U2 – One of the Most Successful Bands Ever
U2 is a popular rock band that has seen much success since it first began in the mid-1980s. U2 was formed in Dublin, Ireland and is made up of four band members. Bono (Paul Hewson) plays guitar and is the lead vocals in the band, Adam Clayton plays bass guitar, The Edge (Dave Evans) plays keyboards, guitar and does vocals and Larry Mullen Jr. plays percussion and drums.
The four teenagers came together to form U2 in September 1976 after Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice on the school board. At that point their musical capabilities and their experience in the music world was very limited. But by 1985 U2 had become one of the top international acts and had become renowned for their live acts. U2’s next achievement was in 1987 when they brought out their album, ‘The Joshua Tree.’ This album proved to be a huge success in the music world and was the key to U2’s mega-stardom.
Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Van Morrison, friends of the members of U2, helped influenced the music found in the album ‘The Joshua Tree.’ U2 focused on the roots of rock music while experimenting with country, American blues and gospel music. The Joshua Tree album is a tribute to America and later won U2 their first two Grammy Awards.
U2’s music started off in the 80’s with an anthemic sound but by the 1990’s it was time for the band to reinvent them selves. The band, U2, accomplished this with their next album ‘Achtung Baby’, which they used in their Zoo TV Tour. The album experimented with industrial, dance and alternative music genres and was named one of U2’s most successful albums. Over the decades U2 has experimented with a number of sounds all of which have been well received in the commercial arena and amongst critics.
The band, U2, is well-known all over the world and has sold over 170 million albums since they began. The rock band has also won a total of 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other group or musician in this category.
U2 has also been actively involved with human rights, social justice causes and international developments related to such issues. They have taken part in groups like Amnesty International, the ONE Campaign, Bono’s DATA campaign and The Edge’s Music Rising, to name a few.
