U2 > Discography > Albums > Zooropa Twitter Initially intended to be just an EP, Zooropa became a full-fledged album with 10 tracks recorded in six-weeks, the fastest U2 album ever. Interesting releases from around the world included two Australian sets of 2 x 5 CD packs. The first 2 x 5 CD pack included a copy of the Stay (Swing Format) single as the 2nd bonus CD. Virgin Megastore in Adelaide also released the Even Better Than the Real Thing single as their 2nd bonus CD. In Germany, Universal released a 2-CD box set with a copy of both Achtung Baby and Zooropa. Zooropa reached No.1 in the following countries: Australia, Italy, Sweden, Austria, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, Holland, Norway, the US, Denmark, Ireland, and Iceland. Zooropa stayed on the charts for 61 weeks in Ireland. It peaked at No.2 in Finland, Portugal, and Spain while reaching No.3 and No.10 in Belgium and Hungary, respectively.

In the US, the album was certified multi-platinum by RIAA with 2 million units sold. U2 won a Grammy for Zooropa as the Best Alternative Album of the Year and the readers of Rolling Stone voted it Best Album.um charts. In the US, it was certified platinum by the RIAA. Production Credits Produced by: Flood, Brian Eno, and The Edge Mixed and Engineered by: Flood and Robbie Adams Studio: The Factory, Windmill Lane, and Westland Studios, Dublin Release Date: The Story of U2’s Polarizing ‘Zooropa’ The Story of U2’s Polarizing ‘Zooropa’ by Dave Lifton July 5, 2016 1:55 PM REDDIT Subscribe to Diffuser.fm on Between their massive world tours and philanthropic efforts, U2 have often kept their fans waiting many years for new music from them. That’s why it seemed so unusual for them to release Zooropa on July 5, 1993, a little more than a year and a half after delivering Achtung, Baby in November 1991. Even more startling was the music.

After the anthemic post-punk of their ’80s work and the moody introspection of its brilliant predecessor, Zooropa seemed to serve as a counter to the grunge of the day with electronic dance grooves, understated vocals and samples. The group wrote much of the material while in between legs of the Zoo TV tour, which saw them embrace irony, satire and self-deprecation — concepts not usually associated with U2 — while taking aim at the sensory bombardment of the media. These new songs were reflective of these ideas, and they had originally planned to release it as an EP as they began their tour of Europe, but soon decided to flesh it out to a full-length. The new direction they were taking was on display before the album was released when the first single, “Numb,” arrived in June. One of the few U2 tracks that feature the Edge — who co-produced Zooropa with Brian Eno and Flood — on lead vocals, “Numb” is a hypnotic drone in which the Edge recites a litany of things not to do.

“I feel numb / Too much is not enough,” Bono sings in a falsetto on the chorus, a vocal technique also employed on the follow-up, “Lemon.” And then there was the closer, “The Wanderer,” which features lead vocals by Johnny Cash , which was a head-scratcher at the time, given how the country legend had fallen out of favor with the public. But within a year, Cash would release American Recordings and begin a career renaissance and re-evaluation of his catalog that would last until his death in 2003. Although it topped the charts worldwide, Zooropa only sold two million copies in the U.S., fewer than any U2 LP since 1981’s October. To an audience weaned on Bono’s vocal histrionics, the slash-and-burn attack of the Adam Clayton-Larry Mullen, Jr. rhythm section and the Edge’s delayed riffs, the album felt like the work of an entirely different band, Achtung, Baby may have brought in ideas commonly found in industrial music, but its songs were still undeniably U2 underneath.

Only its excellent ballads, “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” and “The First Time,” have echoes of their previous work. And while many were turned off, especially when its follow-up, Pop, continued along those themes with diminishing returns, it’s hard to see what the fuss was about now that such sounds are commonplace in indie rock. All That You Can’t Leave Behind found a way to successfully combine the ’80s U2 with the ’90s U2 (notice how the grooves of “Lemon” worked their way into “Elevation”) and the transition they made with Zooropa now doesn’t seem as jarring. In that respect, Cash’s cameo on “The Wanderer” is a microcosm for the entire album. U2 Albums Ranked Worst to Best Image of U2: Zooropa - Music on Google Play 1 2 A Google User Some Good Songs The song Zooropa grows on you and became one of my favorites. The First Time is quite good, and Dirty Day is powerful. This is in addition to the popular Stay, Numb, and Lemon.

emir suljevic Different U2 I know many people that get all weirded out when I play them this album and tell them it's U2. It's a completley different esthetic - a real Sci-Fi feel, but not in outer space or dystopian future... Paul Coenen A favorite I was too young to get into this album when it came out, but it is one of my favorites now. A Google User Not their Best Not even representative of their sound. These songs don't do this great band justice. larry cowan Great Not the best but good album, joshua tree and unforgettable fire should be a double album, thats the best of U2 but this was good too i like lemon song C. Richards Different but great U2 having fun while I was having fun in Europe for a summer. Wish I could do it all over again!!! Great album, great memories. User reviews A Google User May 4, 2012 Some Good Songs The song Zooropa grows on you and became one of my favorites. The First Time is quite good, and Dirty Day is powerful. This is in addition to the popular Stay, Numb, and Lemon.

Zooropa - YouTube Zooropa Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 11, 2014 Zooropa /zuːˈroʊpɑː/ is the eighth studio album by rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and The Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, Zooropa expanded on many of the tour's themes of technology and media oversaturation. The record continued the group's experimentation with alternative rock, electronic dance music, and electronic sound effects that began with their previous album, Achtung Baby, in 1991. U2 began writing and recording for Zooropa in Dublin in February 1993, during a six-month break between legs of the Zoo TV Tour.

The record was originally intended as an EP to promote the "Zooropa" leg of the tour that was to begin in May 1993, but during the sessions, the group decided to extend the record to a full-length LP. Pressed for time, U2 wrote and recorded at a rapid pace, with songs originating from many sources. The album was not completed in time for the tour's resumption, forcing the band to travel between Dublin and their tour destinations in May to complete mixing and recording. This video is targeted to blind users. Attribution: Article text available under CC-BY-SA Creative Commons image source in video Category U2 - Zooropa (album review ) | Sputnikmusic U2 September 1st, 2014 | 17 replies Release Date: 1993 | Tracklist Review Summary: One snazzy, detail-oriented album that shifts away from the common U2 sound, and introduces a unique electronic sound In essence, U2's Zooropa is extremely similar to their predecessor, Achtung Baby musically.

Toying with various genres such as electronic dance music, alternative rock, and nods of industrial rock, Zooropa is easily one of their most creative albums they've ever produced. Although somewhat disliked by the group (they've made plenty of comments and remarks claiming that they had mixed feelings for this record), I would honestly consider this album to be stellar. Musically, the group's sound here is on a polar opposite; instead of their common rock sound, we are met with electronic and alternative rock arrangements, setting a more exotic flavor for the album. The synthesizer here is a prominent instrument, as the effects, noises, and flutters reflect solely back on this instrument. Luckily, U2 pulls this off superbly and creates a hypnotizing masterpiece. As "exotic" and dazzling as the artwork is, the music is surprisingly held up quite well (face it, the artwork is a little ridiculous, or for some, straight up eye-candy). Guitars on this record seem to creep in only when they're politely asked, while synthesizers, voice effects, and other electronic sounds run the show accordingly.

Although guitars and the "trademark U2" might be nonexistent here, their interesting fuse of genres here work brilliantly and magically, something that is not attainable on any other U2 record (other than perhaps Achtung Baby in a few cases). Lyrically, the album is mainly comprised of words related to the uprising of technology (also media); because of them adopting heavily to technology during that day and age (around 1992/1993), this would eventually grow to be reflected with the album's sound. There seems to be a little bit more "playfulness" on this record; the song arrangements are quite relaxing, chill, and euphoric. "Zooropa" is a good example of this, as this song is centered around a blurry guitar melody, a calm rhythm section, and a few radio voice recordings thrown in here and there. This is easily one of the greatest tracks on the record, and one of the lengthiest as well. The twinkling "Babyface" is alluring with its seductive melody, and "Lemon" is possibly their most electronic-gripped track. Near disco sounding, the track has a wonderful, cute melody met with a dazzling piano section in the chorus.

The song is about Bono's mother (in relation to a dress she always wore, which was evidently "lemon" colored), and is actually their longest song ever recorded. The beautifully emotional "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" is another fantastic track, along with the bluesy "Daddy's Gonna Paid for Your Crashed Car." For its creativity, this album gets a fantastic reception from me. The experimentation along with the interesting effects are a woozy here, and create a unique atmosphere that isn't found on any other album from them. I'd probably recommend this album to U2 fans, and a person who is a die hard fan of early electronic music such as Kraftwerk. Despite not having any real elements of clear-cut U2, Zooropa still manages to find its own niche as another wonderfully made album. It is an excellent record, and a special one wrapped in something large and gigantic. Dimple Records - U2 : Zooropa * * This text has been derived from Zooropa on Wikipedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Artist/Band Information U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin.

Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2's early sound was indebted to post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a recognisable sound built on melodic instrumentals, highlighted by The Edge's textural guitar playing and Bono's expressive vocals. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns. U2 formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed to Island Records and released their debut album Boy. By the mid-1980s, they became a top international act. They were more successful as live performers than they were at selling records, until their 1987 breakthrough album The Joshua Tree, which, according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars".Rolling Stone (1994), p.

xx Reacting to a sense of musical stagnation and a late-1980s critical backlash against their earnest image and musical direction, the group reinvented themselves with their 1991 hit album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. U2 integrated dance, industrial, and alternative rock influences into their sound and performances, and embraced a more ironic and self-deprecating image. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1990s with reduced levels of success. U2 regained critical and commercial favour after their 2000 record All That You Can't Leave Behind. On it and the group's subsequent releases, they pursued a more conventional sound while maintaining influences from their earlier musical explorations. U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the best-selling groups in popular music, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. In 2005, U2 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

Throughout their career, as a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE/DATA campaigns, Product Red, and The Edge's Music Rising. History Formation and early years (1976â79) U2-teenagers.jpgthumbU2 in 1980. Shown from left to right: Clayton, Mullen, Bono, The Edge. The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.McCormick (2006), p. 27 Larry Mullen, Jr., then a 14-year-old student at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, posted a note on the school's notice board in search of musicians for a new bandâsix people responded. Setting up in his kitchen, Mullen was on drums, with Paul Hewson (Bono) on lead vocals; David Evans (The Edge) and his older brother Dik Evans 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.Chatterton (2001), p.

130 Mullen later described it as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback" because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), p. 30 Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of the group's initial material consisted of cover songs, which the band admitted was not their fortÃ©.McCormick (2006), pp. 35, 40 Some of the earliest influences on the band were emerging punk rock acts, such as The Jam, The Clash, The Buzzcocks, and The Sex Pistols. The popularity of punk rock convinced the group that musical proficiency was not a prerequisite to being successful.McCormick (2008), p. 37 In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".de la Parra (2003), p. 6 Dik Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out.

The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble and he was "phased out" in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".McCormick (2006), pp. 46â48 Steve Averill, a punk rock musician and family friend of Clayton's, had suggested six potential names from which the band chose "U2" for its ambiguity and open-ended interpretations, and because it was the name that they disliked the least.McCormick (2006), p. 44 On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of Â£500 and studio time to record a demo which would be heard by CBS Ireland. This win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. U2 recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios in Dublin in May 1978.Wall (2005), p.

45 Hot Press magazine was influential in shaping the band's future; in May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by the publication's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.McCormick (2006), pp. 53â56 The group's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in September 1979 and was their first Irish chart success.de la Parra (2003), p. 8 In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.de la Parra (2003), p. 10 In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.Stokes (1996), p. 142; McCormick (2006), p.

88 Boy, October, and War (1980â83) Island Records signed U2 in March 1980, and in May, the band released "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" as their first international single.Stokes (1996), p. 142 The band's debut album, Boy, followed in October. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, it received generally positive reviews.; ; Although Bono's unfocused lyrics seemed improvised, they expressed a common theme: the dreams and frustrations of adolescence. The album included the band's first United States hit single, "I Will Follow". Boys release was followed by the Boy Tour, U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.de la Parra (2003), pp. 16, 17 Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman. The band's second album, October, was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes.

During the album's recording sessions, Bono and The Edge considered quitting the band due to perceived spiritual conflicts.; McGee (2008), p. Bono, The Edge, and Mullen had joined a Christian group in Dublin called the "Shalom Fellowship", which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the rock and roll lifestyle.Flanagan (1995), pp. 46â48 Bono and Edge took time off between tours and decided to leave Shalom in favour of continuing with the band. Recording was further complicated when a briefcase containing lyrics for several working songs was stolen from backstage during the band's performance at a nightclub in Portland, Oregon. The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. Low sales outside the UK put pressure on their contract with Island and focused the band on improvement.McCormick (2006), p. 120 Resolving their doubts of the October period, U2 released War in 1983.Stokes (1996), p. 36 A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade",Reynolds (2006), p.

367 Wars sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synthpop of the time.Graham (2004), p. 14 The album included the politically charged "Sunday Bloody Sunday", where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of Bloody Sunday with Easter Sunday.McCormick (2006), p. 135 Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting. War was U2's first album to feature the photography of Anton Corbijn, who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.McCormick (2006), p. 127 U2's first commercial success, War debuted at number one in the UK, and its first single, "New Year's Day", was the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK."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), p.

139); U2 21081983 01 800b.jpgthumbalt=A black and white image of a light-skinned man with a microphone held to his mouth. He is visible from the chest up and wears a sleeveless black shirt with an opened sleeveless white vest overtop. A small cross is worn around his neck. His black hair is styled into a mullet. The man looks past the camera to the left. A mixture of trees and sky are visible in the background.Bono performs in Norway during the War Tour in 1983. On the subsequent War Tour, the band performed sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the US. The sight of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became the tour's iconic image. U2 recorded the Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour, as well as the Live at Red Rocks concert film, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, expanding the band's audience and showcasing their prowess as a live act. Their record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 the band signed a more lucrative extension.

They negotiated the return of their copyrights (so that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms, at the expense of a larger initial payment. The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984â85) The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band's most marked change in direction.de la Parra (2003), pp. 52â55 The band feared that following the overt rock of the War album and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band". Thus, experimentation was sought,Graham (2004), p.

21 as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty." The Edge admired the ambient and "weird works" of Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record.Island Records boss Chris Blackwell initially tried to discourage them from their choice of producers, believing that just when the band were about to achieve the highest levels of success, Eno would "bury them under a layer of avant-garde nonsense". (McCormick (2006), p. 151) The Unforgettable Fire has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Mullen's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Clayton's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs.Stokes (1996), pp. 50â51 Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel".

Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "Bad" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" were incomplete "sketches".McCormick (2006), p. 151 "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about Martin Luther King, Jr., was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit to that point, including being their first to enter the US top 40.Graham, (2004), pp. 23â24 Much of The Unforgettable Fire Tour moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.de la Parra (2003), pp. 62â63 The complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", were problematic to translate to live performances. One solution was programmed sequencers, which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances.

Songs on the album had been criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused", but were better received by critics when played on stage.Rolling Stone, which was critical of the album version of "Bad", described its live performance as a 'show stopper'. U2 participated in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief at Wembley Stadium in July 1985. U2's performance in front of 82,000 fans was a pivotal point in the band's career.McCormick (2006), p. 164 During a 14-minute performance of the song "Bad", Bono leapt down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.de la Parra (2003), pp. 72â73 In 1985, Rolling Stone magazine called 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".

The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum (1986â89) Realising that "U2 had no tradition" and that their knowledge of music from before their childhood was limited, the group delved into American and Irish roots music.McCormick (2006), pp. 169, 177 Friendships with Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and Keith Richards motivated the band to explore blues, folk, and gospel music and focused Bono on his skills as a songwriter and lyricist.McCormick (2006), p. 179 For their fifth album, The Joshua Tree,so named as a "tribute" to, rather than a "metaphor" for, America (McCormick (2006), p. 186) the band wanted to build on The Unforgettable Fires textures, but instead of out-of-focus experimentation, they sought a harder-hitting sound that used the limitation of strict song structures. U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope tour.

Rather than being a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new material.McCormick (2006), p. 174 In 1986, Bono travelled to San Salvador and Nicaragua and saw first-hand the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts that were subject to American political intervention. The experience became a central influence on the new music. Joshuatree.JPGthumbuprightleftThe tree pictured on The Joshua Tree album sleeve. Adam Clayton said, "The desert was immensely inspirational to us as a mental image for this record".Stokes (1996), p. 72 The Joshua Tree was released in March 1987. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the group's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and its ideals.McCormick (2006), p. 186 The band wanted music with a sense of location and a "cinematic" quality, and the record's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading.Graham (2004), pp.

27â30 The Joshua Tree became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.; McCormick (2006), p. 186 The first two singles, "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly became the group's first number-one hits in the US. They became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of Time magazine,The Beatles, The Band, and The Who were the first three. which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket"."" Time Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January 2007. The album won U2 their first two Grammy Awards,Grammy Award for Album of the Year and a Grammy for the Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal. grammy.com. Retrieved 4 December 2006. and it brought the band a new level of success. Many publications, including Rolling Stone, have cited it as one of rock's greatest.

The Joshua Tree Tour was the first tour on which the band played shows in stadiums, alongside smaller arena shows.de la Parra (2003), pp. 102â103, 111 The documentary Rattle and Hum featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music,Stokes (1996), p. 78; Graham (2004), pp. 36â38 and included recordings at Sun Studios in Memphis and performances with Bob Dylan and B. B. King. Rattle and Hum performed modestly at the box office and received mixed reviews from both film and music critics;. Allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006; Christgau, Robert. ". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 November 2006. one Rolling Stone editor spoke of the album's "excitement", another described it as "bombastic and misguided".Rolling Stone (1994), p.

xxiii The film's director, Phil Joanou, described it as "an overly pretentious look at U2".Rolling Stone (1994), p. xxiv Most of the album's new material was played on 1989's Lovetown Tour, which visited Australia, Japan and Europe, because the band wanted to avoid the American backlash. In addition, they had grown dissatisfied with their live performances; Mullen recalled that "We were the biggest, but we weren't the best". With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono said to fans on one of the last dates of the tour that it was "the end of something for U2" and that they had to "go away and just dream it all up again".McCormick (2006), p. 213; "A Story of One" .

Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and Zooropa (1990â93) Stung by the criticism of Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction for their seventh studio album, Achtung Baby; the shift was one of their most dramatic since The Unforgettable Fire.Flanagan (1995), pp. 4â6; Graham (2004), p. 43 Seeking inspiration on the eve of German reunification, they began work on the album in East Berlin in October 1990 with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno.Flanagan (1995), p. 7 The sessions were fraught with conflict, as the band argued over their musical direction and the quality of their material. While Clayton and Mullen preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and The Edge were inspired by industrial music and European electronic dance music and advocated a change. After weeks of tension and slow progress, the group made a breakthrough with the improvised writing of the song "One".Flanagan (1995), pp.

6â11 They returned to Dublin in 1991, where morale improved and the majority of the album was completed. In November 1991, U2 released Achtung Baby. Sonically, it incorporated alternative rock, dance, and industrial music influences of the time, and the band referred to the album's musical departure as "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". Thematically, it was a more introspective and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant than the band's previous work. Commercially and critically, it has been one of the band's most successful albums. It produced the hit singles "The Fly", "Mysterious Ways", and "One", and it was a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.Graham (2004), p. 44 Like The Joshua Tree, many publications have cited the record as one of rock's greatest.

ZooTVBstage.jpgthumbalt=In an outdoor stadium at night with an elaborate concert stage set bearing a logo that reads "Zoo TV", a number of white lights shine from various angles into the center of the audience on the stadium floor, where a musical performance is taking place on a very small stage.The Zoo TV Tour was a multimedia-intensive event, featuring a stage that used dozens of video screens. Like Achtung Baby, the 1992â1993 Zoo TV Tour was an unequivocal break with the band's past. In contrast to the austere stage setups of previous U2 tours, Zoo TV was an elaborate multimedia event. It satirised the pervasive nature of television and its blurring of news, entertainment, and home shopping by attempting to instill "sensory overload" in its audience.de la Parra (2003), pp. 139â141; Flanagan (1995), pp. 12, 13, 58â61; Stokes (1996), pp.

110â111 The stage featured large video screens that showed visual effects, random video clips from pop culture, and flashing text phrases.McGee (2008), p. 143 Whereas U2 were known for their earnest performances in the 1980s, the group's Zoo TV performances were intentionally ironic and self-deprecating; on stage, Bono performed as several over-the-top characters, including "The Fly", "Mirror Ball Man", and "MacPhisto". Prank phone calls were made to President Bush, the United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn Sarajevo caused controversy.de la Parra (2003), pp. 153, 166 Quickly recorded during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, the Zooropa album continued many of the themes from Achtung Baby and the Zoo TV Tour. 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 further dance influences and other electronic effects.Graham (2004), p.

51 Johnny Cash sang the lead vocals on "The Wanderer". Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which visited Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the setlist.de la Parra (2003), pp. 166â172 Passengers, Pop, and PopMart (1994â99) In 1995, U2 released an experimental album called Original Soundtracks 1. Brian Eno, producer of three previous U2 albums, contributed as a full partner, including writing and performing. For this reason and due to the record's highly experimental nature, the band chose to release it under the moniker "Passengers" to distinguish it from U2's conventional albums. Mullen said of the album, "There's a thin line between interesting music and self-indulgence. We crossed it on the Passengers record." It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews.

However, the single "Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti, which Bono cites as one of his favourite U2 songs,McCormick (2006), pp. 261â262 was successful. On 1997's Pop, U2 continued experimenting; tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and sampling provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Graham (2004), pp. 62â63 Released in March, the album debuted at number one in 35 countries and drew mainly positive reviews.; Rolling Stone, for example, stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives". Others felt that the album was a major disappointment and sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases.; ; The band was hurried into completing the album in time for the impending pre-booked tour, and Bono admitted that the album "didn't communicate the way it was intended to".

U2 PopMart Tour, Belfast, August 1997 (01).jpgthumbrightThe PopMart Tour stage featured a golden arch, mirrorball lemon, and, at the time, the largest LED screen in the world. The subsequent tour, PopMart, commenced in April 1997. Like Zoo TV, it poked fun at pop culture and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. The stage included a tall golden yellow arch (reminiscent of the McDonald's logo), a long video screen, and a tall mirrorball lemon. U2's "big shtick" failed, however, to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band's new kitsch image and elaborate sets.; Anderson, Kyle (4 October 2006). spin.com. Retrieved on 29 December 2006. The postponement of Pops release date in order to complete the album meant rehearsal time for the tour was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.de la Parra (2003), pp.

193â202 A highlight of the tour was a concert in Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform there following the Bosnian War. rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006. 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." 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". ( The Independent (26 September 1997). Retrieved 15 January 2007. 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.

"Reapplying for the job of the best band in the world" (2000â06) U2 Super Bowl.jpgthumbU2 perform at Super Bowl XXXVI Halftime Show, 3 February 2002. Following the comparatively poor reception of Pop, U2 declared they were "reapplying for the job ... the best band in the world", and they have since pursued a more conventional rock sound mixed with the influences of their 1990s musical explorations.McCormick (2006), pp. 289, 296 All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace; Guardian.co.uk (27 October 2000). Retrieved on 31 October 2006 Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. The album debuted at number one in 22 countries therockradio.com.

Retrieved 31 October 2006. and its worldwide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy Awards. The album's other three singles also won Grammy Awards. For the Elevation Tour, U2 performed 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. Following the September 11 attacks, the new album gained added resonance,McCormick (2006), pp. 308â309 and in October, U2 performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Bono and The Edge later said these New York City shows were among their most memorable and emotional performances.; McCormick (2006), p. 309 In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI,de la Parra (2003), p. 268 which SI.com ranked as the best halftime show in Super Bowl history. The band's next studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released in November 2004.

The band were looking for a harder-hitting rock sound than All That You Can't Leave Behind. Thematically, Bono stated that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naivetÃ©, a rejection of knowingness." The first single, "Vertigo", was featured on an internationally aired television commercial for the Apple iPod, and a U2 iPod and an iTunes U2 box set were released as part of a promotion with Apple. The album debuted at number one in the US, where the first week's sales doubled that of All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band. Claiming it as a contender as one of U2's three best albums, Bono said, "There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me." The Vertigo Tour featured a setlist that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and it included songs not played since the early 1980s. Like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a commercial success.Waddell, Ray (13 December 2005). Billboard.

Retrieved 31 October 2006. The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated. In 2005, Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A 3-D concert film, U2 3D, filmed at nine concerts during the Latin American and Australian legs of the Vertigo Tour was released on 23 January 2008. In August 2006, the band incorporated its publishing business in The Netherlands following the capping of Irish artists' tax exemption at â¬250,000. The Edge stated that businesses often seek to minimise their tax burdens. The move was criticised in the Irish parliament. The band said the criticism was unfair, stating that approximately 95% of their business took place outside of Ireland, that they were taxed globally because of this, and that they were all "personal investors and employers in the country".

In March 2008, U2 signed a 12-year deal with Live Nation worth an estimated $100 million (Â£50 million), which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website. No Line on the Horizon and U2 360Â° Tour (2007âpresent) U2 360 Tour Croke Park 2.jpgthumbalt=A concert stage; four large legs curve up above the stage and hold a video screen which is extended down to the band. The legs are lit up in green. The video screen has multi-coloured lights flashing on it. The audience surrounds the stage on all sides.The stage structure from the U2 360Â° Tour allows for a 360-degree seating configuration. U2's twelfth album, No Line on the Horizon, was released in February 2009. Intended as a more experimental work than their previous two albums, it was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, who share songwriting credits with the band. The band had worked on new songs with producer Rick Rubin in 2006, but the material was shelved.

In June 2007 the band began writing and recording with Eno and Lanois. Note: subscription required. Recording continued through 2008 in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and in Fez, Morocco, where the band explored North African music. The album was completed in December 2008 and received generally positive reviews, including their first five-star Rolling Stone review. Critics, however, noted it was not as experimental as expected. The album debuted at number one in over 30 countries, but the album's sales have been comparatively low by U2 standards and it did not contain a hit single. The group commenced the U2 360Â° Tour in 2009. The shows feature the largest concert stage structure ever and a 360-degree staging/audience configuration that allows fans to surround the stage from all sides. The tour visited European and North American stadiums in 2009, with additional shows in Europe in 2010.

The band finished off 2010 with shows in Australia and New Zealand and kicked off 2011 with shows in South Africa; additional shows are planned for South America and North America later in the year. U2's scheduled headline appearance at the Glastonbury Festival 2010 was cancelled and the 2010 North American leg of the tour postponed following a serious injury to Bono's back. In 2009, Rolling Stone named U2 one of eight "Artists of the Decade". The group's tours ranked them second in total concert grosses for the decade after The Rolling Stones, although U2 had a significantly higher attendance figure than the Stones. They were the only band in the top 25 touring acts of the 2000s to sell out every show they played. Musical style Instrumentation U2 360 at Cowboys Stadium.jpgthumbalt=U2 performs on a stage. Bono stands in the center facing away towards a drum kit, with each leg on an amplifier. The Edge, playing guitar to his right, faces him. Adam Clayton, playing bass to his Bono's left, faces him.

Fans are visible in the backgroundU2 performing at the Cowboys Stadium, Arlington in the United States in 2009. The Edge has described the band as a fundamentally live band. Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of record producer Steve Lillywhite at a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency. The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delayGulla (2009), p. 64 to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, The Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band. Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced brand new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album.

U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as Television and Joy Division, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".Reynolds (2006), p. 368 U2's sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on Boy and October, but evolved through War to include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive. Boy and War were labelled "muscular and assertive" by Rolling Stone, influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing. The Unforgettable Fire, which began with The Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up The Joshua Tree, had Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The songs from The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning fascination with America's culture, people and places.

In the 1990s, U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesisers, distortion, and electronic beats derived from alternative rock, industrial music, dance, and hip-hop on Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop. The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with a more traditional rhythm and less obvious use of synthesisers and effects. Lyrics and themes Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian and spiritual imagery, are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Silver and Gold", and "Mothers of the Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The former was written about the troubles in Northern Ireland,McCormick (2006), pp. 135, 139 while the latter concerns the struggle of COMADRESâthe Mothers of the Disappearedâa group of women whose children were killed or "disappeared" by the government during the Salvadoran Civil War.McGee (2008), p.

98 Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil inspired family colour songs like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". An emotional yearning or pleading frequently appears as a lyrical theme, in tracks such as "Yahweh", "Peace on Earth", and "Please". Much of U2's songwriting and music is also motivated by contemplations of loss and anguish, coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, themes that are central to The Joshua Tree. Some of these lyrical ideas have been amplified by Bono and the band's personal experiences during their youth in Ireland, as well as Bono's campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as Zoo TV and PopMart to caricature social trends, such as media overload and consumerism, respectively. While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of their music, U2's lyrics and music have been criticised as apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to actual people or characters. Influences The band cites The Who,McCormick (2006), p. 113 The Clash, Ramones, The Beatles, Joy Division,NewOrderStory .

Warner Bros., 2005. Siouxsie and the Banshees,McCormick (2006), p. 56, 58, 96 Elvis Presley, and Patti Smith as influences. Van Morrison has been cited by Bono as an influenceBayles (1994), p. 321 and his influence on U2 is pointed out by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other musicians and bands such as Radiohead, Snow Patrol, The Fray, OneRepublic, OneRepublic's AmIAnnoying.com. Retrieved on 8 February 2008. Coldplay, This Allure, This Allure â InReview.net The Academy Is..., The Killers, Your Vegas, and Angels & AirwavesNME's 10 Most Influential Bands/Artists. NME Magazine, 2002; Chan, Alvin. musicOMH.com June 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2007. have in turn been influenced by the work of U2.

U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships with artists including Johnny Cash, Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, B.B. King, Lou Reed, Luciano Pavarotti,McCormick (2006), pp. 39, 113, 343 Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Wim Wenders, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, and Anton Corbijn. Campaigning and activism LulaAndBonoVox.jpegthumbBono with then-President Luiz InÃ¡cio Lula da Silva of Brazil. Since the early 1980s, the members of U2âas a band and individuallyâhave collaborated with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice. In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in Band Aid to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. This initiative produced the hit charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and Bob Geldof. In July 1985, U2 played Live Aid, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts.

Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia where they witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting.Tyrangiel, Josh (4 March 2002). Time. Retrieved 16 January 2007; McCormick (2006), p. 289 In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope tour in support of Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited Nicaragua and El Salvador at the invitation of the Sanctuary movement, and saw the effects of the El Salvador Civil War. These 1986 events greatly influenced The Joshua Tree album, which was being recorded at the time. In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop Sellafield" concert with Greenpeace during their Zoo TV tour.McCormick (2006), p.

238 Events in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war inspired the song "Miss Sarajevo", which premiered at a September 1995 Pavarotti and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed at War Child.McCormick (2006), p. 262 A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.McCormick (2006), p. 277 In 1998, they performed in Belfast days prior to the vote on the Good Friday Agreement, bringing Northern Irish political leaders David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement.McCormick (2006), pp. 285â286 Later that year, all proceeds from the release of the "Sweetest Thing" single went towards supporting the Chernobyl Children's Project. In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On" to Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.McCormick (2006), pp.

295â296 In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness 46664 series of concerts hosted by Nelson Mandela. The band played 2005's Live 8 concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights. artforamnesty.org. Retrieved 5 February 2007. Since 2000, Bono's campaigning has included Jubilee 2000 with Bob Geldof, Muhammad Ali, and others to promote the cancellation of third world debt during the Great Jubilee. In January 2002, Bono co-founded the multinational NGO, DATA, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.; CNN.com. Retrieved 31 October 2006; . CNN.com, 21 June 2002. Retrieved 31 October 2006.

Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. The ONE Campaign, originally the US counterpart of Make Poverty History, was shaped by his efforts and vision. In late 2005, following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, The Edge helped introduce Music Rising, an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast. modernguitars.com. Retrieved 16 January 2007. In 2006, U2 collaborated with punk rock band Green Day to record a remake of the song "The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising. U2 and Bono's social activism have not been without its critics, however. Several authors and activists who publish in politically left journals such as CounterPunch have decried Bono's support of political figures such as Paul Wolfowitz, as well as his "essential paternalism".

Other news sources have more generally questioned the efficacy of Bono's campaign to relieve debt and provide assistance to Africa.; and Tax and development campaigners have also criticised the band's move from Ireland to the Netherlands to reduce its tax bill.Richard Murphy, "Bono's Choice", http Other projects The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "In a Lifetime" with the Irish band Clannad. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film Captive in 1986,McCormick (2006), p. 169 which included a vocal performance by SinÃ©ad O'Connor that predates her own debut album by a year. Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's a Mystery to Me" for Roy Orbison, which was featured on his 1989 album Mystery Girl.McCormick (2006), p.

211 In 1990, Bono and The Edge provided the soundtrack to Royal Shakespeare Company London stage version of A Clockwork Orange (only one track was ever released, on the b-side to "The Fly" single). That same year, Mullen co-wrote and produced a song for the Irish International soccer team in Italia '90, called "Put 'Em Under Pressure", which topped the Irish charts. Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "GoldenEye" for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, which was performed by Tina Turner.de la Parra (2003), p. 141 Clayton and Mullen reworked the title track of the movie Mission: Impossible in 1996.de la Parra (2003), p. 132 Bono loaned his voice to "Joy" on Mick Jagger's 2001 album Goddess in the Doorway. Bono also recorded a spare, nearly spoken-word version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the Tower of Song compilation in 1995.

Additionally, in 1998, Bono collaborated with Kirk Franklin and Crystal Lewis (along with controversial mainstream artists R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige) for a successful gospel song called "Lean on Me". Aside from musical collaborations, U2 have worked with several authors. American author William S. Burroughs had a guest appearance in U2's video for "Last Night on Earth" shortly before he died. NME. Retrieved on 22 November 2010 His poem "A Thanksgiving Prayer" was used as video footage during the band's Zoo TV Tour. Other collaborators include William Gibson and Allen Ginsberg.Pancella, Angela. atu2.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008; PBS.com. Retrieved on 25 January 2008. In early 2000, the band recorded three songs for The Million Dollar Hotel movie soundtrack, including "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", which was co-written by Salman Rushdie and motivated by his book of the same name. CNN.com (22 January 1999). Retrieved on 25 January 2008.

In 2007 Bono appeared in the movie Across the Universe and performed The Beatles songs. Bono and The Edge also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Additionally, The Edge created the theme song for Season 1 and 2 of the animated television series The Batman.Pompeo, Joe (3 March 2009). (HTML). The New York Observer. The New York Observer, LLC. Retrieved on 8 March 2009 Legacy Bono Edge Foxboro 09212009 U2360.jpgthumbRolling Stone ranked The Edge and Bono among the greatest guitarists and singers, respectively.alt=The Edge and Bono stand on a darkened stage, with lit-up smoke behind them. The Edge is strumming a guitar while Bono holds a microphone to his mouth. U2 first received Grammy Awards for The Joshua Tree in 1988, and have won 22 in total, from 34 nominations, more than any other band.; grammy.com. Retrieved 15 October 2006.

These include Best Rock Duo or Group, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Rock Album. The British Phonographic Industry has awarded U2 seven BRIT Awards, five of these being for Best International Group. In Ireland, U2 have won 14 Meteor Awards since the awards began in 2001. Other awards include one AMA, four VMAs, ten Q Awards, two Juno Awards, three NME Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in early 2005. In 2006, all four members of the band received ASCAP awards for writing the songs, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Vertigo". U2 have sold more than 150 million records, placing them amongst the best-selling music artists of all-time. The Joshua Tree ranks as one of the best-selling albums in the US, having shipped 10 million units, and it is also among the best-selling albums worldwide with sales of 25 million copies.

Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", while ranking Bono the 32nd greatest singer and The Edge the 24th greatest guitarist. In 2010, eight of U2's songs appeared on Rolling Stones updated list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", with "One" ranking the highest at number 36. Five of the group's twelve studio albums were ranked on Rolling Stones 2003 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"âThe Joshua Tree placed the highest at number 26. Discography

Question: Which group released the album 'Zooropa' in 1993?
Answer: U2