u2

U2 is an Irish rock band from Dublin, formed in 1976. The group comprises Bono (Paul David Hewson) on vocals, the Edge (David Howell Evans) on guitar and keyboards, Adam Clayton on bass, and Larry Mullen Jr. on drums. The members first met through a school notice posted by Mullen; after a series of early lineups, the quartet solidified in the late 1970s. The name U2 was adopted in the late 1970s; various accounts exist, with some members citing the U-2 spy plane as an influence.

The band released its debut album Boy in 1980, followed by October in 1981. They began to attract attention with early singles and performances, achieving a major breakthrough with War (1983) and The Unforgettable Fire (1984). The Joshua Tree (1987) propelled them to global popularity, featuring hit songs such as With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

In the 1990s, U2 explored new textures on Achtung Baby (1991) and Zooropa (1993), combining rock with electronic and industrial influences, then released Pop (1997). The 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind marked a commercial and critical resurgence, followed by How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) and later No Line on the Horizon (2009) and Songs of Innocence (2014) and Songs of Experience (2017).

U2 has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won 22 Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Beyond music, the band members, notably Bono, have been active in humanitarian and political campaigns.