Rolling Stone readers have placed six U2 albums in their 100 Greatest
Records of all time - two in the Top Ten.
The six albums are
War (1983),
The Unforgettable Fire (1984),
The Joshua
Tree (1987),
Achtung Baby (1991),
Zooropa (1993) and
All That You Can't
Leave Behind (2000).
Check the poll results for yourself here
rollingstone.comMeanwhile, here's the six U2 albums in the Readers 100, in descending order,
complete with the magazine's comments.
70. Zooropa"When we start records, Edge is a slow starter. But at the end, he's the guy
who's up all night for weeks." - BONO
During a two-month vacation from the Zoo TV Tour, U2 improvised some of
their strangest songs.
Essential track: "The Wanderer," with lead vocals by Johnny Cash.
You said: "This album is the embodiment of a period from the most creative,
intelligent band in a time when one-hit-wonders and over-produced,
no-talent, pseudo-artists ruled the charts."
Chart peak: 1
Sales: 2 million
53. The Unforgettable Fire"The greatest threat to the career of this band, or any other band, is
financial success." - THE EDGE
The band's first collaboration with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois
traded in martial guitars for murky soundscapes.
Essential track: "Pride (In the Name of Love)," even though it got the time
of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death wrong.
You said: "Magnificent lyrics, great build-up, fabulous chemistry and
absolute classic masterpieces!"
Chart peak: 12
Sales: 3 million
49. War"Sadomasochism is not taboo in rock & roll. Spirituality is." - BONO
To get the drums to boom properly, the band recorded them under a staircase
behind the studio receptionist's desk.
Essential track: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" -- even if you don't know what it's
protesting (the death of Irish civilians at the hands of British soldiers in
1920, and again in 1972), it makes you want to storm the ramparts.
You said: "Initially, it is the album that declared to the world that U2
would take over rock & roll and attempt to raise consciousness at the same
time -- an admirable feat."
Chart peak: 12
Sales: 4 million
15. All That You Can't Leave Behind"Joy in our group comes out of vowels, words with very few consonants, words
that form when you're singing." - BONO
"Beautiful Day" was once a surf-punk song, then a New Age hymn. Then the
Edge added a guitar part that the group dubbed "the Classic Coke riff."
Essential track: "Elevation," built around one of the Edge's most sinuous
licks.
You said: "There isn't a song on the album that doesn't touch you in some
way. This album changed my life; it actually SAVED my life in the days
following September 11th. Music is a great thing, and it is never greater
than when it comes from U2."
Chart peak: 3
Sales: 3 million
10. Achtung Baby"U2's records take a long time to make not because the band members are
stuck for ideas but because they never stop talking about them." - BRIAN ENO
U2 arrived in Berlin the night before the Wall came down and stuck around to
make their darkest album -- which they obscured with a goofy title.
Essential track: "One," which became a standard done by everyone from Guns
n' Roses to Michael Stipe to Johnny Cash.
You said: "Achtung Baby hides themes like infidelity and failing
relationships among infectious dance rhythms and dirty guitar lines. It is
one of the great examples of a band experimenting with its sound without
sacrificing the songs."
Chart peak: 1
Sales: 8 million
4. The Joshua Tree"Marvin Gaye, Patti Smith, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder -- gee, I
don't think there's anyone I like in rock & roll that isn't as screwed up as
me in this area [religion]. I started realizing that rock & roll devoid of
that spiritual confusion is the rock & roll that I don't like anyway." -
BONO
On their fifth album, U2 leapt into the arms of America and landed their
first Number One record. Before the Edge performed the guitar solo in
"Bullet the Blue Sky," Bono told him, "Put El Salvador through your
amplifier."
Essential track: "Running to Stand Still," a steel-guitar ballad about
heroin addiction.
You said: "It transcends time, media overplay, and keeps providing
inspiration (spiritual and otherwise). It's down to earth, no bubble-gum pop
over-blow."
Chart peak: 1
Sales: 10 million