U2

Irish rock group formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1977. U2 became one of the most popular and successful rock bands of the 1980s and 1990s, managing to sustain their fan base throughout two decades by clever reinvention. The group are known for combining their music with political messages, for example in ‘Sunday, Bloody Sunday’ (1983) about the conflict in Northern Ireland. The album The Joshua Tree (1987) took the band to super-stardom, and the band continued to release highly successful and critically acclaimed albums, including Achtung Baby (1992), Pop (1997), All That You Can't Leave Behind (2001), and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004).

The band's members are singer Bono (born Paul Hewson, 1960– ), guitarist ‘The Edge’ (born Dave Evans, 1961– ), bassist Adam Clayton (1960– ), and drummer Larry Mullen Jr (1961– ).

U2's first major release was the strongly political War (1983), which entered the UK chart at number one. The Unforgettable Fire (1984) achieved similar success, and gave the band their first top-40 US single with ‘(Pride) In the Name of Love’.

The eagerly awaited release of Achtung Baby showed that the band had moved on, with a new style influenced by the Manchester scene in the UK, and late 1970s David Bowie. The band also developed their touring style, with an elaborate tour called Zoo TV which featured many innovative multimedia elements, including huge TV screens. The 1993 release Zooropa showed an even heavier dance and techno influence.