U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of
Bono (vocals and rhythm guitar),
the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals),
Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and
Larry Mullen, Jr.
(drums and percussion). U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but
eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular
music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a
sound built on melodic instrumentals. Their lyrics, often embellished
with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical
concerns.
The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 when the
members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four
years, they signed with Island Records and released their debut album
Boy. By the mid-1980s, U2 had become a top international act. They were
more successful as a touring 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". Reacting to
musical stagnation and criticism of their earnest image and musical
direction in the late 1980s, U2 reinvented themselves with their 1991
album, Achtung Baby, and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour; they integrated
dance, industrial, and alternative rock influences into their sound, and
embraced a more ironic and self-deprecating image. They embraced
similar experimentation for the remainder of the 1990s with varying
levels of success. U2 regained critical and commercial favour in the
2000s with the records All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) and How to
Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004), which established a more conventional,
mainstream sound for the group. Their U2 360° Tour of 2009–2011 is the
highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour in history.
U2-(1980)-Boy
U2-(1981)-October
U2-(1983)-Under A Blood Red Sky
U2-(1983)-War
U2-(1984)-The Unforgettable Fire
U2-(1987)-The Joshua Tree
U2-(1988)-Rattle and Hum
U2-(1991)-Achtung Baby
U2-(1993)-Zooropa
U2-(1997)-Pop
U2-(1998)-The Best Of 1980-1990
U2-(2000)-All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2-(2002)-The Best Of 1990-2000
U2-(2004)-How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
U2-(2006)-U2-18 Singles
U2-(2009)-No Line On The Horizon
U2-(2014)-Songs of Innocence [2 CD, Deluxe Edition]
U2-(2017)-Songs Of Experience
remasters,extended & live
U2-(1980)-Boy [2 CD, 2008 Remaster, Deluxe Edition]
U2-(1981)-October [2 CD, 2008 Remaster, Deluxe Edition]
U2-(1983)-War [2 CD, 2008 Remaster, Deluxe Edition]
U2-(1984)-The Unforgettable Fire [2 CD, 2009 Remaster]
U2-(1987)-The Joshua Tree (4 CD Super Deluxe, 2017)
U2-(1987)-The Joshua Tree [2 CD, 2007 Remaster]
U2-(1991)-Achtung Baby [6 CD, 2011 Remaster]
U2-(2004)-Rare & Unreleased
U2-(2004)-The Complete U2 - Hasta La Vista Baby!
U2-(2009)-Medium, Rare & Remastered (2 CD)
U2-(2010)-Artificial Horizon
U2-(2011)-U2 Duals
U2-(2012)-From The Ground Up Edge's Picks From U2360ø
U2-(2012)-U22