U2

In 1976, in Dublin, Ireland, a young drummer named Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice on his high school bulletin board seeking musicians to form a band. The response led to the formation of a group initially known as Feedback, which included Paul Hewson (Bono) on vocals, David Evans (the Edge) on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass, and Dick Evans, who would later leave to form the Virgin Prunes. The band initially focused on covering songs by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. By 1977, they had changed their name to the Hype and, following Dick Evans' departure, finally settled on the name U2.

Pérang signifikan kahiji maranéhanana datang dina 1978, dina taun terakhir SMA, nalika aranjeunna meunang hiji kompetisi talenta anu disokong ku Guinness. Uang hadiah ti kompetisi ieu dipaké pikeun ngaronjatkeun demo kahiji maranéhanana. Terlepas suksés awal ieu jeung akuisisi Paul McGuinness salaku manajer maranéhanana, U2 nganggur pikeun meunang traction dina industri musik. Aranjeunna malah gagal audition jeung CBS Records. Tapi, kasempetan maranéhanana dimimitian ngarobah ku rilis EP debut maranéhanana, "U2 Three," dina 1979. EP ieu sadia ngan di Irlandia tapi dihasilkeun ka puncak chart nasional.

Dina 1980, U2 signing jeung Island Records sarta ngéléhkeun album debut maranéhanana, "Boy," dihasilkeun ku Steve Lillywhite. Album ieu mangrupakeun leungitna ti sound post-punk dominant, featuring komposisi atmospheric tapi edgy. Ieu meunang traction di Amérika Serikat, memasuki Top 70 Amérika di awal 1981. band ieu ngaronjatkeun album ku touring relentless, kaasup pembukaan gigs pikeun Talking Heads. album sanggeus maranéhanana, "Oktober," dirilis dina panungtungan taun 1981, ngaluarkeun dina Top 20 British jeung solidified reputasi anu ngamekarkeun.

U2's third album, "War," released in 1983, marked a significant turning point. Produced again by Lillywhite, the album was overtly political, featuring tracks like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day." The album entered the U.K. charts at number one and elevated them into arenas in the United States. Their performance at the 1985 Live Aid concert further catapulted them into global stardom and set the stage for their seminal 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree."

" The Joshua Tree," dihasilkeun ku Brian Eno jeung Daniel Lanois, nyaéta duanana komérsial jeung kritikal juggernaut. Ieu diwanohkeun hit chart-topping kayaning "With or Without You" jeung "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." suksés album ieu jadi gancang yén eta jadi platinum dina 28 jam ti rilis di UK na jadi hit Amerika kahiji band. U2 diwanohkeun ieu ku "Rattle & Hum" album jeung film dina 1988, nu, malahan suksés komérsial, kapanggih ulikan campuran.

Dina 1990-an, U2 nempo re-inventing diri musikally. album 1991 "Achtung Baby," disimpen di Berlin, éta hiji leungitna ti sora saméméh maranéhanana, ngagabungkeun elemen musik elektronik jeung tarian. album ieu ngabalukarkeun hits kayaning "Mysterious Ways" jeung "One" sarta dilengkepan ku petualangan Zoo TV turné, nu mangrupakeun extravaganza multimedia jeung panggung dipeunteun TV, mobil suspended, jeung telepon sélulér.

Dina 1997, U2 ngéléhkeun "Pop," hiji album nu merlukeun deui ka musik elektronik tapi éta hiji kecewa komérsial dibandingkeun karya saméméh maranéhanana.

Saatos ngéléhkeun "All That You Can't Leave Behind" dina 2000, U2 dimimitian kana Elevation Tour, nu jadi salah sahiji turné pangluhurna dina taun ieu. album sorangan éta suksés komérsial jeung kritikal, meunang sababaraha Grammy Awards jeung ngadegkeun U2 salaku hiji kakuatan dominant dina musik rock. band ieu diikuti ku "How to Dismantle a Atomic Bomb" dina 2004, nu ogé kapanggih kritik jeung suksés komérsial. album ieu meunang sababaraha Grammy Awards, kaasup Album of the Year jeung Song of the Year pikeun "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own."

Dina 2005, U2 diwanohkeun kana Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, ningkatkeun warisan maranéhanana. Aranjeunna terus tur intensif, jeung Vertigo Tour di 2005-2006 jadi tur pangluhurna dina waktu ieu. Bruto tina $389 juta tur jadi turna paling sukses di sakuliah dunya, ngabalukarkeun panggero pangluhurna band salaku akting hirup.

The band returned to the studio in 2006, initially partnering with producer Rick Rubin. However, the material from these sessions was eventually scrapped, and U2 returned to their long-time collaborators Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite for their 2009 album "No Line on the Horizon." While the album received positive reviews, it failed to produce a major radio hit. Nevertheless, the subsequent 360 Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour in history, emphasizing the band's reputation as a must-see live act.

In 2011, Bono suffered a slipped disc, requiring emergency back surgery and leading to the postponement of the second leg of the 360 Tour. During this period, Bono and the Edge also worked on the music for the Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," which opened in Juni 2011. Despite mixed reviews, the musical was a commercial success, showcasing the band's versatility.

U2 balik ka studio pikeun ngalaksanakeun album studio 13 maranéhanana, "Songs of Innocence," anu dirilis dina 2014. album ieu otomatis diundeur ka unggal perpustakaan pamaké iTunes, hiji gerak nu dihasilkeun kontroversi anu signifikan jeung publikasi négatip. Sanajan runtuyan ieu, band ieu terus tur na ngembangkeun bahan anyar, diriliskeun "Songs of Experience" dina 2017. album ieu dianggo salaku karya pendamping pikeun "Songs of Innocence" sarta kapanggih ulikan umum anu favorable.

In 2023, U2 took a bold step by releasing "Songs of Surrender," an album featuring reinterpreted versions of 40 songs from their extensive catalog. Each member of the band chose ten tracks, offering a deeply personal retrospective of their storied career. This release was accompanied by a documentary film set in Dublin, featuring unreleased footage, interviews, and a special performance by Bono and the Edge.

Salah sahiji acara anu paling ditunggu-tunggu dina sajarah anyar U2 nyaéta Residency Sphere. Residency ieu teu ngan hiji set panganyarna konser tapi hiji pangalaman immersive nu ngabalukarkeun naon acara musik hirup bisa jadi. Ngamangpaatkeun téhnologi canggih, Residency Sphere nawarkeun pikeun jadi hiji pangalaman multi-sensory, nawarkeun teu ngan musik tapi ogé hiji pamandangan visual nu béda ti sagala anu séjén. Ieu hiji bukti pikeun aspirasi terus-menerus U2 pikeun inovasi jeung komitmen maranéhanana pikeun nyadiakeun fans maranéhanana hal anu luar biasa.