U2 has released 15 studio albums and countless songs — but for those just getting into the band, where would you start? Throughout their career, which has spanned over four decades, U2 has reinvented themselves several times. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. are never content and are always looking for ways to push the envelope.
So, in this list, I ranked the 50 essential U2 songs that you have to listen to, especially as a new fan. Note: They are ranked album-by-album.
Boy (2)
Selections: “I Will Follow,” “Out of Control”
Starting with their debut album, U2 made quite the impression with Boy. “I Will Follow” remains a staple of live concerts from the band. It has an undeniable energy that dates back over four decades.
It was also tempting to include “The Electric Co.” but I ultimately decided against it. “Out of Control” is a more essential song from the band. If you listen to the Songs of Surrender version, Bono’s re-written and re-recorded lyrics give the song new meaning.
October (1)
Selections: “Gloria”
October has some great tracks, but “Gloria” is the only essential one. The Adam Clayton bass line on this song quickly distinguishes it from Patti Smith’s song of the same name.
Bono sings the chorus in Latin. The chorus is a derivative of the “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” hymn. October features the cookie crumbs that tease U2’s place as a non-Gospel Gospel rock band.
War (4)
Selections: “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” New Year’s Day,” “Two Hearts Beat As One,” “40”
In 1983, U2 went mainstream with War. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” kicks off the album behind Larry Mullen Jr.’s iconic drum part. The Edge enters the song with his arpeggiated guitar riff. There is such intensity that charges War and begins with “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”
And still, U2 is asking to cease the conflict. The song “Surrender” has laid the blueprint for their current work and its motifs. “New Year’s Day” similarly has lots of energy thanks to Clayton’s bass playing — ditto for “Two Hearts Beat As One.”
War closes out with a Gospel song: “40.” The lyrics are derived from the Bible’s Psalm 40, and the chorus features the refrain “How long to sing this song?” which U2 crowds used to sing to close out concerts.
The Unforgettable Fire (3)
Selections: “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “The Unforgettable Fire,” “Bad”
The jump from the bombastic War to the more meditative Unforgettable Fire can be jarring. U2 enlisted the help of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to produce the album, which helped create the band’s identity.
Of course, “Pride (In the Name of Love)” is one of the band’s biggest hits ever. It is nearly impossible to see them live in concert without hearing them play the first of two Martin Luther King Jr. tributes on the album.
“Bad” is another live staple, and rightfully so. Whether it is the prolonged Live Aid performance or the more recent ones, the song has remained one of U2’s most potent songs. On the album version, Bono’s wailing vocals carry an otherwise muddled arrangement. It is a song that they had to discover in concerts as opposed to in the studio.
The title track from The Unforgettable Fire has an unforgettable (forgive the pun) vocal performance. Bono found his falsetto in the nineties, but it shows promise in this song.
The Joshua Tree (6)
Selections: “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “With or Without You,’ “Bullet the Blue Sky,” “Red Hill Mining Town,” “One Tree Hill”
It is hard to pick just a few songs from The Joshua Tree, the album that gave U2 worldwide success. The opening trio of songs, “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and “With or Without You” are all iconic.
Add in “Bullet the Blue Sky,” which features one of The Edge’s gnarliest guitar solos, and you have one of the strongest opening sequences ever. One of the most underrated album tracks from U2’s catalog is “Red Hill Mining Town,” another song with great vocals from Bono.
Finally, “One Tree Hill” closes out the selections from The Joshua Tree. Written for one of the band’s roadies, Greg Carroll, who passed away, the song follows a similar pattern to other songs on the album. It builds to its crescendo before Bono and The Edge begin wailing vocally and on guitar.
Rattle and Hum (4)
Selections: “Desire,” “Angel of Harlem,” “When Love Comes to Town,” “All I Want Is You”
While some may not enjoy Rattle and Hum — the band’s hybrid double-album follow-up to The Joshua Tree — it features some of the band’s best work. “Desire,” U2’s take on the Stooges’ “1969” expands their sound.
U2 also tried their best to discover Americana and blues music on Rattle and Hum. “Angel of Harlem” and “When Love Comes to Town” are the two best examples of this (with “Love Rescue Me” close behind).
The album closes out with “All I Want Is You,” a love song written from the perspective of a bride. It is unique in this context, as most of Bono’s love songs are written in admiration of Ali. Now, the tables are turned.
Achtung Baby (9)
Selections: “Zoo Station,” “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” “One,” “Until the End of the World,” “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses,” “So Cruel,” “The Fly,” “Mysterious Ways,” “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)”
Perhaps there is some recency bias here — the Sphere residency concluded earlier this year — but Achtung Baby has overtaken The Joshua Tree as the band’s best album.
A complete reinvention, Achtung Baby immediately sets the tone with “Zoo Station” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” two songs that sound nothing like what U2 had previously done.
There are still classic Bono anthems like “One” and twisted love songs such as “So Cruel” and “Ultra Violet (Light My Way).” Achtung Baby has it all and some of The Edge’s best work on “Until the End of the World and “The Fly.”
“Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” is the band’s most underrated single. All versions of the song are great, but the original album version is perfection.
Zooropa (3)
Selections: “Lemon,” “Stay (Faraway, So Close!),” “The Wanderer (feat. Johnny Cash)
The title track from Zooropa almost made the list thanks to its Blade Runner vibes that evolve into a classic U2 anthem. “Lemon” is a song recorded at the perfect time. Bono mostly sings in falsetto, with the song’s disco beats and groovy bass backing him up.
“Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” is another timeless classic from the band. Bono sings so crisply, while The Edge provides angelic-like backing vocals. Live performances of the song also reach similar heights.
In a shocking twist, U2 steps aside for Johnny Cash on “The Wanderer.” Cash utilizes his iconic vocal timbre while Bono and The Edge sing backing vocals.
Pop (2)
Selections: “If God Will Send His Angels,” “Staring at the Sun”
Pop is not one of the fan-favorite U2 albums, and rightfully so. After highs such as Achtung Baby and Zooropa, the band had large shoes to fill. They attempted to once again reinvent themselves with Pop and its techno and dance vibes.
That does not mean it is all bad, though. “If God Will Send His Angels” and “Staring at the Sun” are two great U2 ballads. The former got a really good re-imagining on Songs of Surrender as well.
“Staring at the Sun” got its moment in the, well, sun, during U2’s Experience + Innocence Tour in 2018. During the US leg, Bono and The Edge played a solo rendition. It uncovered one of the long-lost treasures of the band.
All That You Can’t Leave Behind (4)
Selections: “Beautiful Day,” “Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of,” “Elevation,” “In a Little While”
After Pop, U2 needed a base hit to get back in their fans’ favor. Luckily, they hit a grand slam with All That You Can’t Leave Behind. It begins with a song that remains iconic: “Beautiful Day.”
“Elevation” has become overplayed at U2 concerts since its release, but it’s undoubtedly a fun song to jump around to. “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” remains one of their most poignant and relatable songs.
The most underrated gem is “In a Little While,” which features one of The Edge’s best guitar riffs. Bono’s falsettos in the choruses a
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2)
Selections: “Vertigo,” “City of Blinding Lights”
It is hard to believe the 20th anniversary of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is coming up. The band is celebrating it with the release of a collection of previously unreleased songs titled How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb.
There are several good songs not listed here, “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own,” “All Because of You,” and “Miracle Drug” all were candidates, but “Vertigo” and “City of Blinding Lights” are two of the band’s signature songs.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb brought U2 back to its rock-and-roll roots. The two songs selected showcase that reinvention.
No Line on the Horizon (2)
Selections: “Magnificent,” “Moment of Surrender”
While No Line on the Horizon has never been my favorite U2 album, it has some highlights. It was like the band was attempting to return to their mid-eighties sound with Brian Eno.
“Magnificent” is a U2 rocker, while “Moment of Surrender” is one of their better recent anthems. It is a shame that the band does not break these out more often in live concerts.
Songs of Innocence (4)
Selections: “Every Breaking Wave,” “Song for Someone,” “Iris (Hold Me Close),” “The Troubles”
Songs of Innocence is U2’s most personal album. “Iris (Hold Me Close)” is Bono’s letter to his late mother. “Song for Someone” is a classic love ballad for his wife.
One of the best songs U2 has ever written is “Every Breaking Wave.” It follows in the same thematic footsteps as “With or Without You,” talking about
Songs of Experience (4)
Selections: “Red Flag Day,” “The Little Things That Give You Away,” “Landlady,” “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way”
Songs of Experience, the sequel to Songs of Innocence, is a collection of letters to Bono’s friends and family after his “brush with mortality.”
“Red Flag Days” brings U2 back to its War roots, a political song with a stellar guitar riff from The Edge. Similarly, “The Little Things That Give You Away” is a signature U2 slow burn, culminating in an epic crescendo.
Bono wrote another great love song for his wife with “Landlady.” The song is the closest they have come to sounding like Coldplay with its ambiance. The album’s penultimate song, “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way,” is a simple anthem that has a timely message.
Songs of Surrender (n/a)
Songs of Surrender does not technically have any entries. For those unfamiliar, the album is made up of 40 re-recorded songs from the band’s catalog. So, there is nothing original here.
However, the rendition of “All I Want Is You” rivals the original. It is great and definitely worth a listen. “Bad” is another standout.
Honorable mention: “Miss Sarajevo” (Original Soundtracks 1)
While not technically a U2 song, “Miss Sarajevo” was recorded by Brian Eno and the members of the band. Known as Passengers, they also enlisted the help of tenor Luciano Pavarotti to bring it together. It is a masterpiece and a truly special collaboration.
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