U2_discography

U2 discography

The discography of the Irish rock band U2 consists of 15 studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, 84 singles, and nine extended plays (EPs).[1][2] The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 as teenagers. In 1979, the group issued their first release, the EP U2-3, which sold well in Ireland. The following year, the group signed to Island Records and released their debut album, Boy. It reached number 52 in the UK and number 63 in the US. They followed it up with the release of October (1981) and War (1983). War was a commercial success, becoming the band's first number-one album in the UK while reaching number 12 in the US. The album yielded the singles "Two Hearts Beat As One", "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", the latter two have since become among the band's most popular songs. On the subsequent War Tour, the group recorded the live album Under a Blood Red Sky and concert film U2 Live at Red Rocks, both of which sold well and helped establish them globally as a live act.

Quick Facts Studio albums, Live albums ...

The band shifted towards a more ambient, abstract musical direction for The Unforgettable Fire (1984), their first collaboration with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The album went to number one in the UK and produced the group's biggest hit to that point, the UK top-10 single "Pride (In the Name of Love)". The group's fifth album, The Joshua Tree (1987), made them international superstars and was a critical and commercial success, reaching number one in over 20 countries; it is one of the best-selling albums in the US (10 million copies shipped) and worldwide (25 million copies sold).[3][4] It produced their only number-one singles in the US, "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". U2 followed this up with the 1988 release of Rattle and Hum, a double album and companion documentary film which documented their experiences with American roots music from the Joshua Tree Tour with a collection of new studio tracks, cover songs, and live recordings. The lead single "Desire" was the band's first number-one single in the UK. The album sold over 14 million copies,[5] while the film grossed $8.6 million.[6]

Facing a backlash from Rattle and Hum and creative stagnation, U2 reinvented themselves musically in the 1990s. The band's following album, Achtung Baby (1991), marked a dramatic shift towards alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music. It debuted at number one in the US, eventually sold 18 million copies worldwide, and spawned five singles, including "One", "Mysterious Ways", and the UK number-one "The Fly". U2's follow up albums Zooropa and Pop continued the band's experimentation with alternative rock and electronic dance music, reaching number one worldwide but with reduced sales. U2 regained commercial favour with the release of All That You Can't Leave Behind in 2000, returning to a more mainstream sound. The album sold over 12 million copies and won seven Grammy Awards. It spawned several successful singles, including "Beautiful Day", "Walk On", "Elevation", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of". The following album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004), was promoted with the popular lead single "Vertigo". The album was another commercial success and ultimately won all nine of its Grammy Award nominations. The group's twelfth album, No Line on the Horizon (2009), reached number one in 30 countries but its sales of 5 million were seen as a disappointment by the band, and it did not contain a hit single. Their 2014 album Songs of Innocence was released at no cost to over 500 million iTunes Store users but the pervasiveness of the promotion brought controversy; the album's sales and charting duration were among the weakest in the band's discography. In 2017, U2 released Songs of Experience and began the 2017 and 2019 Joshua Tree Tours to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree.

U2 have sold 175 million records worldwide.[7] With 52 million certified units by the RIAA, U2 rank as the 22nd-highest-selling music artist in the US.[8] U2 have eight albums that have reached number one in the US, the third-most of any group.[9]

Albums

Studio albums

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Live albums

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Compilation albums

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Collaborations

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Box sets

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Subscriber-exclusive albums

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Extended plays

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Singles

1980s

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1990s

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2000s

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2010s

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2020s

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Promotional singles and other charted songs

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Other appearances

Studio appearances

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Live, remixes, and guest appearances

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Videography

Theatrically released films

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Concert videos and video compilations

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Third-party documentaries

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Music videos

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Notes

  1. "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" did not enter the Irish Singles Chart in 1980 but did chart at #69 in September 2020.[90]
  2. "Two Hearts Beat as One" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at #1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[91]
  3. "Numb" was not eligible to enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 61 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.[97][98]
  4. "Lemon" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number three on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  5. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" was listed as a double-A side with Frank Sinatra and Bono's version of "I've Got You Under My Skin" on the UK singles chart.[101]
  6. "Please" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number three on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  7. "Elevation" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 16 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  8. "Walk On" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 18 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  9. "All Because of You" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  10. "One" did not enter the ARIA Singles Chart, but peaked at number six on the ARIA Digital Track Chart.[11]
  11. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number five on the Hot Singles Sales chart.[111]
  12. "Invisible" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number eight on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[99]
  13. "Song for Someone" did not enter the Netherlands' Single Top 100, but peaked at number 28 on the Netherlands' Single Tip Chart.[112]
  14. "Red Hill Mining Town (2017 Mix)" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number one on the Hot Singles Sales chart.[111]
  15. "You're the Best Thing About Me" did not enter the Canadian Singles Chart, but peaked at number 41 on the Canadian Digital Songs chart.[113]
  16. "You're the Best Thing About Me" did not enter the Netherlands' Single Top 100, but peaked at number five on the Netherlands' Single Tip Chart.[114]
  17. "You're the Best Thing About Me" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number five on the NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart.[115]
  18. "You're the Best Thing About Me" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 41 on the Digital Song Sales chart.[116]
  19. "Get Out of Your Own Way" did not enter the UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 99 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.[117]
  20. "Your Song Saved My Life" did not enter the Irish Singles Chart, but peaked at number four on the Irish Homegrown Top 20 chart.[124]
  21. "Bad" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart.[135]
  22. "Until the End of the World" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and at number 4 on the US Alternative Songs Chart.[135]
  23. "Where the Streets Have No Name" (Songs of Surrender version) did not enter the UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 96 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[136]
  24. "Walk On (Ukraine)" did not enter the Irish Singles Chart, but peaked at number seven on the Irish Homegrown Top 20 chart.[137]

References

General

U2: The Ultimate Compendium of Interviews, Articles, Facts and Opinions from the Files of Rolling Stone. Transatlantic Publications. 1994. ISBN 978-0-283-06239-1.

Specific

  1. "U2 discography FAQs". Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  2. U2: The Ultimate Compendium of Interviews, Articles, Facts and Opinions from the Files of Rolling Stone. Transatlantic Publications. 1994. ISBN 978-0-283-06239-1.
  3. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  4. Sherwin, Adam (3 March 2009). "New U2 album No Line on the Horizon given lukewarm reception". The Times. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  5. Springer, Matt (22 November 2013). "Top 10 Covers of Beatles 'White Album' Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  6. Boyd, Brian (16 September 2016). "U2 hit 40: The 'drummer seeks musicians' note that started it all". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  7. McIntyre, Hugh (10 December 2017). "U2 Hit No. 1 For The Eighth Time With Their Latest Album". Forbes. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. Peaks from 2000 in Ireland: "Discography U2". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
    • Other peaks: "World Chart". U2 – Music Charts. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  9. Australian chart peaks:
  10. "RPM Chart Archives". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 January 2010. Note: Albums must be searched manually.
    "U2: Charts & Awards (Billboard Albums)". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
    "U2 Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  11. "Discographie U2". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  12. "Suchen nach "U2"" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  13. "Discography U2". charts.nz. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  14. "Discography U2". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  15. "U2". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  16. "U2". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  17. "U2 Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  18. "British certifications – U2". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 June 2023. Type U2 in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  19. "French album certifications – U2" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 19 June 2021. Select U2 and click OK. 
  20. Perricone, Kathleen (19 October 2011). "Child who appeared on U2 album covers for 'Boy,' 'War' all grown up 31 years later". Daily News. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  21. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (U2)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  22. "BP". Bpi.co.ukI. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  23. Copsey, Rob (13 October 2018). "The UK's biggest studio albums of all time". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  24. "Scandinavia Too!" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 21. 21 May 1988. p. 11. Retrieved 23 October 2021 via American Radio History.
  25. Springer, Matt. "Top 10 Covers of Beatles 'White Album' Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  26. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  27. Matsick, Jen (13 September 2009). "Lincoln Park director to speak at U2 conference". The Review. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  28. "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  29. Newman, Melinda (27 November 2004). "Bombs Away!". Billboard. p. 64. Retrieved 9 November 2020 via Google Books.
  30. Hampp, Andrew; Halperin, Shirley (7 March 2014). "No U2 Album, Tour Until 2015 (Exclusive)". Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  31. Lang, Nico (14 September 2014). "How U2 became the most hated band in America". Salon. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  32. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  33. Endrinal, Christopher (2008). Form and Style in the Music of U2. Florida State University. p. 12.
  34. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2004" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  35. Johnson, Neala (9 September 2010). "U2: The Band who fell to Earth". Herald Sun. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  36. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2009" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  37. James, Hanley (16 January 2017). "U2 expand Joshua Tree Tour". Music Week. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  38. Tuch, Paul (11 December 2017). "U2 Achieves Sixth No. 1 Album In Canada". FYI Music News. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  39. Caulfield, Keith (10 December 2017). "U2 Scores Eighth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Songs of Experience'". Billboard. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  40. McIntyre, Hugh (24 April 2018). "These Were The 10 Bestselling Albums In The World In 2017". Forbes. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  41. "Belgian Album Chart". ultratop.be. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  42. "Discografie U2". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  43. "Discografie U2". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 24 June 2008. (Album data are from 1993 onward); "The Joshua Tree". U2.com. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  44. "Austrian certifications – U2" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  45. "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  46. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2002" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  47. "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 24 June 2008. "Irish Charts - Discography U2". irishcharts.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  48. For peak chart positions of U2's Canadian singles from 1980–2000 see RPM chart books. For singles from 2000–2006, see Canadian Singles Chart archives at AllMusic. For singles from 2007–present, see Billboard's Canadian Hot 100 archives.
  49. "New Zealand Singles Chart". charts.nz. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  50. "U2 Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  51. Peak chart positions in the US:
  52. "Irish Charts - Discography U2". irishcharts.com. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  53. "Bubbling Under Hot 100". Top40Weekly. 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  54. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. pp. 291–292.
  55. McCabe, Kevin (24 July 1993). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 30. BPI Communications. p. 85. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  56. "French single certifications – U2" (in French). InfoDisc. Select U2 and click OK. 
  57. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  58. "U2 Chart History: Hot Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.[dead link]
  59. "Netherlands Single Tip Chart". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). 19 September 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  60. "U2 Chart History: Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  61. "Netherlands Single Tip Chart". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). 9 December 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  62. "NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  63. "U2 Chart History: Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  64. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100 - 08 December 2017 - 14 December 2017". Official Charts Company. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  65. "Discographie U2 - ultratop.be". ultratop.be. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  66. "Your Song Saved My Life - U2". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  67. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100 - 24 March 2023 - 30 March 2023". Official Charts Company. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  68. "U2 Chart History: Adult Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  69. "U2 Chart History: Mainstream Rock Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  70. "Irish Homegrown Top 20". Official Charts Company. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  71. Mier, Tomás (27 January 2023). "U2 Reimagine 'With or Without You' Nearly 40 Years Later". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  72. Corcoran, Nina (12 February 2023). "U2 Announce Achtung Baby Las Vegas Residency in New Super Bowl Commercial". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  73. Daly, Rhian (3 March 2023). "Listen to U2's new take on 'Beautiful Day'". NME. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  74. "Song search for U2". portuguesecharts.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  75. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 - 24 March 2023 - 30 March 2023". Official Charts Company. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  76. "Irish Homegrown Top 20". Official Charts Company. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.

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