Timeline of U2
Appearance
This is a timeline of the history of rockband U2:
pre-1980
- 13 March 1960: Adam Clayton is born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire.[1]
- 10 May 1960: Paul Hewson (Bono) is born in Dublin.[2]
- 8 August 1961: Dave Evans (The Edge) is born in East London.[3]
- 31 October 1961: Larry Mullen, Jr. is born in Artane, Dublin.[4]
- September 1974: Bono’s mother Iris Hewson dies in Dublin following her father’s funeral.[citation needed]
- 25 September 1976: The band forms in Dublin after Mullen posts a notice on the Mount Temple Comprehensive School notice board in search of musicians for a new band. Mullen was on drums, Bono on lead vocals, The Edge and his older brother Dik on guitar, Adam Clayton, a friend of the Evans brothers on bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.[5] Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks.
- late 1976: The band play their first performance in the school gym.[6]
- September 1976 The group settle on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.[7]
- March 1977: The band plays their last concert as The Hype. Dik leaves the stage and the remaining four continue to play but as "U2".[8]
- Saint Patrick's Day, 1978: The band win a talent show in Limerick, Ireland, the prize of which is £500 and studio time to record a demo for CBS Ireland.[8]
- 28 April 1978: Bill Graham writes his first interview with U2 in Hot Press.[9]
- April 1978: The band records their first demo tape at Keystone Studios, Dublin.[10]
- 25 May 1978: Paul McGuinness agrees to become U2's manager.[11]
- September 1979: U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, becomes the band's first Irish chart success.[12]
- November 1978: Larry’s mother, Maureen Mullen, is killed in a car accident.[citation needed]
- December 1979: U2 perform in London for their first shows outside Ireland.[13]
- 5 October 1979: U2 play their first television performance on RTE at a televised concert in the Cork Opera House.[citation needed]
1980
- 15 January: The band performs "Stories for Boys" live on The Late Late Show.[citation needed]
- 26 February: Their second single "Another Day" is released on the CBS label for the Irish market only.[14]
- 23 March: Island Records signs a record deal with U2.
- March to September: The band record their first album in Windmill Lane Studios.[citation needed]
- 23 May: "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" is the band's first internationally released single.[15]
- 20 October: The band's debut album, Boy, is released in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It peaks at No. 52 in British charts.[citation needed]
- August: "A Day Without Me" is released as a single.
- 6 September to 3 December: The band play a 56-date tour of the United Kingdom.[16]
- October: "I Will Follow" is released as a single and peaks at number 20 on the Mainstream Rock charts.[citation needed]
- 6 December: U2 play their first American concert at The Ritz in New York City as part of a 14-date tour.[17]
1981
- 24 January to 28 February 1981: U2 play dates in the United Kingdom and play their first tour of continental Europe.[18]
- 3 March 1981: Boy is released in the United States.[citation needed]
- 3 March to 31 May 1981: U2 commence their first major tour of the United States playing almost 60 dates across the country largely in clubs.[19]
- July 1981: U2 begin recording their second album. The sessions are complicated when the briefcase containing Bono's lyrics was stolen by fans after a show in Portland, Oregon.
- July 1981: The single Fire is released.
- July-August 1981: The band record the second album at Windmill Lane Studios, in Dublin.
- October 1981: Gloria is released as a single and makes the UK charts.[20] The video for "Gloria" is directed by Meiert Avis and shot in the Canal Basin in Dublin.
- 12 October 1981: The band's second album, October, is released.12[21] 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.[22] The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. It enters the UK charts at number 11.[20]
1982
- 17 May 1982: U2 begin recording their third album.
- 21 August 1982: Bono marries high school sweetheart, Alison Stewart, in Raheny, Dublin. They honeymoon in Jamaica where Bono reportedly works on the lyrics for the new album.[citation needed]
- 1 December 1982: The pre-War Tour begins.[23][24]
1983
- January 1983: The album’s first single, "New Year's Day" is released and becomes the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK.[25]
- 28 February 1983: The band release their third album War.[26] which debuts at number one in the UK.
- 23 April 1983: The American leg of the War Tour starts in Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.[citation needed]
- 5 June 1983: U2 plays in the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver.[citation needed]
- July 1983: The Edge marries Aislinn O'Sullivan.
- November 1983: The mini album “Under a Blood Red Sky” is released alongside the video of the Denver concert, “Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky”[27]
- 22 November 1983: U2 play their first Japanese concert in debut in Osaka.
- December 1983: The band is voted "Band of the Year" in Rolling Stone Magazine's writer's poll.[citation needed]
- 30 November 1983: The War Tour ends.
- December 1983: U2 is voted "Band of the Year" in the Rolling Stone writer's poll.[citation needed]
1984
- 1984: U2 re-sign with Island Records under far more lucrative terms.[28]
- March: Recording sessions for U2’s fourth album begin at Slane Castle. Recording sessions are completed in Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland
- 1 August: U2 establish Mother Records.
- 29 August: The band’s first tour of Australia and New Zealand begins in Christchurch. Dubbed, "Under Australian Skies Tour",[29] it comprises 15 concerts and a largely War Tour setlist is played.[29]
- September: "Pride (In the Name of Love)" is released as the album’s first single and becomes the band's biggest hit to that point, including being their first to enter the U.S. top 40.[30]
- 1 October: U2’s fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, is released. Rather than Steve Lillywhite, producer of their first three albums, the band choose Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois as producers. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction.[29]
- October to November: The Unforgettable Fire Tour plays 21 shows in halls and arenas in Western Europe.[31]
- 1 December: The band play 10 dates in major United States cities. Demand for tickets significantly outstrip supply indicating that U2 will no longer be able to play these smaller theatres and halls.[32]
1985
- January and February 1985: The band play 13 shows Western Europe. The leg included 5 shows in Germany and the band's first concert in Italy.[33]
- Late February to May 1985: U2 play 40 shows in 29 cities in the United States and Canada. For the first time, the band play solely in arenas with multiple nights in many of the locations.
- Late May to mid July 1985: U2 play nine concerts in the European festival season.
- April 1985: The album’s second and final single, The Unforgettable Fire, is released. It reaches #6 on the UK Singles Chart and #8 on the Dutch singles chart, but does not perform as well in the U.S.
- April 1985: The four-track EP Wide Awake in America is released.
- 29 June 1985: They play a home-coming concert at Dublin's Croke Park, their first headlining show in a stadium.[34]
- 13 July 1985: U2 play Live Aid for Ethiopian famine relief at Wembley Stadium.[35] The band’s performance is a pivotal point for the band’s career,[36] showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.[37]
- 1985: Rolling Stone magazine calls 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".[38]
1986
- 30 January: Bono and Larry are interviewed for half an hour on Irish TV show, "TV Gaga", before the band play a song called "Womanfish", a rough early version of "Trip Through Your Wires", and "Knocking On Heaven's Door".[39]
- 27 February: U2 are among the readers’ choice for in Rolling Stone's Music Awards, for Band of the Year. Best Songwriter was Bono, Best Live Performance was U2. In the Critics' Picks, the Band of the Year was U2.[citation needed]
- early 1986: Bono travels to San Salvador and Nicaragua. His first-hand experience of the conflicts becomes a central influence on the new music.[citation needed]
- 17 May: U2 play the Self Aid festival in Dublin. The event is organised to create jobs and raise money during Ireland's unemployment crisis.[39]
- 4 to 15 June:: U2 interrupt writing for their album to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope tour. Rather than distract, the tour adds extra intensity and power to their new music.[40]
- 3 July: U2 crew member Greg Carroll is killed in a motorcycle accident in Dublin.
- 8 July: Band members perform at Carroll's burial Kai-iwi Marae in New Zealand.
- 1 August: Recording sessions for The Joshua Tree, the band’s fifth album, begin in Dublin. The band want to build on The Unforgettable Fire's atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they seek a harder-hitting sound within the discipline of conventional song structures.[41] Motivated by friendships with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Keith Richards, the band looked back to the roots of rock music, and Bono focused on his skills as a song and lyric writer.[42]
- November: Recording sessions for the new album finish.[citation needed]
1987
- 9 March: U2’s fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree, is released and goes to number one in 22 countries.[citation needed] The album builds on The Unforgettable Fire's atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, the album has a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures.[41] The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.[43] The Joshua Tree became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.[44]
- March: "With or Without You" is released and becomes the band’s first number one single in the United States.[45]
- 27 March: U2 perform on the roof of a shop in downtown Los Angeles and film the video for "Where the Streets Have No Name".[46]
- 30 March: In rehearsals for The Joshua Tree Tour, Bono falls backwards off the stage and his chin is gashed. He still carries the scar.[46] The Joshua Tree enters the Billboard charts at number 7.[47]
- 2 April: U2 open The Joshua Tree Tour in the Arizona city of Tempe. The hot dry desert air has affected Bono's voice, and he is barely able to sing in front of the world's music press on opening night. Concert promoter, Barry Fey, reads out a statement on behalf of the band denouncing Arizona Governor, Evan Mecham's intention to abolish the Martin Luther King Day holuday in that State.[46]
- 7 April: The Joshua Tree reaches number 3 on the Billboard.[47]
- 12 April: Following a concert in Las Vegas, the band film the video clip for "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For in the neon-lit streets.[46]
- 14 April:The Joshua Tree reaches number 3 on the Billboard,[47] where it remains for nine weeks. Maria McKee performs a duets with Bono on U2's cover on "I Shall Be Released" during their concert in San Diego.[47]
- 20 April: Bob Dylan joins the band onstage to sing I Shall Be Released and Knocking on Heaven's Door.[48]
- 27 April: U2 become the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of Time magazine,[49] which declares U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket".[48]
- 30 April: U2 play their first headlining stadium show in the United States at the Pontiac Silverdome.[50]
- May: Sales of The Joshua Tree pass seven million
- 27 May: U2 begin the European leg of the Joshua Tree Tour at the Stadio Flaminio in Rom. Most of the leg's 31 shows are in outdoor stadiums.[51]
- 1987: '"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is released and reaches number one in the United States.[citation needed]
- 4 July: The show at the Hippodrome de Vincennes in Paris is filmed for Island Records' 25th birthday celebrations. A canister of tear gas is set of in the crowd causing mild panic and the band interrupt their performance of With or Without You.[52]
- 1987: The Joshua Tree wins Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal[53]
- 8 November: U2 play the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. The same day, an IRA bomb had killed eleven people at a Remembrance Day ceremony in the Northern Irish town of Enniskillen. During the performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bono condemned the violence and his "Fuck the revolution!" remark earns him the ire of the IRA. This performance and six other songs from the concert are later used in the Rattle and Hum movie.
- 11 November: U2 play an impromptu "Save the Yuppie" concert in Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco as a mock benefit following the October 1987 stockmarket crash. A cover version of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower is later used in the Rattle and Hum movie. During a performance of "Pride", Bono spray-painted "Rock and Roll Stops the Traffic" on the Vaillancourt Fountain. Due to subsequent public reaction, the band paid to repair the damage and publicly apologized for the incident.
- 19 & 20 December: The final two shows of The Joshua Tree are played in the Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona. 5 songs are later used in the Rattle and Hum movie.
1988
- February 1988: U2 move to Los Angeles to work with Phil Joanou on the Rattle and Hum documentary.[citation needed]
- 2 March 1988: At the Grammay Awards, U2 win "Best Vocal of the Year" for "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Album of the Year" for The Joshua Tree.[citation needed]
- 7 June 1988: Roy Orbison, for whom Bono and the Edge had recently written "She's a Mystery to Me", dies in the United States before the release of his Mystery Girl album.
- September 1988: Desire is released as the new album’s first single. It is the band’s first number one single in the UK.
- 10 October 1988: The part live, part studio, double album Rattle and Hum is released.
- 27 October 1988: The Rattle and Hum movie has its world premiere.
- November 1988: The Edge joins Bryan Ferry on-stage for a surprise appearance in the RDS in Dublin.
- December 1988: Angel of Harlem is released as Rattle and Hum’s second single.
1989
- April 1989: When Love Comes to Town is released as Rattle and Hum’s third single.
- June 1989: All I Want is You is released as Rattle and Hum’s fourth and final single. Its release in Australia is held off to October to coincide with the Lovetown Tour. It reaches number 1 on the Australian charts.
- 6 August 1989: Adam Clayton is arrested in Dublin on drug charges.
- 21 September 1989: The Lovetown tour starts in Australia.
- 30 December 1989: On one of the final shows of the Love Town Tour, Bono, says onstage in Dublin, that "this is just the end of something for U2" and that "we have to go away and … and dream it all up again".
1990
- January 1990: U2 begin its longest break to date, which includes a two-year break from public performance.[54]
- 1990: Edge separates from his wife, Aislinn. The pain of the separation strongly influences the album material for which is being written.[55][56][57]
- 1990: U2 record "Night and Day" for the first of the Red Hot + Blue releases.
- 1990: Bono and The Edge contribute to the original score for the Royal Shakespeare Company's theatrical version of A Clockwork Orange.[58]
- 1990: The band record demos at STS studios in Dublin that evolved into "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", "Until the End of the World", "Even Better Than the Real Thing", and "Mysterious Ways".[56]
- 3 October 1990: The band arrive in East Berlin to work begin work on a new album. With producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, they are seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve of German reunification.[59]
1991
- January to August 1991: The band complete the majority of the album in Dublin.[citation needed]
- April 1991: Tapes from the album's earlier Berlin session's are leaked and bootlegged.[60]
- 21 October 1991: The new album’s first single, "The Fly". It becomes U2’s second #1 single in the UK.[citation needed]
- 19 November 1991: U2 release Achtung Baby. Sonically, the album incorporates alternative rock, dance, and industrial influences of the time and the band refer to the album as the sound of "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree".[61] Thematically, it was a more inward-looking and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant, than the band's previous work.[62] Like The Joshua Tree, it is cited by Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest.[63]
- 24 November 1991: "Mysterious Ways" is released as Achtung Baby’s second single. The song reaches #9 on the Hot 100, making it the band's fourth highest charting single.[citation needed]
1992
- 29 February 1992: Commence ZooTV tour in Lakeland, Florida.
- March 1992: The third single, "One", is released. It reached #7 in the UK charts, #10 in the US charts, and #1 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks and the US Modern Rock Tracks charts.
- 27 March 1992: Bono orders 10,000 pizzas on stage for the audience at a concert in Detroit. The pizza supplier manages to deliver 100 pizzas.
- 7 May 1992: The European leg of the Zoo TV tour opens in Paris.[citation needed]
- 8 June 1992: The fourth single, "Even Better Than the Real Thing" is released.
- 1 August 1992: The Outside Broadcast leg of the Zoo TV tour opens in Pennsylvania.[citation needed]
- August 1992: The fifth and final single, "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is released.
- 28 August 1992: During a New York interview with Rockline, US Presidential candidate Bill Clinton contacts U2 live on air.
1993
- 20 January: Larry and Adam perform with R.E.M's Michael Stipe in Washington for a performance of "One" at the MTV 1993 Rock and Roll Inaugural Ball for Bill Clinton’s inauguration.
- late April: Having almost finished the Zooropa album, U2 rehearse for the European concerts.
- 9 May: Dubbed "Zooropa", the ZooTV tour recommences with a European stadium leg starting Rotterdam. U2 play to 2,100,000 people over 43 shows.[64] The concert includes the premier of Bono's new alter-ego MacPhisto.[65] Throughout the month of May, the band often fly back to Dublin following concerts to finalise mixing of the Zooropa album.[66]
- June: Numb is released as the first single from the new album.[citation needed]
- 5 July: U2 release the Zooropa album. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded Zooropa into a full-length LP album. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating techno influences and other electronic effects.[67]
- 14 July: At a concert in Marseille, Bono's holds the first of a number of live on-stage interviews with documentary maker Bill Carter who is in the besieged city of Sarajevo.[68]
- 28 August: On the final Zooropa concert in Dublin, Clayton's fiance, model Naomi Campbell appears on stage.[69]
- September: Lemon is released as the second single off Zooropa.
- 3 September: At the MTV awards in Los Angeles, The Edge makes his first ever solo appearance where he performs "Numb" in front of a mini version of the ZooTV set.[69]
- November: Bono records the vocal for his duet with Frank Sinatra "I've Got You Under My Skin" in Dublin.[citation needed]
- 12 November: U2 commence the “Zoomerang" leg of the ZooTV in Melbourne.[70]
- 26 November: Adam doesn’t play the first of two concerts in Sydney. Bono tells the audience that he is suffering from a virus and his guitar technician Stuart Morgan fills in. It is the first time a member of U2 has missed a conference. It is later revealed that Adam was too hungover to play.[70]
- 27 November: The second Sydney concert is filmed and shown around the world as a pay per view TV show. The video is released the following year in VHS.[70]
- 10 December: U2 play the final gig of the Zoo TV tour at the Tokyo Dome.[70]
1994
- 5 April 1994: The U2 Live in Sydney video is released in Europe.
- March 1994: Zooropa wins "Best Alternative Album" award at the Grammy's.[citation needed]
- 1994: Adam and Larry move to New York City to study music.[citation needed]
1995
- February 1995: Bono and the Edge record "North and South of the River" with Christy Moore.[citation needed]
- Mid 1995: U2, Brian Eno, Howie B., and other Passengers spend five weeks recording in Dublin.
- 1 June 1995: U2 release the single, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me, which features in the Batman Forever soundtrack. It reaches No.2 in the UK, No.16 in America, and No.1 in Australia and Ireland.[citation needed]
- 12 September 1995: Bono, The Edge, and Brian Eno premier "Miss Sarajevo" at the annual Pavarotti and Friends concert in Modena, Italy.[citation needed]
- 7 November 1995: Passengers' Original Soundtrack 1 is released world-wide. On the same day, Tina Turner releases "Goldeneye"-the theme to the new 007 movie, written by Bono and the Edge-on Capitol Records. "Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti was the only single from the release.
1996
- January 1996: U2 begin working on a new album in Dublin.[citation needed]
- April 1996: The band relocate to Miami for further work on the album.[citation needed]
- 1 May 1996: Adam and Larry release their reworked version of the Mission Impossible theme track. It goes Top 10 in the US, the UK, and other countries.
- 11 May 1996: Hot Press journalist Bill Graham dies at his home in Howarth. The band fly back to Dublin from America to attend the funeral.
- 4 March 1997: U2 release Pop, on which they incorporate tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and sampling, which provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.[71] The album debuts at number one in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews.[72][73] Sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.[74]
1997
- April 1997: The PopMart Tour commences in Las Vegas.
- U2 play Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform following the Bosnian War.[75] Mullen 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."[76]
1998
- One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of The Simpsons, "Trash of the Titans", in which Homer Simpson disrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert.[77]
- 19 October 1998: Sweetest Thing single is released.
- 2 November 1998: The Best of 1980-1990 B-Sides is released.[citation needed]
- 9 November 1998: Best of 1980-1990 is released.[citation needed]
- 22 November 1998: PopMart: Live from Mexico City video is released.[citation needed]
- 20 November 1998: U2 appear on the Late Late Show in Dublin for the Omagh Tribute.[citation needed]
- 23 December 1998: Larry Mullen Jr and partner Ann Acheson have a baby girl whom they name Ava after the actress Ava Gardner.
1999
- 21 August 1999: Bono and wife Ali have a baby boy who is named Elijah Bob Patricious Guggi Q.
2000
- October 2000: All That You Can't Leave Behind is released. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace;[78] Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.[79] The album debuted at number one in 22 countries[80] and its worldwide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards, as did the album's three other singles.
2001
- 22 February 2001: - The single "Beautiful Day" wins 3 Grammy Awards. [citation needed] U2 perform 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.
- 24 March 2001: American Leg of the Elevation Tour starts in Miami, Florida.[citation needed]
- 7 July 2001: European Leg of the Elevation Tour starts in Copenhagen, Denmark.[citation needed]
- 25 August 2001: U2 play two sold out concerts at Slane Castle.[citation needed]
- October 2001: U2 commence the 2nd American leg of the Elevation Tour. Following the September 11 attacks, the new album gained added resonance,[81] and in October, U2 performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
2002
- 13 February 2002: U2 perform during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI,[82] which SI.com ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history.[83]
- March 2002: U2 wins 4 Grammy awards for the All That You Can't Leave Behind.[citation needed]
- 13 March 2002: Bono meets President Bush at the White House as U.S. pledges development boost.[citation needed]
- May 2002: Bono tours 4 African countries with the U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.[citation needed]
- September 2002: Bono appears on the Oprah Winfrey show and urges Oprah's audience to take action in the fight against AIDS in Africa.[citation needed]
- December 2002: Bono and DATA begin the Heart of America tour.[citation needed]
2003
- 8 February 2003: "In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2" exhibit opens at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.[citation needed]
- February 2003: Bono receives the 'Knight of the Legion of Honour' medal from French President Jacques Chirac.[citation needed]
- March 2003: U2 performs "The Hands That Built America" live at the Academy Awards.[citation needed]
- April 2003: Bono is on the cover of Time Magazine as one of a group of great European Heroes.
- Mid 2003: U2 play live at the 11th Special Olympics World Summer Games; Nelson Mandela joins them on stage.[citation needed]
2004
- 16 September 2004: Bono is nominated a 3rd time for the Nobel Peace Prize.
- 8 November 2004: The new album’s first single, Vertigo, is released. It reaches number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, number 1 on the Billboard charts, and number 5 on the Australian charts.
- 23 November 2004: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is released. The album debuted at number one in the U.S. where first week sales doubled that of All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band.[84] The same day, The Complete U2 digital box set is by Apple Computer on the iTunes Store. It is the first major release of a purely-digital online set by any artist. It contains the complete set of U2 albums and singles, and also contains live, rare and previously unreleased material from 1978 to 2004, with a total of 446 songs.[85] The release accompanies a U2 Special Edition iPod.
2005
- 28 March 2005: The Vertigo Tour tour commences in the US city of San Diego.
- 10 June 2005: The European leg of the Vertigo Tour commences in Brussels.
- 12 September 2005: A second North American leg of the Vertigo Tour commences in Toronto in Canada.[citation needed]
- 2005: The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated.
- March 2005: In 2005, Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[86]
2006
- 12 February 2006: An eight-date Latin American leg of the Vertigo tour commences in Mexico.
- March 2006: U2 arrive in Australia to prepare for the Australian leg of the Vertigo Tour. The tour, however, is postponed until further notice due to a band family member’s illness.
- 7 November 2006: The 13 postponed dates in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Hawaii commence in Brisbane.
- August 2006: The band incorporates its publishing business in The Netherlands following the capping of Irish artists' tax exemption at €250,000.[87] The move was criticised in the Irish parliament.[88][89]
- 2006: The band begin work on material for a new album writing and recording with producer Rick Rubin, but the material is later shelved.
2007
- June 2007: The band begin writing and recording for the album with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. A two-week trip to Fez, Morocco where the six recorded led to the band experimenting with North African influences.
2008
- 23 January 2008: A 3-D concert film, U2 3D, filmed at nine concerts during the Latin America leg of the Vertigo Tour is released.
- In 2008, a remastered edition of the Boy and October was released, featuring remastered tracks, along with B-sides and rarities. Three different formats of the remaster were made available.
- 31 March 2008: U2 sign a 12 year deal with Live Nation worth an estimated $100 million (£50 million),[90] which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website.
- December 2008: The band completed No Line on the Horizon in December 2008,
2009
- 27 February: U2's twelve studio album, No Line on the Horizon is released.[91]
- 30 June: The U2 360° Tour begins on 30 June 2009 in Europe. The shows feature a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans surround the stage from all sides.[92]
- 25 October: YouTube broadcast their concert at the Rose Bowl Stadium. With a sellout crowd of 97,014, it is the highest attendance on record for one U.S. show by a single headliner based on box office totals reported to Billboard. The previous record had been set by U2 in 1987.[93]
- 27 October: A remastered 25th Anniversary edition of The Unforgettable Fire is released by Mercury Records.[94]
- 28 October: U2 finish the 2009 legs of the U2 360° Tour in Vancouver.
- 30 October: U2 headline the second of two consecutive concerts at Madison Square Gardens to celebrate the 25 anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[95]
- 5 November: U2 are invited by Berlin Lord Mayor to play a concert at the Brandenberg Gate to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. They play a six-song set to 10,000 fans.[96]
Notes
- ^ "Adam Clayton (I)". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ "Bono". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ "The Edge". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ "Larry Mullen Jr". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ Chatterton (2001), page 130
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 6.
- ^ McCormick (2006), page 30
- ^ a b McCormick (2006), pages 46–48
- ^ Graham, Bill (28 April), "Yep, It's U2", Hot Press, retrieved 5-11-09
{{citation}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
,|date=
, and|year=
/|date=
mismatch (help) - ^ Wall, Mick, (2005). Bono. Andre Deutsch Publishers. ISBN 0233001593 (Promotional edition published by Paperview UK is association with the Irish Independent), pages 45
- ^ McCormick (2006), pages 53–56
- ^ de la Parra (1994), page 8
- ^ McCullough, David (08 December), "Honesty goes out of control", Sounds magazine, retrieved 04-11-09
{{citation}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
,|date=
, and|year=
/|date=
mismatch (help) - ^ Stokes (1996), page 142; McCormick (2006), page 88
- ^ Stokes (1996), page 142
- ^ Parra (1996), pp. 15-17.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 17.
- ^ de la Parra (2003), pages 18-19
- ^ Parra (1996), pp.19-24.
- ^ a b Parra (1996), p. 25.
- ^ http://u2.com/discography/index/album/albumId/4001/tagName/studio_albums
- ^ McCormick, Neil (2008). October (Media notes). Island Records.
{{cite AV media notes}}
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ignored (help) - ^ "U2 tour details". 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
- ^ "@U2 Podcast, Edition 4-2 "The @U2 Warcast". 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
- ^ "New Year's Day" reached number ten on the UK charts, and received extensive radio coverage in the US, almost breaking that country's Top 50. (McCormick (2006), page 139); "Songfacts: New Year's Day by U2". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
- ^ Stokes (1996), page 36
- ^ "Net Music Countdown: U2". netmusiccountdown.com. Retrieved 6 September 2007.
- ^ Connelly, Christopher (14 March 1984). "Keeping the Faith". Rolling Stone.
{{cite journal}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ a b c Parra, Pimm Jal de la U2 Live: A Concert Documentary, pages 52–55, 1996, Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-7322-6036-1
- ^ Graham, (2004), pages 23–24
- ^ Parra (1994), pp. 55-58
- ^ Parra (1994), pp. 58-60.
- ^ Parra (1994), pp. 60-62.
- ^ Parra (1996), pp. 71-72.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (29 Jun 2005). Live Aid: A Look Back At A Concert That Actually Changed The World MTV.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
- ^ McCormick (2006), page 164
- ^ de la Parra (2003), pages 72–73
- ^ Peake, Steve. U2, the Only Band that Mattered in the '80s? about.com. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
- ^ a b Parra (1996), p. 74.
- ^ McCormick (2006), page 174
- ^ a b DeCurtis, Anthony (27 March 1987). "U2 Releases The Joshua Tree". Rolling Stone.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) cited in Gardner, Elysa (ed) (1994). U2: The Rolling Stone Files. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 0-283-06239-8.{{cite book}}
:|first=
has generic name (help) - ^ McCormick (2006), page 179
- ^ McCormick (2006), page 186
- ^ Classic Albums: The Joshua Tree (Television Documentary). Eagle Rock Entertainment. 1998.; McCormick (2006), page 186
- ^ Pond, Steve (9 April 1987). "The Joshua Tree Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ a b c d Parra (1996), p. 79.
- ^ a b c d Parra (1996), p. 97.
- ^ a b "Rock's Hottest Ticket" Time Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January 2007.
- ^ The Beatles, The Band, and The Who were the first three.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 100.
- ^ Parra (1996), pp. 103-110.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 107.
- ^ Grammy Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved 4 December 2006.
- ^ de la Parra (1994), pp. 138–149.
- ^ Fricke (1993).
- ^ a b McCormick (2006), pp. 216, 221.
- ^ Gardner (1994), p. xxv.
- ^ McCormick (2006), p. 215.
- ^ Flanagan (1995), page 7
- ^ The Origins and History of Salome
- ^ Paulsen, John (20 September 2005). "Deep Cuts: U2: Part I". bullz-eye.com. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
- ^ Graham (2004), page 44
- ^ The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time Rolling Stone. Retrieved 15 October 2006.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 160.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 161.
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 163.
- ^ Graham (2004), page 51
- ^ Parra (1996), p. 166.
- ^ a b Parra (1996), p. 170.
- ^ a b c d Parra (1996), p. 172.
- ^ Graham (2004), pages 62–63
- ^ "(U2 have) relaxed sufficiently to allow a certain funk into their music..." NME. Retrieved 31 October 2006.; "U2 have not reinvented themselves so much as rediscovered themselves..." Sunday Times (UK). 28 February 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
- ^ "Rolling Stone Pop Review". Rolling Stone (756). 1997. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
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ignored (help) - ^ Mueller, Andrew. "U2's Pop reconsidered". andrewmueller.net. Retrieved 7 January 2008.; Dentler, Matt (30 October 2000). "U2 makes album world is waiting for". The Daily Texan online. Retrieved 2008-01-07.; Breimeier, Russ. "The Best of 1990–2000 - U2". Christianity Today. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
- ^ Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006
- ^ U asked U2! msn.com. Retrieved 15 January 2007; Furthermore, Bono described the show as "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life". (Bono in Conversation. The Independent (26 September 1997). Retrieved 15 January 2007)
- ^ "U2 And Homer Share Stage In "Simpsons" 200th Episode". MTV. 14 August 1997. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
- ^ Time to Get the Leathers Out. Guardian.co.uk (27 October 2000). Retrieved on 31 October 2006
- ^ Hunter, James (26 October 2000). "Review: All That You Can't Leave Behind". Rolling Stone Magazine (RS 853). Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ The Rock Radio: U2 biography. therockradio.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
- ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 30 November 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2008.; McCormick (2006), pages 308–309
- ^ de la Parra (2003), page 268
- ^ "Top 10 Super Bowl Halftime shows". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
- ^ "Happy Holidays and RIP The Complete U2". U2Wanderer.org. 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ U2 stars enter rock Hall of Fame bbc.co.uk (15 March 2005). Retrieved 17 January 2007; Transcript: Bruce Springsteen Inducts U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. u2station.com. Retrieved 17 January 2007
- ^ McConnell, Daniel (6 August 2006). "U2 move their rock empire out of Ireland". The Independent. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ O'Brien, Fergal (15 October 2006). "Bono, Preacher on Poverty, Tarnishes Halo With Irish Tax Move". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
- ^ Hyde, Marina (February 2007). "They live like aristocrats. Now they think like them". Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
- ^ U2 ties knot with Live Nation deal
- ^ U2 set to release new album in March msn.com
- ^ "Paul McGuiness on U2's World Tour". Hot Press. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
- ^ Allen, Bob (30 October 2009). "U2's Rose Bowl Show Breaks Attendance Records". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
- ^ "The Unforgettable Fire 25th Anniversary Edition". U2Wanderer.org. 5 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
- ^ Pareles, John (31 October 2009), "Rock's Hall of Famers Mix It Up", The New York Times, retrieved 8 November 2009
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Scally, Derek (6 November 2009). "U2 Strike Emotional Chord with Berliners on NIght of Celebration". The Irish Times. Dublin.
References
- Graham, Bill (2004). U2: The Complete Guide to their Music. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9886-8.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). U2 by U2. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-719668-7
- de la Parra, Pimm Jal (2003). U2 Live: A Concert Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9198-7
- Stokes, Niall (1996). Into The Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-7322-6036-1.