U2
U2 performing at Madison Square Garden in November 2005
Background information
Origin	Dublin, Ireland
Genre(s)	Rock, post-punk, alternative rock
Years active	1976–present
Label(s)	Interscope (1997–present) Island (1980–1997) CBS (1979–1980)
Website	www.u2.com
Members
Bono The Edge Adam Clayton Larry Mullen, Jr.

U2 (IPA: /ˌjuːˈtuː/) are a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Interscope Records is an American Record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label Island Records is a Record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. This article is about the record label founded in 2006 For the earlier CBS Records label see Columbia Records. David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960 in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, UK is the bassist of the rock band U2. Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen Jr (born 31 October 1961 in Artane, Dublin, Ireland is the Drummer for the Irish rock band A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. The band consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960 in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, UK is the bassist of the rock band U2. Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen Jr (born 31 October 1961 in Artane, Dublin, Ireland is the Drummer for the Irish rock band

U2 formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, however, the band had become a top international act, noted for their anthemic sound, Bono's impassioned vocals, and The Edge's textural guitar playing. In Music, texture is the overall quality of sound of a piece, most often indicated by the number of voices in the music and by the relationship between Their success as a live act was greater than their success at selling records until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree,^[1] increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars," according to Rolling Stone. The Joshua Tree is the fifth Studio album by Irish rock band U2, released 9 March 1987 on Island Records. ^[2] U2 responded to the dance and alternative rock revolutions, and their own sense of musical stagnation by reinventing themselves with their 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. Synonyms Since around the mid-1980s electronic dance music has enjoyed popularity in many Nightclubs and as of 2006 is the predominant type of music played in Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, Released on 19 November 1991. The Zoo TV Tour (also called ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was an elaborately-staged multimedia Concert tour by Irish rock band Similar experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more traditional sound that retains the influence of their musical explorations.

U2 have sold more than 170 million albums worldwide^[3] and have won more Grammy Awards than any other band. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ^[4] In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States Rolling Stone Magazine listed U2 at #22 in their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. ^[5] Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and social justice causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE Campaign, and Bono's DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled Social justice, sometimes called civil justice, refers to the concept of a Society in which Justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to The ONE Campaign is a US-based nonpartisan non-profit organization which aims to increase United States government funding for and effectiveness of international aid programs Debt AIDS Trade in Africa (or DATA) is a Multinational non-government organization founded in January 2002 in London by U2 's

History

Formation and early years (1976–1979)

U2 in 1980: (left to right) Clayton, Mullen, Bono, Edge

U2 formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[6] Larry Mullen, Jr., then 14, posted a notice on his secondary school notice board (Mount Temple Comprehensive School) seeking musicians for a new band. Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen Jr (born 31 October 1961 in Artane, Dublin, Ireland is the Drummer for the Irish rock band Mount Temple Comprehensive School is a secondary school located in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland, originally notable as the first multi-denominational Seven teenage boys attended the initial practice in Mullen's kitchen. Known for about a day as "The Larry Mullen Band," the group featured Mullen on drums, Paul Hewson (Bono) on lead vocals, Dave Evans (The Edge) and his 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. David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best Richard "Dick" (also "Dik") Evans is the brother of David "The Edge" Evans, guitarist for rock band U2. Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960 in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, UK is the bassist of the rock band U2. ^[7] Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew. ^[8] Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of their material consisted of cover versions, which the band said was not their forte.

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.

— The Edge on winning the CBS competition^[9]

In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype". David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best ^[10] Dick 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, Dick ceremoniously walked offstage. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Howth (pronounced to rhyme with both; Binn Éadair in Irish) is a town in the Fingal County Council administrative area of County Dublin Ireland The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2". ^[11] 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. ^[12]

On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland. Limerick (pronounced /ˈlɪmrɪk/ Luimneach in Irish) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the Province of Munster The prize consisted of £500 and funding to record a demo, which was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. ^[11] The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978. ^[13] In May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by Hot Press journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager. Paul McGuinness is the main shareholder and founder of Principle Management Limited: an artist management company based in Dublin, Ireland, which has ^[14] U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in September 1979, and was the band's first Irish chart success. Three, also known as U2 3, is the first release by Irish rock band U2, a three-song EP recorded and released in 1979 ^[15] In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics. ^[16] In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market. " Another Day " was U2 's first single release and was released in 1980 following their EP, Three, and prior to their debut album ^[17]

Boy, October, and War (1980–1983)

Island Records signed U2 in March 1980, and "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" became the band's first internationally released single that May. Island Records is a Record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. ^[18] The band's debut album, the Steve Lillywhite-produced Boy, followed in October, and received generally positive reviews. Steve Lillywhite (born 1955 is a Grammy Award -winning English music producer Early career Lillywhite entered the music industry in Boy is the debut album from Irish rock band U2, released October 20, 1980. ^[19] Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, a common theme was the dreams and frustrations of adolescence. ^[20] The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit single, "I Will Follow". " I Will Follow " is the opening track from U2 's debut album Boy. Boy's release was followed by U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States. ^[21] Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman. ^[22]

The band's second album, October, was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes. October is the second Album by Irish rock band U2, released in 1981. 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. ^[23] The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. It did not sell well outside of the UK, which put pressure on their contract with Island and focused the band on improvement. ^[24]

 Music sample:

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" (1983)

From the album War. War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on.

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Resolving the doubts of the October period, U2 released War in 1983. War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on. ^[25] A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade,"^[26] War's sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synth-pop of the time. ^[27] The album included "Sunday Bloody Sunday," where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of Bloody Sunday with Easter Sunday. " Sunday Bloody Sunday " is the opening track and third single from U2 's 1983 album War. Bloody Sunday (Domhnach na Fola is the term used to describe an incident in Derry, Northern Ireland, on 30 January 1972 in which 26 Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. ^[28] Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published 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. Anton Corbijn ( pronounced) (born May 20, 1955) is a Photographer and director from Strijen, the Netherlands ^[29] 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 overseas hit. " New Year's Day " is the third song and lead single from U2 's 1983 album War. ^[30]

On the subsequent War Tour, the band performed to sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the U. The War Tour was a Concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in 1982 and 1983 in support of the group's album War S. The image of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became a familiar sight. ^[31] U2 recorded the Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour and a live video was released, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, helping expand the band's audience. Under a Blood Red Sky is the name of both a Live album and Concert Video recorded by the rock band U2, released in MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. ^[32] Their generally unfavourable record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 U2 signed a highly lucrative extension. They negotiated the return of their copyrights (such 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. ^[33]

The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984–1985)

We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to The Who. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend 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. Led Zeppelin were 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. The innovation was what would suffer if we went down the standard rock route. We were looking for another feeling.

— Bono on The Unforgettable Fire's new direction. ^[34]

The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2, released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction. ^[35] 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". ^[36] Thus, experimentation was sought^[37] as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty. "^[38] The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record. Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (born 15 May 1948 commonly known as Brian Eno (ˈiːnoʊ is an English Musician, producer Daniel Lanois (born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian Record producer and Singer-songwriter ^[39]

The Unforgettable Fire has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Larry's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Adam's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs. ^[40] Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel". ^[35] Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting responsibilities—about which he had always been reluctant—were a poetic one. Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "Bad" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" were incomplete "sketches". " Bad " is the seventh track from U2 's 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire. " Pride (In the Name of Love " is the second song on U2 's 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire and was released as the album's first single ^[41] "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about Martin Luther King, was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit at that point, including being their first to enter the U. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader S. top 40. ^[42]

 Music sample:

"The Unforgettable Fire" (1984)

Sample of "The Unforgettable Fire" from the album The Unforgettable Fire (1984). Typical of the album, the song has a rich, symphonic sound built from ambient guitar and driving rhythm; a lyrical "sketch". ^[43]

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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. The Unforgettable Fire Tour was a Concert tour by Irish rock band U2, which took place in 1984 and 1985 in support of group's album ^[44] The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performance. ^[35] 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. A music sequencer (also MIDI sequencer or just sequencer) is software or hardware designed to create and manage computer-generated music ^[35] Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage. ^[45]

U2's performance at Live Aid was a turning point in their career. Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia

U2 participated in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief at Wembley Stadium in July 1985. Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia The 1984 - 1985 famine in Ethiopia were two famines that occurred simultaneously in Ethiopia, of which the northern is the most prominent original Wembley Stadium was a football Stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the ^[46] U2's performance was considered one of the show's most memorable and was a turning point in the band's career. ^[47] During 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. ^[48] 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. "^[49]

The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986–1989)

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. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major George Ivan Morrison OBE (generally known as Van Morrison) (born 31 August 1945 is a Grammy Award -winning Northern Irish Singer, Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943 is an English Guitarist, Songwriter, Singer, producer and a founding member of The Rolling ^[50] Realising "that U2 had no tradition", the band explored American blues, country, and gospel music. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to ^[51] For their fifth album, 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. ^[52] U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope tour, but rather than be a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to A Conspiracy of Hope was a short tour of six Benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place in the United States during June 1986 ^[53] In his 1986 travels to San Salvador and Nicaragua, Bono saw the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts subject to American political intervention. San Salvador is the Capital and largest city of the nation of El Salvador. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America This first-hand experience later became a central influence on the new music. The band wanted music with a sense of location, a 'cinematic' quality; the album's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading. ^[54]

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.

— Rolling Stone^[55]

The Joshua Tree^[56] was released in March 1987. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published The Joshua Tree is the fifth Studio album by Irish rock band U2, released 9 March 1987 on Island Records. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for. ^[57] It became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States. ^[58] It won U2 their first two Grammy Awards. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences ^[59] The album's first two singles, the 'rock & roll bolero "With or Without You"^[36] and the rhythmic gospel "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly went to number one in the U. Bolero is a name given to more than one type of Latin-American music and its associated dance and song " With or Without You " is the lead single from U2 's 1987 album The Joshua Tree. " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For " is the second track from U2 's 1987 album The Joshua Tree, and was released as the album's second S. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of Time magazine,^[60] which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket". Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and ^[61] The album brought U2 a new level of success and is cited by Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest. ^[62] The Joshua Tree Tour was the first during which the band played numerous stadium shows alongside smaller arena shows. The Joshua Tree Tour was a Concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place during 1987 in support of their album The Joshua ^[63]

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. Rattle and Hum is the name of both an album and its companion motion picture recorded by Irish rock band U2, released in 1988 Released in record stores and cinemas in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music. ^[64] The film included tracks recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis and tracks performed with Bob Dylan and B. B. King. Sun Records was a Record label based in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27 1952. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major B B King (born Riley B King, September 16 1925 is an American Blues Guitarist and Singer-songwriter. Despite a positive reception from fans, Rattle and Hum received mixed reviews from both film and music critics;^[65] one Rolling Stone editor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided". ^[66] The film's director, Phil Joanou, described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2". Phil Joanou (born November 20, 1961 in La Cañada Flintridge California) is an American Film director. ^[67] Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's Lovetown Tour, which primarily consisted of shows in Australia and Europe. The Lovetown Tour was a Concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in late 1989 and early 1990 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono announced at an end-of-decade concert that the U2 had come to the end of an era and had to ". . . go away and just dream it all up again". ^[68]

Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and Zooropa (1990–1993)

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. . . Berlin became a conceptual backdrop for the record. The Berlin of the Thirties—decadent, sexual and dark—resonating against the Berlin of the Nineties—reborn, chaotic and optimistic. . .

— Brian Eno on the recording of Achtung Baby^[69]

In November 1991, U2 released their seventh studio album, Achtung Baby. Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (born 15 May 1948 commonly known as Brian Eno (ˈiːnoʊ is an English Musician, producer Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, Released on 19 November 1991. Stung by criticism of Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction, their most dramatic since The Unforgettable Fire. ^[70] Sonically, Achtung Baby incorporated dance, industrial, and alternative music influences of the time and the band referred to the album as the sound of "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". This article is about music for dancing in general You may also be looking for Electronic dance music. Industrial music is a loose term for a number of different styles of Experimental music, especially but not necessarily Electronic music. Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of ^[71] 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 and a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention. ^[72] Like The Joshua Tree, it is cited by Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest. ^[62]

The band initially worked on Achtung Baby in East Berlin, seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve of German reunification. East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990 German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany Daniel Lanois produced the album with assistance from Brian Eno. ^[73] In the Berlin sessions, conflict arose within the band over the quality of material and musical direction. While Adam and Larry preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and The Edge were inspired by alternative 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 written, creating the song "One". " One " is the third single from U2 's 1991 album Achtung Baby, and was released in 1992. ^[74]

 Music sample:

"The Fly" (1991)

Sample of "The Fly" – chosen as the first single from Achtung Baby (1991) because its hip-hop beats, distorted vocals, and hard industrial edge sounded nothing like the traditional U2 sound. Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, Released on 19 November 1991. ^[75]

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The Zoo TV Tour of 1992–1993 was a multimedia event, and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of hundreds of video screens, upside-down flying Trabant cars, mock transmission towers, satellite TV links, subliminal text messages, and Bono's over-the-top stage characters such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "(Mister) MacPhisto". The Zoo TV Tour (also called ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was an elaborately-staged multimedia Concert tour by Irish rock band Multimedia is media and content that utilizes a combination of different content forms. The Trabant is an Automobile formerly produced by East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Saxony Satellite television is Television delivered by the means of Communications satellites as compared to conventional Terrestrial television and Cable A subliminal message is a signal or message embedded in another medium designed to pass below the normal limits of the human Mind 's perception 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. ^[76] Prank phone calls were made to President Bush, the United Nations, and others. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Live satellite uplinks to war-torn Sarajevo caused controversy. TemplateInfobox City for more fields--> Sarajevo is the Capital city and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with ^[77]

The Zoo TV stage

Quickly recorded and released 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. The Zoo TV Tour (also called ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was an elaborately-staged multimedia Concert tour by Irish rock band Zooropa is the eighth studio album by the Irish rock band U2. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded Zooropa into a full-length LP album. An extended play ( EP) is a Vinyl record, CD, or Music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify Long play (LP record albums are 33⅓  Rpm vinyl Gramophone records (phonograph records generally either 10- or 12- Inches in diameter It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating techno influences and other electronic effects. Techno is a form of Electronic dance music (EDM that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s ^[78] In keeping with this intentional departure from their previous style, Bono stepped down from the mic for the final track on Zooropa, and invited Johnny Cash to perform "The Wanderer". Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. " The Wanderer " is the tenth and final track from U2 's 1993 album Zooropa.

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 set. ^[79]

Passengers, Pop, and PopMart (1995–1998)

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. It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti, and which Bono cites as one of his favourite U2 songs,^[80] was a hit. " Miss Sarajevo " is the only single from the 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 by U2 and Brian Eno, under the Pseudonym Passengers WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes. Thank you--> Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( October 12,

The giant screen from the PopMart Tour stage

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. The PopMart Tour, often referred to as simply PopMart, was a world concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended, so that 'Mofo' is on top of the stickiest groove with a proper plastic attack, 'Do You Feel Loved' is done as a liquid bass line hook that carries the intimacies whispered on top of it, 'If God Will Send His Angels' should be diamonds and pearls. " Diamonds and Pearls " is the title track to Prince and the New Power Generation 's 1991 hit Album.

— Bono on Pop^[81]

On 1997's Pop, U2 continued experimenting; tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and sampling provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms. Pop is the ninth studio Album by Irish rock band U2, released in March 1997 Tape loops are loops of prerecorded Magnetic tape used to create repetitive rhythmic musical patterns or dense layers of sound Programming is a form of Music production and performance using Electronic devices often sequencers or Computer programs to generate music In Music, sampling is the act of taking a portion or sample, of one Sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or element of a new recording ^[82] Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews. ^[83] Rolling Stone, for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives. "^[84] Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases. ^[85] 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". ^[86]

The subsequent tour, PopMart, commenced in April 1997. The PopMart Tour, often referred to as simply PopMart, was a world concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Like Zoo TV, it featured advertising influences and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. The stage included a 100-foot (30 m) tall golden yellow arch (reminiscent of the McDonald's logo), a 150-foot (46 m) long video screen, and a 40-foot (12 m) 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. ^[87] The late delivery of Pop meant rehearsal time was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered. ^[88] A highlight of the tour was a concert in Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform following the Bosnian war. TemplateInfobox City for more fields--> Sarajevo is the Capital city and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the Bosnian War, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995 ^[89] Larry Mullen, Jr. 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. "^[90] One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on The Simpsons, "Trash of the Titans," in which Homer Simpson disrupted a PopMart show. " Trash of the Titans " is the 22nd episode of The Simpsons ' ninth season and the 200th overall Homer Jay Simpson is a main fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and father of the eponymous family. ^[91]

"Reapplying to be the best band in the world" (2000–present)

All That You Can't Leave Behind is easy to relate to, full of solid songs that appeal to a wide audience with its clear notions of family, friendship, love, death, and re-birth. More Lanois than Eno on first impression, the sounds on this album come from a band that has digested the music it started to consume while making Rattle and Hum. This time they are neither imitating or paying tribute. This time it's soul music, not music about soul.

— Caroline van Oosten de Boer^[92]

Following the comparatively poor reception of Pop, U2 declared on a number of occasions that they were "reapplying for the job . . . [of] the best band in the world". ^[93] Since 2000, the band has pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations. ^[94]

All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and reunited the band with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. All That You Can't Leave Behind is the tenth studio album by the Irish rock band U2, released in 2000 by Island Records in the The album was considered by many of those not won over by the band's 1990s experimentation as a return to grace;^[95] Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. ^[96] The album debuted at number one in 22 countries^[97] and its world-wide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards. " Beautiful Day " was the first single from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The album's other singles, "Walk On", "Elevation", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get out Of" also won Grammy Awards. " Walk On " is a single release from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. " Elevation " is the third track and third single release from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind.

U2 perform at Super Bowl XXXVI Halftime Show, 3 February 2002

For the Elevation Tour, U2 performed in a scaled-down setting, returning to arenas after nearly a decade of stadium productions. Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans Louisiana Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Elevation Tour was a Concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in 2001, in support of the group's 2000 A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the new album gained added resonance. ^[98] In October, U2 performed a series of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. The City of New York In later interviews, Bono and the Edge called these New York City shows among their most memorable and emotional performances. ^[99] In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI. Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans Louisiana ^[100]

The band's next studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released on 22 November 2004. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, released in November 2004 Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Sonically, the band was looking for harder-hitting rock than All That You Can't Leave Behind. Thematically, Bono states that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness. "^[101] The first single, "Vertigo," was featured on a widely-aired television commercial for the Apple iPod, in conjunction with the release of a special edition U2 iPod and an iTunes U2 box set. " Vertigo " is the opening track and first single from U2 's 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics iPod is a popular brand of Portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc The Complete U2 was a " Digital Box set " by U2, released exclusively online in the ITunes Store on 23 November The album debuted at number one in the U. S. where first week sales doubled that of All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band. ^[102] 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. "^[101]

Using a similar setup and stage design as the previous tour, the Vertigo Tour featured a set list that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and included songs not played since the early 1980s. The Vertigo Tour was a Concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in 2005 and 2006 in support of the group's 2004 album Like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a commercial success. ^[103] 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. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States ^[104]

In August 2006, the band transferred some of its operations to The Netherlands two months after Ireland capped its artists' tax exemption at €250,000. ^[105] Since 2006, the band have been writing and recording new material, initially with Rick Rubin, and more recently with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin (born March 10 1963 in Lido Beach New York) is an American Record producer and is currently A new album is planned to be released in October 2008. ^[106] The album has been described as "hand-played but it's also electro. "^[107] Bono has been quoted as saying that the sessions show a real departure from the themes of the last two albums, with "trance influences". ^[108] A 3-D concert movie, U2 3D, filmed during the Vertigo Tour, was released on January 23, 2008. See also [[stereoscopy]] In film the term 3-D (or 3D) is used to describe any visual presentation system that attempts to maintain or recreate moving images U2 3D is a 2008 Concert film by Irish rock band U2, featuring footage from the band's 2006 Vertigo Tour. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Musical style

Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. ^[109] 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. In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Steve Lillywhite (born 1955 is a Grammy Award -winning English music producer Early career Lillywhite entered the music industry in ^[110] The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay^[111] to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies^[112] that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. In music a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or Accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout much Bono has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice^[113] and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. The term falsetto (Italian diminutive of falso, false refers to the Vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the Modal voice register and In addition, the Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band. ^[112]

U2 performing in concert in their hometown of Dublin, Ireland, in 2005

Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. 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". Television, formed in New York City in 1973 is an American Rock music band Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. ^[114] 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. ^[115] The two albums were labeled "muscular and assertive" by Rolling Stone,^[36] 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. Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (born 15 May 1948 commonly known as Brian Eno (ˈiːnoʊ is an English Musician, producer Daniel Lanois (born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian Record producer and Singer-songwriter With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". ^[36] 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 synthesizers, distortion, and electronic beats derived from alternative music, dance music, and hip-hop on Achtung Baby,^[116] Zooropa and Pop. Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. ^[117] The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less use of synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.

Lyrics and themes

Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian religious and spiritual imagery,^[118] are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. " Sunday Bloody Sunday " is the opening track and third single from U2 's 1983 album War. The Joshua Tree is the fifth Studio album by Irish rock band U2, released 9 March 1987 on Island Records. The former was written concerning the troubles in Northern Ireland^[119] while the latter described the plight of the mothers of kidnapped Argentinians that opposed the country's coup d'état in 1976. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics.

Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family colour songs like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". " Mofo " is the sixth and final single from U2 's 1997 album Pop. " Tomorrow " is the sixth track on U2 's 1981 album October. " Kite " is the fifth track from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. An emotional yearning or pleading is another frequent conveyance,^[109] in tracks such as "Yahweh",^[120] "Peace on Earth" and "Please". " Yahweh " is the eleventh and final track (excluding " Fast Cars " not found on all versions of the album from U2 's eleventh studio album " Peace On Earth " is the eighth track from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. " Please " is the fourth single from U2 's 1997 album Pop. The investigation of loss and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, which is central to The Joshua Tree,^[36] has motivated much of U2's songwriting and music. Some of this lyrical ideation has 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. The Zoo TV Tour (also called ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was an elaborately-staged multimedia Concert tour by Irish rock band The PopMart Tour, often referred to as simply PopMart, was a world concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. ^[117]

While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of their music, U2's lyrics and music have been criticized as apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to actual people or characters. ^[121]

Influences

The band cites The Who,^[122] The Clash,^[123] Ramones,^[124] The Beatles,^[125] Joy Division,^[126] Siouxsie & the Banshees^[127] and Patti Smith^[128] as influences. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were The Ramones were an American rock band often regarded as the first Punk rock group The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Siouxsie & the Banshees were a British rock band which formed in 1976 Patricia Lee Smith ( born December 30 1946 is an American Singer-songwriter and poet Other musicians and bands such as Snow Patrol, ^[129] The Fray,^[130] OneRepublic,^[131] Coldplay,^[132] The Killers,^[132] and Angels & Airwaves^[133] have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish / Scottish Alternative rock band which formed in Dundee Scotland, The band achieved worldwide success due to The Fray is a Grammy Award -nominated four-piece Piano rock American band from Denver Colorado. OneRepublic is an American Rock band formed in Colorado. After a few years of moderate success they have drawn mainstream attention with the release of Coldplay TalkColdplay#Is_or_Are_dispute_again The Killers are an American rock band from Las Vegas Nevada. Formed in 2002 the group consists of Brandon Flowers ( vocals, keyboards Angels & Airwaves (also known as "AVA" is an Alternative rock group fronted by former Blink-182 and Box Car Racer guitarist/vocalist Cover versions of U2 songs have been made by performers such as Our Lady Peace, Mary J. Blige, Johnny Cash, The Chimes, Joe Cocker, Pearl Jam, James Blunt, tobyMac, Darlene Zschech, Pet Shop Boys, Ignite, The Smashing Pumpkins, Keane, Pillar, Utada Hikaru, Sepultura, Saul Williams, The Living End and The Bravery. Mary Jane Blige (surname pronounced /blaɪʒ/) (born January 11, 1971) is an American Singer-songwriter, Rapper Johnny Cash (born J R Cash; February 26 1932 - September 12 2003 was a Grammy Award -winning American country Singer-songwriter. Joe Cocker OBE (born 20 May 1944 is an English rock / Blues Singer who came to popularity in the 1960s and is most known for his gritty Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990 James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, 22 February 1974 is an English Acoustic / Folk rock Singer-songwriter whose debut album Toby McKeehan (born October 22, 1964 in Fairfax Virginia) professionally known as TobyMac, is a professional musician producer and songwriter Darlene Joyce Zschech (dɑːˈliːn ˈtʃεk (born September 8, 1965 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian The capitalisation of song titles in this article is disputed Ignite is a hardcore / Punk rock band from Orange County, California. The Smashing Pumpkins are an American Alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988 Keane (kiːn are an English Piano rock band, first established in Battle, East Sussex in 1995, and taking their current Pillar is a Grammy -nominated Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. also known by her fans as, is a Singer-songwriter, Arranger and Record producer in Japan. Sepultura ( Portuguese: Grave) are a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, formed in 1984 Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American poet writer actor and musician known for his blend of Poetry and Alternative hip-hop The Living End are an Australian rock band based in Melbourne, Victoria. The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott, John Conway Anthony Burulcich Michael Zakarin U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen,^[134] Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, and Anton Corbijn. Green Day is an American rock trio Leonard Norman Cohen CC GOQ (born September 21, 1934 in Westmount, Quebec) is a Canadian Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954 is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry REM is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe ( lead vocals) Peter Buck ( Guitar Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie Kt (born 19 June 1947 is an Indian - British novelist and essayist Anton Corbijn ( pronounced) (born May 20, 1955) is a Photographer and director from Strijen, the Netherlands

Campaigning and activism

Bono with 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. The President of Brazil is both the Head of state and Head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (pronounced /lu'iz i'nasju 'lulɐ da 'siwvɐ/; born October 27, 1945) known simply as Lula, is the thirty-fifth and |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld

In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in Band Aid to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. Band Aid was a British and Irish charity supergroup, founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in order to raise money NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page A Famine is a phenomenon in which a large percentage of the population of a region or country are so undernourished that death by Starvation becomes increasingly common 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. " Do They Know It's Christmas? " is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 specifically to raise money for relief of 1984–1985 famine Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof, KBE, known as Bob Geldof (born 5 October 1951, is an Irish singer In July 1985, U2 played Live Aid, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Live Aid was a multi-venue rock music concert held on. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia where they witnessed the famine first hand. World Vision, founded in the United States in 1951 is an international Christian relief and development organization whose stated goal Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting. ^[135]

In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope tour in support of Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. A Conspiracy of Hope was a short tour of six Benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place in the United States during June 1986 Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Self Aid was a Benefit concert held in Dublin, Ireland on 17 May 1986. 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. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America El Salvador ( República de El Salvador,) is a country in Central America. The Sanctuary movement was a religious and political movement of approximately 500 congregations in the U The Salvadoran Civil War (1980–1992 was between the Right-wing Military government of El Salvador and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation 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. Sellafield is a nuclear processing and former electricity generating site close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria Greenpeace, originally known as the Greenpeace Foundation, was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1972 ^[136] 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. The War in Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly known as the Bosnian War, was an international armed conflict that took place between March 1992 and November 1995 " Miss Sarajevo " is the only single from the 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 by U2 and Brian Eno, under the Pseudonym Passengers WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes. Thank you--> Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI ( October 12, For other uses see War Child (disambiguation War Child is a non-governmental organization founded by British filmmakers Bill Leeson ^[137] A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour. ^[138] In 1998, they performed in Belfast days prior to the vote on the Good Friday Agreement, bringing Irish political leaders David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. The Agreement, most often referred to as the Belfast Agreement (Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste Belfast Greeance or the Good Friday Agreement (Comhaontú Aoine an William David Trimble Baron Trimble (born 15 October 1944 is a Northern Irish Politician from Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Ulster John Hume (born 18 January 1937) is a former Politician in Northern Ireland, founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party ^[139] Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "Sweetest Thing" single went towards supporting the Chernobyl Children's Project. " Sweetest Thing " is a song by U2, originally released in 1987 as " The Sweetest Thing," a B-side on the " Where the Streets Chernobyl Children's Project International (CCPI is a United Nations -accredited international development medical and humanitarian organization that works with children families

In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On" to Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. " Walk On " is a single release from U2 's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Aung San Suu Kyi ( àunsʰánsṵtʃì born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, is a pro- Democracy activist and leader of the National League for ^[140] In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness 46664 series of concerts hosted by Nelson Mandela. 46664 ( four double six six four) is a series of AIDS charity concerts played in honour of Nelson Mandela by South African musicians in the 2000s Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (xolíɬaɬa mandéːla born 18 July 1918 is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in fully representative The band played 2005's Live 8 concert in London. Live 8 was a string of Benefit concerts that took place on 2 July, 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to The Ambassador of Conscience Award is Amnesty International 's most prestigious Human rights award ^[141]

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. Jubilee 2000 was an international coalition movement in over 40 countries that called for cancellation of Third world debt by the year 2000. Biography Early life Cassius Clay Jr was born on January 17 1942 The Great Jubilee in 2000 was a major event in the Roman Catholic Church, held from December 24, 1999 to January 6, 2001 In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational NGO, DATA, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. Debt AIDS Trade in Africa (or DATA) is a Multinational non-government organization founded in January 2002 in London by U2 's He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa. ^[142]

Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. Product Red, styled as (PRODUCTRED, is a Brand licensed to partner companies such as The Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculosis and Malaria (often commonly called "The Global Fund" was established in January 2002 to dramatically increase global The ONE Campaign, the US counterpart of Make Poverty History, has been shaped by his efforts and vision. The ONE Campaign is a US-based nonpartisan non-profit organization which aims to increase United States government funding for and effectiveness of international aid programs The Make Poverty History campaign (which is written as MAKE POVERTY' HISTORY') is a British and Irish coalition of Charities, religious Bono has also teamed up with Yahoo! to promote the ONE Campaign, which Yahoo! has helped to re-develop.

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. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense Tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico Music Rising is a charity co-founded by Producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz with much support from U2 's The Edge, to help in the purchasing The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. ^[143] In 2006, U2 collaborated with punk rock band Green Day to record a cover version of the song "The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising. Green Day is an American rock trio " The Saints Are Coming " was the third single by the Scottish Punk rock band The Skids, featured on their 1978 debut album The Skids were an Art-punk / Punk rock and new wave band from Dunfermline, Scotland, founded in 1977 by Stuart ^[144]

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,^[145] as well as his "essential paternalism". CounterPunch is a biweekly Newsletter published in the United States that covers politics in a manner its editors describe as "muckraking with a radical Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is a former United States Ambassador to Indonesia, U ^[146] Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to relieve debt and provide assistance to Africa, with 20/20 declaring that "foreign aid often just makes politicians rich—but leaves their people poor". Debt relief is the partial or total forgiveness of Debt, or the slowing or stopping of debt growth owed by individuals corporations or nations 20/20 is an American television Newsmagazine broadcast on ABC since June 6, 1978. ^[147]

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. Clannad are a Grammy Award -winning Irish musical group, from Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair) County Donegal. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film Captive in 1986,^[148] which included a vocal performance by Sinéad O'Connor that predates her own debut album by a year. The soundtrack for the 1986 UK film Captive is the only solo album to date by The Edge, guitarist of U2. Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor (ʃɪˈneɪd oʊˈkɒnɚ (born 8 December 1966 is a Grammy Award winning Irish singer and songwriter 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. Roy Kelton Orbison ( April 23 1936 &ndash December 6 1988) nicknamed "The Big O" was an influential Grammy Award -winning Mystery Girl is the last Record album made by Roy Orbison, posthumously released on the Virgin label in 1989 ^[149] Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "Goldeneye" for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, which was performed by Tina Turner. " GoldenEye " is a hit James Bond theme performed by Tina Turner used for the 1995 film GoldenEye. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story GoldenEye (1995 is the seventeenth Spy film of the British James Bond series directed by Martin Campbell and the Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an eight time Grammy Award -winning American ^[150] Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. did a rework of the title track of the movie Mission: Impossible in 1996. Mission Impossible is an Action movie released in 1996. It was directed by Brian De Palma and starred Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt ^[151] Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on Mick Jagger's 2001 album Goddess in the Doorway. Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger, Kt (born 26 July 1943 is a Golden Globe -winning and two-time Grammy -winning English rock Goddess in the Doorway is the fourth Solo album by Mick Jagger and was released in 2001 ^[152] Bono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the "Tower of Song" compilation in 1995. Leonard Norman Cohen CC GOQ (born September 21, 1934 in Westmount, Quebec) is a Canadian Singer-songwriter " Hallelujah " is a song by Canadian Singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen originally released on his 1984 studio album Various Positions "Tower of Song" is also the name of a Leonard Cohen song first released on the I'm Your Man album Tower of Song The Songs of

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. William Seward Burroughs II ( – ˈbʌroʊz was an American Novelist, Essayist, Social critic, painter and Spoken word ^[153] 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. William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre Irwin Allen Ginsberg (ˈgɪnzbɝg (June 3 1926 &ndash April 5 1997 was an American Poet. ^[154] In early 2000, the band recorded three songs for the 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. The Million Dollar Hotel is 2000 Drama film based on a concept story by Bono of U2 and Nicholas Klein, and directed by The Million Dollar Hotel Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the 2000 film The Million Dollar Hotel. " The Ground Beneath Her Feet " is a song by U2 from the film The Million Dollar Hotel, and featured on the film's soundtrack The Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie Kt (born 19 June 1947 is an Indian - British novelist and essayist The Ground Beneath Her Feet is a Novel written by Salman Rushdie. ^[155]

Discography

Main article: U2 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)

Awards

Main article: List of U2 awards

U2 first received Grammy Awards for the The Joshua Tree in 1988, and have won 22 in total since, tying U2 with Stevie Wonder as contemporary artists with the most Grammies. The discography of U2 consists of twelve studio Albums seven live albums five compilation albums fifty-eight singles and three Extended plays Boy is the debut album from Irish rock band U2, released October 20, 1980. October is the second Album by Irish rock band U2, released in 1981. War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on. The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2, released in 1984. The Joshua Tree is the fifth Studio album by Irish rock band U2, released 9 March 1987 on Island Records. Rattle and Hum is the name of both an album and its companion motion picture recorded by Irish rock band U2, released in 1988 Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, Released on 19 November 1991. Zooropa is the eighth studio album by the Irish rock band U2. Pop is the ninth studio Album by Irish rock band U2, released in March 1997 All That You Can't Leave Behind is the tenth studio album by the Irish rock band U2, released in 2000 by Island Records in the How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, released in November 2004 American Music Awards The American Music Awards are awarded annually The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The Joshua Tree is the fifth Studio album by Irish rock band U2, released 9 March 1987 on Island Records. Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13 1950 name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris) is an ^[4] These include Best Rock Duo or Group, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Rock Album. U2 holds the record for most awards with a total of 7 2000s Grammy Awards of 2008 The White Stripes for " Icky Thump " The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry The Grammy Award for Best Rock Album has been awarded since 1995. The British Phonographic Industry has awarded U2 seven BRIT Awards, five of these being for Best International Group. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI is the British record industry's trade association. The BRIT Awards, often simply called The BRITs, are the British Phonographic Industry 's annual pop music awards In Ireland, U2 have won 14 Meteor Awards since the awards began in 2001. The Meteor Ireland Music Awards (colloquially called "The Meteors") are the national Music Awards of Ireland. Other awards include one AMA, four VMAs, ten Q Awards, two Juno Awards, three NME Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. The American Music Awards show is one of several annual major American music awards shows (among the others are the Billboard Music Awards the Grammy Awards The MTV Video Music Awards were established in the end of the summer of 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top Music videos of the year The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian Musical Artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music The NME Awards are an annual music awards show founded by the music magazine NME (New Musical Express The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in early 2005. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum located on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland Ohio, United States ^[104]

References

General

• Chatterton, Mark (2001). U2: The Complete Encyclopedia. Firefly Publishing. ISBN 0-946719-41-1
• Flanagan, Bill (1995). U2 at the End of the World. Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-31154-0
• Graham, Bill; van Oosten de Boer (2004). U2: The Complete Guide to their Music. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9886-8.  
• McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). U2 by U2. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-719668-7
• de la Parra, Pimm Jal (2003). U2 Live: A Concert Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9198-7
• Stokes, Niall (1996). For other uses of the name 'Stokes' see Stokes. Niall Stokes ( Irish: Niall Ó Stócaigh) is the editor of the popular Into The Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-7322-6036-1.  
• Wall, Mick, (2005). Bono. Andre Deutsch Publishers. ISBN 0233001593 (Promotional edition published by Paperview UK in association with the Irish Independent)

Notes

External links

• U2 Official Website
• U2 on Yahoo! Music