Fourteen original studio albums later, the quartet stands as one of the greatest rock bands in history.
Read on for EW’s definitive ranking of U2’s titanic body of work.
BEST TRACK:“Sleep Like a Baby Tonight” A harrowing takedown of the Catholic Church.
Terry O’Neill/Getty Images
WORST TRACK:“Volcano” Bono laments the past over lukewarm disco.
The resulting songs sound clumsy, boring (where are the hair-raising hooks?
), and, most shocking of all, slightly insincere.
Island/Interscope
BEST TRACK:“Cedars of Lebanon” A gripping rumination on life during wartime.
WORST TRACK:“Get On Your Boots” A curious blend of grunge guitars with hip-hop beats.
BEST TRACK:“Pride (In the Name of Love)” Arguably U2’s most enduring anthem.
Mercury/Island/Interscope
WORST TRACK:“Elvis Presley and America” Unforgettably forgettable.
October (1981)
The sophomore slump hit Bono and the boys hard.
WORST TRACK:“Is That All?”
Universal
There’s a reason it’s the last song on the album.
BEST TRACK:“Desire” Where bright lights and the big city meet Bo Diddley’s classic beat.
WORST TRACK:“All Along the Watchtower” Nobody needed to re-cover this one.
Island/Interscope
War (1983)
This is the album where Bono stopped being polite and started getting real.
Ultimately,Warlives and dies by its superb singles, with skippable entries between the standouts.
BEST TRACK:“Sunday Bloody Sunday” How long must we sing this song?
Island
It’s that good.
WORST TRACK:“Red Light” A messy, trumpet-filled bore.
and the band at its techno-funkiest.
Island
WORST TRACK:“The First Time” Bono’s falsetto grates on this meandering ballad.
BEST TRACK:“Walk On” A politically charged anthem about persevering with grace.
Boy (1980)
WORST TRACK:“Stories for Boys” Bland, mid-album filler.
Island
WORST TRACK:“Exit” An edited jam and sketchy portrait of a serial killer.
BEST TRACK:“One” If this immortal ballad doesn’t wreck you, you’re dead inside.
Yes, yes, you’ve got the option to.
Island
Island
Island
Island/Interscope
Island
Island
Island
