My Favourite Rock Band U2

Artificial Horizon is a compilation album of remixed tracks by rock band U2. It was released exclusively to subscribing members of U2.com, replacing Medium, Rare & Remastered. The remix CD is of a similar vein to the band's 1995 release Melon: Remixes for Propaganda, which was also released exclusively to fans.A triple-vinyl edition was released to the general public until 14 May 2010; this version included an MP3 for the Snow Patrol remix of the song "Unknown Caller"

The Saints Are Coming" was the third single by the Scottish punk rock band, Skids, featured on their 1978 debut album, Scared to Dance. The song was covered in 2006 by Green Day and U2 and in 2008 bhe song's lyrics about storms and drowning came back to light after the events of Hurricane Katrina. In September 2006, it was announced that Green Day and U2 were to record a cover version of the song for charitable purposesy Von Thronstahl.The single earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group". Billie Joe also performed the song with U2 in Hawaii at the end of the Vertigo Tour

With or Without You" is a song by rock band U2. The third track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, it was released as the album's first single on 21 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single at the time, becoming their first number-one hit in the United States by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.

"With or Without You" features sustained guitar parts played by guitarist The Edge with a prototype of the Infinite Guitar, along with impassioned vocals by lead singer Bono and a driving bassline by bassist Adam Clayton. The song originated from a demo recorded in late 1985 that the group continued to work on throughout The Joshua Tree sessions. Ostensibly a troubled love song, the track's lyrics were inspired by Bono's conflicting feelings about the lives he led as a musician and domesticated man.

Critics praised the song upon its release. It is frequently performed on the band's tours, and it has appeared on a number of their compilation albums and concert films. "With or Without You" is U2's second most frequently covered song.[1] In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at number 131 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Bono shows up on another fashion magazine cover next month. It’s the May 2010 issue of French Vogue, and this time he’s on the cover with actress Penelope Cruz. The magazine turned over guest editing duties to Cruz for May, and she produced three different covers — all promoting Product (RED).

The magazine apparently credits two photographers for this cover, which some of the fashion blogs say is an indication that the cover is Photoshopped. (Yes, in the name of investigative reporting, I actually spent time reading fashion blogs tonight. All for you, folks. All for you.)

You can click the image at right for a larger version.

U2 3D is a 2008 3-D concert film featuring Irish rock band U2 performing in Latin America during the Vertigo Tour in 2006. A total of 14 songs are featured in the film, including new songs taken from the Vertigo Tour's supporting album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. The film consists almost entirely of concert footage, with political statements addressed during several songs. Following the 1988 rockumentary, Rattle and Hum, U2 3D became the band's second feature film, and it was praised over its predecessor. The film also became the first ever live-action digital 3-D film, and created many other "firsts" in the history of cinema.

The project was created to experiment with a new type of 3-D film technology, pioneered by 3ality Digital in 2003. After proposing to film American football games in 3-D, 3ality Digital decided to create a concert film, selecting U2 as their subject. The band was quite hesitant at first to accept, but eventually decided to make the film mainly as a technological experiment rather than as a means to make profit. Latin America was chosen as the location to shoot the film, with seven concerts shot at various venues, and an additional two concerts shot in Australia. The film's complex setup involved shooting with up to 18 3-D cameras at one time, and capturing the footage digitally.

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in the United States. To date, U2 are tied with Stevie Wonder in having won the most Grammy Awards of any artist of contemporary music with a total of 22 awards. They have won Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group seven times, while winning Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Rock Album all twice.

1988 Album of the Year The Joshua Tree
Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal The Joshua Tree
1989 Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal "Desire"
Best Performance Music Video "Where the Streets Have No Name"
1993 Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal Achtung Baby
1994 Best Alternative Music Album Zooropa
1995 Best Long Form Music Video Zoo TV: Live from Sydney
2001 Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal "Beautiful Day"
Song of the Year
Record of the Year
2002 Best Rock Album All That You Can't Leave Behind
Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal "Elevation"
Best Pop Duo or Group with Vocal "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of"
Record of the Year "Walk On"
2005 Best Short Form Music Video "Vertigo"
Best Rock Song
Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal
2006 Album of the Year How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Song of the Year "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own"
Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal
Best Rock Song "City of Blinding Lights"
Best Rock Album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian religious and spiritual imagery,are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Silver and Gold", and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written about the troubles in Northern Ireland,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 inspired family colour songs like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". An emotional yearning or pleading frequently appears as a lyrical theme,in tracks such as "Yahweh"Peace on Earth", and "Please". Much of U2's songwriting and music is also motivated by contemplations of loss and anguish, coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, themes that are central to The Joshua Tree.Some of these lyrical ideas have 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

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

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

Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. The ONE Campaign, originally the US counterpart of Make Poverty History, was shaped by his efforts and vision. In 2007 the ONE Campaign and DATA merged into a single organization, ONE, with Bono a member of the merged organization's board of directors.

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. In 2006, U2 collaborated with punk rock band Green Day to record a remake of the song "The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising.

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, as well as his "essential paternalism".Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to relieve debt and provide assistance to Africa. Tax and development campaigners have also criticised the band's move from Ireland to the Netherlands to reduce its tax bil

Following the comparatively poor reception of Pop, U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... [of] the best band in the world",[99] and they have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations. All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace; Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.The album debuted at number one in 22 countries[103] and its worldwide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards. The album's other three singles also won Grammy Awards.

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 11 September attacks, the new album gained added resonance,and in October, U2 performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Bono and The Edge later said these New York City shows were among their most memorable and emotional performances.[105] In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI,which SI.com ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.

"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the third track from their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. It was released as the album's third single in March 1992. While recording Achtung Baby, conflict arose between band members over the direction of U2's sound. Tensions almost prompted the band to break up, until they rallied around the improvised writing of "One".Lyrically, the song describes lead singer Bono's struggles to maintain relationships with others, but it has been interpreted in other ways. The song reached #7 in the UK charts and #10 in the US pop chart, and reached the top of the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. It peaked at #10 on the Dutch Top 40.

The song is widely considered to be one of the band's greatest songs and is consistently featured in lists of the greatest songs of all-time. Rolling Stone ranked the song #36 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" (also their highest-ranked song from the 90's), and Q ranked the song at #1 on its list of the "1001 Greatest Songs of All-Time".The song has been played by U2 at every one of their concerts since the song's live debut in 1992, and it has appeared on many of the band's concert films. In a live setting, "One" is often used by the band to promote human rights or social justice causes, and the song lends its namesake to Bono's charitable organization, the ONE Campaign. In 2006, U2 re-recorded the song as part of a duet with contemporary R&B singer Mary J. Blige.

The U2 360° Tour is an ongoing concert tour by the rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour will visit stadiums from 2009 through 2010, whereas the previous two tours, the Elevation Tour and the Vertigo Tour, primarily visited indoor arenas. The U2 360° Tour is named after the 360-degree staging and audience configuration it uses for shows, which U2 claims is "the first time a band has toured in stadiums with such a unique and original structure."To accommodate this, the stage set makes use of a massive four-legged supporting rig that has been nicknamed "The Claw" and has set a world record for the largest concert stage structure. In an era of declining CD sales, the tour is expected to be a major source of income for the band.
The Croke Park tour dates in Dublin won the 2009 Billboard Touring Award for best box score at a single venue. The penultimate show of the second leg, held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, was filmed for the concert release U2 360° at the Rose Bowl. It was streamed live over YouTube, and set a new US attendance record for a single headlining act, as well as being the most watched live video stream in the sites history

The Vertigo Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, the visited arenas and stadiums from 2005 through 2006. The Vertigo Tour consisted of five legs that alternated between indoor arena shows in North America and outdoor stadium shows internationally. Much like the previous Elevation Tour, the indoor portion of the Vertigo Tour featured a stripped-down, intimate stage design. Protruding from the main stage was an ellipse-shaped "B stage" that encapsulated a small number of fans.

The tour grossed US$260 million in 110 sold-out concerts in 2005, making it the top-grossing tour of the year.In North America alone, the tour grossed $138.9 million with around 1.4 million tickets sold.

The Vertigo Tour won the 2005 Billboard Roadwork Touring Awards for Top Tour, Top Draw, and Top Single Event, and U2's management company Principle Management won for Top Manager

By the time it finished, the Vertigo Tour had sold 4,619,021 tickets — with 131 shows — for a total gross of $389 million; the gross was the third-highest such figure ever.The tour was depicted in the three concert films, Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago, Vertigo: Live from Milan, and U2 3D.

The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind, the tour visited arenas in 2001. After the band's previous two extravagant stadium tours, Zoo TV and PopMart, the Elevation Tour returned the band to indoor arenas with a much more stripped-down, intimate stage design. A heart-shaped B-stage extended from the main stage, while encapsulating many of the fans.

The Elevation Tour comprised three legs and 113 shows, was seen by about 2.1 million people. The Elevation Tour opened on March 24, 2001 with the first leg in North America, the second leg in Europe that summer, and the third leg back in North America that autumn, ending on December 2, 2001. The tour was the top concert draw of 2001, grossing $143 million, and was top draw in North America, with the band's 80 shows grossing $110 million at ticket prices of $45–$135.[1] Its success was capped off by the band's performance at the Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show in 2002. The tour was depicted in two concert films, Elevation 2001: Live from Boston and U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle

The PopMart Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 1997 album, Pop, the tour's concerts were performed in stadiums and parks from 1997 through 1998. Much like the band's previous Zoo TV Tour, PopMart was elaborately-staged and featured a lavish stage design, complete with a 165-foot (50 m) wide LED screen, a 100-foot (30 m)-high golden arch, and a large mirror-ball lemon. Much like the Zoo TV tour, the PopMart tour saw the band embrace an image and performances that were intentionally ironic and self-mocking, deviating from the band's previously earnest stage performances from the 1980s; the band performed in costumes that, along with the PopMart stage design, poked fun at the themes of consumerism and pop culture.

The PopMart Tour comprised five legs and 93 shows, was seen by about 3.9 million people.The tour was booked ahead of time while the band were still completing Pop, which had a planned release date of holiday season 1996. However, the album's sessions went long and it wasn't until March 1997 that the album was released, significantly cutting into rehearsal time for the tour. PopMart, although the second-highest grossing tour of 1997, was marred by technical difficulties and mixed reviews from critics and fans over the tour's extravagance. The tour was depicted on the concert film PopMart: Live from Mexico City.

The Zoo TV Tour (also written as ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was a worldwide concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Launched in support of the album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993. To mirror the new musical direction that the band took with Achtung Baby, the tour was intended as an unequivocal break with the band's past. In contrast to the previous tours' austere stage setups, the Zoo TV Tour was an elaborately-staged multimedia event. It satirised television and the viewing public's over-stimulation by attempting to instill "sensory overload" in its audience.

The tour's concept was inspired by dichotomous television programming, the desensitising effect of mass media, and "morning zoo" radio shows. The stage featured dozens of large video screens that showed visual effects, random video clips from pop culture, and flashing text phrases. Live satellite link-ups, channel surfing, crank calls, and video confessionals were incorporated into the shows. Whereas the group was known for its earnest performances in the 1980s, the group's Zoo TV performances were intentionally ironic and self-deprecating;[1] on stage, Bono performed in-character as several personas he had conceived, including "The Fly", "Mirror Ball Man", and "Mr. MacPhisto". Differing from other U2 tours, the Zoo TV shows opened with six to eight consecutive new songs before playing older material.

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 Tree.This tour's opening night was April 2nd at Arizona State University's Activity Center in Tempe, Arizona. The first leg took place in American indoor arenas during April and May. The 29 concerts generated US$7,051,329 with a total of 465,452 tickets sold. 1,063 tickets from Las Vegas remained unsold equating to a 99.77% sellout for the 1st American leg. The first leg finished with 5 concerts at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford between 11 and 16 May.
The Joshua Tree Tour sold out stadiums around the world, the first time the band had consistently played venues of that size. The Joshua Tree and its singles had become huge hits and the band was at an apex of their popularity. Tickets for shows were often very hard to get, especially on the first American leg when they only played in arenas.

That first leg was also organised around multiple-night stands in centres of U2 fandom along the two U.S. coasts, with only a very few dates in the middle of the country. These multiple-night stands also featured an unusual set list twist. All but the last night would begin in conventional concert fashion with the rousing pair of "Where the Streets Have No Name" into "I Will Follow", but the last night in each city would begin with the house lights fully up and the band performing the early 1960s classic "Stand By Me", with The Edge singing one verse, all intended as a friendly, informal opening. The house lights would then stay up for "Pride (In the Name of Love)", only going off at the end of it; the rest of the set list would be consequently scrambled from the norm.

The new level of fame, exposure and the frantic nature of the tour put the U2 organisation under a large amount of stress

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. It was their first tour as full-time headlining acts.

The tour took place in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan, with new material from War taking an increasing role as the tour progressed. Venues were mostly halls, but some arenas were introduced later on. U2's performances were very well received both critically and commercially, especially in the United States where U2 broke through to became a major act. Scenes of lead singer Bono waving a white flag during the song "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became an emblematic image of this phase of U2's career.

The live album Under a Blood Red Sky and the concert film Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky both originated from performances on the tour. The latter matched U2's concert fervour with the spectacular natural setting of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the rain to produce a memorable document of the War Tour and to further increase the group's popularity; U2's filming of the Red Rocks show was later selected by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll".

Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen, Jr. (born 31 October 1961) is the drummer for the rock band U2. He is the founder of U2, which he later described as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." He has worked on numerous side projects during his career, including a collaboration with Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M. to form Automatic Baby in 1993 and working with bandmate Adam Clayton on the re-recording of the theme to Mission: Impossible, in 1996. He and U2 have won many awards, including 22 Grammy awards
After forming U2, Mullen’s drumming style and techniques began to evolve. In the early days of the band, his contributions to the band were often limited to fills and drum rolls, but he became more involved in the writing of the songs later, particularly in conjunction with Adam Clayton, his partner in the rhythm section, with whom he has collaborated on solo projects. When the band was first being signed to CBS Records, they refused to sign the band unless Mullen was fired. He was not, and as a result, his drumming became more integrated into the song structures. Mullen's experience as a teenager in the Artane Boys Band now known as the Artane Band, heavily contributed to the martial beat featured in many of U2's songs, helping to evoke military imagery.

As a bass player, Adam Clayton's most recognizable basslines include "New Year's Day", which evolved out of an attempt to play Visage's song "Fade to Grey", and "With or Without You". His style includes Motown and reggae influences , and cites artists such as Paul Simonon of The Clash as influences on his musical style.[1When Clayton first joined the fledgling U2, he did not have formal training in the bass. In the band's early years, he generally played simple parts in 4/4 time. Bono said of Clayton's early bass playing, "Adam used to pretend he could play bass. He came round and started using words like action and fret and he had us baffled. He had the only amplifier so we never argued with him. We thought this guy must be a musician, he knows what he's talking about and then one day we discovered he wasn't playing the right notes, that's what's wrong, y'know?"

Clayton has sung on several occasions, including on the song "Endless Deep", the B-side to the single "Two Hearts Beat As One" from 1983. He also spoke the last verse of "Your Blue Room". Clayton can be heard speaking on "Tomorrow ('96 Version)" (a rerecording of "Tomorrow" that he arranged) a song from U2's 1981 album October. He plays the guitar on a few occasions, most notably the song "40", where he and guitarist The Edge switch instruments. He also plays the keyboard introduction to "City of Blinding Lights

David Howell Evans was born at the Barking Maternity Hospital, Essex, England to Welsh parents Garvin and Gwenda Evans.When he was just one, his family moved to County Dublin, Ireland where he attended St. Andrew's National School. He received piano and guitar lessons and often performed with his brother Dik Evans before they both answered an advertisement posted by Larry Mullen, Jr. at their school, Mount Temple Comprehensive School, seeking musicians to form a band.The band accepted both of them. This band went through several incarnations before emerging as U2 in March 1978 (Dik Evans left the band just before the name change). U2 began performing in various venues in Ireland and eventually began developing a following. Their debut album, Boy, was released in 1980.

In 1981, leading up to the October tour, Evans came very close to leaving U2 for religious reasons, but he was persuaded to stay. During this period, he became involved with a group called Shalom Tigers, in which bandmates Bono and Larry Mullen Jr. were also involved.Shortly after deciding to remain with the band, he wrote a piece of music that later became "Sunday Bloody Sunday". The Edge married his secondary school girlfriend Aislinn O'Sullivan on 12 July 1983.The couple had three daughters together: Hollie in 1984, Arran in 1985 and Blue Angel in 1989. The couple separated in 1990, but were unable to get officially divorced because of Irish laws regarding marriage annulment; divorce was legalised in 1995 and the couple were legally divorced in 1996.

During U2's Zoo TV Tour, The Edge began to date Morleigh Steinberg, a professional dancer and choreographer employed by the band as a belly dancer for the tour's live performances. The couple began dating in 1993, and had their daughter, Sian, in 1997, and a son, Levi, (25 October 1999). They were married on 22 June 2002.

He appeared in the 2009 music documentary film It Might Get Loud

Paul David Hewson, (born 10 May 1960), most commonly known by his stage name Bono, is an Irish singer and musician, best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his future wife, Ali Hewson, and the future members of U2.Bono writes almost all U2 lyrics, often using political, social, and religious themes. During their early years, Bono's lyrics contributed to U2's rebellious and spiritual tone. As the band matured, his lyrics became inspired more by personal experiences shared with members of U2
Outside the band, he has collaborated and recorded with numerous artists sits on the board of Elevation Partners, and has refurbished and owns The Clarence Hotel in Dublin with The Edge.[9][10] Bono is also widely known for his activism concerning Africa, for which he co-founded DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign and Product Red. He has organized and played in several benefit concerts and has met with influential politicians. Bono has been praised and criticized for his activism and involvement with U2. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and was named as a Person of the Year by Time, among other awards and nominations

Bono was born in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin on 10 May 1960. He was raised in Glasnevin with his brother, Norman Hewson, by their mother Iris (née Rankin), a Church of Ireland Anglican, and their father Brendan Robert "Bob" Hewson, a Roman Catholic. His parents initially agreed that the first child would be raised Anglican and the second Catholic. Although Bono was the second child, he also attended Church of Ireland services with his mother and brother.

Greatness arrived in 1987, with the release of U2's fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree. U2 had delivered a record that caught them at their musical and lyrical peak, finally comfortable with the "rock band with a conscience" label they first encountered with the War album four years earlier. In the spiritual and moral desert that had become the U.S. of the mid-1980s, U2 stood out by bringing meaning and passion to its music. Bono tackled his contradictory feelings about America in "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "In God's Country." Biblical images showed up throughout the record as Bono questioned faith, social injustices, governmental oppression, terrorism, and drug addiction. The album debuted at #1 in the U.K., and quickly reached #1 in the U.S. The songs "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" gave U2 its first #1 singles in the U.S. Even TIME magazine put U2 on its cover, declaring the band "Rock's Hottest Ticket." The Joshua Tree tour sold out stadiums around the world. U2 had become the biggest band in the world.

U2 formed in Dublin in the fall of 1976 after 14-year-old Larry Mullen, Jr. posted a note on the bulletin board at his high school seeking musicians for a new band. From the group of hopefuls that showed up at Mullen's home that first day, a five-piece known originally as "Feedback" formed with Mullen (born October 31, 1961) on drums, Adam Clayton (born March 13, 1960) on bass, Paul Hewson (later nicknamed "Bono Vox" and eventually just "Bono", born May 10, 1960) on vocals, and Dave Evans (later nicknamed "The Edge", born August 8, 1961) on guitar. Dave's brother, Dick, also played guitar for a while, but left Feedback very early on to join another Dublin band, the Virgin Prunes.
Feedback quickly changed their name to "The Hype," and began rehearsing on weekends and after school as often as possible, forming genuine friendships and developing an undeniable chemistry in the process. After nearly 18 months of rehearsing, the band's big break came at a talent show in Limerick, Ireland, in March, 1978. With CBS Records' Jackie Hayden judging, U2 (they had just changed their name again) won the contest, earning a £500 prize and studio time to record their first demo.

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), which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website.

Musical style
Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognizable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice 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.

ALBUMS
The band formed at Mount Temple secondary school in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed to Island Records and released their debut album Boy. By the mid-1980s, they had become a top international act. They were more successful as a live 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".

 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)