U2

Four teenage musicians - Paul Hewson (Bono), Dave Evans (The Edge), Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton formed rock band U2 in Dublin in 1976. Initially, the band comprised three more members and had the title The Larry Mullen Band, but it changed several names and was left by three members, thus reducing to the quartet called U2. In 1978, on the Saint Patrick's Day, the musicians won in a local talent competition and got the money for the record of a demo. The music by U2 for that period was rather cheerful. Singles Three and Another Day brought moderate fame in Ireland to the band. In 1980, U2 signed a contract with Island Records and created their debut Boy with the hit I Will Follow. After the tours along the UK, the artists recorded their second attempt October, which became the most religiously themed full-length in the whole U2's discography. In 1983, the band already finished its third album War with piercing hits Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day. The tour along Europe and The USA was a sound success.

The next disc The Unforgettable Fire became the real breakthrough of the band, combining the elements of classical rock and daring sound experiments. The group changed not only the sound; the lyrics also became deeper and filled with semitones. The song about Martin Luther King, called Pride (In The Name Of Love) became the hit. Around the same time, U2 and especially its soloist Bono started to take an active part in numerous movements for the civil rights - including The Amnesty International. The follow-up The Joshua Tree featured the fusion of rock and national Irish music, jazz, country and gospels. The album got two Grammies and produced two smash hits - With Or Without You and I Still Haven’t Found What I'm Looking For. The work over the album Achtung Baby took place in Berlin with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who collaborated with U2 over The Unforgettable Fire. Achtung Baby saw light in 1991, and got darker moods than the previous long-plays (the consequence of The Edge's divorce) and had innovative character. The supporting tour for Achtung Baby became one of the most spectacular multimedia shows in the world's rock history.

On the album Zooropa U2 left rock traditions more bravely - the full-length had elements of techno and electronica, noticeable on the singles Lemon, Numb, Stay (Faraway, So Close!) and Zooropa. After this album, U2 made soundtracks for films Batman Forever, Mission Impossible and wrote the theme song for the picture about James Bond GoldenEye, performed by Tina Turner. The Pop album with rhythmic and memorable single Mofo saw light in 1997 - this time the artists focused on sampling and programming, combining it with techno. In 2000, the disc All That You Can't Leave Behind marked the U2's comeback to the rock of 80's. Such tuneful tracks as Beautiful Day, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of and Elevation became hits all over the world, while the disc itself presented U2 with six Grammies. The work over the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb long-play began in 2003, but in the summer of 2004 the material was stolen. However, the members of U2 managed to preserve control over the situation and the album was released the same year, producing the bright rock hit Vertigo. In 2005, Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the US Rock-n-roll Hall Of Fame. In 2006, the band included its best singles on the U218 Singles compilation.

The next studio album by U2, No Line on the Horizon, was released in February 2009. It was U2's first album in nearly five years and their best since 1991's Achtung Baby. It was recorded in the Moroccan city of Fez. Despite the playful exhortation of the lead single Get on Your Boots, No Line on the Horizon was mostly reflective. It featured intriguing stylistic experiments like the soul ballad Moment of Surrender; the gang vocals of Unknown Caller; and the Middle Eastern-flavored Fez-Being Born, inspired by Morocco.