Guide Note

U2 is a four-piece musical group from Dublin, Ireland and one of the most consistently successful Rock bands of the last 20 years. Made up of lead singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., U2 have released 11 studio records, sold an estimated 170 million albums, received 22 Grammy Awards (more than any other band is history) and completed a number of highly successful and lucrative tours. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

Fast Facts

1. Origin: Dublin, Ireland
2. Formed: 1976
3. Grammy Awards: 22
4. Bono: Paul David Hewson
5. The Edge: Dave Howell Evans
6. Worldwide Album Sales: Over 170 million

The Early Years

The members of U2 first met in 1976 at the Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin where they were all students. After a few different lineup and name changes (they were originally called "The Hype"), the boys won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland which led to their first demo recording. In 1980, U2 released their debut album Boy to positive reviews but little commercial success. It wasn't until the band's third album, 1983's War, that U2 would receive their first taste of commercial success. The album debuted at #1 on the UK charts and spawned the hit single "New Year's Day". After 1984's Unforgettable Fire and a career defining performance at Live Aid, the band began to experiment with a more "Roots" rock approach to music.

Rise to Stardom

The Joshua Tree was released in 1987 and quickly became one of the most popular albums of the 1980's. With its lyrics and songwriting focused squarely on the band's fascination with American myths, music and culture, the album featured a string of hit singles and earned the band their first 2 Grammys. The 90's saw U2 trying for a more experimental, edgier sound - kicked off by 1991's Achtung Baby which featured the influences of dance and industrial music. The album's success help cement their status as one of the most consistently popular bands of the era.

2000-Present

The 2000's saw the band return to their earlier anthemic sound - including 2000's Grammy-winning album All That You Can't Leave Behind and 2004's How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb. In 2008, U2 released a concert film called U2 3D.