U2

U2 biography

U2 rose to fame in the music industry as the biggest rock & roll band in the world. They achieved this title after The Joshua Tree album released in 1987 and were able to maintain their popularity well into the 21st century. Despite coming from the post-punk era, U2 channeled their experimental sound to create catchy rock anthems and ballads that felt personal to their audiences. Bono, the lead singer, added a sense of intimacy through his grand gestures and belief in rock & roll’s power to revolutionize humanity. U2 remained dedicated to this sense of righteousness, especially in their early records like War, where they embodied the grit of punk. The group stole the show at Live Aid in 1985 and laid the groundwork for The Joshua Tree with the twin Billboard chart-toppers With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

U2 took risks that sometimes altered their sound, like their electronic-drenched album Achtung Baby, which defined the following decade. They stumbled with commercial misfires but righted themselves with back-to-basics albums like All That You Can't Leave Behind. U2 consistently maintained their position at the forefront of mainstream rock with albums like How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and No Line on the Horizon. Their desire to play to every imaginable audience backfired with their 2014 album Songs of Innocence, where their music was downloaded to the library of every iTunes user, generating bad publicity. This incident pushed them towards reflective territories with 2017's Songs of Experience and Songs of Surrender, which reinterpreted 40 songs from their catalog.

It is ironic that U2 owes their sound to post-punk, but they formed before punk even reached Dublin in 1976. Larry Mullen Jr., the drummer, posted a notice on his high school bulletin board, which eventually resulted in the formation of the band consisting of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Dick Evans. Their original band was a Beatles and Stones cover band called the Feedback, but they changed their name to the Hype in 1977. Shortly afterward, the band changed their name again, this time adopting the moniker U2.

Their big break arrived in 1978 during their final year of high school when they won a talent contest sponsored by Guinness. The Stranglers' manager, Paul McGuinness, saw U2 play and offered to manage them. Even with a powerful manager in their corner, the band had trouble making much headway and failed an audition with CBS Records at the end of the year. In the fall of 1979, U2 released their debut EP, U2 Three, which topped the national charts in Ireland. Shortly afterward, they began to play in England but failed to attract much attention. U2 scored one more chart-topping single, Another Day, in early 1980 before Island Records offered the group a contract. Their full-length album debut, Boy, was released later that year, which earned further attention for its public embrace of Christianity. The band was able to cultivate a formidable cult following in the US through constant touring and opening gigs for Talking Heads, eventually securing a spot on the American Top 70 in early 1981. October, produced by Steve Lillywhite, followed in the fall, and by early 1983, Boy's I Will Follow and October's Gloria had become staples on MTV.

U2's political and musical evolution from 1983 to 1993
In the early '80s, U2's album War took them from small clubs to sold-out arenas in the United States with hits like Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day. The live EP and video, Under a Blood Red Sky, became the most successful live recording in British history. Following this, U2 emerged as one of the world's most popular bands, with their political messages inspiring projects like Band Aid and Live Aid in the mid-'80s.

Their next album, The Unforgettable Fire, brought in co-producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois and experimented with atmospheric and experimental sounds. The album's tributes to Martin Luther King Jr. led to their first Top 40 hit in America, and their tour following the release was hugely successful.
U2 became superstars with 1987's The Joshua Tree, which featured gritty hits like With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. The album's supporting tour earned U2 the cover of Time magazine, so they filmed the documentary Rattle and Hum. Despite mixed critical reception regarding their focus on American roots music, the album was successful.
U2 took an extended hiatus before reconvening in Berlin to record the techno-heavy and eclectic Achtung Baby, a reinvention of their trademark sound inspired by late-'70s Bowie and the Madchester scene in the UK. The launch of the elaborate Zoo TV tour, which showcased a multimedia electronics blend, also saw the creation of Bono's alter ego, the Fly. The subsequent Zooropa album and tour saw the Fly take on a demonic persona named MacPhisto.

During this evolution, U2 remained true to their righteous political message while exploring new sounds and concepts.
In 1992, U2 launched an innovative and elaborate tour called Zoo TV to support their album Achtung Baby. This multimedia electronics show featured a stage filled with televisions, suspended cars, and cellular phones. Bono even created a rock star alter-ego called the Fly. Despite the ironic guise of the Fly and Zoo TV, U2’s political anger remained intact and their performances were more fun than ever before. Following the Zoo TV American tour, the band recorded an EP that became the full-length album Zooropa. Released in 1993, Zooropa showcased a heavier techno and dance influence and received strong reviews but failed to generate a big hit.
In 1995, U2 collaborated with Brian Eno to release the poorly received Original Soundtracks, Vol. 1 under the name the Passengers. The following year, the band promised their next album would be a rock & roll record. However, when Pop was finally released in 1997, it was heavily influenced by electronic music but still sold well initially. The album ultimately became the band’s least popular offer in over a decade. In 1998, U2 released their first hits collection, Best of 1980-1990. Three years later, U2 collaborated with Eno and Lanois once again to release All That You Can't Leave Behind, which was heralded as a return to form, topped charts around the world, and became U2's biggest-selling record in years. The following record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was produced by Steve Lillywhite and quickly gained platinum status. U2 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and continued to tour internationally, earning a gross of $389 million and becoming the second most successful tour ever.
In 2006, U2 teamed up with veteran rock producer Rick Rubin for a fresh start, resulting in two new songs featured on their album U218 Singles. However, the majority of the material was scrapped, leading the band to collaborate with old friends Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite for their next album, No Line on the Horizon. Although it received high praise, the album didn't produce a standout radio hit, but the band still managed a successful tour.

After the 360 Tour, U2 encountered complications while recording their thirteenth album, experimenting with various producers like will.i.am and David Guetta before settling on Danger Mouse. The new album, Songs of Innocence, debuted in September 2014 as a surprise free download, later released physically in October. Despite a lukewarm reception to the first single Invisible, the band went on to tour the album and began work on their next project, Songs of Experience, in 2016. However, they paused to mark the 30th anniversary of their hit album The Joshua Tree with a tour and reissue. Their next album, Songs of Surrender, features re-recorded versions of their classics, chosen by each band member, and is set for release in early 2023.
U2's versatility has taken them beyond rock music, contributing songs to soundtracks such as Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, earning them nominations and awards. Their legacy continues with their first new music of the decade, Your Song Saved My Life, from the Sing 2 soundtrack in 2021, showing that after decades of music-making, U2 is still a force to be reckoned with.