U2 (music group)
U2 is a rock band formed in Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1970s, consisting of members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen. The band gained widespread popularity after releasing their debut album, *Boy*, in 1980, and has since become one of the most successful musical groups globally. U2 is renowned for their anthemic sound and thoughtful lyrics, often addressing social issues such as poverty and human rights. Over their career, they have won numerous awards, including the most Grammy Awards by a band and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The band's music, influenced by genres ranging from punk to ambient, has evolved over the decades, with landmark albums like *The Joshua Tree* and *Achtung Baby* solidifying their place in rock history. Beyond music, U2 members are actively involved in social activism, with Bono being particularly noted for his initiatives against poverty and disease. Their commitment to humanitarian causes has made them prominent figures in raising awareness and funds for global issues. In recent years, U2 has continued to produce music and perform, demonstrating their enduring influence and relevance in the music industry.
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U2 (music group)
U2 is a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The members—Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen—met as teenagers during the 1970s. They released their first full-length album in 1980 and over the next several decades went on to become one of the most popular musical groups in the world, earning critical and commercial success with both studio albums and live performances. U2 set a record for most Grammy Awards won by a band, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
Many of U2's songs address concerns about social issues, including poverty. In addition to their musical accomplishments, members of the band have also pursued social justice. They have pressured political leaders to target hunger, disease, and other ills. They campaigned against apartheid in South Africa, among other causes, and often prominently featured their messages in concerts.
Music
In 1976, drummer Larry Mullen posted a sign on a bulletin board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin. He was seeking other musicians to form a band, and several like-minded teens joined him on a Saturday in September. Though a few of the recruits did not last long, three would stick. Adam Clayton played bass. David Evans, who took on the name The Edge, played guitar. Paul Hewson, the singer, became known as Bono. Although they had varying degrees of skill, they were inspired by punk music, and their passion carried them while they developed musicianship and a following. The band first performed under the name Feedback, then The Hype, before settling on U2.
The group gained a manager, Paul McGuinness, and produced an extended play (EP) album, U23, for CBS in 1979. The album was not successful, but the following year U2 signed with Island Records. The group worked with Martin Hannett to produce a single, "11 O'Clock Tick Tock," in May of 1980. An album, Boy, was produced by Steve Lillywhite and was released in October.
The first single, "I Will Follow," got some radio airplay, and the band's influence grew. U2 followed this with 1981's October, which includes the single "Gloria," and the band embarked on an American club tour. The 1983 album War addresses the violence that plagued Northern Ireland in the single "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The album hit number one on the British charts and reached number twelve in the United States. The song "New Year's Day" also generated radio play, and charted at number eleven in England and fifty-three in the United States.
U2's 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire introduced a new, atmospheric sound for the band, in part due to the influence of producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. A critical and commercial success, it included the American top forty single "Pride (In the Name of Love)," a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Having been hailed by many in the industry for their music and social consciousness, the band members performed in 1985 at the Live Aid concert, and they toured with Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Sting, and others in 1986 on the Conspiracy of Hope Tour in support of Amnesty International.
Already rising as one of the top rock acts of the day, U2 reached another level of stardom with The Joshua Tree in 1987. Again produced by Lanois and Eno, it topped both the British and American charts and went platinum almost instantly. The album included number one hits in "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You," which would become radio staples, and overall was hailed as a masterpiece by many critics. However, the band's followup, the film and accompanying double LP Rattle and Hum (1988), received mixed reviews for its more roots-music oriented sound. As a result, U2 went on hiatus for several years.
The band returned with the chart-topping Achtung Baby in 1992, another collaboration with Lanois and Eno but one that pushed into new territory with influences from electronic and dance music. A successful tour followed, and the albums Zooropa (1993) and Pop (1997) continued in the same vein. However, sales declined, leading to a return to their classic 1980s sound. The album All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) topped charts in many countries, and spawned the Grammy-winning singles "Walk On" and "Beautiful Day." How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) was another major hit, earning platinum status and winning eight Grammys. Less commercially successful but again well-reviewed was No Line on the Horizon (2009).
Entering the 2010s, U2 focused for several years on major tours and other projects. Bono and the Edge helped score the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark that debuted on Broadway in 2011, and the group recorded the song "Ordinary Love" for the 2013 film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom—earning a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination. U2 released its next studio album, Songs of Innocence, in 2014. Initially appearing for free on Apple's iTunes music service, the album drew controversy as it downloaded automatically onto Apple devices and proved difficult for users to delete. The band eventually issued an apology for the unorthodox distribution method. A followup companion album, Songs of Experience, appeared in 2017. U2 followed Songs of Experience with their album Songs of Surrender in 2023. The band also participated in U2:UV Achtung Baby Live, an innagural 40 show residence at the Las Legas Sphere, from September 2023 to March 2024.
Activism
U2's music long drew attention to a number of social issues, and over the years the musicians themselves became more and more involved as activists. Though their manager cautioned them about the potential for fans to turn against them, they decided to use their platform to support their beliefs. The Live Aid concert and similar shows helped make benefit shows relatively common and accepted among major rock and pop stars.
Bono in particular became well known for his political and social activism. In 1999 launched a fight against world poverty and enlisted US president Bill Clinton, British prime minister Tony Blair, the pope, and other world leaders to address the problem. He represented Jubilee 2000, a nonprofit group, in trying to persuade nations to forgive third world debt. Bono teamed with Wyclef Jean to write a song, "New Day," with proceeds supporting relief efforts in Kosovo. The two performed the song at NetAid, a concert that was simulcast around the world to benefit causes such as global poverty.
Bono cofounded the nonprofit DATA (debt, AIDS, trade, Africa) in 2002 to raise awareness of poverty and other social issues. Through DATA, in 2004 he helped found ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History. (DATA and ONE combined under the name ONE in 2008.) With Bobby Shriver, Bono launched Product (RED), an effort to fund AIDS drugs for people in Africa, in 2006. (RED) product sales supported the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. For his efforts, Bono was nominated for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize. He was awarded the Legion D'Honneur by the government of France in 2003 and was bestowed an honorary British knighthood in 2007. In 2005, he shared the distinction of being named Time magazine's person of the year with Bill and Melinda Gates.
Impact
U2 blended the energy and subversiveness of punk, the anthemic qualities of pop, and the experimental textures of ambient and electronic music into a unique form of rock that helped shape the progress of popular music in the late twentieth century. Many later artists have citied them as a major influence, especially in the realms of alternative and indie rock. The band managed to find both critical and commercial success with recordings and performances alike, propelling them to become one of the most popular musical groups of their day. U2 also used the platform afforded by their rock star status to impact social and political issues, making direct efforts to advance human rights and humanitarian causes.
Bibliography
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