self Aid]] for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited [[Nicaragua]] and [[El Salvador]] at the invitation of the [[Sanctuary movement]], and saw the effects of the [[Salvadoran Civil War|El Salvador Civil War]]. These 1986 events greatly influenced ''The Joshua Tree'' album, which was being recorded at the time. In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop [[Sellafield]]" concert with [[Greenpeace]] during their Zoo TV tour.McCormick (2006), p. 238 Events in Sarajevo during the [[War in Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnian war]] inspired the song "[[Miss Sarajevo]]", which premiered at a September 1995 [[Luciano Pavarotti|Pavarotti]] and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed at [[War Child (charity)|War Child]].McCormick (2006), p. 262 A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.McCormick (2006), p. 277 In 1998, they performed in [[Belfast]] days prior to the vote on the [[Belfast Agreement|Good Friday Agreement]], bringing [[Northern Ireland|Northern Irish]] political leaders [[David Trimble, Baron Trimble|David Trimble]] and [[John Hume]] on stage to promote the agreement.McCormick (2006), pp. 285–286 Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "[[Sweetest Thing]]" single went towards supporting the [[Chernobyl Children's Project International|Chernobyl Children's Project]]. In 2001, the band dedicated "[[Walk On (song)|Walk On]]" to [[Burma|Burma's]] pro-democracy leader [[Aung San Suu Kyi]].McCormick (2006), pp. 295–296 In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness [[46664 (concerts)|46664]] series of concerts hosted by [[Nelson Mandela]]. The band played 2005's [[Live 8]] concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded [[Amnesty International]]'s [[Ambassador of Conscience Award]] for their work in promoting human rights.[http://www.artforamnesty.org/aoc/events_2005.html Ambassador of Conscience Award: 2005 Award Ceremony.] artforamnesty.org. Retrieved 5 February 2007 Since 2000, Bono's campaigning has included [[Jubilee 2000]] with Bob Geldof, [[Muhammad Ali]], and others to promote the cancellation of third world debt during the [[Great Jubilee]]. In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational NGO, [[DATA]], with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.{{cite web|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/05/24/bono.africa.cnna/index.html|title=CNN Access: Bono backs 'effective aid' for Africa|work=[[CNN.com]]|publisher=[[Turner Broadcasting System]], Inc.|first=Aaron|last=Brown|date=24 May 2002|accessdate=18 June 2010}}; [http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/05/30/Bono.oneill.kagan.otsc/index.html Bono and O'Neill in Africa: Summing up the trip] CNN.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006; [http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/africa/06/20/Bono.chirac/index.html Bono wins Chirac aid boost pledge]. CNN.com, 21 June 2002. Retrieved 31 October 2006. [[Product Red]], a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the [[The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria|Global Fund]], was founded, in part, by Bono. The [[ONE Campaign]], originally the US counterpart of [[Make Poverty History]], was shaped by his efforts and vision. In 2007 the [[ONE Campaign]] and [[DATA]] merged into a single organisation, ONE, with Bono a member of the merged organisation's board of directors. In late 2005, following [[Hurricane Katrina]] and [[Hurricane Rita]], The Edge helped introduce [[Music Rising]], an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravaged [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]].[http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/001351.html The Edge (U2) Announces 'Music Rising', a Campaign to Aid Musicians Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita] modernguitars.com. Retrieved 16 January 2007 In 2006, U2 collaborated with [[punk rock]] band [[Green Day]] to record a remake of the song "[[The Saints Are Coming]]" by [[The Skids]] to benefit Music Rising.{{cite magazine | last = Hiatt | first =Brian | title =U2, Green Day Unite | work =Rolling Stone | date = 25 September 2006}} U2 and Bono's social activism have not been without its critics however. Several authors and activists who publish in politically left journals such as [[CounterPunch]] have decried Bono's support of political figures such as [[Paul Wolfowitz]],{{cite web | url=http://www.counterpunch.org/okeefe03232005.html | author = O'Keefe, Derrick | title = The Empire Moves and Co-opts in Mysterious Ways | work =CounterPunch|date = 23 March 2005| accessdate = 19 January 2008}} as well as his "essential paternalism".{{cite web | url=http://www.counterpunch.org/browne05162006.html | author = Browne, Harry | title = RED Light District: Bono's Independent | work =CounterPunch|date = 16 May 2006| accessdate = 19 January 2008}} Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to [[debt relief|relieve debt]] and provide assistance to Africa.{{cite web | url = http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=1955664&page=4 | title = Will More Foreign Aid End Global Poverty? | author = Stossel, John and Patrick McMenamin | date = 12 May 2006|accessdate = 19 January 2008}}; and {{cite web | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article783901.ece | title = Bono aid is making Africa sick | accessdate = 19 January 2008|work=The Sunday Times|date=1 January 2006}} Tax and development campaigners have also criticised the band's move from Ireland to the Netherlands to reduce its tax bill.Richard Murphy, "Bono's Choice", http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2006/08/20/100/ == Other projects == The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "[[In a Lifetime]]" with the Irish band [[Clannad (musical group)|Clannad]]. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film ''[[Captive Soundtrack|Captive]]'' in 1986,McCormick (2006), p. 169 which included a vocal performance by [[Sinéad O'Connor]] that predates her own debut album by a year. Bono and The Edge wrote the song "[[She's a Mystery to Me]]" for [[Roy Orbison]], which was featured on his 1989 album ''[[Mystery Girl]]''.McCormick (2006), p. 211 In 1990, Bono and The Edge provided the soundtrack to Royal Shakespeare Company London stage version of A Clockwork Orange (only one track ever released, on the B-Side to [[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]] single). Also in 1990 Larry Mullen co-wrote and produced a song for the Irish International soccer team in [[World Cup 1990|Italia '90]], called "[[Put 'Em Under Pressure]]", which topped the Irish charts. Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "[[GoldenEye (song)|GoldenEye]]" for the 1995 [[James Bond]] film ''[[GoldenEye]]'', which was performed by [[Tina Turner]].de la Parra (2003), p. 141 Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. did a rework of the title track of the movie ''[[Mission: Impossible (film)|Mission: Impossible]]'' in 1996.de la Parra (2003), p. 132 Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on [[Mick Jagger]]'s 2001 album ''[[Goddess in the Doorway]]''.{{cite magazine | last =Wenner | first =Jann S. | title =Review: Goddess In The Doorway | work =Rolling Stone | date =6 December 2001|issue=883–884}} Bono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of [[Leonard Cohen]]'s "[[Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)|Hallelujah]]" for the "[[Tower of Song]]" compilation in 1995. Additionally, in 1998, Bono collaborated with [[Kirk Franklin]] and [[Crystal Lewis]] (along with controversial mainstream artists [[R. Kelly]] and [[Mary J. Blige]]) for a successful gospel song called "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]", not to be confused with the [[Bill Withers]] song of the same name. Aside from musical collaborations, U2 have worked with several authors. American author [[William S. Burroughs]] had a guest appearance in U2's video for "Last Night on Earth" shortly before he died.Perry, Tony (3 August 1997).[http://www.chron.com/cgi-bin/auth/story/content/chronicle/features/books/97/08/03/burroughs.html William S. Burroughs dies at 83; Beat Generation godfather.]{{Dead link|date=October 2008}} ''Houston Chronicle''. Retrieved on 31 October 2006 His poem "A Thanksgiving Prayer" was used as video footage during the band's Zoo TV Tour. Other collaborators include [[William Gibson]] and [[Allen Ginsberg]].Pancella, Angela. [http://www.atu2.com/news/connections/gibson/ U2 Connections: William Gibson.] atu2.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008; [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/ginsberg_a.html American Masters: Allen Ginsberg] PBS.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008. In early 2000, the band recorded three songs for ''[[The Million Dollar Hotel]]'' [[The Million Dollar Hotel: Music from the Motion Picture|movie soundtrack]], including "[[The Ground Beneath Her Feet (song)|The Ground Beneath Her Feet]]", which was co-written by [[Salman Rushdie]] and motivated by his [[The Ground Beneath Her Feet|book of the same name]].[http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9901/22/showbuzz/#story2 Salman Rushdie's Words Become U2 Lyrics] CNN.com (22 January 1999). Retrieved on 25 January 2008. Most recently, Bono appeared and performed [[The Beatles]] songs in the movie'' [[Across the Universe (film)|Across the Universe]]'' (2007). Bono and The Edge are also writing the music to the Broadway musical ''[[Spider-Man in other media#Theatre|Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark]]'', expected to open in 2010.Pompeo, Joe (3 March 2009). [http://www.observer.com/2009/gossip-girl-sings-sonic-youth-returns-and-where%E2%80%99s-your-famous-blue-raincoat Gossip Girl Sings! Sonic Youth Returns! And Where's Your Famous Blue Raincoat?] (HTML). ''[[The New York Observer]]''. The New York Observer, LLC. Retrieved on 8 March 2009 Additionally, The Edge created the theme song for Season 1 and 2 of the animated television series ''[[The Batman (TV series)|The Batman]]''. == Discography == {{Main|U2 discography|List of U2 songs}} * ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]'' (1980) * ''[[October (album)|October]]'' (1981) * ''[[War (album)|War]]'' (1983) * ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]'' (1984) * ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'' (1987) * ''[[Rattle and Hum]]'' (1988) * ''[[Achtung Baby]]'' (1991) * ''[[Zooropa]]'' (1993) * ''[[Pop (album)|Pop]]'' (1997) * ''[[All That You Can't Leave Behind]]'' (2000) * ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]'' (2004) * ''[[No Line on the Horizon]]'' (2009) == Awards == {{Main|List of awards received by U2}} U2 first received [[Grammy Award]]s for ''[[The Joshua Tree]]'' in 1988, and have won 22 in total since. These include [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Rock Duo or Group]], [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Album|Best Rock Album]]. The [[British Phonographic Industry]] has awarded U2 seven [[BRIT Awards]], five of these being for Best International Group. In Ireland, U2 have won 14 [[Meteor Music Awards|Meteor Awards]] since the awards began in 2001. Other awards include one [[American Music Award|AMA]], four [[MTV Video Music Awards|VMAs]], ten [[Q Awards]], two [[Juno Award]]s, three [[NME Awards]], and a [[Golden Globe Award]]. The band were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in early 2005. In 2006, all four members of the band received [[ASCAP|ASCAP awards]] for writing the songs, "[[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For]]", and "Vertigo".{{cite web|url=http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/prs/2006/winners.html|title=Song of the Year 2006|last=Hewson, Clayton, Evans, Mullen|first=U2 Band members|date=2006, 2008 |publisher=Blue Mountain Music Ltd|accessdate=31 January 2009}} == References == ;Footnotes {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} ;Bibliography {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book|first=Martha|last=Bayles|title=Hole in Our Soul: Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music|publisher=Free Press|location=New York|year=1994|isbn=0029019621}} * {{cite book|last=Chatterton|first=Mark|title=U2: The Complete Encyclopedia|publisher=Firefly Publishing|location=London|year=2001|isbn=0-946719-41-1}} * {{cite book|last=de la Parra|first=Pimm Jal|year=2003|title=U2 Live: A Concert Documentary|publisher=Omnibus Press|location=London|edition=Updated|isbn=0-7119-9198-7}} * {{cite book|last=Flanagan|first=Bill|authorlink=Bill Flanagan|title=U2 at the End of the World|publisher=Delacorte Press|location=New York|year=1995|isbn=0-385-31154-0}} * {{cite book|last=Gardner|first=Elysa|title=U2: The Ultimate Compendium of Interviews, Articles, Facts and Opinions from the Files of Rolling Stone|editor=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=Sidgwick & Jackson|year=1994|location=London|isbn=0-283-06239-8}} * {{cite book|last1=Graham|first1=Bill|first2=Caroline|last2=van Oosten de Boer|title=U2: The Complete Guide to Their Music| publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2004|location=London|isbn=0-7119-9886-8}} * {{cite book|last=McGee|first=Matt|title=U2: A Diary|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|location=London|year=2008|isbn=978-1-84772-108-2}} * {{cite book|title=Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984|first=Simon|last=Reynolds|publisher=Penguin Books|location=New York|year=2006|isbn=0-14-303672-6}} * {{cite book|first=Niall|last=Stokes|authorlink=Niall Stokes|title=Into The Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song|publisher=HarperCollins|year=1996|location=London|isbn=0-00-719668-7}} * {{cite book|author=U2|editor1-first=Neil|editor1-last=McCormick|title=U2 by U2|publisher=HarperCollins|location=London|year=2006|isbn=0-00-719668-7}} * {{cite book|last=Wall|first=Mick|year=2005|title=Bono: Saint & Sinner|publisher=Andre Deutsch Publishers|location=London|isbn=0233001239}} {{Refend}} == External links == {{commons|U2}} * [http://www.u2.com/ U2 Official Website] {{U2}} {{U2 singles}} {{Featured article}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2010}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2010}} [[Category:U2| ]] [[Category:1970s music groups]] [[Category:1980s music groups]] [[Category:1990s music groups]] [[Category:2000s music groups]] [[Category:2010s music groups]] [[Category:Irish alternative rock groups]] [[Category:Irish rock music groups]] [[Category:BRIT Award winners]] [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] [[Category:Golden Globe Award winning musicians]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1976]] [[Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees]] [[Category:Musical quartets]] [[Category:Mercury Records artists|U2]] [[Category:MTV Video Vanguard Award winners]] [[Category:Post-punk music groups]] [[Category:MTV Europe Music Awards winners]] [[Category:World Music Awards winners]] [[Category:MTV Video Music Awards winners]] {{Link FA|lv}} {{Link FA|ro}} {{Link GA|de}} {{Link GA|no}} {{Link GA|ru}} [[af:U2]] [[ar:يو تو]] [[ast:U2]] [[bn:ইউটà§�]] [[bar:U2]] [[bs:U2 (grupa)]] [[bg:Ю Ту]] [[ca:U2]] [[cs:U2]] [[cy:U2]] [[da:U2]] [[de:U2]] [[et:U2]] [[el:U2]] [[es:U2]] [[eo:U2]] [[eu:U2]] [[fa:یوتو]] [[fr:U2]] [[ga:U2]] [[gd:U2]] [[gl:U2]] [[ko:U2 (ë°´ë“œ)]] [[hr:U2]] [[id:U2 (grup musik)]] [[is:U2]] [[it:U2]] [[he:U2]] [[ka:U2]] [[csb:U2]] [[sw:U2]] [[lv:U2]] [[lt:U2]] [[li:U2]] [[lmo:U2]] [[hu:U2]] [[ml:à´¯àµ�2]] [[nah:U2 (tlacuÄ«caliztli)]] [[nl:U2 (band)]] [[ja:U2]] [[no:U2]] [[nn:U2]] [[uz:U2]] [[pl:U2]] [[pt:U2]] [[ro:U2]] [[qu:U2]] [[ru:U2]] [[sq:U2]] [[simple:U2 (band)]] [[sk:U2 (hudobná skupina)]] [[sl:U2]] [[szl:U2]] [[sr:U2]] [[sh:U2]] [[fi:U2]] [[sv:U2]] [[tl:U2]] [[ta:யà¯�2]] [[th:ยูทู]] [[tr:U2]] [[uk:U2]] [[vec:U2]] [[vi:U2]] [[vo:U2]] [[zea:U2]] [[zh:U2樂團]]" ["html"]=> string(58680) "

{{Infobox musical artist| Name = U2| Img = 2005-11-21_U2_%40_MSG_by_ZG.JPG| Img_capt = U2 performing at Madison Square Garden in November 2005, from left to right: The Edge; Larry Mullen, Jr. (drumming), Bono, and Adam Clayton| Img_size = 250| Landscape = yes| Background = rock band| Origin = Dublin, Ireland| Genre = Rock, alternative rock, post-punk| Years_active = 1976–present| Label = Mercury, Interscope, Island| URL = u2.com| Current_members = Bono
The Edge
Adam Clayton
Larry Mullen, Jr.| Associated_acts =Passengers, Virgin Prunes}}

U2 are a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). The band formed at Mount Temple secondary school in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed to Island Records and released their debut album Boy. By the mid-1980s, they had become a top international act. They were more successful as a live act than they were at selling records, until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree, which, according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars".Gardner (1994), p. xx

Their 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour were a musical and thematic reinvention for the band. Reacting to their own sense of musical stagnation and a late-1980s critical backlash, U2 incorporated dance music and alternative rock influences into their sound and performances, abandoning their earnest image for a more ironic, self-deprecating tone. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1990s. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more conventional sound, while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations.

U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the most critically and commercially successful groups in popular music. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, Grammy Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved 15 October 2006. and they have sold more than 150 million records. In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone magazine ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, and The Edge's Music Rising.

History

Formation and early years (1976–79)

The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.McCormick (2006), p. 27 Larry Mullen, Jr., then 14 years old, posted a notice on his secondary school (Mount Temple Comprehensive School) notice board in search of musicians for a new band. Setting up in his kitchen, Mullen later described it as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." Mullen was on drums, Paul Hewson on lead vocals, Dave Evans and his older brother Dik Evans on guitar, Adam Clayton, a friend of the Evans brothers on bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.Chatterton (2001), p. 130 Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), p. 30 Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of the group's material initially consisted of cover versions, which the band said was not their forté.McCormick (2006), pp. 35, 40 The band's early original material was influenced by punk rock acts, such as The Jam, The Clash, and The Sex Pistols.

{{Quote box

| quote  = "We couldn't believe it. I was completely shocked. We weren't of an age to go out partying as such but I don't think anyone slept that night.... Really, it was just a great affirmation to win that competition, even though I've no idea how good we were or what the competition was really like. But to win at that point was incredibly important for morale and everyone's belief in the whole project."
| source = â€”The Edge, on winning the CBS competitionMcCormick (2006), pp. 46–47
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}}In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".de la Parra (2003), p. 6 Dik Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out. The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble and he was "phased out" in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".McCormick (2006), pp. 46–48 Steve Averill, a punk rock musician and family friend of Clayton's, had suggested six potential names from which the band chose "U2" for its ambiguity and open-ended interpretations, and because it was the name that they disliked the least.McCormick (2006), p. 44

On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and studio time to record a demo which would be heard by CBS Ireland. This win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios in Dublin, in May 1978.Wall (2005), p. 45 Hot Press magazine was influential in shaping the band's future; in May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by the magazine's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.McCormick (2006), pp. 53–56 U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.de la Parra (2003), p. 8 In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.de la Parra (2003), p. 10 In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.Stokes (1996), p. 142; McCormick (2006), p. 88

Boy, October, and War (1980–83)

Island Records signed U2 in March 1980, and in May, the band released "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" as their first international single.Stokes (1996), p. 142 The band's debut album, Boy, followed in October. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, it received generally positive reviews.; ; Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, a common theme was the dreams and frustrations of adolescence. The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit single, "I Will Follow". Boy's release was followed by the Boy Tour, U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.de la Parra (2003), pp. 16, 17 Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.

The band's second album, October, was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes. During the album's recording sessions, Bono and The Edge considered quitting the band due to perceived spiritual conflicts.; McGee (2008), p. Bono, The Edge, and Mullen had joined a Christian group in Dublin called the "Shalom Fellowship", which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the rock and roll lifestyle.Flanagan (1995), pp. 46–48 Bono and Edge took time off between tours and decided to leave Shalom in favour of continuing with the band. Recording was further complicated when a briefcase containing lyrics for several working songs was stolen from backstage during the band's performance at a nightclub in Portland, Oregon. The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. Low sales outside the UK put pressure on their contract with Island and focused the band on improvement.McCormick (2006), p. 120

{{listen|pos=left

| filename     = U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday.ogg
| title        = "Sunday Bloody Sunday" (1983)
| description  = "Sunday Bloody Sunday" features a martial drumbeat, raw guitar, and lyrically, a bleak emotionally charged response to violence.
| format       = [[Ogg]]

}}Resolving their doubts of the October period, U2 released War in 1983.Stokes (1996), p. 36 A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade",Reynolds (2006), p. 367 War's sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synthpop of the time.Graham (2004), p. 14 The album included the politically charged "Sunday Bloody Sunday", where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of Bloody Sunday with Easter Sunday.McCormick (2006), p. 135 Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting. War was U2's first album to feature the photography of Anton Corbijn, who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.McCormick (2006), p. 127 U2's first commercial success, War debuted at number one in the UK, and its first single, "New Year's Day", was the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK."New Year's Day" reached number ten on the UK charts and received extensive radio coverage in the US, almost breaking that country's Top 50. (McCormick (2006), p. 139);

in 1983.]]On the subsequent War Tour, the band performed sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the US. The sight of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became the tour's iconic image. U2 recorded the Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour, as well as the Live at Red Rocks concert film, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, expanding the band's audience and showcasing their prowess as a live act. Their record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 the band signed a more lucrative extension. They negotiated the return of their copyrights (so that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms, at the expense of a larger initial payment.

The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984–85)

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| quote  = "We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to [[The Who]]. All we had to do was to keep doing what we were doing and we would become the biggest band since [[Led Zeppelin]], without a doubt. But something just didn't feel right. We felt we had more dimension than just the next big anything, we had something unique to offer."
| source = â€”Bono, on ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]''{{'}}s new direction.McCormick (2006), p. 147
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}}The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band's most marked change in direction.de la Parra (2003), pp. 52–55 The band feared that following the overt rock of the War album and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band". Thus, experimentation was sought,Graham (2004), p. 21 as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty." The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record.Island Records boss Chris Blackwell initially tried to discourage them from their choice of producers, believing that just when the band were about to achieve the highest levels of success, Eno would "bury them under a layer of avant-garde nonsense". (McCormick (2006), p. 151)

The Unforgettable Fire has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Mullen's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Clayton's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs.Stokes (1996), pp. 50–51 Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel". Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting responsibility—about which he had always been reluctant—was a poetic one. Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "Bad" and "Pride " were incomplete "sketches".McCormick (2006), p. 151 "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about Martin Luther King, Jr., was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit to that point, including being their first to enter the US top 40.Graham, (2004), pp. 23–24

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}}Much of The Unforgettable Fire Tour moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.de la Parra (2003), pp. 62–63 The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performances. One solution was programmed sequencers, which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances. Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage.Rolling Stone, which was critical of the album version of "Bad", described its live performance as a 'show stopper'.

U2 participated in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief at Wembley Stadium in July 1985. U2's performance in front of 82,000 fans was a pivotal point in the band's career.McCormick (2006), p. 164 During a 14-minute performance of the song "Bad", Bono leapt down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.de la Parra (2003), pp. 72–73 In 1985, Rolling Stone magazine called U2 the "Band of the '80s", saying that "for a growing number of rock-and-roll fans, U2 have become the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters".

The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986–89)

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| quote  = "The wild beauty, cultural richness, spiritual vacancy and ferocious violence of America are explored to compelling effect in virtually every aspect of ''The Joshua Tree''—in the title and the cover art, the blues and country borrowings evident in the music ... Indeed, Bono says that 'dismantling the mythology of America' is an important part of ''The Joshua Tree''{{'}}s artistic objective."
| source = â€”''Rolling Stone''{{cite magazine | last =DeCurtis | first =Anthony| title =Truths and Consequences | magazine =Rolling Stone | date = 7 May 1987 | issue=499}}
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}}Motivated by friendships with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Keith Richards, the band looked back to the roots of rock music, and Bono focused on his skills as a song and lyric writer.McCormick (2006), p. 179 Realising "that U2 had no tradition", the band explored American blues, folk, and gospel music.McCormick (2006), pp. 169, 177 For their fifth album, The Joshua Tree,so named as a "tribute" to, rather than a "metaphor" for, America (McCormick (2006), p. 186) the band wanted to build on The Unforgettable Fires atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures. U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope tour. Rather than being a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music.McCormick (2006), p. 174 In 1986, Bono travelled to San Salvador and Nicaragua and saw first-hand the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts that were subject to American political intervention. The experience became a central influence on the new music.

thumb|upright|left|The tree pictured on Joshua Tree album sleeve. Adam Clayton said "The desert was immensely inspirational to us as a mental image for this record".Stokes (1996), p. 72.]The Joshua Tree was released in March 1987. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.McCormick (2006), p. 186 The band wanted music with a sense of location and a "cinematic" quality, and the album's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading.Graham (2004), pp. 27–30The Joshua Tree became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.; McCormick (2006), p. 186 The album's first two singles, "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly went to number one in the US. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of Time magazine,The Beatles, The Band, and The Who were the first three. which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket"." Rock's Hottest Ticket" Time Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January 2007. The album won U2 their first two Grammy Awards,Grammy Award for Album of the Year and a Grammy for the Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal. Grammy Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved 4 December 2006. and it brought the band a new level of success. Many publications, including Rolling Stone, have cited it as one of rock's greatest. The Joshua Tree Tour was the first tour on which the band played shows in stadiums, alongside smaller arena shows.de la Parra (2003), pp. 102–103, 111

The documentary Rattle and Hum featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music,Stokes (1996), p. 78; Graham (2004), pp. 36–38 and included recordings at Sun Studios in Memphis and performances with Bob Dylan and B. B. King. Rattle and Hum performed modestly at the box office and received mixed reviews from both film and music critics; Rattle and Hum review. Allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006; Christgau, Robert. " Rattle and Hum. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006. one Rolling Stone editor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided".Gardner (1994), p. xxiii The film's director, Phil Joanou, described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2".Gardner (1994), p. xxiv Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's Lovetown Tour, which visited Australia, Japan and Europe, because the band wanted to avoid the American backlash. In addition, they had grown dissatisfied with their live performances; Mullen recalled that "We were the biggest, but we weren't the best". With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono said to fans on one of the last dates of the tour that it was "the end of something for U2" and that they had to "go away and [1] just dream it all up again".McCormick (2006), p. 213; "A Story of One" documentary.

Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and Zooropa (1990–93)

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| quote  = "Buzzwords on this record were ''trashy, throwaway, dark, sexy,'' and ''industrial'' (all good) and ''earnest, polite, sweet, righteous, rockist'' and ''linear'' (all bad). It was good if a song took you on a journey or made you think your hifi was broken, bad if it reminded you of recording studios or U2..."
| source = â€”[[Brian Eno]], on the recording of ''[[Achtung Baby]]''{{cite magazine | last =Eno | first =Brian | authorlink =Brian Eno | title =Bringing Up Baby | magazine =Rolling Stone | date = 28 November 1991|issue=618}}
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}}Stung by the criticism of Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album, Achtung Baby; the shift was one of their most dramatic since The Unforgettable Fire.Flanagan (1995), pp. 4–6; Graham (2004), p. 43 They began work on the album in East Berlin in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, seeking inspiration on the eve of German reunification.Flanagan (1995), p. 7 The sessions instead proved to be difficult, as conflict arose within the group over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While Clayton and Mullen preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and Edge were inspired by alternative rock and European dance music and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had composed to improvise the song "One".Flanagan (1995), pp. 6–11 They completed the album in 1991 in Dublin.

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}}

In November 1991, U2 released Achtung Baby. Sonically, it incorporated alternative rock, dance, and industrial influences of the time, and the band referred the album's musical departure as "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". Thematically, it was a more inward-looking and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant than the band's previous work. Commercially and critically, it has been one of the band's most successful albums. It produced the hit singles "The Fly", "Mysterious Ways", and "One", and it was a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.Graham (2004), p. 44 Like The Joshua Tree, many publications have cited the record as one of rock's greatest.

thumb|alt=In an outdoor stadium at night with an elaborate concert stage set bearing a logo that reads "Zoo TV", a number of white lights shine from various angles into the center of the audience on the stadium floor, where a musical performance is taking place on a very small stage.|The Zoo TV Tour was a multimedia-intensive event, featuring a stage that used dozens of video screens.The Zoo TV Tour of 1992–1993 was a multimedia event and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of dozens of video screens, upside-down flying Trabant cars, mock transmission towers, satellite TV links, and subliminal messages. Bono featured several over-the-top stage characters, such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "Mr. MacPhisto", in live performances. The extravagant shows were intentionally in contrast to the austere staging of previous U2 tours and mocked the excesses of rock and roll by appearing to embrace these very excesses. The shows were, in part, U2's way to represent the pervasive nature of cable television and its blurring of news, entertainment, and home shopping.de la Parra (2003), pp. 139–141; Flanagan (1995), pp. 12, 13, 58–61; Stokes (1996), pp. 110–111 Prank phone calls were made to President Bush, the United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn Sarajevo caused controversy.de la Parra (2003), pp. 153, 166

Quickly recorded during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, the Zooropa album continued many of the themes from Achtung Baby and the Zoo TV Tour. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded Zooropa into a full-length LP album. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating techno influences and other electronic effects.Graham (2004), p. 51 Johnny Cash sang the vocal on "The Wanderer". Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which extended through Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the setlist.de la Parra (2003), pp. 166–172

Passengers, Pop, and PopMart (1994–99)

In 1995, U2 released an experimental album called Original Soundtracks 1. Brian Eno, producer of three previous U2 albums, contributed as a full partner, including writing and performing. For this reason and due to the record's highly experimental nature, the band chose to release it under the moniker "Passengers" to distinguish it from U2's conventional albums. Mullen said of the album, "There's a thin line between interesting music and self-indulgence. We crossed it on the Passengers record." It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti, which Bono cites as one of his favourite U2 songs,McCormick (2006), pp. 261–262 was successful.

{{Quote box

| quote  = "It's not enough to write a great lyric; it's not enough to have a good idea or a great hook, lots of things have to come together and then you have to have the ability to discipline and screen. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended..."
| source = â€”Bono, on ''[[Pop (album)|Pop]]''McCormick (2006), p. 269
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}}On 1997's Pop, U2 continued experimenting; tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and sampling provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Graham (2004), pp. 62–63 Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries and drew mainly positive reviews.; Rolling Stone, for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives". Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.; ; The band was hurried into completing the album in time for the impending pre-booked tour, and Bono admitted that the album "didn't communicate the way it was intended to".

The subsequent tour, PopMart, commenced in April 1997. Like Zoo TV, it poked fun at pop culture and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. The stage included a tall golden yellow arch (reminiscent of the McDonald's logo), a long video screen, and a tall mirrorball lemon. U2's "big shtick" failed, however, to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band's new kitsch image and elaborate sets.; Anderson, Kyle (4 October 2006). U2, Brute? spin.com. Retrieved on 29 December 2006. The delay of Pops release date in order to complete the album meant rehearsal time for the tour was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.de la Parra (2003), pp. 193–202 A highlight of the tour was a concert in Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform there following the Bosnian War. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006 Mullen described the concert as "an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show, and have done that, I think it would have been worthwhile." U asked U2! msn.com. Retrieved 15 January 2007; Furthermore, Bono described the show as "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life". ( Bono in Conversation. The Independent (26 September 1997). Retrieved 15 January 2007) One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of The Simpsons, "Trash of the Titans", in which Homer Simpson disrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert.

"Reapplying for the job of the best band in the world" (2000–06)

Halftime Show, 3 February 2002]]Following the comparatively poor reception of Pop, U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... [2] the best band in the world", and they have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations.McCormick (2006), pp. 289, 296 All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace; Time to Get the Leathers Out. Guardian.co.uk (27 October 2000). Retrieved on 31 October 2006 Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. The album debuted at number one in 22 countries The Rock Radio: U2 biography. therockradio.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006. and its worldwide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards. The album's other three singles also won Grammy Awards.

For the Elevation Tour, U2 performed in a scaled-down setting, returning to arenas after nearly a decade of stadium productions. A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the September 11 attacks, the new album gained added resonance,McCormick (2006), pp. 308–309 and in October, U2 performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Bono and The Edge later said these New York City shows were among their most memorable and emotional performances.; McCormick (2006), p. 309 In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI,de la Parra (2003), p. 268 which SI.com ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.

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}}The band's next studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released in November 2004. The band were looking for a harder-hitting rock sound than All That You Can't Leave Behind. Thematically, Bono stated that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness." The first single, "Vertigo", was featured on a widely aired television commercial for the Apple iPod, and a U2 iPod and an iTunes U2 box set were also released as part of a promotion with Apple. The album debuted at number one in the US, where first week sales doubled that of All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006. Claiming it as a contender as one of U2's three best albums, Bono said, "There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me." The Vertigo Tour featured a setlist that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and it included songs not played since the early 1980s. Like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a commercial success.Waddell, Ray (13 December 2005). U2's Vertigo Leads Year's Top Tours. Billboard. Retrieved 31 October 2006. The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated. In 2005, Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A 3-D concert film, U2 3D, filmed at nine concerts during the South America leg of the Vertigo Tour was released on 23 January 2008.

In August 2006, the band incorporated its publishing business in The Netherlands following the capping of Irish artists' tax exemption at €250,000. The Edge stated that businesses often seek to minimise their tax burdens. The move was criticised in the Irish parliament.{{cite news |first=Marina |last=Hyde |title= They live like aristocrats. Now they think like them|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/dec/09/comment.music|work=The Guardian| publisher=Guardian Media Group| date=9 December 2006|accessdate=18 June 2010}} The band said the criticism was unfair, stating that approximately 95% of their business took place outside of Ireland, that they were taxed globally because of this, and that they were all "personal investors and employers in the country".

No Line on the Horizon and U2 360° Tour (2007–present)

thumb|alt=A concert stage; four large legs curve up above the stage and hold a video screen which is extended down to the band. The legs are lit up in green. The video screen has multi-coloured lights flashing on it. The audience surrounds the stage on all sides.|The band's 360-degree stage layout from their 2009 U2 360° TourThe band began work on their twelfth album No Line on the Horizon in 2006, originally writing and recording with producer Rick Rubin, but the material was shelved. The band subsequently chose to begin writing and recording for the album with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno in June 2007. Note: subscription required. A two-week trip to Fez, Morocco where the six recorded led to the band experimenting with North African sounds and indicating the album would be more experimental than their previous efforts. During the album sessions, on 31 March 2008, it was confirmed that U2 signed a 12 year deal with Live Nation worth an estimated $100 million (£50 million), which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website.

The band completed No Line on the Horizon in December 2008, and it was released on 27 February 2009. The album received generally positive reviews, but critics noted the end result was not as experimental as expected. The U2 360° Tour began on 30 June 2009 and featured European and North American stadium dates in 2009, with additional shows in Europe in 2010 and North America in 2011. The shows feature a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans surround the stage from all sides. U2 were scheduled to headline the Glastonbury Festival on 25 June 2010, but an injury to Bono's back necessitated the cancellation of their appearance, along with the postponement of the entire North American leg until 2011. Bono stated, "I'm heartbroken. We really wanted to be there to do something really special—we even wrote a song especially for the Festival."

In 2009, Rolling Stone named U2 one of eight "Artists of the Decade". The group's tours ranked them second in total concert grosses for the decade, after The Rolling Stones.

Musical style

thumb|alt=U2 performs on a stage. Bono stands in the center facing away towards a drum kit, with each leg on an amplifier. The Edge, playing guitar to his right, faces him. Adam Clayton, playing bass to his Bono's left, faces him. Many fans are seen in the background|The Edge has described U2, seen in 2009, as a fundamentally live band.Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of record producer Steve Lillywhite at a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency. The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, The Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.

Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced brand new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as Television and Joy Division, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".Reynolds (2006), p. 368 U2's sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on Boy and October, but evolved through War to include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive. Boy and War were labelled "muscular and assertive" by Rolling Stone, influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing. The Unforgettable Fire, which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up The Joshua Tree, had Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The songs from The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning fascination with America's culture, people and places. In the 1990s, U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesisers, distortion, and electronic beats derived from alternative rock, industrial music, dance, and hip-hop on Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop. The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with a more traditional rhythm and less obvious use of synthesisers and effects.

Lyrics and themes

Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian and spiritual imagery, are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Silver and Gold", and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written about the troubles in Northern Ireland,McCormick (2006), pp. 135, 139 while the latter concerns the struggle of COMADRES—the Mothers of the Disappeared—a group of women whose children were killed or "disappeared" by the government during the Salvadoran Civil War.McGee (2008), p. 98

Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil inspired family colour songs like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". An emotional yearning or pleading frequently appears as a lyrical theme, in tracks such as "Yahweh", "Peace on Earth", and "Please". Much of U2's songwriting and music is also motivated by contemplations of loss and anguish, coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, themes that are central to The Joshua Tree. Some of these lyrical ideas have been amplified by Bono and the band's personal experiences during their youth in Ireland, as well as Bono's campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as Zoo TV and PopMart to caricature social trends, such as media overload and consumerism, respectively.

While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of their music, U2's lyrics and music have been criticised as apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to actual people or characters.

Influences

The band cites The Who,McCormick (2006), p. 113 The Clash, Ramones, The Beatles, Joy Division,NewOrderStory [3]. Warner Bros., 2005. Siouxsie and the Banshees,McCormick (2006), p. 56, 58, 96 Elvis Presley, and Patti Smith as influences. Van Morrison has been cited by Bono as an influenceBayles (1994), p. 321 and his influence on U2 is pointed out by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other musicians and bands such as Snow Patrol, The Fray, OneRepublic, Musicians. OneRepublic's AmIAnnoying.com. Retrieved on 8 February 2008. Coldplay,Rolling Stone, Issue #1025–1026, 3–17 May 2007. This Allure,[4] This Allure â€“ InReview.net The Academy Is..., The Killers, Your Vegas, and Angels & AirwavesNME's 10 Most Influential Bands/Artists. NME Magazine, 2002; Chan, Alvin. Angels & Airwaves â€“ Between the Blinks. musicOMH.com June 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2007. have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including Johnny Cash, Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti,McCormick (2006), pp. 39, 113, 343 Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Wim Wenders, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, and Anton Corbijn.

Campaigning and activism

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil]]Since the early 1980s, the members of U2—as a band and individually—have collaborated with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice.

In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in Band Aid to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. The initiative produced the hit charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and Bob Geldof. In July 1985, U2 played Live Aid, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia where they witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting.Tyrangiel, Josh (4 March 2002). Bono. Time. Retrieved 16 January 2007; McCormick (2006), p. 289

In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope tour in support of Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited Nicaragua and El Salvador at the invitation of the Sanctuary movement, and saw the effects of the El Salvador Civil War. These 1986 events greatly influenced The Joshua Tree album, which was being recorded at the time.

In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop Sellafield" concert with Greenpeace during their Zoo TV tour.McCormick (2006), p. 238 Events in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war inspired the song "Miss Sarajevo", which premiered at a September 1995 Pavarotti and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed at War Child.McCormick (2006), p. 262 A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.McCormick (2006), p. 277 In 1998, they performed in Belfast days prior to the vote on the Good Friday Agreement, bringing Northern Irish political leaders David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement.McCormick (2006), pp. 285–286 Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "Sweetest Thing" single went towards supporting the Chernobyl Children's Project.

In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On" to Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.McCormick (2006), pp. 295–296 In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness 46664 series of concerts hosted by Nelson Mandela. The band played 2005's Live 8 concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights. Ambassador of Conscience Award: 2005 Award Ceremony. artforamnesty.org. Retrieved 5 February 2007

Since 2000, Bono's campaigning has included Jubilee 2000 with Bob Geldof, Muhammad Ali, and others to promote the cancellation of third world debt during the Great Jubilee. In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational NGO, DATA, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.; Bono and O'Neill in Africa: Summing up the trip CNN.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006; Bono wins Chirac aid boost pledge. CNN.com, 21 June 2002. Retrieved 31 October 2006.

Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. The ONE Campaign, originally the US counterpart of Make Poverty History, was shaped by his efforts and vision. In 2007 the ONE Campaign and DATA merged into a single organisation, ONE, with Bono a member of the merged organisation's board of directors.

In late 2005, following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, The Edge helped introduce Music Rising, an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast. The Edge (U2) Announces 'Music Rising', a Campaign to Aid Musicians Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita modernguitars.com. Retrieved 16 January 2007 In 2006, U2 collaborated with punk rock band Green Day to record a remake of the song "The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising.

U2 and Bono's social activism have not been without its critics however. Several authors and activists who publish in politically left journals such as CounterPunch have decried Bono's support of political figures such as Paul Wolfowitz, as well as his "essential paternalism". Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to relieve debt and provide assistance to Africa.; and Tax and development campaigners have also criticised the band's move from Ireland to the Netherlands to reduce its tax bill.Richard Murphy, "Bono's Choice", http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2006/08/20/100/

Other projects

The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "In a Lifetime" with the Irish band Clannad. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film Captive in 1986,McCormick (2006), p. 169 which included a vocal performance by Sinéad O'Connor that predates her own debut album by a year. Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's a Mystery to Me" for Roy Orbison, which was featured on his 1989 album Mystery Girl.McCormick (2006), p. 211 In 1990, Bono and The Edge provided the soundtrack to Royal Shakespeare Company London stage version of A Clockwork Orange (only one track ever released, on the B-Side to The Fly single). Also in 1990 Larry Mullen co-wrote and produced a song for the Irish International soccer team in Italia '90, called "Put 'Em Under Pressure", which topped the Irish charts. Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "GoldenEye" for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, which was performed by Tina Turner.de la Parra (2003), p. 141 Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. did a rework of the title track of the movie Impossible in 1996.de la Parra (2003), p. 132 Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on Mick Jagger's 2001 album Goddess in the Doorway. Bono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the "Tower of Song" compilation in 1995. Additionally, in 1998, Bono collaborated with Kirk Franklin and Crystal Lewis (along with controversial mainstream artists R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige) for a successful gospel song called "Lean on Me", not to be confused with the Bill Withers song of the same name.

Aside from musical collaborations, U2 have worked with several authors. American author William S. Burroughs had a guest appearance in U2's video for "Last Night on Earth" shortly before he died.Perry, Tony (3 August 1997). William S. Burroughs dies at 83; Beat Generation godfather. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved on 31 October 2006 His poem "A Thanksgiving Prayer" was used as video footage during the band's Zoo TV Tour. Other collaborators include William Gibson and Allen Ginsberg.Pancella, Angela. U2 Connections: William Gibson. atu2.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008; American Masters: Allen Ginsberg PBS.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008. In early 2000, the band recorded three songs for The Million Dollar Hotel movie soundtrack, including "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", which was co-written by Salman Rushdie and motivated by his book of the same name. Salman Rushdie's Words Become U2 Lyrics CNN.com (22 January 1999). Retrieved on 25 January 2008.

Most recently, Bono appeared and performed The Beatles songs in the movie Across the Universe (2007). Bono and The Edge are also writing the music to the Broadway musical Turn off the Dark, expected to open in 2010.Pompeo, Joe (3 March 2009). Gossip Girl Sings! Sonic Youth Returns! And Where's Your Famous Blue Raincoat? (HTML). The New York Observer. The New York Observer, LLC. Retrieved on 8 March 2009 Additionally, The Edge created the theme song for Season 1 and 2 of the animated television series The Batman.

Discography

• Boy (1980)
• October (1981)
• War (1983)
• The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
• The Joshua Tree (1987)
• Rattle and Hum (1988)
• Achtung Baby (1991)
• Zooropa (1993)
• Pop (1997)
• All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)
• How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)
• No Line on the Horizon (2009)

Awards

U2 first received Grammy Awards for The Joshua Tree in 1988, and have won 22 in total since. These include Best Rock Duo or Group, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Rock Album. The British Phonographic Industry has awarded U2 seven BRIT Awards, five of these being for Best International Group. In Ireland, U2 have won 14 Meteor Awards since the awards began in 2001. Other awards include one AMA, four VMAs, ten Q Awards, two Juno Awards, three NME Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in early 2005. In 2006, all four members of the band received ASCAP awards for writing the songs, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Vertigo".

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links

• U2 Official Website

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