Best of... the Noughties?

31 Dec 2009339

It's December 31st 2009, the end of a decade which saw the band release three studio albums.

The 'noughties' for U2 started with All That You Can't Leave Behind in 2000, then came How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in 2004 and this year came No Line on The Horizon.





Was it a single release that became a global hit or an obscure album track that you think most people still haven't discovered?

Was it a track they've yet to play live or a song that no live show can now be complete without?

Was it something they wrote which doesn't feature on one of the three studio albums? (There's a handful of tracks like this... when you come to think of it.)

Your call. Tell us what was the ONE greatest piece of work the band created during the last decade... and in a couple of sentences tell us why.

Comments
339
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stayann
Peace on Earth
I love the last three album, they are all beautiful. Peace on Earth was playing the first time I went through the Battery Tunnel and past ground zero after Sept. 11th. I remember listening to the words of that song as I went past that one big piece of the outside of the tower that was still standing, smoking, for what seemed like years. "They're reading names out over the radio. All the folks the rest of us won't get to know." It's so beautiful and amazing, and then New York. Such a beautiful album and I felt like those songs were written just for me to listen to going into Manhattan everyday, crying as I look to my right. I love U2 so intensly, I can't even put it into words.
FCBU2
Difficult to choose!
City of blinding lights and Elevation are always on my mind. I´m from Barcelona and my son, 7 years old, can sing every single song of U2...magnificient!
fallujah1
City of Blinding lights
This song caputres who bono really is on the inside and lets us see, a very rare glimpise in to his crazy world.
johnnywad
Original of the Species
Then ill pick one from each album. Kite,Sometimes you cant make it on your own,Magnificent !!...too many great ones to choose
johnnywad
One song from each
Original of the Species,Sometimes You Cant Make it on Your Own, Magnificant
green
The best band!
As mention before, No Line On The Horizon CD and Moment Of Surrender is the greatest piece of music. People really needs to here these songs from the greatest band. These songs are beautiful and I love the mystery. Hope to hear as many of these songs possible at my show this summer. The boys are truely from the future, they have the best body of music. We love U2! Ash green.
jj_101
There are a few but we should all Levita
Personally "Kite" gets me everytime I hear it, I balwed like a baby at Slane 2001 when they played it (along with Signs by Bloc Party & Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens, its one of the only songs to make me cry) Beautiful Day is probably their best song, from the albums, it just blew everyone out of the water when it came out (even those that hate U2 normally). It still does. But a song I'd been hearing rumours about for ages & never got to hear it properly because it got beaten off ATYCLB by Beautiful Day (and its mixed format spilling over from "Pop") is Levitate. I still wish they had of released that in some format like "Strawberry Fields" (where would music be without that tune now?) because that is a fantastic song. Its shows great growth that puts U2 further from Joshua & Achtung then anything they've released in the last decade
green
The best band ever!
I love all the cds by the best band ever! This has been the best decade yet. Moment of Surrender is the greatest piece of music. The whole No Line on The Horrizon CD is the best. The shows have been so great and out of this world. I will never forget them.The songs on No Line On The Horizon have so much mystery and beauty. The boys are the best! Our band is truely is the band from the future. i can't wait for the 2010 shows. Thank you boys! We love you. Ash Green.
dubvin
What cluttercoco said...
I just raid the comment by cluttercoco dated 4/1/10. WOW. I couldn't have put it better myself! Fair play to ya!!!
hamps
A tough one...
....but if forced to chose my top 5 tracks of the decade would be:- Beautiful Day Breathe Magnificent Sometimes you can't make it on your own Kite All amazing tracks. Here's to the next decade - A celebration!
sheilak
LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE
One of the most underrated U2 songs. Moment of Surrender a close second.
kikka
BEAUTIFUL DAY!!
I could live only with this song and anything else....
munker11
Only One Winner
If I had to Pick its gotta be Beautiful Day! Its the song that brought U2 back from the mainstream wilderness and has stayed around since!
JoyceP
Best songs
Well there is so much brilliant material to choose from but I would have to say Kite, Beautiful Day, Crumbs From Your Table, Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own and Magnificent are some of my absolute favourites
pablito
Original of the Species
Can't believe it didn't have commercial success. Beautiful tune, gorgeous lyrics, amazing hymn to beauty. Would love to see it live in this tour...
djs7
Beautiful Days
For me it's a toss up between Beautiful Day live at Slane and City Of Blinding Lights live at Chicago.. Both are just so awesome!!! ps Please make my year and announce a tour "down under" ...
cluttercoco
What a tough choice!!
Short version: MOMENT OF SURRENDER is their best song this decade. Reason: impressive composition, beautiful musical performance, amazing lyric and amazing vocal by Bono: U2 at their most sincere, if that is possible, because they are ALWAYS sincere. BEST LIVE SONGS: I'll go crazy and Unknown Caller!!! Those songs RULED! The interaction with the audience was hair raising. Long version: I love all their songs for different reasons, but I think that NO LINE ON THE HORIZON is their best album this decade, and I cannot choose!!! Well, here it goes: GIANT HAPPY PILLS: Beautiful Day, Magnificent MOST INSPIRING: I'll go crazy (I can really identify with that tune), WALK ON, MOST PHILOSOPHICAL : Moment of Surrender, Unknown Caller, Yahweh, when I look at the world, MOST SONICALLY IMPRESSIVE: Moment of surrender, Cedars of Lebanon(amazing vocal by BONO), Magnificent, City of Blinding Lights, FEZ, No line on the horizon MOST ENERGIZING: Love and peace or else, ELEVATION!!!, Vertigo, Get on your boots (so great live) As soon as I submit this I will realize that I missed something....U2 is SIMPLY AMAZING!! They are the absolute best. No other band wears their heart on their sleeve like they do, and no band is as sincere as U2 is. That is probably what sums it up for me: their heart and soul is visible through their sound. It all fits together so incredibly well. That's why they are the best live band also. I have seen enough bands, and I love a lot of bands BUT U2 cannot be beaten as far as I am concerned...by NOBODY!!
Mdougla
A MAN AND A WOMAN
That Bass Line!!!! Thank you Adam!
GangsterQ
Best U2000s
Probably Yahweh, New York, Moment of Surrender, In a Little While, or When I Look at the World
martin schepen
Magnificent...!
It was a close shave between this song, Moment of Surrender and Beautiful Day, but at the end Magnificent is the most powerful. Thanks to The Edge.
80sBabe
BREATHE
BREATHE! I love this song - and was so thrilled that U2 opened the 360 tour with it! Looking forward to the 2010 tour - see you in Michigan and Chicago boys!
lastniteonearth
lastniteonearth
atyclb: KITE...somewhere I can taste the salt of the sea....... HTDAB: Original of the Species..Baby slow down...(gets me every time) NLOTH: MOMENT: I've been in every black hole..... Obviously it's impossible to pick just one..but of the three albums...no contest..NLOTH....is an album must be played straight through and the combo of Crazy, Boots and Stand up is awesome cranked loud and proud. "Baby baby baby.....you know I"m not alone....." cheers.
plilla
Top 3
For me, Beautiful Day, Walk On and City of Blinding Ligths are the best songs of the decade.
GloriaVox
Beautiful Day
What we needed in the Oughties was hope and optimism for the troubled times that were. While you can find hope in nearly every U2 song, nothing rings out so strongly for this decade as Beautiful Day.
shwamee
Madison Square Garden 2001
When we saw the power of their music to unite and heal after September 11.
Brille
Miracle Drug
I have a hard time trying to find one single favorite song from this decade. But I feel that Miracle Drug is a such great song, the lyrics is so powerful, this song is pure magic to me! Second has to be Magnificent, I just feel happiness when I hear this song, love and happiness. The third is City Of Blinding Lights or Beautiful Day or maybe Breathe... I love them all!
Withorwithoutyou22
tough call but here we go!
Im going to go for the ones that arent universally known . Kite has own of the best bridge sections (Im a man, im not a child a man who sees the shadow behind your eyes), But in a little while is an amazingly touching song , A Man and a Woman has one of the best lyrics i think (you cant be numb for love the only pain is to feel nothing at all.) and the guitar is simple yet amazing, and Fez -Being Born which has little lyric but takes you on a journey, an amazing piece of music
bruno_handler
4 of the best
For me, it's just not possible to choose just one song. My favourite 4 songs are: Vertigo, In a little while, The hands that built America and Magnificent Honestly U2 gave us so many great songs over the last ten years that I'm really looking forwad to the future! THANX for the great music!
deankelly30
when i look at the world
to many to choose from but it's got to be when i look at the world from all that you cant leave behind.
midnightmoon
Walk On, and...
impossible to pick one song. my favorites change weekly, so here goes... 1. Walk On 2. City of Blinding Lights 3. Magnificent 4. In A Little While 5. All Because Of You would love to hear Gone, Out Of Control and A Sort of Homecoming in concert, soon.
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