Timeline of U2
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

This is a timeline of the history of rock band U2:


Pre-1976

*13 March 1960:
Adam Clayton Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960) is an English-born Irish musician who is the bass guitarist of the rock band U2. He has resided in County Dublin, Ireland since his family moved to Malahide in 1965, when he was five years old. C ...
is born in
Chinnor Chinnor is a large village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Thame, close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The village is a spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern escarpment. Since 1932 the ci ...
, Oxfordshire. *10 May 1960: Paul David Hewson ( Bono) is born in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
. *8 August 1961: David Howell Evans (
The Edge David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...
) is born in
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...
. *31 October 1961:
Larry Mullen Jr Laurence Joseph Mullen Jr. (; born 31 October 1961) is an Irish musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band U2. Mullen was born in Dublin, where he attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. In 1976, he co-founded U2 ...
. is born in Artane, Dublin. *September 1974: Bono's mother, Iris Hewson, dies of a brain aneurysm in Dublin four days after collapsing at her father's funeral.Stokes (1996), p. 140. *Autumn: Paul Hewson and his neighbourhood friends form the "Lypton Village," in which they create their own language, dress differently, and put on art installations. The group nicknames Hewson ''Bono'' after a Dublin hearing aid store.


1976

*25 September: The band that will become U2 forms in Dublin after Mullen posts a notice seeking musicians for a new band on the
Mount Temple Comprehensive School Mount Temple Comprehensive School is a secondary school in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland. The school operates under the patronage of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, and has, as a primary objective, the provision of state-funded second-l ...
notice board. Attending the first practice are Mullen (playing drums), The Edge and his older brother Dik Evans (playing guitar), the Evans brothers' friend Adam Clayton (playing bass guitar), Bono (performing lead vocals), and Mullen's friends Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin. *September: The band name themselves "Feedback" because it was one of the few technical terms they knew. *Autumn: Martin leaves the band after the first practice, and McCormick leaves within a few weeks. *late 1976: Feedback give their first public performance at a talent contest held in the school canteen.


1977

* April: Feedback play their first gig for a paying audience at St. Fintan's High School.McGee (2008), pp.11-12 * 1977: Feedback change their name to "The Hype".


1978

*February: The Hype record a performance of "The Fool" for the RTÉ programme, ''Our Times''. *March: The ''Our Times'' performance airs, marking the band's first television appearance.McGee (2008), p. 14 *18 March: As a four-piece playing under the name "U2", the band win a talent show in
Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, Ireland. The prize is £500 and studio time to record a demo for CBS Ireland. *20 March: The band play their last concert as The Hype. During the performance, Dik Evans ceremonially leaves the stage, and the remaining four members play a set as "U2".McCormick (2006), pp. 46–48 *28 April: Bill Graham publishes his first interview with U2 in ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
''. *April: U2 record their first demo tape at Keystone Studios, Dublin.Wall, Mick, (2005). Bono. Andre Deutsch Publishers. (Promotional edition published by Paperview UK is association with the Irish Independent), p. 45 *25 May 1978:
Paul McGuinness Paul McGuinness (born 16 June 1951) is the founder of ''Principle Management Limited'', a popular music act management company based in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013. Early life ...
agrees to become U2's manager. *9 September 1978: U2 play in support of
The Stranglers The Stranglers are an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene. Scoring 23 UK top 40 singles and 19 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are one of the longest-surviving bands to have origin ...
at the Top Hat Ballroom, their biggest gig to date. They are paid £50. *November 1978: Mullen's mother, Maureen Mullen, is killed in a car accident. *December 1978: U2 play in support of The Greedy Bastards, a band made up of members of Sex Pistols,
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or som ...
, and Boomtown Rats, at the Stardust nightclub in Dublin.Stokes (1996), p. 140.


1979

*February: Using borrowed money, Bono travels to London to plug U2 at the offices of record companies and music magazines. *May: U2 play the first of six afternoon concerts at the Dandelion Market in Dublin. Organised for young people prohibited from the venues U2 normally play, the concerts greatly expand their Dublin audience. *September: U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled ''
Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
'', becomes the band's first Irish chart success. *5 October: U2 play their first television performance on RTÉ at a televised concert at the
Cork Opera House Cork Opera House is a theatre and opera house in Cork in Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the Nort ...
. *26 October: U2 are featured on the cover of ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
'' magazine. *1 November : U2 receive their first cover story outside Ireland in British magazine ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...
''. *1 December: With £3,000 borrowed from family and friends, U2 begin a two-week tour of London clubs, their first shows outside Ireland.


1980

*15 January: U2 perform "Stories for Boys" live on '' The Late Late Show''. *26 February: U2's second single, " Another Day", is released on the CBS label for the Irish market only. *19 March: U2 share the bill with
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
and
The Virgin Prunes Virgin Prunes were an Irish post-punk band formed in 1977 in Dublin, Ireland. They disbanded in 1986 after the departure of singer Gavin Friday. The other members continued under the name The Prunes until they split up in 1991. History The Vir ...
at the ''Sense of Ireland'' festival. Record company executives are present. *23 March: U2 sign an international deal with Island Records. *March – September: The band record their first album at
Windmill Lane Studios Windmill Lane Recording Studios (earlier Windmill Lane Studios) is a recording studio in Dublin, Ireland. It was originally opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson and James Morris in premises at 22 Windmill Lane, and it subsequently relocated to its cu ...
. *23 May: " 11 O'Clock Tick Tock" is released in Ireland, and as the band's first internationally released single, in the UK. *27 July: U2 play their first open-air festival to an audience of 15,000 at Leixlip Castle in
Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
.
The Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Polic ...
top the bill which includes Squeeze and Q-Tips. *August: " A Day Without Me" is released as a single. *6 September – 4 December: The band play a 57-date tour of Europe. *27 September: U2 support Echo and the Bunnymen in London's Lyceum Ballroom. *October: "
I Will Follow "I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, ''Boy'', and it was released as the album's second single in October 1980. Lead singer Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mothe ...
" is released as a single and peaks at number 20 on the Mainstream Rock charts. *14 October: The band play to a small audience in KRO Studios in Hilversum, The Netherlands. The show is broadcast the following day to coincide with the following day's first mainland European concert. *15 October: U2 play their first continental Europe gig at
Melkweg Melkweg (Dutch for "Milky Way") is a popular music venue and cultural centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located on Lijnbaansgracht, near Leidseplein, a prime nightlife square of Amsterdam. It is housed in a former dairy and is divided int ...
("The Milkyway") in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
. *19 October: U2 play the Lyceum Ballroom, opening for
Slade Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The ''British Hit Singles ...
with the hardcore punk fame Discharge and
Last Words Last words are the final utterances before death. The meaning is sometimes expanded to somewhat earlier utterances. Last words of famous or infamous people are sometimes recorded (although not always accurately) which became a historical and liter ...
. *20 October: The band's debut album, ''
Boy A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man. Definition, etymology, and use According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is ...
'', is released in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It peaks at No. 52 in British charts. *6 December: U2 play their first American concert at The Ritz in New York City as part of a 14-date tour. *9 December: U2 perform their debut concert in Canada the day after
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's death. The angry and emotional performance receives glowing reviews in Canadian media.


1981

*24 January – 28 February: U2 play dates in the United Kingdom and play their first tour of continental Europe. *3 March: ''Boy'' is released in the United States. *3 March – 31 May: U2 commence their first major tour of the United States playing almost 60 dates across the country largely in clubs. *4 June: U2 make their American television debut on the Tomorrow Show to promote the Boy album. Bono and the Edge are interviewed briefly by host Tom Snyder and the band plays "I Will Follow" and an incomplete version of "Twilight" during the credits *July: The single "
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...
" is released. *July – August: The band record their second album at
Windmill Lane Studios Windmill Lane Recording Studios (earlier Windmill Lane Studios) is a recording studio in Dublin, Ireland. It was originally opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson and James Morris in premises at 22 Windmill Lane, and it subsequently relocated to its cu ...
, in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
. The sessions are complicated after the briefcase containing Bono's lyrics was lost earlier in the year during a show in
Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
. *5 October: " Gloria" is released as a single and makes the UK charts.Parra (1996), p. 25. The video for "Gloria" is directed by Meiert Avis and shot in the Canal Basin in Dublin. *12 October: The band's second album, ''
October October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and the sixth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus , October retained its name (from Latin and Greek ''ôc ...
'', is released. 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. The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. It enters the UK charts at number 11.


1982

*March: The single " A Celebration" is released. * July 18 U2 support Rory Gallagher at
Punchestown Racecourse Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish National ...
festival where acts such as Simple Minds and Phil Lynott were also on the bill. *31 August: Bono marries high school sweetheart,
Alison Stewart Alison Stewart (born July 4, 1966) is an American journalist and author. Stewart first gained widespread visibility as a political correspondent for MTV News in the 1990s. Early life and education Stewart was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. ...
, in Raheny, Dublin. They honeymoon in
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
where Bono reportedly works on the lyrics for the new album. *1 December: The pre-
War Tour War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...
begins.


1983

*January: The new album's first single, " New Year's Day" is released and becomes the band's first hit outside Ireland or the UK. *28 February: The band release their third album ''
War War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
''. which debuts at number one in the UK. *11 March: The single "
Two Hearts Beat as One "Two Hearts Beat as One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the seventh track on their 1983 album, ''War'', and was released as its second single in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia on 21 March 1983. History The music video ...
" is releasedStokes (1996), p. 142. in Europe, North America, and Australia. In Germany and The Netherlands, "
Sunday Bloody Sunday "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1983 album ''War'' and was released as the album's third single on 21 March 1983 in the Netherlands and West Germany. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is noted ...
" is released instead. *23 April: The American leg of the War Tour starts in
Kenan Stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium is a stadium located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and is the home field of the North Carolina Tar Heels. It is primarily used for football. The stadium opened in 1927 and holds 50,500 people. It is located near the cen ...
, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. *30 May: US Festival at Glen Helen Regional Park, San Bernardino, CA, USA *5 June: U2 plays in the
Red Rocks Amphitheatre Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure in the western United States, near Morrison, Colorado, west of Denver. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind ...
in Denver. *12 July: The Edge marries Aislinn O'Sullivan with Bono serving as best man. *November: The live mini album ''
Under a Blood Red Sky ''Under a Blood Red Sky'' is a live album by Irish rock band U2, produced by Jimmy Iovine and released on 21 November 1983. The record's eight tracks were compiled from three concerts during the group's 1983 War Tour, including two songs fro ...
'' is released alongside the video of the Denver concert, '' Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky''. *22 November: U2 play their first Japanese concert, debuting in
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
. *30 November: The War Tour ends. *December: U2 is voted "Band of the Year" in the
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
magazine writer's poll.


1984

*1984: U2 re-sign with Island Records under far more lucrative terms. *7 May – 5 June: U2 work on their fourth album at
Slane Castle Slane Castle (Irish ''Cáisleán Bhaile Shláine'') is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on ...
. The band hire Brian Eno and
Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie ...
as producers. *6 June – 7 August: U2 complete work on their fourth album at
Windmill Lane Studios Windmill Lane Recording Studios (earlier Windmill Lane Studios) is a recording studio in Dublin, Ireland. It was originally opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson and James Morris in premises at 22 Windmill Lane, and it subsequently relocated to its cu ...
.McGee (2008), p. 75 *4 July: The Edge's wife Aislinn gives birth to their first child, Hollie. *1 August: U2 establish
Mother Records Mother Records was a record label founded by the band U2 in 1983 and distributed by parent Island Records. As a supportive promotional platform, the label released several one-off single releases for The Hothouse Flowers, In Tua Nua and Cactus ...
. *29 August: The band's first tour of Australia and New Zealand begins in
Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
. Dubbed, "Under Australian Skies Tour", it comprises 15 concerts with Australian band Matt Finish and a largely War Tour setlist is played. *September: "
Pride (In the Name of Love) "Pride (In the Name of Love)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on the band's 1984 album, ''The Unforgettable Fire'', and was released as its lead single in September 1984. The song was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lano ...
" 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. *1 October: U2's fourth album, ''
The Unforgettable Fire ''The Unforgettable Fire'' is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the har ...
'', is released.Parra, Pimm Jal de la ''U2 Live: A Concert Documentary'', pp. 52–55, 1996, Harper Collins Publishers, *October – November: The Unforgettable Fire Tour plays 21 shows in halls and
arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
s in Western Europe. *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.


1985

*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". *January – February: The band play 13 shows in Western Europe. The leg included 5 shows in Germany and the band's first concert in Italy. *Late February – May: 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. *April: The album's second and final single, "
The Unforgettable Fire ''The Unforgettable Fire'' is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the har ...
", is released. It reaches No. 6 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and No. 8 on the Dutch singles chart, but does not perform as well in the U.S. *May: The four-track EP '' Wide Awake in America'' is released. *Late May – mid July: U2 play nine concerts in the European festival season. *29 June: U2 play a homecoming concert at Dublin's Croke Park, their first headlining show in a stadium. *13 July: U2 perform at the Live Aid benefit concert for Ethiopian famine relief at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...
. The band's performance, which included a 12-minute version of " Bad", is a pivotal point for the band's career, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences. *September: Bono and wife, Ali, volunteer as relief workers for
World Vision In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
in Ethiopia. *15 October: The Edge and wife Aislinn's second child, Arran, is born.


1986

*30 January: Bono and Larry Mullen 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 a cover of "Knocking on Heaven's Door".Parra (1996), p. 74. *February: The debut issue of ''Propaganda'', U2's new fanclub magazine, is published. *27 February: U2 are among the readers’ choice 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. *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. *4–15 June: U2 interrupt writing for their album to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International's
A Conspiracy of Hope A Conspiracy of Hope was a short tour of six benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place in the United States during June 1986. The purpose of the tour was not to raise funds but rather to increase awareness of human rig ...
tour. Rather than distract, the tour adds extra intensity and power to their new music. *3 July: U2 crew member Greg Carroll is killed in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. *10 July: Band members perform at Carroll's burial Kai-iwi Marae in New Zealand. *mid-July: Bono and wife Ali travel to
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
on a visit organised by Central American Mission Partners (CAMP), which is dedicated to human rights and economic development in Latin America. They visit
Ernesto Cardenal Ernesto Cardenal Martínez (20 January 1925 – 1 March 2020) was a Nicaraguan Catholic priest, poet, and politician. He was a liberation theologian and the founder of the primitivist art community in the Solentiname Islands, where he lived fo ...
of the
Sandinista The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto C ...
government and musician
Carlos Mejía Godoy Carlos Mejía Godoy (born June 27, 1943) is a Nicaraguan musician (accordion), composer and singer. He was born in Somoto, Madriz. Son of Carlos Mejía Fajardo and María Elsa Godoy, his brother Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, three years younger tha ...
.McGee (2008), p. 98. *19 July: The group listens to President Daniel Ortega speak on the country's Revolution Day. *20 July: Bono is moved by churchgoers calling out the names of loved ones who have died fighting the ''contras''. *late July: Bono and Ali's group flies to El Salvador for 4 to 5 days. They meet the group COMADRES – the Mothers of the Disappeared – a group of women whose children have been killed or disappeared at the hands of the government. As the group walks through a remote rural area north of San Salvador, government troops shoot in their direction, scaring the group. *1 August: The band recommence recording sessions at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin. Bono's first-hand experience of the conflicts in Central America become a central influence on songs such as "Bullet The Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared". Motivated by friendships with
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...
and
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
, the band looked back to the roots of rock music, and Bono focused on his skills as a song and lyric writer. *October: U2 see blues legend
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...
play in Dublin and they meet him backstage. The band and King later record the song " When Love Comes to Town". *November: Recording sessions for the new album finish. *14–16 December: U2 travel around the Californian desert with photographer Anton Corbijn and designer
Steve Averill Steve Averill (born 1950) is an Irish graphic artist, art director, writer, musician, and former punk rock vocalist. He, along with his company, AMP Visual (previously Four5One Creative), has designed all the album covers for the Irish band U2. ...
, shooting pictures in the desert landscape for the new album's cover. On the evening after the first day's shooting, Corbijn tells the band about
Joshua Tree ''Yucca brevifolia'' is a plant species belonging to the genus ''Yucca''. It is tree-like in habit, which is reflected in its common names: Joshua tree, yucca palm, tree yucca, and palm tree yucca. This monocotyledonous tree is native to the ar ...
s and suggests their use on the sleeve. The following day they find an unusual lone-standing tree, images of which are used for the album sleeve, and the album is named ''
The Joshua Tree ''The Joshua Tree'' is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, ' ...
''. *late December: U2 call in
Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite, (born 15 March 1955) is a British record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts XTC, Bi ...
to remix a few of the new songs which he works on into the new year.


1987

*January: U2 complete B-side recordings for the album's single releases, including the tracks "Walk to the Water", "Luminous Times", and "Spanish Eyes". *February: U2 shoot a video for "
Red Hill Mining Town "Red Hill Mining Town" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the sixth track from their 1987 album, ''The Joshua Tree''. A rough version of this song was worked on during the early ''Joshua Tree'' album writing sessions in 1985. The focus of the ...
",McGee (2008), p. 100. which was intended to be one of the album's singles but it was not released. A video is also shot for "
With or Without You "With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, '' The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful sing ...
" in Dublin. *9 March: U2's fifth studio album, ''
The Joshua Tree ''The Joshua Tree'' is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, ' ...
'', is released and goes to number one in 22 countries. *21 March: "
With or Without You "With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, '' The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful sing ...
" is released and becomes the band's first number one single on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. *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".Parra (1996), p. 79. *30 March: In rehearsals for
The Joshua Tree Tour The Joshua Tree Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place during 1987, in support of their album ''The Joshua Tree''. The tour was depicted by the video and live album '' Live from Paris'' and in the 1988 studio/live ...
, Bono falls backwards off the stage and his chin is gashed. He still carries the scar. ''The Joshua Tree'' enters the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart at number 7.Parra (1996), p. 97. *2 April: U2 open The Joshua Tree Tour in
Tempe, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Vale of Tempe , image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg , imagesize = 260px , image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...
. The hot dry desert air affects Bono's voice, and he is barely able to sing on opening night. Concert promoter
Barry Fey Barry Fey (1938 – April 28, 2013) was an American rock concert promoter from Colorado who was best known for bringing prominent music acts to the United States for the first time. Early life Music career Barry Fey's first concert w ...
reads out a statement on behalf of the band denouncing Arizona Governor,
Evan Mecham Evan Mecham ( ; May 12, 1924 – February 21, 2008) was an American businessman and the 17th governor of Arizona, serving from January 5, 1987, until his impeachment conviction on April 4, 1988. A decorated veteran of World War II, Mecham was a ...
's intention to abolish the
Martin Luther King Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monda ...
holiday in that State.Parra (1996), p. 79. *7 April: ''The Joshua Tree'' reaches number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, where it remains for nine weeks. *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 "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album '' The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's ...
" in the neon-lit streets. *14 April:
Maria McKee Maria Luisa McKee (born August 17, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her work with Lone Justice, her 1990 song " Show Me Heaven", and her song "If Love Is a Red Dress (Hang Me in Rags)" from the film ''Pulp Fiction'' ...
performs a duet with Bono on U2's cover of " I Shall Be Released" during their concert in San Diego. *20 April:
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
joins the band onstage to sing "I Shall Be Released" and "
Knocking on Heaven's Door "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, written for the soundtrack of the 1973 film '' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid''. Released as a single two months after the film's premiere, it became a worldwide hit, ...
".Rock's Hottest Ticket
''Time'' Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January 2007.
*27 April: U2 become the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine, which declares U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket". *30 April: U2 play their first headlining stadium show in the United States at the
Pontiac Silverdome The Pontiac Silverdome (also known simply as the Silverdome) was a stadium in Pontiac, Michigan. It opened in 1975 and sat on 199 acres (51 ha) of land. When the stadium opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure, ...
. *May: Sales of ''The Joshua Tree'' surpass seven million. "
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album '' The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's ...
" is released and reaches number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. *27 May: U2 begin the European leg of the Joshua Tree Tour at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome. Most of the leg's 31 shows are in outdoor stadia. *2 June: After listening to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" the night before, Bono starts writing a song for Orbison. After that night's show at
Wembley Arena Wembley Arena (originally the Empire Pool, now known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, England, used for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport. The 12,500-s ...
, Orbison makes a surprise visit backstage where Bono plays the song, " She's a Mystery to Me" for him. *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 off in the crowd causing mild panic and the band interrupt their performance of "With or Without You". *August: "
Where the Streets Have No Name "Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's third single (music), single in August 1987. The song's hook (music) ...
" is released as ''The Joshua Tree'''s third single. *August: U2 find out that Island Records is in financial difficulties and cannot pay them $5 million in ''The Joshua Tree'' royalties. U2 reinvest the unpaid amount into the company in return for an estimated 10% stake in the company. *26 September: U2 rehearse "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" with the New Voices of Freedom in a Harlem church, footage of which later appears in the documentary film ''
Rattle and Hum ''Rattle and Hum'' is a hybrid live/studio album by Irish rock band U2, and a companion rockumentary film directed by Phil Joanou. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine and was released on 10 October 1988, while the film was distributed by ...
''. *October:
Eamon Dunphy Eamon Martin Dunphy (born 3 August 1945) is an Irish media personality, journalist, broadcaster, author, sports pundit and former professional footballer. He grew up playing football for several youth teams including Stella Maris. Since retirin ...
's official biography of the band, ''Unforgettable Fire: The Definitive Biography of U2'' is published. *November: "
In God's Country "In God's Country" is a song by rock music, rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their fifth studio album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's fourth single (music), single in November 1987 in North America only. Recording a ...
" is released as a single in Canada and the US. Import sales are so strong that it charts in the UK. *1 November: The Dalton Brothers make the first of three appearances on The Joshua Tree Tour as support act for U2. A country and western four-piece that plays two songs; they are actually U2 in disguise and all but the front few rows of the audience fail to recognise them.Parra (1994) *8 November: U2 play the
McNichols Sports Arena McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado. Located adjacent to Mile High Stadium and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for hockey games and 17,171 for basketball games. Sports use It was ...
in
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. The same day, an
IRA Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
bomb had killed eleven people at a
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
ceremony in the Northern Irish town of
Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from ga, Inis Ceithleann , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,823 a ...
. During the performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday", Bono condemned the violence and his ''"Fuck the revolution!"'' remark earned him the ire of the IRA. This performance and six other songs from the concert are later used in the ''Rattle and Hum'' film. *11 November: U2 play an impromptu "Save the Yuppie" concert in
Justin Herman Plaza Embarcadero Plaza, previously known as Justin Herman Plaza from its opening in 1972 until 2017, is a plaza near the intersection of Market and Embarcadero in San Francisco's Financial District, in the U.S. state of California. It is owned by Bos ...
in San Francisco as a mock benefit following the October 1987 stock market crash. A cover version of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's "
All Along the Watchtower "All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, '' John Wesley Harding'' (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original ve ...
" is captured for ''Rattle and Hum''. During a performance of "Pride", Bono spray-painted "Rock and Roll Stops the Traffic" on the
Vaillancourt Fountain ''Vaillancourt Fountain'', sometimes called ''Quebec libre!'', is a large fountain in Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco, designed by the Québécois artist Armand Vaillancourt in 1971. It is about high and is constructed out of precast concr ...
. The city issues a warrant for Bono's arrest and Bono writes a letter of apology. *29 November: U2 visit
Graceland Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, which was once owned by rock and roll icon Elvis Presley. His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland after his death in 1977. Graceland is located at 3764 Elv ...
and footage from the visit is later included in the ''Rattle and Hum'' movie. *19–20 December: The Joshua Tree Tour concludes with two performances at the Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona. Footage of five songs is later used in ''Rattle and Hum''.


1988

*February: U2 move to Los Angeles to work with
Phil Joanou Phil Joanou (born November 20, 1961) is an American director of film, music videos, and television programs, known in part for his ongoing relationship to the band U2. Biography Joanou was born in La Cañada Flintridge, California, and began m ...
on the ''
Rattle and Hum ''Rattle and Hum'' is a hybrid live/studio album by Irish rock band U2, and a companion rockumentary film directed by Phil Joanou. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine and was released on 10 October 1988, while the film was distributed by ...
'' documentary. While in LA, they also record new songs at A&M Studios and STS Studios.Stokes (1996), p. 141. *March: "
One Tree Hill One Tree Hill may refer to: * "One Tree Hill" (song), a 1987 song by U2 referencing One Tree Hill, New Zealand volcanic peak * ''One Tree Hill'' (TV series), a 2003–2012 American drama series named for the U2 song ** ''One Tree Hill'' (soundtr ...
" is released as a single exclusively in New Zealand. *2 March: At the Grammy 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''. *May: U2 record additional material for the movie at Dublin's
Point Depot The Point Theatre (sometimes referred to as the Point Depot or simply as the Point) was a concert and events venue in Dublin, Ireland, that operated from 1988 to 2007, visited by in excess of 2 million people. It was located on the North Wall Qu ...
. Footage of performances of "Van Diemen's Land" and " Desire" are later used in the movie. *September: " Desire" is released as the new album's first single. It is the band's first number one single in the UK. *10 October: The part live, part studio, double album ''
Rattle and Hum ''Rattle and Hum'' is a hybrid live/studio album by Irish rock band U2, and a companion rockumentary film directed by Phil Joanou. The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine and was released on 10 October 1988, while the film was distributed by ...
'' is released. *27 October: The ''Rattle and Hum'' film has its world premiere. *November: The Edge joins
Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry an ...
on stage for a surprise appearance at the RDS in Dublin. *6 December: 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 ''Mystery Girl'' is the twenty-second album by American singer Roy Orbison. It was his last album to be recorded during his lifetime, as he completed the album in November 1988, a month before his death at the age of 52, and it was released post ...
'' album. *17 December: "
Angel of Harlem "Angel of Harlem" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the tenth track on their 1988 album ''Rattle and Hum'', and was released as its second single in December 1988. It topped the charts in Canada and New Zealand, and peaked at number nine o ...
" is released as ''Rattle and Hum''s second single.


1989

*April: " When Love Comes to Town" is released as ''Rattle and Hum'''s third single. *10 May: Bono and Ali's first child, Jordan, is born on Bono's 29th birthday. *13 June: " All I Want is You" is released as ''Rattle and Hum'''s fourth and final single. Its release in Australia is delayed until October to coincide with the Lovetown Tour. It reaches number one on the Australian charts. *6 August: Adam Clayton is arrested in Dublin on drug charges. *21 September: The Lovetown Tour starts in Australia. *30 December: Towards the end of the Lovetown Tour, Bono says on stage in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
that "this is just the end of something for U2" and that "we have to go away and … and dream it all up again". *31 December: At midnight, U2 open the last of four Dublin shows with "Where The Streets Have No Name" as the audience counts down the last seconds of the 1980s. The show is played live on radio throughout Europe.


1990

*January: U2 begin their longest break to date, which includes a two-year break from public performance. *17 January: With the rest of U2 in attendance, Bono inducts
The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameMcGee (2008), p. 130. *6 February: The Royal Shakespeare Company's theatrical version of '' A Clockwork Orange'' debuts in London. Bono and Edge provide the score.McCormick (2006), p. 215. *18 February: U2 is named Best International Group at the
Brit Awards The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
. *March: Bono writes two songs with the Neville Brothers called "Jah Love" and "Kingdom Come". *April: Mullen writes the official anthem of Ireland's 1990 World Cup Soccer Team. It is released under a
Mother Records Mother Records was a record label founded by the band U2 in 1983 and distributed by parent Island Records. As a supportive promotional platform, the label released several one-off single releases for The Hothouse Flowers, In Tua Nua and Cactus ...
subsidiary and reaches number one on the Irish Charts. *June: U2 record " Night and Day" for the first of the ''
Red Hot + Blue Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
'' releases. The song is recorded in Edge's basement and produced by Edge and Paul Barrett. *mid-1990: The band record demos at STS studios in Dublin that later evolve into "
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1991 album ''Achtung Baby'', and was released as its fifth and final single in November 1992. Writing and recording "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild H ...
", "
Until the End of the World ''Until the End of the World'' (german: Bis ans Ende der Welt; french: Jusqu'au bout du monde) is a 1991 science fiction adventure drama film directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders. Set at the turn of the millennium in the shadow of a world ...
", " Even Better Than the Real Thing", and " Mysterious Ways".McCormick (2006), pp. 216, 221. *3 October: The band arrive in East Berlin to 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. *4 October: U2 shoot the music video for "Night and Day" at director Wim Wenders' home in Berlin. *December: U2 do several photo shoots with Anton Corbijn around their hotel and at
Hansa Studios Hansa Tonstudio is a recording studio located in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany. The studio, famous for its Meistersaal recording hall, is situated approximately 150 metres from the former Berlin Wall, giving rise to its former nickna ...
, for the new album sleeve and also for publicity shots.McGee (2008), p. 133. *Christmas: The members of U2 get together in Dublin to talk about the group's future after the difficulties of the Berlin sessions. They all agree to continue.


1991

*January: The band return to Berlin to finalise some recording work.McGee (2008), p. 134. *9 February: U2 arrive in
Tenerife Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...
for two weeks of photo and video shoots, which the band hopes will change its image. They dress in masks and join the crowds in the
Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife ( es, Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife}) is held each February in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the largest island of the Canary Islands, Spain and attracts people from all over the world. It i ...
. It is during this time that the photos of U2 in drag are taken. *late February/March – July: Back in Dublin, U2 rent the
Dalkey Dalkey ( ; ) is an affluent suburb of Dublin, and a seaside resort southeast of the city, and the town of Dún Laoghaire, in the county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown in the historic County Dublin, Ireland. It was founded as a Viking settlement ...
seaside manor, "Elsinore House", to continue work on the new album.McGee (2008), p. 135. *Easter: The Edge separates from his wife, Aislinn. The pain of their separation strongly influences the album material which is being written.Fricke (1993).Gardner (1994), p. xxv. *17 March: U2 meet with Willie Williams to continue discussions on the band's next tour. *April: Tapes from the album's earlier Berlin session's are leaked and bootlegged. *May: U2 sue the '' Sunday Independent'' over an October 1990 article based on third-hand reports about U2 behaving badly in a Dublin restaurant. The matter is settled out of court including a printed apology from the paper which says the original article had "no foundation in fact".McGee (2008), p. 136. *mid-May: Island Records announces that it will pursue legal action against anyone selling U2's bootlegged studio tapes. In late May, authorities trace the tapes' distribution to Germany and a factory is shut down. *June: Anton Corbijn is commissioned for another photo shoot, this time in Dublin, the results of which include the nude photo of Adam Clayton that is used on the album sleeve. *14 June: U2 meets with Willie Williams and
Catherine Owens Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Chris ...
to discuss the next tour. New ideas include placing TV monitors all over the stage and using
Trabant Trabant () is a series of small cars produced from 1957 until 1991 by former East German car manufacturer VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau. In total, four different models were made, the Trabant 500, Trabant 600, Trabant 601, and the Tr ...
s as overhead light sources.McGee (2008), p. 137. *July: U2, Anton Corbijn, and designer Steve Averill meet in
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
for a four-day photo shoot. *7 July: Bono and Ali's second child,
Eve Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
, is born. *20 August: Electronic band,
Negativland Negativland is an American experimental music band which originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. They took their name from a Neu! track, while their record label (Seeland Records) is named after another Neu! track. The co ...
, release a single called "U2" which includes an unauthorised sample of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". *5 September: Island Records obtain an injunction against the sale and promotion of Negativland's "U2" single. *13 September: Parts of the video for the new album's first single, " The Fly" are shot in Dublin. The rest of the video is shot in London a few weeks later. *21 September: At the deadline for completion of the new album, U2 stay up all night choosing mixes and the album's running order. *22 September: The Edge takes the tapes of the new album to the United States for final mastering. *October: The video of " Mysterious Ways" is shot in
Fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
in Morocco by director
Stéphane Sednaoui Stéphane Sednaoui () is a French director, photographer, film producer and actor. Over the years, Sednaoui has redefined his artistic approach to focus on his fine-art and cinematographic projects. New and existing work have been exhibited ...
, and Anton Corbijn photographs the band. *12 October: Actung Baby's first single, " The Fly", is released. It becomes U2's second number one single in the UK. *19 November: U2 release ''
Achtung Baby ''Achtung Baby'' () is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 on Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 release ''Rattle and Hum'', U2 shifte ...
''. *25 November: " Mysterious Ways" is released as ''Achtung Baby'''s second single. The song reaches Number 9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it the band's fourth-highest-charting single.


1992

*15 January: The Edge inducts
The Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock band, formed in London in 1963. The band's core lineup featured vocalist and harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist and later bassist Chris Dreja and bassist/producer Paul Samwell ...
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On stage he joins
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
,
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fur ...
, and Jimmy Page for a version of " Big River". *29 February: The
Zoo TV Tour The Zoo TV Tour (also written as ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album '' Achtung Baby'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. It was intended to mirror ...
begins in Lakeland, Florida. *March: The third single from ''Achtung Baby'', " One", is released. It reaches number 7 in the UK charts, number 10 in the US charts, and number 1 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks and the US Modern Rock Tracks charts. *5 March: U2 issue a statement denying newspaper reports that the words shown on video screens during performances of "The Fly" include "Bomb Japan Now" and that they have no wish to offend the people of Japan. *27 March: Bono orders 10,000 pizzas onstage for the audience at a concert in Detroit. The pizza supplier manages to deliver 100 pizzas. *7 May: The European leg of the Zoo TV tour opens in Paris. *31 May: Bono meets author
Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...
for the first time backstage after a show in London.McGee (2008), p. 148 *7 June: The fourth single from ''Achtung Baby'', " Even Better Than the Real Thing" is released. It reaches number 32 in the US and number 12 in the UK. A remix version reaches number 8 in the UK. *11 June: In a Stockholm show,
Björn Ulvaeus Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals '' Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...
and
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...
from
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group ...
join the band for a performance of " Dancing Queen". *19 June: U2 play the "Stop Sellafield" show in Manchester. They play alongside Kraftwerk,
Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
, and
Big Audio Dynamite II Big Audio Dynamite (later known as Big Audio Dynamite II and Big Audio, and often abbreviated BAD) were an English band, formed in London in 1984 by Mick Jones, former lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the Clash. The band mixed various mu ...
in protest against the operation of a second nuclear reactor at Sellafield. The following day, the band participate in a demonstration organised by Greenpeace whereby protesters land on the beach at Sellafield in rubber dinghies and display 700 placards for the waiting media. *29 June: Bono records a solo version of " Can't Help Falling in Love''. *7 August: After three weeks of stage erection and a week of rehearsals, U2 provide a public rehearsal.
Morleigh Steinberg Morleigh Steinberg is an American choreographer and dancer with the production company Arcane Collective. She is married to the musician the Edge from the rock group U2. Raised in Los Angeles and schooled in modern dance, Steinberg became ...
makes her debut as the belly dancer in "Mysterious Ways". *12 August: The Outside Broadcast leg of the Zoo TV tour opens in New Jersey. *August: The fifth and final single from ''Achtung Baby'', "
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1991 album ''Achtung Baby'', and was released as its fifth and final single in November 1992. Writing and recording "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild H ...
", is released. *28 August: During a New York interview with Rockline, US presidential candidate Bill Clinton contacts U2 live on air.


1993

*20 January: Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton attend the inauguration of United States President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
in Washington. That evening, together with
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
's
Michael Stipe John Michael Stipe (; born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter and artist, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. He is known for his vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence. Pos ...
and
Mike Mills Michael Edward Mills (born December 17, 1958) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., h ...
, they perform "One" at the MTV 1993 Rock and Roll Inaugural Ball. They dub the one-off group, " Automatic Baby", after merging the names of the bands' most recent albums ''
Automatic for the People ''Automatic for the People'' is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released by Warner Bros. Records on October5, 1992 in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States. R.E.M. began pro ...
'' and ''Achtung Baby''. *February: U2 start recording new material in Dublin. *23 February: Bono brings model
Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
to a U2 organisation party to meet
Adam Clayton Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960) is an English-born Irish musician who is the bass guitarist of the rock band U2. He has resided in County Dublin, Ireland since his family moved to Malahide in 1965, when he was five years old. C ...
, who has a crush on Campbell. They start dating over the following days.McGee (2008), p. 159; Flanagan (1995) *24 February: ''Achtung Baby:'' wins "Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo" but loses "Album of the Year" to Eric Clapton's ''Unplugged''. *4 March: In ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's readers' poll U2 win Best Band, Artist of the Year, Comeback of the Year, Best Tour, Best Album, and Best Album Cover, and Best Single (for "One"). Bono is voted Best Male Singer, Best Songwriter and Sexiest Male Artist. Mullen is voted Best Drummer and Edge and Clayton are runners up in their respective categories. Critics are slightly less enthusiastic.McGee (2008), p. 159. *Late April: Having almost finished the ''
Zooropa ''Zooropa'' is the eighth studio album by Irish 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 o ...
'' album, U2 rehearse for the European concerts. *9 May: Dubbed "Zooropa", the Zoo TV Tour recommences with a European stadium leg starting in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
. U2 play to 2,100,000 people over 43 shows. The concert includes the premier of Bono's new alter-ego MacPhisto. Throughout the month of May, the band often fly back to Dublin following concerts to finalise mixing of the ''Zooropa'' album. *June: " Numb" is released as the first single from the new album. It is released on video only. *5 July: U2 release ''
Zooropa ''Zooropa'' is the eighth studio album by Irish 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 o ...
''. *14 July: At a concert in
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
, 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 Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
. *11 August: Author
Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and We ...
, the subject of a death Fatwa, joins U2 on stage in front of 70,000 people at Wembley Stadium. *28 August: On the final Zooropa concert in Dublin, Clayton's fiancée, model
Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
appears on stage.Parra (1996), p. 170. *September: "
Lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
" is released as the second single from ''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 miniature version of the Zoo TV set. *November: Bono records the vocal for his duet with Frank Sinatra on "I've Got You Under My Skin" in Dublin. *12 November: U2 commence the "Zoomerang" leg of Zoo TV in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
.Parra (1996), p. 172. *22 November: "
Stay (Faraway, So Close!) "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" is a song by rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1993 album, '' Zooropa'', and was released as the album's third single on 22 November 1993. The song reached number one in Ireland and reached the top 10 in ...
" is released as ''Zooropa'''s third single. *26 November: Adam Clayton 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 performance. It is later revealed that Clayton was too hungover to play. *27 November: The second Sydney concert is filmed and shown around the world as a pay per view TV show. The concert video is released the following year on VHS.Parra (1996), p. 172. *10 December: U2 play the final gig of the Zoo TV tour at the Tokyo Dome.


1994

*February: U2 issue a writ challenging the
Performing Rights Society PRS for Music Limited (formerly The MCPS-PRS Alliance Limited) is a British music copyright collective, made up of two collection societies: the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) and the Performing Right Society (PRS). It undertakes ...
on their exclusive rights to collect songwriting royalties for song performances. *March: ''Zooropa'' wins "Best Alternative Album" award at the Grammys. *1994: Clayton and Mullen move to New York City to study music. *April: Mullen and Clayton record four tracks with
Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award f ...
for her '' Flyer'' album. *17 May: The Zoo TV concert film, '' Zoo TV: Live from Sydney'', is released in Europe and Australia. *November: U2 and Brian Eno record new music over two weeks in a West London studio.


1995

*February: Bono and the Edge record " North and South of the River" with
Christy Moore Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his significant success as an individual, he is one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts. His first album, ...
. *Mid-1995: U2, Brian Eno, and
Howie B Howard Bernstein (born 18 April 1963, Glasgow, Scotland), professionally known as Howie B, is a Scottish musician, producer and DJ who has worked with artists including: Björk, U2, Tricky, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Soul II Soul, Robbie ...
form
Passengers A passenger (also abbreviated as pax) is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. Th ...
and spend five weeks recording in Dublin. *1 June: U2 release the single, " Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", which features in the ''
Batman Forever ''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment o ...
'' soundtrack. It reaches Number 2 in the UK, Number 16 in America, and Number 1 in Australia and Ireland. *12 September: Bono, The Edge and Brian Eno premiere "Miss Sarajevo" at the annual Pavarotti and Friends concert in Modena, Italy. *7 November: The Passengers album ''
Original Soundtracks 1 ''Original Soundtracks 1'' is a studio album recorded by rock band U2 and Brian Eno under the pseudonym Passengers as a side project. Released on 6 November 1995, the album is a collection of songs written for mostly imaginary films (the excep ...
'' is released worldwide. "
Miss Sarajevo "Miss Sarajevo" is a song by U2 and Brian Eno, credited to the pseudonym "Passengers". It was released on 20 November 1995 as the only single from their album ''Original Soundtracks 1''. Luciano Pavarotti makes a vocal appearance, singing the ...
" featuring Luciano Pavarotti was the only single from the release. On the same day, Tina Turner releases the theme for the new James Bond film
GoldenEye ''GoldenEye'' is a 1995 spy film, the seventeenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Martin Campbell, it was the first in the se ...
, written by Bono and the Edge, on Capitol Records.


1996

*January: U2 begin working on a new album in Dublin. *April: The band move to Miami for further work on the album. *1 May: Clayton and Mullen release their version of the '' Mission: Impossible'' theme track. It enters the charts in the Top 10 in the US, the UK, and other countries. *11 May: Hot Press journalist Bill Graham dies at his home in
Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes ...
. The band fly back to Dublin from America to attend the funeral.


1997

*3 February: "
Discothèque A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...
" is released as the first single from ''Pop''. *4 March: U2 release '' Pop''. The album debuts at number one in 35 countries and drew mainly positive reviews. Sales were poor compared to previous U2 releases. *15 April: " Staring at the Sun" is released as ''Pop'''s second single. *25 April: The
PopMart Tour The PopMart Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 1997 album ''Pop'', the tour's concerts were performed in stadiums and parks in 1997 and 1998. Much like the band's previous Zoo TV Tour, PopMart w ...
commences in Las Vegas. *14 July: " Last Night on Earth" is released as the third single from ''Pop''. *8 September: The live EP '' PopHeart'' is released. *20 September: U2 play a PopMart show at the Festival Site in Reggio Emilia, Italy to an estimated 150,000 people, making it the biggest concert on the entire PopMart Tour. *23 September: U2 play a concert in Sarajevo; they are the first major group to perform there following the Bosnian War. 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." *20 October: "
Please ''Please'' is a word used in the English language to indicate politeness and respect while making a request. Derived from shortening the phrase "if you please" or "if it please(s) you", the term has taken on substantial nuance based on its in ...
" is released as the fourth single from ''Pop''. *8 December: " If God Will Send His Angels" and " Mofo" are released as the fifth and final singles respectively.


1998

*21 March: The PopMart Tour concludes in Johannesburg, South Africa. *26 April: One month following the conclusion of the PopMart Tour, U2 appeared on the 200th episode of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'', " Trash of the Titans", in which Homer Simpson disrupted the band on stage during a PopMart concert. *19 October: " Sweetest Thing" is released as a single. *9 November: ''The Best of 1980–1990 B-Sides'' is released. *22 November: The '' PopMart: Live from Mexico City'' video is released. *20 November: U2 appear on '' The Late Late Show'' in Dublin for the Omagh Tribute. *23 December: Larry Mullen Jr and partner Ann Acheson have a baby girl whom they name Ava after the actress
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...
.


1999

*17 August: Bono and wife Ali have a baby boy who is named Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q.


2000

*9 October: "
Beautiful Day "Beautiful Day" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the first track on their tenth studio album, ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' (2000), and was released as the album's lead single on 9 October 2000. The song was a commercial success, ...
" is released as a single, debuting at Number 1 in Australia, Canada and the UK, and at Number 21 in the US. *30 October: ''
All That You Can't Leave Behind ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' is the tenth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and was released on 30October 2000 through Island Records and Interscope Records. Following the band's experime ...
'' is released. For many of those not won over by the band's 1990s music, it was considered a return to grace; ''Rolling Stone'' called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside ''The Joshua Tree'' and ''Achtung Baby''. The album debuted at number one in 22 countries.


2001

*22 February: The single "Beautiful Day" wins 3 Grammy Awards. 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. *29 February: " Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" is released as the second single from ''All That You Can't Leave Behind''. *24 March: American Leg of the
Elevation Tour The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2000 album ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'', the tour visited arenas across North America and Europe in 2001. Contrasting with the extrav ...
starts in Miami, Florida. *20 May: Bono and Ali have their fourth child, a son named John Abraham. *12 June: "
Elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Ver ...
" is released as the third single from the album. *7 July: European Leg of the Elevation Tour starts in Copenhagen, Denmark. *21 August: Bono's father, Brendan Robert 'Bob' Hewson, dies of cancer on the day of U2's third performance at Earl's Court Arena in London, England. However, "the show goes on", with Aung San Suu Kyi appearing in a new video before "Bullet the Blue Sky". *25 August: U2 play two sold-out concerts at Slane Castle. *10 October: U2 commence the second American leg of the Elevation Tour. Following the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, the new album gained added resonance. U2 perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City from 24 to 27 October. *19 November: " Walk On" is released as ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'''s fourth and final single. The song is written about
Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2 ...
and dedicated to her.


2002

*3 February: U2 perform during the Super Bowl XXXVI half-time show, which SI.com ranked as the best half-time show in Super Bowl history. *March: U2 wins 4 Grammy awards for ''All That You Can't Leave Behind''. *13 March: Bono meets President Bush at the White House as the U.S. pledges development boost. *May: Bono tours 4 African countries with the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill. *September: Bono appears on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicago, Illinois. Produced ...
'' and urges Oprah's audience to take action in the fight against AIDS in Africa. *21 October: " Electrical Storm" is released as a single. *12 November: ''
The Best of 1990–2000 ''The Best of 1990–2000'' is the second greatest hits album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 5 November 2002 through Island Records and Interscope Records. It was issued as both a single-disc CD compilation and as a multi-disc com ...
'' is released. *December: Bono and DATA begin the Heart of America tour.


2003

*8 February: The exhibit "In the Name of Love: Two Decades of U2" opens at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. *February: Bono receives the ' Knight of the Legion of Honour' medal from French President Jacques Chirac. *March: U2 perform "
The Hands That Built America "The Hands That Built America" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It was released on the Gangs of New York: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, soundtrack to the film ''Gangs of New York'', and was one of two new songs on the group's ...
" live at the Academy Awards. *April: Bono is on the cover of ''Time Magazine'' as one of a group of great European Heroes. *21 June: U2 perform "One" and "Pride" live at the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Special Olympics World Summer Games; Nelson Mandela joins them on stage at Dublin's Croke Park. *17 November '' U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle'', a concert film from the European leg of U2's
Elevation Tour The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2000 album ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'', the tour visited arenas across North America and Europe in 2001. Contrasting with the extrav ...
is released. Bono dedicates a performance of "
Kite A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create lift and drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have a bridle and tail to guide the fac ...
" to his father, who had died on 21 August 2001, several days before the concert.


2004

*January: The single " Take Me to the Clouds Above", a house-pop collaboration by LMC vs U2, is released. *16 September: Bono is nominated a third time for the Nobel Peace Prize. *8 November: The new album's first single, "
Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
", 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: ''
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 22 November 2004 in the United Kingdom by Island Records and a day later in the United States by Interscope Records. Much like their pr ...
'' 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. The same day, ''
The Complete U2 ''The Complete U2'' is a digital box set by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 23 November 2004 by Apple Computer on the iTunes Store. It is the first major release of a purely digital online set by any artist. It contained the complete s ...
'' digital box set is released by
Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
on the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
. 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. The release accompanies a U2 Special Edition iPod.


2005

*2005: ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories in which U2 were nominated. *7 February: " All Because of You" and "
Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their eleventh studio album, ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' (2004), and was released as the album's second single worldwide except in Nort ...
" are released as the second and third singles from the album in North America and Europe respectively. *March: Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.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
*28 March: The
Vertigo Tour The Vertigo Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2004 album '' How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums between March 2005 and December 2006. The Vertigo To ...
commences in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
, California. *22 April: ''
U2.COMmunication ''U2.COMmunication'' is a live album recorded by U2 and released exclusively to members of its official website in 2005. The album features performances from two different concerts from the Vertigo Tour—a concert in Chicago, filmed for the '' ...
'' is released to subscribers of U2.com. *27 April: U2 shoot a video for "City of Blinding Lights" at
General Motors Place Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when G ...
in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. Members of the public are invited into the venue as an audience backdrop. *9 - 10 May: Two concerts in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, are filmed for the video release '' Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago''. *6 June: " City of Blinding Lights" is released as the fourth single from ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb''. *10 June: The European leg of the Vertigo Tour commences in Brussels, Belgium. *2 July: U2 perform at
Live 8 Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland, from 6–8 July 200 ...
in London's Hyde Park, opening the show. The band plays " Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
, "Beautiful Day", "Vertigo", and "One". The performance of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released as a digital-single during the day and sets a world record as the fastest-selling online song. *20–21 July: Two concerts in
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy, are filmed. Ten songs would later be included on '' Vertigo 05: Live from Milan'', a bonus DVD included with ''
U218 Singles U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pr ...
''. *12 September: A second North American leg of the Vertigo Tour commences in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, Ontario. *10 October: "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" and "All Because of You" are released as the fourth single from ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' in North America and Europe respectively, switching territories from their earlier releases. *November: " Original of the Species" is released as the album's fifth and final single in a digital-only format. *14 November: ''Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago'' is released on DVD.


2006

*12 February: An eight-date Latin American leg of the Vertigo tour commences in
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. *March: U2 arrive in Australia to prepare for the Australian leg of the Vertigo Tour. The tour, however, is postponed until further notice due to Edge's 7-year-old daughter Sian's diagnosis of leukaemia. *3 April: A duet of "One" with
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
is released as a single. *Mid-2006: The band begin work on material for a new album writing and recording with producer
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
; the material is later shelved. *August: The band incorporates its publishing business in The Netherlands following the capping of Irish artists' tax exemption at €250,000. The move was criticised in the Irish parliament. *25 September: U2 play with Green Day to open an NFL game in the
Louisiana Superdome The Caesars Superdome, commonly known as the Superdome (formerly known as Mercedes-Benz Superdome), is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints ...
. It is the first game in the stadium following the heavy damage it sustained from Hurricane Katrina. They play a four-song set of " Wake Me Up When September Ends", "
House of the Rising Sun A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
", "
The Saints Are Coming "The Saints are Coming" was the third single by the Scottish punk rock band Skids, featured on their 1979 debut album, '' Scared to Dance''. The song became an international hit when it was covered in 2006 by U2 and Green Day. It was covered ...
", and "Beautiful Day". *31 October: A studio cover with Green Day of
The Skids Skids are a Scottish punk rock and new wave band, formed in Dunfermline in 1977 by Stuart Adamson (guitar, keyboards, percussion and backing vocals), William Simpson (bass guitar and backing vocals), Thomas Kellichan (drums) and Richard Jo ...
' song "
The Saints Are Coming "The Saints are Coming" was the third single by the Scottish punk rock band Skids, featured on their 1979 debut album, '' Scared to Dance''. The song became an international hit when it was covered in 2006 by U2 and Green Day. It was covered ...
" is released as a single for the charity
Music Rising {{unreferenced, date=June 2013 Music Rising is a charity co-founded by producer Bob Ezrin, U2's The Edge and a host of music industry organizations after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The charitable organization helps to restore ...
. *7 November: The 13 postponed dates of the Vertigo Tour in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Hawaii commence in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
. *17 November: ''
U218 Singles U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pr ...
'' and '' U218 Videos'' are released. The bonus DVD on ''U218 Singles'' includes ten tracks taken from the 2005 concerts in Milan. *18 November: '' Zoo TV Live'' is released to subscribers of U2.com * 9 December: The Vertigo Tour concludes in
Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, Hawaii.


2007

*1 January: The " Window in the Skies" single is released. *June: The band continue writing and recording for the album, this time with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno as co-writers and producers. A two-week trip to
Fez, Morocco Fez or Fes (; ar, فاس, fās; zgh, ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, fizaz; french: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès, Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the List of cities in Morocco, second largest city i ...
, where the six of them recorded, led to the band experimenting with North African influences. *20 November: ''The Joshua Tree'' is re-released as a 20th anniversary
triple album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording ...
.


2008

*23 January: A 3-D
concert film A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian. Early history The ...
, ''
U2 3D ''U2 3D'' is a 2008 American-produced 3D concert film featuring rock band U2 performing during the Vertigo Tour in 2006. The film contains performances of 14 songs, including tracks from ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' (2004), the album sup ...
'', filmed at nine concerts during the Latin America leg of the Vertigo Tour is released at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. *19 February: The single "
The Ballad of Ronnie Drew "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" is a single by U2, The Dubliners, Kíla and A Band of Bowsies. The single was recorded as a charitable project, with proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society - owing to Ronnie Drew's cancer condition.
" - a collaboration between U2,
The Dubliners The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personnel over their fifty-ye ...
,
Kíla Kíla is a 1987 Irish folk music/ world music group from the Irish language secondary school, Coláiste Eóin in County Dublin. Band History Kíla began in 1987 in the secondary in Coláiste Eoin, in the first year they busked nearly every wee ...
, and "A Band of Bowsies" - is released. All proceeds went towards the Irish Cancer Society; the song is an homage to
Ronnie Drew Joseph Ronald Drew (16 September 1934 – 16 August 2008) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He is most recognised for his lead vocals on the si ...
, who was dying of cancer at the time. *31 March: U2 sign a 12-year deal with Live Nation worth an estimated $100 million (£50 million), which includes Live Nation controlling the band's merchandise, sponsoring, and their official website. *Mid-2008: ''Boy'', ''October'', ''War'', and ''Under a Blood Red Sky'' are remastered and released. Three different formats of each were made available, featuring remastered tracks, B-sides, live, and unreleased songs. *18 December: The band complete their twelfth studio album, ''
No Line on the Horizon ''No Line on the Horizon'' is the twelfth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite, and was released on 27 February 2009. It was the band's first record since ''How to Dismantle an A ...
'', and announce that the album will be released to the world on 2 March 2009.


2009

*18 January: U2 perform "
Pride (In The Name Of Love) "Pride (In the Name of Love)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on the band's 1984 album, ''The Unforgettable Fire'', and was released as its lead single in September 1984. The song was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lano ...
" and " City of Blinding Lights" at the We Are One concert, celebrating the inauguration of
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
, at the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
*23 January: " Get on Your Boots" is released as the first single from the new album. *27 February: U2's twelfth studio album, ''
No Line on the Horizon ''No Line on the Horizon'' is the twelfth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite, and was released on 27 February 2009. It was the band's first record since ''How to Dismantle an A ...
'', is released. *27 March: '' Medium, Rare & Remastered'' is released to subscribers of U2.com. *4 May: " Magnificent" is released as the second single from the album. *30 June: The
U2 360° Tour The U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2009 album ''No Line on the Horizon'', the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. The concerts featured the band playing "in the round" o ...
commences in Europe. The shows feature a 360-degree staging/audience configuration, in which the fans surround the stage from all sides. *17 August: "
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is the fifth song from U2's 2009 album ''No Line on the Horizon''. The song was released as the album's third single in a digital format on 25 August 2009 and in a physical version released on 7 Sept ...
" is released as the third single from ''No Line on the Horizon''. *25 October: The band's concert at the
Rose Bowl Stadium The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium located in Pasadena, California. Opened in October 1922, the stadium is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark. At a modern capacity of an all ...
is live streamed on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
. 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. *27 October: A 25th Anniversary remastered edition of ''
The Unforgettable Fire ''The Unforgettable Fire'' is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the har ...
'' is released by
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...
. *28 October: U2 conclude the 2009 legs of the 360° Tour in Vancouver. *30 October: U2 headline the second of two consecutive concerts at
Madison Square Gardens Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. *5 November: U2 are invited by the Berlin Lord Mayor to play a concert at the Brandenburg Gate to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall. They play a six-song set to 10,000 fans.


2010

*25 March: ''
Artificial Horizon The attitude indicator (AI), formerly known as the gyro horizon or artificial horizon, is a flight instrument that informs the pilot of the aircraft orientation relative to Earth's horizon, and gives an immediate indication of the smallest or ...
'' is released to subscribers of U2.com. *21 May: Bono has emergency surgery on a back injury sustained during tour preparations, and the band postpones the North American leg of the U2 360° Tour and their appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. *26 June: The Edge makes a special guest appearance with
Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
at Glastonbury to perform "Where the Streets Have No Name". *13 July: U2 announce the rescheduled dates for the postponed North American leg of the U2 360° tour. *6 August: The second European leg of the U2 360° Tour commences in Turin. It marks their first performance since Bono's recovery from his back injury. *25 November: U2 begin the Australasian leg of the 360° Tour at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand.


2011

*31 January: U2 announces the last date of their U2 360° Tour will be in
Moncton, New Brunswick Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. The ...
, Canada, their first date ever in Atlantic Canada. *10 May: ''
Duals ''Duals'' is a compilation album by the Irish rock band U2. It was released in April 2011 to u2.com subscribers. Track listing :* "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Amazing Grace" are studio mix of U2's performance at the Rose Bowl, P ...
'' is released to subscribers of U2.com. *24 June: U2 headline the first night of the Glastonbury Festival. *30 July: The 360° Tour concludes with a performance in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. *8 September: The documentary film ''
From the Sky Down ''From the Sky Down'' is a 2011 American documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about rock band U2 and the production of their 1991 album ''Achtung Baby''. The film documents the album's difficult recording period, the band members' re ...
'', about U2 and the making of ''Achtung Baby'', premieres at
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
.


2012

*1 May: '' U22'' is released to subscribers of U2.com. *17 December: '' From the Ground Up: Edge's Picks'' is released to subscribers of U2.com.


2013

*29 May: Bono and the Edge help celebrate '' Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark''s 1000th Show. *17 June: Bono speaks out for Voices Against Violence Campaign. * 18 June: The Obama family meet Bono for a pub lunch in Dalkey. * 25 June:
Mark Fisher Mark Fisher (11 July 1968 – 13 January 2017), also known under his blogging alias k-punk, was an English writer, music critic, political and cultural theorist, philosopher, and teacher based in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsm ...
, U2's longtime stage architect, dies. *16 July: Bono is made Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. *2 September: U2 attends funeral mass for
Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.
. * 3 September: Larry Mullen's second film, ''A Thousand Times Goodnight'', wins Special Grand Prix of the Jury at
Montreal World Film Festival The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...
. *4 September: Adam Clayton marries Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho, a Brazilian supermodel, in a ceremony in Dublin. *17 October: A song titled " Ordinary Love" is revealed to be written specifically for the film '' Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom''. Subscribers of the band's official website are able to hear it first. *29 November: "Ordinary Love" is officially released as a single.


2014

*16 January: U2 receive an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nomination for "Ordinary Love". *2 February: U2 release a charity single titled "
Invisible Invisibility is the state of an object that cannot be seen. An object in this state is said to be ''invisible'' (literally, "not visible"). The phenomenon is studied by physics and perceptual psychology. Since objects can be seen by light in ...
", a song incorrectly believed to be included on the band's 13th studio album. *9 September: U2 perform at an
Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
product launch event in Cupertino, California, and announce that their 13th studio album, ''
Songs of Innocence ''Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' is a collection of illustrated poems by William Blake. It appeared in two phases: a few first copies were printed and illuminated by Blake himself in 1789; five years later, he bound these poems with a ...
'', will be released through the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
to all customers at no cost that day. The first single from the album, " The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)", is also released. *16 November: Bono is involved in a "high energy bicycle accident" in New York's Central Park when he attempts to avoid another rider. Bono is rushed to
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital The NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is a nonprofit academic medical center in New York City affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools, Cornell University and Columbia University. The hospital comprises seven distinct campuses located in the New ...
/
Weill Cornell Medical Center Weill Cornell Medical Center (previously known as New York Hospital or Old New York Hospital or City Hospital) is a research hospital in New York City. It is part of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the teaching hospital for Cornell University. ...
's Emergency Department and undergoes "multiple X-rays and CAT scans" followed by five hours of surgery. *9 December: "
Every Breaking Wave "Every Breaking Wave" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It is the second track from their thirteenth studio album, ''Songs of Innocence (U2 album), Songs of Innocence'', and was released as its second single. It was produced by Danger ...
" is released as the second single from ''Songs of Innocence''.


2015

* 11 May: " Song for Someone" is released as the third single from ''Songs from Innocence''. * 14 May: The
Innocence + Experience Tour The Innocence + Experience Tour (styled as iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour) was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of the band's 2014 album '' Songs of Innocence'', the tour visited arenas throughout 2015. It was U2's firs ...
begins in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, Canada. * 4 September: The European leg of the Innocence + Experience Tour begins in
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The ...
, Italy. * 7 December: The Innocence + Experience Tour concludes in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, France. The performance is a rescheduling of their 15 November date due to the
terrorist attacks The following is a list of terrorist incidents that have not been carried out by a state or its forces (see state terrorism and state-sponsored terrorism). Assassinations are listed at List of assassinated people. Definitions of terrori ...
the previous day. The performance is filmed and broadcast as '' Innocence + Experience: Live in Paris'' on HBO the same day.


2016

* 10 June: The ''Innocence + Experience: Live in Paris'' concert film is released on DVD, Blu-ray Disc and via digital download.


2017

* 12 May: The band commences a 30th anniversary tour for their album ''The Joshua Tree'' in Vancouver, Canada. * 6 September: " You're the Best Thing About Me" is released as the first single from the band's upcoming 14th studio album ''
Songs of Experience ''Songs of Innocence and of Experience'' is a collection of illustrated poems by William Blake. It appeared in two phases: a few first copies were printed and illuminated by Blake himself in 1789; five years later, he bound these poems with a ...
''. * 8 November: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 concludes in
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
, Brazil. * 1 December: U2's 14th studio album, ''Songs of Experience'', is released. * 2 December: The band appear as the musical guest on an episode ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
''. * 8 December: " Get Out of Your Own Way" is released as the second single from ''Songs of Experience''.


2018

* 23 April: " Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" is released as the third single from ''Songs of Experience''. * 2 May: The Experience + Innocence Tour begins in
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. * 1 June: Sirius XM Satellite Radio launches a limited-time U2-exclusive radio station called "The U2 Experience" on channel 30, which features the band's music as well as interviews with the members. * 10 August: "Summer Love" is released as the fourth single from ''Songs of Experience''. * 31 August: The European leg of the Experience + Innocence Tour begins in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
, Germany. * 13 November: The Experience + Innocence Tour concludes in Berlin.


2019

* 8 November: The Joshua Tree Tour 2019, a continuation of the 2017 tour of the same name, begins in Auckland, New Zealand. * 22 November: U2 release a non-album single titled "Ahimsa" with Indian musician A.R. Rahman to tie in with their first performance in India. * 15 December: The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 concludes in Mumbai, India.


2020

*1 January: A 75-minute cut of the concert video ''eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE: Live in Berlin'' is screened on broadcast networks worldwide. *1 July: A permanent U2-X Radio station on SiriusXM satellite radio launches. *September: U2's official YouTube channel is relaunched by YouTube, Island, Interscope,
Universal Music Enterprises Universal Music Enterprises (UME, stylized as UMe) is the catalogue division of Universal Music Group. It includes Hip-O Records, Universal Chronicles, and UM3 or UMC (which is the international division of the company). Under various divisions, ...
, and
Universal Music Catalogue Universal Music Group owns, or has a joint share in, many of the record labels listed here. According to UMG official site, the main labels are Abbey Road Studios, Bravado, Capitol Music Group, Decca Records, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammopho ...
to support the remastering of the band's video catalogue to HD. Weekly releases commence on the channel, consisting of the band's music videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and unseen live videos. *30 October: ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' is reissued on CD, vinyl, and digitally in commemoration of its 20th anniversary. The album was remastered and released in a Standard edition, a Deluxe edition, and a 51-track Super Deluxe edition.


2021

*15 March: An archival concert series called "The Virtual Road" is announced in partnership with YouTube. Four of U2's past concert films are remastered and streamed on the band's official YouTube channel for 48 hours each over the following weeks. The series began with '' U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland'' on 17 March (St. Patrick's Day), followed by '' U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky'' on 25 March, '' PopMart: Live from Mexico City'' on 1 April, and '' Innocence + Experience: Live in Paris'' on 10 April. *1 November: U2 join the social networking service
TikTok TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is an international version o ...
and post a 30-second lyric video teasing the new song "Your Song Saved My Life". *3 November: U2 digitally release "Your Song Saved My Life" from the soundtrack to the animated musical film ''
Sing 2 ''Sing 2'' is a 2021 American computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to ''Sing'' (2016) and the second film in the franchise, it was again written and directed ...
'', in which Bono voices the character Clay Calloway.


2022

* 8 May: Bono and the Edge perform for 40 minutes in a Metro station in
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, at the invitation of
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...
. * 1 November: Bono's memoir, ''Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story'', is released. The following day, he begins a 14-city book tour across North America and Europe called "Stories of Surrender" to promote it. * 3 December: U2 receive Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., for their contributions to performing arts.


Notes


References

* * McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). ''U2 by U2''. HarperCollins Publishers. * * de la Parra, Pimm Jal (2003). ''U2 Live: A Concert Documentary''. Omnibus Press. * {{U2 U2 U2