U2 Album One Views

General Goods

U2 evolved from a jangly post-punk guitar outfit to expansive arena rock demigods before finishing out the '80s delving into roots rock. While the band was one of the few '80s acts to be as interested in making great statements through album releases as in producing hit singles, the band made no bones about its desire to maximize commercial viability. The impressive combination of popular and critical appeal that eventually defined U2 rivals any artist in rock history, and evidence of this rousing style can be found in the group's top '80s output. Here's a chronological look at 10 of the era's best U2 songs.

When one gets to the The Joshua Tree on a journey through U2's catalogue, it largely becomes a question of closing one's eyes and pointing at the album sleeve to identify the best songs. The record is such a treasure trove of fine folk-influenced thinking man's rock music that worthy tracks must be left out. Still, I persevere. This tune features one of the band's finest escalating melodies, rendered beautifully with the aid of the Edge's typical but never worn-out chiming guitar style. Also, Bono's vocal performance has rarely been this iconic and passionate, even though it's difficult to argue that he's anything but a very high-percentage vocalist. Haunting melodic genius galore: I'm hangin' on/You're all that's left to hold on to.

Here is one of the deeper album tracks from U2's masterpiece that casts its own particular kind of spell, as Bono transmits his sense of yearning through an almost electrical current of emotion. The band, meanwhile, establishes a shuffling rhythm that provides an appropriate showcase for Bono's growing interest in roots rock and Americana music styles. In fact, this slight change of focus from the band's earlier alternative/modern rock niche probably helped The Joshua Tree strike such an overwhelming chord with American audiences, who had always loved U2 anyway.

One is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the album's third single in March 1992. During the recording of Achtung Baby, conflict arose between the band members over the direction of U2's sound and the quality of their material. Tensions almost prompted the band to break up, until guitarist The Edge composed a chord progression that inspired the group to improvise the song, which was written as a ballad. The group worked on the mix for One throughout the remainder of the album's sessions. The lyrics, written by lead singer Bono, describe struggles to maintain relationships with others, but they have been interpreted in other ways.