The 10 Best U2 Songs of All Time

U2 undoubtedly ranks as one of the most iconic bands of all time. The band’s catalog of countless hits and iconic albums proves it. The Irish Rockers, consisting of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., formed in 1976 and are still going strong to this day. For this article, I’ve hand-picked the band’s 10 ‘best’ songs, based on cultural importance, legacy, and obviously, personal preference!

10. Beautiful Day

I start this list with “Beautiful Day”. U2 released the song as a single on their 2000 release All That You Can’t Leave Behind. The album also features the beautiful “Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” and the catchy “Elevation”. But I’ve decided to pick “Beautiful Day” because I think it’s the best post-2000 U2 release. It’s also the only 2000s song that makes this list.

9. The Unforgettable Fire

After the release of War (1983) the members of U2 feared becoming a band with a ‘generic rock sound’. In 1984, Bono implied the band would depart from its known sound and undergo radical change. It resulted in The Unforgettable Fire, an album with an ambient experimental sound. The best example of that ambient experimental sound is arguably the album’s title track. The composition of the song is absurd, but magically enough, it just works!

8. All I Want Is You

“There are some beautiful songs on Rattle and Hum“, Bono said in U2 by U2. “All I Want Is You’ is probably the best.” The Edge agreed with Bono and so do I. The song features beautiful lyrics, great guitar parts, and a beautiful string arrangement by none other than Van Dyke Parks.

7. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

For number 7, I’ve picked “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. The song is inspired by gospel music and the Old Testament, and finds its origin in a rhythm pattern Larry Mullen Jr. played on a demo. The song was released on U2’s most successful album The Joshua Tree, of which you will find 2 more songs on this list.

6. Pride (In The Name of Love)

Originally written about Bono’s dislike of Ronald Reagan’s leadership, “Pride (In The Name of Love)” eventually transformed into a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. “Don’t try and fight darkness with light, just make the light shine brighter,” Bono later told NME. “I was giving Reagan too much importance, then I thought Martin Luther King, there’s a man. We build the positive rather than fighting with the finger.”

5. Sunday Bloody Sunday

The Edge wrote “Sunday Bloody Sunday” while Bono was enjoying Honeymoon in Jamaica with his wife Ali Hewson. The song is about a tragic incident during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, a violent conflict that lasted from the late 60s to 1998. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was released as a single on U2’s third studio album War and is among the band’s signature songs.

4. Where The Streets Have No Name

For number 4, I’ve picked “Where The Streets Have No Name”. The opening track of The Joshua Tree is known for The Edge’s iconic guitar playing, which fades into the song after 42 seconds. The song’s title is inspired by a conversation Bono had: “An interesting story that someone told me once is that in Belfast, by what street someone lives on you can tell not only their religion but tell how much money they’re making – literally by which side of the road they live on. That said something to me, and so I started writing about a place where the streets have no name.”

3. Bad

Known for being a fan favorite and its live performances, “Bad” is undoubtedly one of U2’s finest tracks. The most famous performance of the song was during Live Aid, where the band extended “Bad” into a 12-minute song. During the performance, Bono jumped down the stage to rescue a girl from being crushed, and after doing so successfully, he proceeded to dance with her. It became a key moment of Live Aid.

2. With or Without You

Bono wrote “With or Without You” about his struggle between being an eccentric musician and a domesticated family man. “What if the two are at odds?” He later said. “Your gift versus domestic responsibility?”

The song was released as the lead single of The Joshua Tree and marked the band’s first number-one hit in the US. It was also a major top-10 hit in Europe.

Read more: The Story Behind “With or Without You” by U2

1. One

For number 1 on my list of the greatest U2 songs, I’ve picked “One”. The iconic song arose out of musical disagreement within the band and became a pivotal moment during the sessions of the band’s seventh studio album Achtung Baby.

It is often believed the song is an idealistic ode to becoming “One” with each other. But Bono clarified the lyrics have a different meaning: “It’s saying, “We are one, but we’re not the same.” It’s not saying we even want to get along, but that we have to get along together in this world if it is to survive. It’s a reminder that we have no choice.

Read more: The Story Behind “One” by U2

So, that wrap’s up this list of greatest U2 songs. I surely forgot to mention songs that could’ve easily ranked on this list. I’m thinking about “Mysterious Ways”, “I Will Follow”, “New Year’s Day”, and “Desire”, among others. What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments down below!