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U2 (IPA: /ju.tu/) es una banda de rock de Dublín, Irlanda. Formada en 1976, U2, es una de las bandas más populares del mundo desde mediados de la década de 1980. Ha vendido más de 170 millones de discos alrededor del mundo, tiene seis álbumes que han llegado al número 1 en la lista de éxitos en los Estados Unidos y otros nueve en el Reino Unido. U2 es uno de los grupos con mayor éxito de todos los tiempos. Han sido galardonados con 22 premios Grammy, la cifra más alta para un artista de rock.

La banda se formó cuando Bono (vocalista y guitarrista), The Edge (guitarrista, teclado y vocalista) y Adam Clayton (bajo) respondieron a un anuncio puesto por Larry Mullen Jr. (batería y percusión). En aquel momento, los miembros de la banda eran adolescentes con un limitado conocimiento musical. A mediados de los años 80, sin embargo, ya habían lanzado cuatro discos y tenían repercusión internacional, en gran parte a sus grandes giras y como consecuencia del sonido particular basado en la guitarra de The Edge y en la voz apasionada y las letras introspectivas de Bono, alcanzando altas cotas de popularidad con el lanzamiento en 1987 de su álbum The Joshua Tree.[4] A comienzos de la década de 1990, respondieron a la revolución de la música alternativa y dance con el exitoso Achtung Baby y el más novedoso Zoo TV Tour, que acarreó críticas a su imagen, así como opiniones especializadas que sugerían cierto estancamiento musical.

En los primeros años del siglo XXI, U2 ha continuado su carrera con un sonido más tradicional, mientras mantiene algunas influencias de sus exploraciones musicales anteriores y continúa disfrutando de un gran nivel de éxito comercial y de crítica. En el 2004, la revista Rolling Stone colocó a U2 en el lugar 22 de su lista de los "100 artistas más grandes de todos los tiempos". En el 2005, U2 fue incluida en el Salón de la Fama del Rock, el primer año en que podían ser elegidos. La banda es conocida por ser políticamente activa en diversas causas de derechos humanos y justicia social, como Amnistía Internacional, Make Poverty History, the ONE Campaign, Live Aid, Live 8, la campaña de DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) y el Music Rising de The Edge.

Contenido
1 Historia
1.1 Formación, Boy y October (1976–1982)
1.2 War, Under a Blood Red Sky y The Unforgettable Fire (1983-1985)
1.3 The Joshua Tree y Rattle and Hum (1986–1989)
1.4 Achtung Baby, Zoo TV y Zooropa (1990–1993)
1.5 Passengers, Pop y el Popmart (1995–1998)
1.6 All That You Can't Leave Behind y el Elevation Tour (2000–2002)
1.7 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb y el Vertigo Tour (2004–2006)
1.8 No Line On The Horizon
2 Influencias
3 U2 y la política
4 Discografía
4.1 Álbumes de estudio
5 Premios y reconocimientos
6 Referencias
7 Bibliografía
8 Enlaces externos



Historia
Formación, Boy y October (1976–1982) [editar]El joven Larry Mullen Jr. puso un anuncio en un tablón de su colegio, el Mount Temple Comprehensive School, buscando gente para formar un grupo. En principio hizo que pasaran los guitarristas. Dave Evans ("The Edge") fue el primero y el último en ingresar, ya que Larry quedó convencido de que no conseguiría algo mejor. Luego fue el turno de los bajistas, dónde Adam Clayton se ganó el puesto no sólo por un contundente talento, sino también por su experiencia en otras bandas anteriores. Por último, Larry quería una segunda guitarra y voz, y ahí llegó el turno de Paul Hewson. Paul comenzó tocando la guitarra, y lo hizo mal. Entonces, Larry pidió que cantara, y lo hizo peor. Entonces, ¿por qué entró en la banda? Larry siempre acusó a su olfato de lo que en ese momento parecía una locura: "Un cantante debe tener personalidad, y el la tenía", dijo Larry años más tarde. The Edge convenció a Larry de dejar entrar en la banda a su hermano, Dick Evans.

Bien, la banda ya estaba formada, pero ¿qué tocar y cómo? Sólo tenían la batería, la guitarra eléctrica de Edge y la guitarra acústica de su hermano, ambas sin amplificadores, y el bajo de Adam, con un amplificador bastante viejo. Comenzaron tocando temas de los Beatles, de los Rolling Stones, etc. Paul se cambió el nombre a Bono Vox, en honor a una marca de audífonos de Dublin, que en latín quiere decir "Buena Voz". Dave adoptó también un nombre artístico, llamándose The Edge, y Larry agregó el "JR" a su nombre, ya que poseía el mismo nombre de su padre.

Se llamaron Feedback antes de cambiarse a The Hype en 1977, pero la llegada de U2 fue un poco bizarra, ya que Dick dejó el grupo en medio de un concierto por razones difíciles de definir, y ahí nació U2. Dick terminó tocando con los Virgin Prunes. El grupo se bautizó U2, pero, ¿Por qué?; suele decirse que en honor al avión espía Lockheed U-2, que fue derribado por los rusos en los días del nacimiento de Bono; en realidad, según reconocen los propios miembros del grupo en su autobiografía "U2 by U2", la elección del nombre fue más o menos provisional hasta encontrar otro más adecuado, pero su creciente fama y proyección internacional asentó el nombre. Steve Averill (diseñador de las carátulas de los álbumes y sencillos del grupo) fue quien sugirió el nombre. U2 también es un juego de palabras, ya que se pronuncia al igual que you too, (inglés: "tú también").


Material promocional de Boy.U2 dio su primer gran golpe en 1978, cuando ganaron un concurso patrocinado por Paul McGuinness en su último año de instituto. Para finales de año, el manager de The Stranglers, Paul McGuinness, les vio actuar y les ofreció un contrato. Incluso con eso la banda tuvo problemas para seguir adelante, porque la CBS no les contrató finalmente. En otoño de 1979, U2 lanzó su sencillo de debut, "U2 Three", sólo para Irlanda donde encabezó las listas. Después empezaron a actuar en Inglaterra, pero no lograron gran éxito.

U2 tenía otro sencillo, "Another Day" y en 1980 Island Records les hizo un contrato. A finales de año sacaron su álbum de debut, Boy, producido por Steve Lillywhite. "Boy" triunfó por su dinámica proveniente del Post Punk, combinándola con un sonido de absoluta vanguardia, especialmente en su peculiar sonido de guitarra. Sin duda, eran prometedores, y sus letras cargaban firmes mensajes políticos, por las permanentes situaciones adversas en Irlanda. La canción más importante de este disco fue "I Will Follow", aún hoy tocada en vivo en sus recitales, pero también fueron importantes canciones como "Another Time, Another Place" y "Stories For Boys". Gracias a los continuos recitales, entre los que se incluían abrir las actuaciones de Talking Heads y una pequeña gira denominada Boy Tour, U2 pudo llevar a Boy al 70 de las listas americanas a principios de 1981. Con la producción de Lillywhite lanzaron October, álbum. Fue muy poco exitoso y la banda lo sufrió mucho, ya que los sorprendió una mala respuesta popular justo cuando alcanzaban la escena musical importante. Pero manteniendo una dinámica de disco tras disco, se tenían algo entre manos...


War, Under a Blood Red Sky y The Unforgettable Fire (1983-1985)
Bono en 1983.Lilliwhite continuó en la producción de discos de la banda con el álbum War, realizado en la primavera de 1983.

Este álbum tenía más mensaje político que los álbumes anteriores y en él se incluyeron dos de las canciones más famosas del cuarteto; "Sunday Bloody Sunday" y "New Year's Day", la beligerante declaración de paz de U2, cumple 25 años sin perder actualidad. Con estos temas alcanzaron la cima en varios Rankings y War despertó la curiosidad de quienes buscaban un sonido nuevo y letras que realmente despertaran los sentimientos de los jóvenes Irlandeses.

Durante la War Tour lanzaron el disco y el video titulado Under a Blood Red Sky, grabado en Red Rocks Colorado, con lo que U2 ya empezaba a revolucionar la manera de presentar un concierto en vivo. El álbum entró en las listas en el número 2 y se convirtió en el directo de mayor éxito de las Islas británicas.

Durante este perídodo en el que U2 ya empezaba a ganarse al público británico, estos recibieron una importante invitación de Juan Pablo II. Era conocido que U2 cargaba algunas de sus canciones con mensajes religiosos, pero ¿El Papa recibiendo irlandeses? Realmente era contradictorio. Después de un largo debate decidieron aceptar, pero pidieron que no haya camarógrafos ni paparazzi, querían una charla íntima con el Papa. ¿Cuál fue la respuesta que consiguió Bono? Que sin cámaras ni filmadoras no había gracia, que era lo mismo que no fueran. "Hagan lo que quieran, pero sin nosotros", respondió Bono.

Después de War, U2 volvió a los estudios con Brian Eno y Daniel Lanois como productores, quienes le dieron un toque experimental. Lanzado en otoño de 1984, The Unforgettable Fire volvió a conseguir el éxito obtenido con War. Fue uno de los discos más revolucionarios de la banda, adoptando un estilo absolutamente distinto al de sus inicios, cargando a sus canciones de fracciones melódicas, y explotando mas que nunca la creatividad de su guitarra. Inclusive, fue uno de los períodos más creativos de Addam, el bajista. Entró en el número 1 de las listas británicas y en el 12 de las americanas. El álbum supuso ingresar en el top 40 de las listas americanas con la canción de homenaje a Martin Luther King "Pride (In the Name of Love)". U2 salió de gira para promocionar el disco, titulado Unforgettable Fire Tour; dentro de los conciertos de ese tour destacó una actuación memorable en el Live Aid, donde ya tenían el mundo a su alcance. Después de la gira, lanzaron el mini-LP en directo Wide Awake in America en 1985.


The Joshua Tree y Rattle and Hum (1986–1989)
Placa en el lugar donde se tomó la fotografía de la carátula de The Joshua Tree, referenciando a la canción "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".Mientras que U2 se había convertido en una de las bandas de rock más exitosas de la década de 1980, todavía no habían logrado el estrellato, hasta que en primavera de 1987 lanzaron The Joshua Tree. Aclamado con buenas críticas, muchos lo calificaron de obra maestra. Este disco se convirtió en su primer número uno en Estados Unidos y su tercer álbum en alcanzar el número uno en el Reino Unido. Con sus números uno en Norteamérica, "With or Without You" y "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", The Joshua Tree y el tour que le precedió (The Joshua Tree Tour) le fueron merecedores de portadas en revistas tan prestigiosas como Time. El álbum también incluía el mítico sencillo "Where The Streets Have No Name".

U2 decidió filmar un documental sobre su gira estadounidense, grabando además nuevo material en el camino. El proyecto se llamó Rattle and Hum, que fue respaldado por un doble disco en el que había canciones en vivo junto con material nuevo. Mientras que con el álbum Rattle and Hum lograban ser un éxito, tanto el documental como la película recibían pobres críticas en las que se reseñaba la fascinación del grupo por la música de raíces americanas como el blues, el soul, el country y el folk. Después de realizar una de sus mejores giras, el Lovetown Tour, el grupo se tomó un descanso.


Achtung Baby, Zoo TV y Zooropa (1990–1993)
Automóviles usados en el Zoo TV Tour colgando en el Salón de la Fama del Rock.U2 se reunió en Berlín en 1990 para grabar un nuevo álbum, con Eno y Lanois. Aunque las sesiones de grabación fueron difíciles y la banda estuvo a punto de disolverse, el resultado, Achtung Baby, representó una triunfante reinvención del sonido base de la banda. Si en sus primeros tiempos se habían dejado influir por el post-punk y la música americana en su etapa media, ahora se sumergía en la música de baile y por la música electrónica. Inspirados por igual por el Bowie de los años 70 y por el "sonido Manchester", Achtung Baby tenía un sonido más variado y aventurero que el de los U2 en su primera etapa, y no defraudó a su audiencia. El álbum debutó con un número uno y lanzó éxitos en el top ten como "Mysterious Ways" y "One".

A principios de 1992, el grupo se lanzó a una nueva gira en apoyo de su Achtung Baby. Con el nombre de Zoo TV Tour, esta gira fue una novedosa combinación de efectos multimedia, con un escenario formado por pantallas gigantescas, coches colgando y con llamadas de móviles. Bono se creó un álter ego llamado "The Fly" ("la mosca"), que representaba el estrellato. Era evidente que U2 estaban más desenvueltos y se divertían más que nunca, pero no habían abandonado su implicación social.

Después de finalizar el Zoo TV Tour en América a finales de 1992 y antes de comenzar su tramo europeo, U2 entró en el estudio para grabar nuevo material: Zooropa, lanzado en 1993 coincidiendo con su gira del mismo nombre. El álbum demostró tener una influencia techno y de dance mayor que Achtung Baby y recibió buenas críticas y algunos sencillos del que destacaron "Lemon" y "Stay (faraway, so close!)". Pese a que el álbum no fue un éxito de ventas, pues no alcanzó los dos millones de copias vendidas, obtuvo un Grammy al "Mejor Album Alternativo" de 1994. Durante la gira de Zooropa, "The Fly" se transformó en MacPhisto en su segundo tramo. Después de acabar la gira, que terminó tras 159 conciertos en una emotiva noche en Sidney, el 27 de diciembre de 1993 (casi dos años después de dar comienzo en Lakeland el 29 de febrero de 1992), la banda se tomó otro descanso.

La gira Zooropa fue considerada desde entonces como una de las más grandes y originales giras de la historia del rock, y esa época es recordada, por la gran mayoría de los fans del grupo y por la crítica especializada, como la etapa más creativa y exitosa del grupo.


Escenario del Popmart Tour, que hace referencia a la parte interior del disco Pop, donde anuncian a Popmart como un supermercado, y hacen parodia de la cadena K Mart.
Concierto de U2 en Kansas City, durante el Elevation Tour, en el que la banda recorrió Norteamérica y Europa (2001).
Passengers, Pop y el Popmart (1995–1998) [editar]Durante 1995, U2 reapareció con "Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me", una pieza de glam rock para la película Batman Forever, producida por Nellee Hooper. A finales de ese año, colaboraron en Original Soundtracks 1 de Brian Eno. Lanzaron el álbum con el seudónimo de The Passengers, pasando inadvertido ante la crítica. De este álbum destaca el tema "Miss Sarajevo" que cantan junto a Luciano Pavarotti. Muchos fans devotos del grupo y el baterista de la banda, Larry Mullen, estaban decepcionados por el proyecto de Passengers, así que U2 prometió lanzar en otoño de 1996 un álbum de rock.

Este disco tardó bastante tiempo en editarse, aplazándose hasta la primavera de 1997. Durante el retraso, se filtraron algunos temas, como "Discothèque", su primer sencillo. Quedó claro que el nuevo álbum tenía fuertes influencias del techno, del dance y de la música electrónica. Cuando finalmente salió al mercado, Pop obtuvo fuertes ventas iniciales y algunas de las peores críticas de su carrera, con la que comenzaron su gira Popmart que los llevó por primera vez a Sudamérica con presentaciones en Argentina, Brasil y Chile, así como a México por segunda ocasión.

A finales de 1998, el grupo volvió con The Best of 1980-1990, la primera de una serie de recopilaciones editadas por Polygram. Allí se incluyó la versión Mix del tema "The Sweetest Thing", que se convirtió en un éxito llegando a ocupar posiciones privilegiadas en las principales carteleras musicales.


All That You Can't Leave Behind y el Elevation Tour (2000–2002) [editar]Tres años después de Pop, U2 se unió a Brian Eno y Daniel Lanois nuevamente para realizar All That You Can't Leave Behind en otoño del 2000, álbum con el que la banda volvió a su característico sonido de guitarras. En el se incluían temas como "Beautiful Day", (que recibió un premio Grammy), "Walk on", "Kite" y "Elevation". En el 2002 lanzaron un nuevo recopilatorio de su segunda década como banda, denominado The Best of 1990-2000. Allí se incluyó como promocional, el sencillo "Electrical Storm" que se convirtió en un éxito durante este año.

A estos dos lanzamientos les precedió la Elevation Tour, que comenzó en Miami el 24 de marzo de 2001 y terminó en la misma ciudad, pero casi nueve meses después de comenzar, el 2 de diciembre. En esta gira, al igual que en el disco promocionado, volvió el ambiente más íntimo frente a los macro conciertos de Zoo TV y Popmart. Durante esa gira se editaron dos DVD; Elevation: Live from Boston y U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle.

En 2002, U2 junto con otra bandas como KISS, Metallica, The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers y Rancid, participaron en un disco tributo a la banda de punk rock, The Ramones llamado We're A Happy Family. El disco fue producido por Johnny Ramone y lanzado bajo el sello de Columbia Records.


How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb y el Vertigo Tour (2004–2006)
The Edge durante la presentación de U2 en el concierto del Live 8 en Londres, el año 2005.
U2 durante el concierto que brindaron en Bruselas en el marco del Vertigo Tour.A finales de 2004, U2 sacó a la luz su álbum, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, un disco de rock del que han extraído sencillos como "Vertigo", "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own", "City Of Blinding Lights", "Original Of The Species" y "All Because Of You".

La gira promocional de este material comenzó el 28 de marzo de 2005 en la ciudad de San Diego, California, bajo el título de Vertigo Tour. En esta gira U2 recorrió los Estados Unidos y Canadá entre marzo y mayo de ese año, para continuar en Europa en el verano (entre el 10 de junio, en Bruselas y el 14 de agosto en Lisboa) y regresar a Estados Unidos y Canadá en el otoño, a partir del 12 de septiembre en Toronto y hasta el 19 de diciembre en Portland. Durante enero y febrero de 2006, el grupo realizó la cuarta etapa de la gira, que incluyó el triunfal retorno de U2 a países como México, Brasil, Chile y Argentina, que no habían sido incluidos en la gira anterior, Elevation de 2001. El 8 de marzo de 2006, entre los conciertos de Argentina y Nueva Zelanda, el grupo anunció que la banda se veía obligada a posponer las últimas 10 fechas, que abarcaba Nueva Zelanda, Australia y Japón debido a la enfermedad de un familiar cercano a uno de los miembros de la agrupación. Estas fechas fueron reprogramadas a partir del 7 de noviembre con el concierto en Brisbane, Australia, finalizando la gira en Honolulu, Hawái, el 9 de diciembre de 2006.

Durante este lapso de tiempo U2 grabó junto a Green Day un cover de la famosa canción del grupo punk escocés The Skids, "The Saints are Coming", a beneficio de la campaña Music Rising, llevada adelante por The Edge para ayudar a los músicos de Nueva Orleans que, tras las devastadoras inundaciones provocadas por el Huracán Katrina, quedaron sin su sustento de trabajo; sus instrumentos musicales. El cover fue presentado el 25 de septiembre de 2006, en el marco de la reinauguración del Louisiana Superdome, en Nueva Orleans. A fines de septiembre de 2006, U2 lanzó a la venta su autobiografía, U2 by U2, editada por Neil McCormick, con textos escritos en base a horas y horas de entrevistas con la banda y 1500 fotografías. En este libro de 352 páginas la banda cuenta todo desde sus inicios hasta la fecha.

El 20 de noviembre de 2006 se estrenó su nuevo álbum recopilatorio, U218 Singles, con 16 de sus canciones más conocidas y dos temas nuevos (el cover "The Saints are Coming" y la inédita "Window in the Skies"). En octubre de ese mismo año la banda se cambió a Mercury Records tras 26 años afiliados a Island Records, ambas subsidiarias de Universal Music Group.

En enero de 2008, el mánager de la banda, Paul McGuinness, anunció que U2 está preparando la salida al mercado de la continuación de How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb en febrero de 2009.

En Marzo del 2008 se estrenó en gran parte de Latinoamérica la película de U2: U23D. Esta película fue filmada durante la gira Vertigo, en tres países: Chile, Brasil y Argentina. La película recorrió el mundo entero, revolucionando el mercado del cine 3D.


No Line On The Horizon El 2 de marzo de 2009 salió a la venta, tras más de 4 años preparándolo, su último álbum. Grabado en lugares tan dispares como Fez (Marruecos), Francia, Hanover Quay Studios en Dublín y finalmente en los Olympic Studios de Londres. Su primer sencillo se tituló "Get on Your Boots". El segundo sencillo es "Magnificent" lanzado el 4 de mayo de 2009. El 30 de junio de este mismo año U2 inicia en Barcelona la gira 360º Tour que les llevará por Europa y Norteamérica.


Influencias U2 ha recibido influencias de The Who, The Ramones, The Clash, The Beatles, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Joy Division y Patti Smith y ha influenciado a OneRepublic, Coldplay, The Fray, The Killers, Snow Patrol y Angels & Airwaves. Ha trabajado con: Green Day, R.E.M. (en un proyecto llamado Automatic Baby, formado por Michael Stipe y Mike Mills, de R.E.M. con Adam Clayton y Larry Mullen Jr., de U2), Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Mary J. Blige, B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti, Wim Wenders y Anton Corbijn.

Grupos y artistas que han versionado canciones de U2: Avalanch, Paramore, Sepultura, James Blunt, Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Pearl Jam, tobyMac, Pet Shop Boys, Dream Theater, The Smashing Pumpkins, Darlene Zschech, Ignite, Keane, Pillar, Utada Hikaru, Saul Williams.


U2 y la política
Bono junto a Horst Köhler, en ese entonces presidente del FMI, y presidente de Alemania en el año 2000.Además de ser conocida por su música, la banda ha destacado por sus labores sociales, especialmente Bono, quien, en 2008, ya ha sido nominado al Premio Nobel de la Paz en 3 ocasiones. También su activismo los ha llevado a colaborar con distintas organizaciones como Amnistía Internacional, Greenpeace, DATA, ONE y con causas de apoyo principalmente a los países menos desarrollados, como su participación en eventos como Live Aid (1985) y veinte años después, Live 8 (2005), ambos conciertos masivos organizados por Bob Geldof para que los países del G-8 (los siete países más ricos del mundo y Rusia) ayudaran a los países africanos.

Desde comienzos del decenio de 1980, los miembros de U2, como un grupo o individualmente han colaborado con otros músicos, artistas, famosos, y políticos para abordar las cuestiones relativas a la pobreza, la enfermedad y la injusticia social. En 1984, Bono y Adam Clayton participaron en Band Aid para recaudar dinero para el hambre en Etiopía.

En 1986, U2 participó A Conspiracy of Hope y en Self Aid para el desempleo en Irlanda. El mismo año, Bono y Ali Hewson también visitó Nicaragua y El Salvador por invitación del Sanctuary movement y vio los efectos de la guerra civil de El Salvador. Estos eventos fueron fuertemente influenciados en el álbum The Joshua Tree, que se estaba grabando en ese momento.

En 1992, la banda participó en el concierto "Stop Sellafield" con Greenpeace durante su gira Zoo TV.

A finales de 2005, tras el paso del huracán Katrina y el huracán Rita, The Edge ayudó a introducir Music Rising, una iniciativa para recaudar fondos para los músicos que perdieron sus instrumentos en la tormenta asolado la costa del Golfo.

Discografía Artículo principal: Discografía de U2

Álbumes de estudio Boy (octubre de 1980).
October (octubre de 1981).
War (28 de febrero de 1983).
The Unforgettable Fire (octubre de 1984).
The Joshua Tree (9 de marzo de 1987).
Rattle and Hum (11 de octubre de 1988).
Achtung Baby (12 de noviembre de 1991).
Zooropa (6 de julio de 1993).
Pop (4 de marzo de 1997).
All That You Can't Leave Behind (31 de octubre de 2000).
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (22 de noviembre de 2004).
No Line on the Horizon (26 de febrero de 2009).
Songs of Ascent (proximamente).

Premios y reconocimientos [editar]En su carrera la banda ha logrado varios premios y nominaciones, como por ejemplo:

22 Grammys
1987 - [[Mejor grupo de rock instrumental]] y Álbum del Año (The Joshua Tree)
1988 - Mejor grupo de rock instrumental ("Desire"), Mejor interpretación de vídeos musicales ("Where The Streets Have No Name")
1992 - Mejor grupo de rock instrumental (Achtung Baby)
1993 - Mejor Álbum de Música Alternativa (Zooropa)
1994 - Mejor video musical de concierto (Zoo TV: Live From Sydney)
2000 - Mejor álbum, Canción del Año y Mejor grupo de rock instrumental ("Beautiful Day")
2001 - Mejor álbum ("Walk On"), Mejor grupo de pop instrumental("Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get out of"), Mejor grupo de rock instrumental ("Elevation"), Mejor Álbum de Rock (All That You Can't Leave Behind)
2004 - Mejor grupo de rock instrumental, Mejor canción de rock y Mejor vídeo musical ("Vertigo")
2005 - Mejor grupo de rock instrumental y Mejor canción del año ("Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"), Mejor canción de rock ("City Of Blinding Lights"), Mejor álbum de rock del año y Álbum del año (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb)
7 Brit Awards
1988, 1989 y 1990 (Grupo internacional), 1993 (Mayor actuación en vivo), 1998 (Grupo internacional), 2001 (Grupo internacional, Contribución Excepcional).
Premios Globo de Oro
2003 Mejor canción original ("The Hands That Built America")
5 MTV Video Music Awards
1987 (Viewer's Choice - "With Or Without You"), 1988 (Mejor vídeo de una película - "When Love Comes to Town"), 1992 (Mejor vídeo - "Even Better Than the Real Thing"), 1995 (Viewer's Choice Europe - "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"), 2001 (Video Vanguard Award)
2 MTV Europe Music Awards
1995 (Mejor grupo), 1997 (Mejor acto en vivo)
14 Meteor Ireland Music Awards (2001 (3), 2002 (7), 2003 (1), 2006 (3))
Amadeus Austrian Music Award 2001 y nominaciones en 2004, 2005, 2006.
Nominación para el premio Óscar en la categoría Music - Canción original por "The Hands That Built America", 2003
Integración en el Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2005
Reconocimiento de Amnistía Internacional, 2005
U2 are a rock band formed in Dublin, Ireland. 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).
The band formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, the band had become a top international act. Their success as a live act was greater than their success as a record selling act until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree, which according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". 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. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more conventional rock sound that retains the influence of their previous musical explorations.
U2 have sold more than 145 million albums worldwide[3][and have won 22 Grammy Awards,[5] more than any other band.[6] In 2005, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone magazine listed U2 at #22 in its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.[7] 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.
Contents[hide]
1 History
1.1 Formation and early years (1976–1979)
1.2 Boy, October, and War (1980–1983)
1.3 The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984–1985)
1.4 The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986–1989)
1.5 Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and Zooropa (1990–1993)
1.6 Passengers, Pop, and PopMart (1994–1999)
1.7 "Reapplying for the job of the best band in the world" (2000–2006)
1.8 No Line on the Horizon and U2 360° Tour (2007–present)
2 Musical style
2.1 Lyrics and themes
2.2 Influences
3 Campaigning and activism
4 Other projects
5 Discography
6 Awards
7 References
7.1 General
7.2 Notes
8 External links
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[edit] History

[edit] Formation and early years (1976–1979)

U2 in their early years: (left to right) Clayton, Mullen, Bono, Edge
The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.[8] Larry Mullen, Jr., then 14, posted a notice on his secondary school notice board (Mount Temple Comprehensive School) seeking musicians for a new band. Seven teenage boys attended the initial practice in Mullen's kitchen. It was, as Mullen put it, "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." 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.[9] Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.[10] Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of the group's material initially consisted of cover versions, which the band said was not their forte.[citation needed] The original material the band did write demonstrated a sound influenced by their post-punk peers.[11]
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[12]
In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".[13] Dik Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out. The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble and he was "phased out" in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".[14] 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.[15]
On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and studio time to record a demo which would be heard by CBS Ireland. This win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band.[14] The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978.[16] Hot Press was influential in shaping the band's future; in May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by the magazine's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.[17] U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.[18] In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.[19] In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.[20]

[edit] 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.[21] The band's debut album, the Steve Lillywhite produced Boy, followed in October, and received generally positive reviews.[22] Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, a common theme was the dreams and frustrations of adolescence.[23] The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit single, "I Will Follow". Boy's release was followed by U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.[24] Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.[25]
The band's second album, October, was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes. During the album's recording sessions, Bono and The Edge left the band due to spiritual conflicts, and U2 ceased to exist for a brief period of time.[26] 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.[27] Recording was further complicated when a briefcase containing lyrics for several working songs was stolen from backstage during the band's performance at a nightclub in Portland, Oregon; it was recovered and returned to the band in 2004, nearly a quarter century later.[28] The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. It did not sell well outside the UK, which put pressure on their contract with Island and focused the band on improvement.[29]

Bono performs in Norway during the War Tour in 1983.
Resolving the doubts of the October period, U2 released War in 1983.[30] A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade",[31] War's sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synth-pop of the time.[32] The album included "Sunday Bloody Sunday", where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of Bloody Sunday with Easter Sunday.[33] Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting. War was U2's first album to feature the photography of Anton Corbijn, who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.[34] U2's first commercial success, War debuted at number one in the UK, and its first single, "New Year's Day", was the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK.[35]
On the subsequent War Tour, the band performed to sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the U.S. The image of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became a familiar sight.[36] U2 recorded the Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour, as well as the Live at Red Rocks concert film, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, expanding the band's audience and cementing the band's prowess as a live band.[37] 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 (so that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms, at the expense of a larger initial payment.[38]

[edit] The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984–1985)
We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to The Who. All we had to do was to keep doing what we were doing and we would become the biggest band since Led Zeppelin, without a doubt. But something just didn't feel right. We felt we had more dimension than just the next big anything, we had something unique to offer. 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.[39]
The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction.[40] 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".[41] Thus, experimentation was sought[42] as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty."[39] The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record.[43]

"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".[44]
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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.[45] Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel".[40] Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting responsibility — about which he had always been reluctant — was a poetic one. Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "Bad" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" were incomplete "sketches".[46] "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.S. top 40.[47]
Much of The Unforgettable Fire Tour moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.[48] The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performance.[40] 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.[40] Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage.[49]

U2's performance at Live Aid was a turning point in their career.
U2 participated in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief at Wembley Stadium in July 1985.[50] U2's performance was a turning point in the band's career.[51] 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.[52] 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".[53]

[edit] 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.[54] Realising "that U2 had no tradition", the band explored American blues, country, and gospel music.[55] 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.[56] 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.[57] In his 1986 travels to San Salvador and Nicaragua, Bono saw the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts subject to American political intervention. 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.[58]
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[59]
The Joshua Tree[60] was released in March 1987. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.[61] It became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.[62] It won U2 their first two Grammy Awards.[63] The album's first two singles, "the rock & roll bolero" "With or Without You"[41] and the rhythmic gospel "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly went to number one in the U.S. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of Time magazine,[64] which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket".[65] The album brought U2 a new level of success and is cited by Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest.[66] The Joshua Tree Tour was the first during which the band played numerous stadium shows alongside smaller arena shows.[67]
The documentary Rattle and Hum featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in record stores and cinemas in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music.[68] The film included tracks recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis and tracks performed with Bob Dylan and B. B. King. Despite a positive reception from fans, Rattle and Hum received mixed reviews from both film and music critics;[69] one Rolling Stone editor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided".[70] The film's director, Phil Joanou, described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2".[71] Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's Lovetown Tour, which primarily consisted of shows in Australia and Europe. With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono announced at an end-of-decade concert that U2 had come to the end of an era and had to "...go away and just dream it all up again".[72]

[edit] 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[73]
Stung by criticism of Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album, Achtung Baby; the change was their most dramatic since The Unforgettable Fire.[74] The band began work on Achtung Baby in East Berlin in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve of German reunification.[75] The sessions instead proved to be difficult. In Berlin, 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 rock and European dance music and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had written, creating the song "One".[76] The band completed the album in Dublin.
In November 1991, U2 released Achtung Baby. Sonically, the album incorporated dance, industrial, and alternative rock influences of the time and the band referred to the album as the sound of "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree".[77] 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 was a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.[78] Like The Joshua Tree, it is cited by Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest.[66]

The Zoo TV stage featured a complex setup with over 30 video screens.[79]

"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.[80]
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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 messages, and Bono's over-the-top stage characters such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "(Mister) MacPhisto". 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.[81] Prank phone calls were made to President Bush, the United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn Sarajevo caused controversy.[82]
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. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded Zooropa into a full-length LP album. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating techno influences and other electronic effects.[83] Johnny Cash sang the vocal on the "The Wanderer". Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which extended through Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the set.[84]

[edit] Passengers, Pop, and PopMart (1994–1999)
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,[85] was a hit.
It's not enough to write a great lyric; it’s not enough to have a good idea or a great hook, lots of things have to come together and then you have to have the ability to discipline and screen. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended, 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.
Bono on Pop[86]
On 1997's Pop, U2 continued experimenting; tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and sampling provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.[87] Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews.[88] Rolling Stone, for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives".[89] Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.[90] 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".[91]

The giant screen from the PopMart Tour stage
The subsequent tour, PopMart, commenced in April 1997. Like Zoo TV, it poked fun at pop culture and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. The stage included a 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.[92] The late delivery of Pop meant rehearsal time was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.[93] A highlight of the tour was a concert in Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform following the Bosnian War.[94] 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."[95] One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of The Simpsons, "Trash of the Titans", in which Homer Simpson disrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert.[96]

[edit] "Reapplying for the job of the best band in the world" (2000–2006)
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[42]
Following the comparatively poor reception of Pop, U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... [of] the best band in the world",[97] and have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations.[98] All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and reunited the band with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The album was considered by many of those not won over by the band's 1990s experimentation as a return to grace;[99] Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.[100] The album debuted at number one in 22 countries[101] and its worldwide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards. The album's other singles, "Walk On", "Elevation", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" also won Grammy Awards.

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. A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the September 11 attacks, the new album gained added resonance.[102] In October, U2 performed a series of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In later interviews, Bono and the Edge called these New York City shows among their most memorable and emotional performances.[103] In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI,[104] which SI.com ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.[105]

"Vertigo" (2004)
Sample of "Vertigo" – propelled by an aggressive riff, the song became a hit worldwide and was used extensively in a cross-promotion with Apple.
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The band's next studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released on 22 November 2004. 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."[106] 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. 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.[107] 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 freaking annoys me."[106] 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. Like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a commercial success.[108] 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.[109] A 3-D concert film, U2 3D, filmed at nine concerts during the Latin America leg of the Vertigo Tour (Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil), was released on 23 January 2008.
In August 2006, the band incorporated its publishing business in The Netherlands two months after Ireland capped its artists' tax exemption at €250,000.[110]

[edit] No Line on the Horizon and U2 360° Tour (2007–present)
The band began work on their twelfth album No Line on the Horizon in 2006, originally writing and recording with producer Rick Rubin, but the material was shelved. The band subsequently chose to begin writing and recording for the album with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno in June 2007. A two-week trip to Fez, Morocco where the six recorded led to the band experimenting with North African sounds and indicating the album would be more experimental than their previous efforts. During the album sessions, on 31 March 2008, it was confirmed that U2 signed a 12 year deal with Live Nation worth an estimated $100 million (£50 million),[111] which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website.
After 16 months in the studio, the band completed No Line on the Horizon in December 2008, and it was released on 27 February 2009.[112] The album received generally positive reviews, but critics noted the end result was not as experimental as expected. The band have confirmed plans to release another album by the end of the year, provisionally titled Songs of Ascent, consisting of material recorded during the sessions for No Line on the Horizon. Bono says it will be "a more meditative album on the theme of pilgrimage".[113][114]
U2 have begun a worldwide stadium tour entitled the U2 360° Tour to support No Line on the Horizon. The tour began on 30 June 2009 at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain and will feature European and North American legs in 2009, each approximately 6 weeks long, with additional shows to follow in 2010.[115] The tour features a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans will surround the stage from all sides.[116]

[edit] 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.[117] 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.[118] The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay[119] to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies[120] that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice[121] and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, The Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.[120]

U2 in their hometown of Dublin during the Vertigo Tour
Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as Television and Joy Division, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".[122] 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.[123] The two albums were labelled "muscular and assertive" by Rolling Stone,[41] influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing. The Unforgettable Fire, which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up The Joshua Tree, had Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture".[41] 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,[124] Zooropa and Pop.[125] The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less use of synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.

[edit] Lyrics and themes
Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian religious and spiritual imagery,[126] are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written about the troubles in Northern Ireland,[127] while the latter concerns the struggle of mothers whose children were kidnapped and killed under Argentina's military dictatorship that began in 1976.
Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family colour songs like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". An emotional yearning or pleading is another frequent conveyance,[117] in tracks such as "Yahweh",[128] "Peace on Earth", and "Please". The investigation of loss and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, which is central to The Joshua Tree,[41] 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.[125]
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.[129]

[edit] Influences
The band cites The Who,[130] The Clash,[131] Ramones,[132] The Beatles,[133] Joy Division,[134] Siouxsie & the Banshees[135] and Patti Smith[136] as influences. Van Morrison has been cited by Bono as an influence[137] and his influence on U2 is pointed out by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[138] Other musicians and bands such as Snow Patrol,[139] The Fray,[140] OneRepublic,[141], Coldplay,[142] This Allure,[143] The Academy Is...,[144] The Killers, Your Vegas[145] and Angels & Airwaves[146] have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including Johnny Cash, Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti,[147] Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Wim Wenders, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, and Anton Corbijn.

[edit] 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.
In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in Band Aid to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. The initiative produced the hit charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and Bob Geldof. In July 1985, U2 played Live Aid, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia where they witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting.[148]
In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope tour in support of Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited Nicaragua and El Salvador at the invitation of the Sanctuary movement, and saw the effects of the El Salvador Civil War. These 1986 events greatly influenced The Joshua Tree album, which was being recorded at the time.
In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop Sellafield" concert with Greenpeace during their Zoo TV tour.[149] 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.[150] A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.[151] In 1998, they performed in Belfast days prior to the vote on the Good Friday Agreement, bringing Northern Irish political leaders David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement.[152] Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "Sweetest Thing" single went towards supporting the Chernobyl Children's Project.
In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On" to Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.[153] In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness 46664 series of concerts hosted by Nelson Mandela. The band played 2005's Live 8 concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights.[154]
Since 2000, Bono's campaigning has included Jubilee 2000 with Bob Geldof, Muhammad Ali, and others to promote the cancellation of third world debt during the Great Jubilee. In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational NGO, DATA, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.[155]
Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. The ONE Campaign, the US counterpart of Make Poverty History, has been shaped by his efforts and vision. 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.[156] 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.[157]
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,[158] as well as his "essential paternalism".[159] Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to relieve debt and provide assistance to Africa.[160] Tax and development campaigners have also criticized the band's move from Ireland to Netherlands to reduce its tax bill.[161]

[edit] Other projects
The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "In a Lifetime" with the Irish band Clannad. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film Captive in 1986,[162] which included a vocal performance by Sinéad O'Connor that predates her own debut album by a year. Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's a Mystery to Me" for Roy Orbison, which was featured on his 1989 album Mystery Girl.[163] In 1990, Larry Mullen co-wrote and produced a song for the Irish International soccer team in Italia '90, called "Put 'Em Under Pressure", which topped the Irish charts. Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "GoldenEye" for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, which was performed by Tina Turner. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. did a rework of the title track of the movie Mission: Impossible in 1996. Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on Mick Jagger's 2001 album Goddess in the Doorway. Bono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the "Tower of Song" compilation in 1995. Additionally, in 1998, Bono collaborated with Kirk Franklin and Crystal Lewis (along with other controversially mainstream artists R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige) for a successful gospel song called "Lean on Me", an interpretation of the Bill Withers song.
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. 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. 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.
Most recently, Bono appeared and performed The Beatles songs in the movie Across the Universe (2007). Bono and The Edge are also writing the music to Spider-Man: The Musical, expected to open in late 2009. The Edge also created the theme song for Season 1 and 2 of The Batman.

Discography
Main articles: U2 discography and List of U2 songs
Boy (1980)
October (1981)
War (1983)
The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
The Joshua Tree (1987)
Rattle and Hum (1988)
Achtung Baby (1991)
Zooropa (1993)
Pop (1997)
All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)
No Line on the Horizon (2009)

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