U2

Thanks to albums such as October, War, The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, the Irish U2 became the biggest rock band of its time.

U2 formed in Dublin in 1976, but they truly made a name for themselves in the post-punk era. The band consisted of singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. The band debuted in 1980 with "Boy," which immediately showcased U2's characteristic sound in all its glory: screeching guitars, reverberating production, and clear vocals. While the band still played clubs, their sound was already geared towards the stadiums that lay ahead. Everything was already there in "I Will Follow," the opening track of their debut album. October, featuring "Gloria," was followed by a significant second album. Their real breakthrough came with "War," featuring songs like "New Year's Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday." These songs showcased both sides of U2—their unbridled optimism, but also their keen eye for the bloody history of (Northern) Ireland.

With The Unforgettable Fire, produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, another important artistic step was taken in 1984. This success story gained further momentum when U2 performed at the massively watched Live Aid festival a year later and went down in history as one of the standouts. By then, U2 had become a global act and drew significant inspiration from American symbolism and music for their albums The Joshua Tree (1987) and Rattle and Hum. In response, the band recorded their next album, Achtung Baby (1991), at Hansa Studio in Berlin. This return to their European roots yielded new success, with hits like The Fly, One, and Mysterious Ways. The subsequent Zoo TV Tour was the most musically and visually spectacular U2 had undertaken to date. It was followed in 1993 by the album Zooropa.

It wasn't until 1997 that a new studio album, Pop, appeared. In the meantime, U2 had contributed to the soundtrack of the film Batman Forever with "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me." The electronic-sounding "Pop" proved to be strongly influenced by current dance culture, with the old guitar rock seemingly further removed than ever. Once again, it provoked a reaction. 2000's "All That You Can't Leave Behind" proved to be a true rock album, made by a real band. If the band had lost ground in previous years, it regained it instantly. The album sold enormously, and "Beautiful Day" was one of the successful hits that resulted.

The albums that followed, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004), No Line On The Horizon (2009), Songs Of Innocence (2014) and Songs Of Experience (2017) showed that the recovery was lasting. The compilations of hit singles, such as The Best of 1980–1990 (1998) and The Best of 1990–2000 (2002), were also successful. More than forty years after their modest beginnings, U2's albums still find their way to countless fans all over the world. The quartet's tours still sell out stadiums. The shows demonstrate that the spirit with which the band once walked onto the stage is still unbroken.

At Platenzaak.nl we have a huge selection of U2 CDs and LPs, including exclusive editions.