U2 started off in 1978 when four school friends from Dublin got together and decided to form a rock band. They were Paul Hewson (Bono), the vocalist, David Evans (The Edge), the guitar player, Adam Clayton, the bass player and last but not least Larry Mullen Jr, the drummer. They started to get a hint of the fame to come after winning a talent contest and then finding their Manager, Paul McGuiness who took them under his wing and signed them up to CBS records in Ireland.
Although they hit high in the charts in their native Ireland it was only when they signed up to Island Records in the UK market that their fame started to spread. Their first Album "Boy", released in 1980, sent them out on a tour which showed that they were indeed impressive live performers.
In 1981, they toured America and later released their "October" album although not having a hit high on the charts in the UK or American charts, they were soon rewarded in 1983 when their song "New Years Day" got within the top 10. They later released a live Album of their concert "Under a Blood Red Sky" which soared the charts in the UK and America, and from there they began their world wide fame.
By 1984, they were in the big time as their album "The Unforgettable Fire" hailed them greater recognition in America. The band had also become well known for their interest in humanitarian deeds, and they were never shy about using their musical platform to further these interests. They were involved in several projects, appearing in Live Aid, Ireland's Self Aid, as well as taking part in Little Stevens anti-apartheid single "Sun City".
In 1987, U2 released the "Joshua Tree "album which confirmed their standing as one of the biggest rock groups in the world. At the end of 1988, they released their partly live album " Rattle and Hum" along with a video and achieved their first No 1 hit in the UK with "Desire". They finished the decade with a bang performing a live concert in Dublin that was played on the radio stations across the UK and Europe.
A new Decade of the Nineties saw U2 still staying on top with their Albums "Atchung Baby", "Zooropa" and "Pop". Their musical talent able to go along with the flow and gave their fans what they wanted, getting bigger and better every time. In the new Millennium, they have proved that they are indeed the best band in the world when their latest album "All That You Can't Leave Behind" won critical acclaim worldwide. U2 is still going on strong today and hopefully for a long time in the future.
