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 , [1] which, according to Rolling Stone , elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". [2] 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] [4] and have won 22 Grammy Award s, [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.



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U2 TICKETS Runaway June Tickets Poison Tickets The Stadium Tour Tickets The Weeknd Tickets Ricky Martin Tickets Sebastian Yatra Tickets

History

Formation and early years (1976–1979)

Larry Mullen, Jr.

Mount Temple Comprehensive School

Paul Hewson (Bono)

Dave Evans (The Edge)

Dik Evans

Adam Clayton

post-punk

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]

Presbyterian

Howth

Saint Patrick's Day

Limerick, Ireland

Hot Press

Paul McGuinness

Three

Another Day

Boy , October , and War (1980–1983)

Island Records

11 O'Clock Tick Tock

Steve Lillywhite

Boy

I Will Follow

October

Portland, Oregon

War

synthpop

"Sunday Bloody Sunday

Bloody Sunday

Easter Sunday

Rolling Stone

Anton Corbijn

New Year's Day

War Tour

Under a Blood Red Sky

Live at Red Rocks

MTV

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

Brian Eno

Daniel Lanois

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Bad

Pride (In the Name of Love)

Martin Luther King

The Unforgettable Fire Tour

sequencers

Live Aid

Ethiopian famine relief

Wembley Stadium

The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986–1989)

Bob Dylan

Van Morrison

Keith Richards

blues

country

gospel music

Amnesty International's

A Conspiracy of Hope

San Salvador

Nicaragua

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

Grammy Award

bolero

With or Without You

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Time

The Joshua Tree Tour

Rattle and Hum

Sun Studios

Memphis

Bob Dylan

B. B. King

Phil Joanou

Lovetown Tour

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 [74]

Achtung Baby

German reunification

alternative rock

dance music

One

industrial

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Zoo TV Tour

multimedia

Trabant

satellite TV

subliminal message

The Fly

President Bush

United Nations

Sarajevo

Zooropa

EP

LP album

techno

Johnny Cash

The Wanderer

Passengers , Pop , and PopMart (1994–1999)

Original Soundtracks 1

Miss Sarajevo

Luciano Pavarotti

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 [88]

Pop

tape loop

programming

sampling

PopMart

McDonald's

Sarajevo

Bosnian War

The Simpsons

Trash of the Titans

Homer Simpson

"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

All That You Can't Leave Behind

Beautiful Day

Grammy Award

Walk On

Elevation

Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of

Elevation Tour

September 11 attacks

Madison Square Garden

Super Bowl XXXVI

SI.com

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How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Vertigo

Apple

iPod

iTunes U2 box set

Vertigo Tour

Bruce Springsteen

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

3-D

concert film

U2 3D

Latin America

Mexico

Chile

Argentina

Brazil

Irish parliament

No Line on the Horizon and U2 360° Tour (2007–present)

No Line on the Horizon

Rick Rubin

Fez, Morocco

Live Nation

U2 360° Tour

Musical style

Steve Lillywhite

delay

drone

falsetto

Television

Joy Division

Brian Eno

Daniel Lanois

synthesizer

distortion

electronic

hip-hop

Lyrics and themes

Christian

Sunday Bloody Sunday

the troubles

Northern Ireland

mothers

Argentina

Mofo

Tomorrow

Kite

Yahweh

Peace on Earth

Please

Zoo TV

PopMart

Influences

The Who

The Clash

Ramones

The Beatles

Joy Division

Siouxsie & the Banshees

Patti Smith

Van Morrison

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Snow Patrol

The Fray

OneRepublic

Coldplay

This Allure

The Academy Is...

The Killers

Your Vegas

Angels & Airwaves

Johnny Cash

Green Day

Leonard Cohen

Bruce Springsteen

B.B. King

Luciano Pavarotti

Bob Dylan

Elvis Costello

Wim Wenders

R.E.M.

Salman Rushdie

Anton Corbijn

Campaigning and activism

thumb

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Brazil

Band Aid

Ethiopia

famine relief

Do They Know It's Christmas?

Bob Geldof

Live Aid

World Vision

A Conspiracy of Hope

Amnesty International

Self Aid

Nicaragua

El Salvador

Sanctuary movement

El Salvador Civil War

Sellafield

Greenpeace

Bosnian war

Miss Sarajevo

Pavarotti

War Child

Belfast

Good Friday Agreement

Northern Irish

David Trimble

John Hume

Sweetest Thing

Chernobyl Children's Project

Walk On

Burma's

Aung San Suu Kyi

46664

Nelson Mandela

Live 8

Amnesty International

Ambassador of Conscience Award

Jubilee 2000

Muhammad Ali

Great Jubilee

NGO

DATA

Product Red

Global Fund

ONE Campaign

Make Poverty History

Yahoo!

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Rita

Music Rising

Gulf Coast

punk rock

Green Day

The Saints Are Coming

The Skids

CounterPunch

Paul Wolfowitz

relieve debt

Other projects

In a Lifetime

Clannad

Captive

Sinéad O'Connor

Roy Orbison

Mystery Girl

Italia '90

Put 'Em Under Pressure

GoldenEye

James Bond

GoldenEye

Tina Turner

Mission: Impossible

Mick Jagger

Goddess in the Doorway

Leonard Cohen

Hallelujah

Tower of Song

Kirk Franklin

Crystal Lewis

R. Kelly

Mary J. Blige

Lean on Me

Bill Withers

William S. Burroughs

William Gibson

Allen Ginsberg

The Million Dollar Hotel

movie soundtrack

The Ground Beneath Her Feet

Salman Rushdie

book of the same name

The Beatles

Across the Universe

The Batman

Discography

Boy (1980)

(1980) October (1981)

(1981) War (1983)

(1983) The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

(1984) The Joshua Tree (1987)

(1987) Rattle and Hum (1988)

(1988) Achtung Baby (1991)

(1991) Zooropa (1993)

(1993) Pop (1997)

(1997) All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)

(2000) How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)

(2004) No Line on the Horizon (2009)

Awards

Grammy Award

The Joshua Tree

Stevie Wonder

Best Rock Duo or Group

Album of the Year

Record of the Year

Song of the Year

Best Rock Album

British Phonographic Industry

BRIT Awards

Meteor Awards

AMA

VMAs

Q Awards

Juno Award

NME Awards

Golden Globe Award

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

ASCAP awards

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

References

The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976., then 14, posted a notice on his secondary school () notice board in search of 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,on lead vocals,and his brotheron guitar,, a friend of the Evans brothers on bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.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. The original material the band did write demonstrated a sound influenced by theirpeers.In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".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 theChurch Hall in, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".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.Onin 1978, U2 won a talent show in. 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.The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978.was influential in shaping the band's future; in May,, who had earlier been introduced to the band by the magazine's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled, was released in September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.In February 1980, their second single "" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.signed U2 in March 1980, and "" became the band's first internationally released single that May.The band's debut album, theproduced, followed in October, and received generally positive reviews.Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, a common theme was the dreams and frustrations of adolescence.The album included the band's first United Kingdom hit single, "".s release was followed by U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.The band's second album,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.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.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; it was recovered and returned to the band in 2004, nearly a quarter century later.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.Resolving the doubts of theperiod, U2 releasedin 1983.A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade",''WarWarWar'' debuted at number one in the UK, and its first single, "", was the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK.On the subsequent, 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.U2 recorded thelive album on this tour, as well as theconcert film, both of which received extensive play on the radio and, expanding the band's audience and cementing the band's prowess as a live band.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.was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction.The band feared that following the overt rock of thealbum and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band".Thus, experimentation was soughtas Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty."The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of, who, along with his engineer, eventually agreed to produce the record.below =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.Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel".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 "" and "" were incomplete "sketches"."Pride (In the Name of Love)", about, 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.Much ofmoved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performance.One solution was programmed, which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances.Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage.U2 participated in theconcert foratin July 1985.U2's performance was a turning point in the band's career.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.In 1985,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".Motivated by friendships with, and, the band looked back to the roots of rock music, and Bono focused on his skills as a song and lyric writer.Realising "that U2 had no tradition", the band explored American, andFor their fifth album, the band wanted to build onatmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures.U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act ontour, but rather than be a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music.In his 1986 travels toand, 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.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.It became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.It won U2 their first twos.The album's first two singles, "the rock & roll" "and the rhythmic gospel "", quickly went to number one in the U.S. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover ofmagazine,which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket".The album brought U2 a new level of success and is cited byas one of rock's greatest.By 2009, The Joshua Tree had become one of the best selling albums of all time with global sales of 25 Million. In the USA, it received a rare Diamond Certification for selling 10 Million copies.was the first during which the band played numerous stadium shows alongside smaller arena shows.The documentaryfeatured 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.The film included tracks recorded atinand tracks performed withand. Despite a positive reception from fans,received mixed reviews from both film and music critics;oneeditor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided".The film's director,, described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2".Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's, 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".Stung by criticism of, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album,; the change was their most dramatic sinceThe band began work onin East Berlin in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve ofThe 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 byand Europeanand 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 "".The band completed the album in Dublin.In November 1991, U2 released. Sonically, the album incorporated dance,, 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".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.Like, it is cited byas one of rock's greatest.below =Theof 1992–1993 was aevent, and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of hundreds of video screens, upside-down flyingcars, mock transmission towers,links,s, and Bono's over-the-top stage characters such as "", "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.Prank phone calls were made to, the, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torncaused controversy.Quickly recorded and released during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, thealbum continued many of the themes fromand the Zoo TV tour. Initially intended as an, the band expandedinto a full-length. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporatinginfluences and other electronic effects.sang the vocal on the "". 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.In 1995, U2 released an experimental album called. 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. Larry Mullen Jnr said of the album: "There's a thin line between interesting music and self-indulgence. We crossed it on the Passengers record."It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "" featuring, and which Bono cites as one of his favourite U2 songs,was a hit.On 1997's, U2 continued experimenting;s,, rhythm sequencing, andprovided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews., for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives".Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.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".The subsequent tour,, 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 tall golden yellow arch (reminiscent of thelogo), a long video screen, and a 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.The late delivery ofmeant rehearsal time was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.A highlight of the tour was a concert inwhere U2 were the first major group to perform following theLarry 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."One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of, "", in whichdisrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert.Following the comparatively poor reception of, U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... [of] the best band in the world",and have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations.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;called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongsideandThe album debuted at number one in 22 countriesand its worldwide hit single, "" earned threes. The album's other singles, "", "", and "" also won Grammy Awards.For the, 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, the new album gained added resonance.In October, U2 performed a series of sold-out shows atin New York City. In later interviews, Bono and the Edge called these New York City shows among their most memorable and emotional performances.In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime ofwhichranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.below =The band's next studio album,, was released on 22 November 2004. Sonically, the band was looking for harder-hitting rock than. Thematically, Bono states that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness."The first single, "", was featured on a widely-aired television commercial for the, in conjunction with the release of a special edition U2 iPod and an. The album debuted at number one in the U.S. where first week sales doubled that ofand set a record for the band.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."Using a similar setup and stage design as the previous tour, thefeatured 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.The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated. In 2005,inducted U2 into the, filmed at nine concerts during theleg of the Vertigo Tour (and), 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.Dave Evans stated that businesses often seek to minimize their tax burdens.The move prompted criticisms in theThe band rejected the criticism as unfair, stating that approximately 95% of their business took place outside of Ireland, that they were taxed globally because of this, and that they were all "personal investors and employers in the country".The band began work on their twelfth albumin 2006, originally writing and recording with producer, 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 towhere 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 withworth an estimated $100 million (£50 million),which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website.After 16 months in the studio, the band completedin December 2008, and it was released on 27 February 2009.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, consisting of material recorded during the sessions for. Bono says it will be "a more meditative album on the theme of pilgrimage".U2 have begun a worldwide stadium tour entitled theto support. 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.The tour features a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans will surround the stage from all sides.Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals.This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of record producerat a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency.The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signatureto craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influencedplayed against his syncopated melodiesthat ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured hisoperatic voiceand 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.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 asand, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".U2's sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard onand, but evolved throughto include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive.The two albums were labelled "muscular and assertive" byinfluenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing., which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up, hadandat the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture".The songs fromandplaced 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 usings,, andbeats derived from alternative music, dance music, andonandThe 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less obvious use of synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.Social and political commentary, often embellished withreligious and spiritual imagery,are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written aboutinwhile the latter concerns the struggle ofwhose children were kidnapped and killed under's military dictatorship that began in 1976.Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family colour songs like "", "" and "". An emotional yearning or pleading is another frequent conveyance,in tracks such as "",", and "". The investigation of loss and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, which is central tohas 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 asandto 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 criticized as apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to actual people or characters.The band citesandas influences.has been cited by Bono as an influenceand his influence on U2 is pointed out by theOther musicians and bands such asandhave in turn been influenced by the work of U2. U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including, andofSince 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 into raise money for. The initiative produced the hit charity single "", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and. In July 1985, U2 played, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by, 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.In 1986, U2 participated in thetour in support ofand infor unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visitedandat the invitation of the, and saw the effects of the. These 1986 events greatly influencedalbum, which was being recorded at the time.In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop" concert withduring their Zoo TV tour.Events in Sarajevo during theinspired the song "", which premiered at a September 1995and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed atA promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.In 1998, they performed indays prior to the vote on the, bringingpolitical leadersandon stage to promote the agreement.Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "" single went towards supporting theIn 2001, the band dedicated "" topro-democracy leaderIn late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awarenessseries of concerts hosted by. The band played 2005'sconcert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded'sfor their work in promoting human rights.Since 2000, Bono's campaigning has includedwith Bob Geldof,, and others to promote the cancellation of third world debt during the. In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational, 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., a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the, was founded, in part, by Bono. The, the US counterpart of, has been shaped by his efforts and vision. Bono has also teamed up withto promote the ONE Campaign, which Yahoo! has helped to re-develop.In late 2005, followingand, The Edge helped introduce, an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravagedIn 2006, U2 collaborated withbandto record a cover version of the song "" byto 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 ashave decried Bono's support of political figures such asas well as his "essential paternalism".Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign toand provide assistance to Africa.Tax and development campaigners have also criticized the band's move from Ireland to the Netherlands to reduce its tax bill.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 "" with the Irish band. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the filmin 1986,which included a vocal performance bythat predates her own debut album by a year. Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's a Mystery to Me" for, which was featured on his 1989 albumIn 1990, Larry Mullen co-wrote and produced a song for the Irish International soccer team in, called "", which topped the Irish charts. Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "" for the 1995film, which was performed byAdam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. did a rework of the title track of the moviein 1996.Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on's 2001 albumBono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of's "" for the "" compilation in 1995. Additionally, in 1998, Bono collaborated withand(along with other controversially mainstream artistsand) for a successful gospel song called "", an interpretation of thesong.Aside from musical collaborations, U2 have worked with several authors. American authorhad 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 includeandIn early 2000, the band recorded three songs for the, including "", which was co-written byand motivated by hisMost recently, Bono appeared and performedsongs in the movie(2007). Bono and The Edge are also writing the music to, expected to open in late 2009.The Edge also created the theme song for Season 1 and 2 ofU2 first receiveds for thein 1988, and have won 22 in total since, tying U2 withas contemporary artists with the most Grammys.These includeand. Thehas awarded U2 seven, five of these being for Best International Group. In Ireland, U2 have won 14since the awards began in 2001. Other awards include one, four, ten, twos, three, and a. The band were inducted into thein early 2005.In 2006, all four members of the band receivedfor writing the songs, "", and "Vertigo".