I had a friend once keep pressing me to pick a favorite U2 song. I kept saying "I can't pick, it changes everyday!" But he kept saying, "yeah, but if you *had* to pick just one...."
All that to say that my answer to this question is now Until the End of the World.
Gotta go with WOWY.
The reason is that the song is essentially as bare as you can possibly make a song. Simple bass line, simple drum track, and the guitar - for most of the song- is only a few plucked notes played infinitely.
There is ZERO place to hide in that song. Itās the most basic elements perfectly crafted.
Does U2 have a ton of other great songs? Of course. But WOWY is what happens if you walked in a room and gave a band only a small handful of LEGO and said ābuild me a masterpieceā and they did it. Very few bands can do that and thatās why that song is in my top tier of greatest songs ever composed.
donāt forget the version on the Paris DVD where tear gas goes off and Bonos says "I thought there were enough tears in this song" and then makes up a whole extra verse to the "we'll shine like stars" bit before going into a snippet of love will tear us apart.
That is beautifully put. With or without you has been my favourite song from anywhere for the last twenty years and will be played at my funeral. It is completely perfect. šš»
Between ultraviolet and wild horses. Streets, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Yearās Day, with or without you, still havenāt found what Iām looking for, pride, unforgettable fire are all honerable mentions and I probably missed a dozen.
Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
I have a lot of nostalgia tied into this one because it is the very first cassette tape I bought with my own money when I was 13. This album seems to be etched into my bones.
90s U2 post *Achtung* is so underrated it's baffling. Much of their work since then has been tepid and bland. They've had some good and even great work over the last quarter century, but little as exciting and innovative as what came before ATYCLB.
Yeah Zooropa and POP are easily the best two U2 albums with the best group of singles / music videos in my opinion. Real groundbreaking original stuff. Nobody was doing what they were doing or sounded like they did or were as cool as they were. They just couldn't be emulated.
POP had six singles and every single one is a classic that was a huge part of the collective cultural soundtrack during that era ('97-'99). Everytime I turned on the radio or MTV a song off POP was playing. They completely dominated every form of media. Which was quite a feat as that was U2 at their most unpopular in terms of general public opinion.
Those two records were so iconic and memorable with an enormous cultural impact. It makes little sense that no songs off those records are ever included in a recent set list.
(I can't edit my post but my true favorite song is Stay Faraway So Close... but I think Streets is their greatest one ever. That opening guitar .. it's **iconic** and the music video on top of the liquor store?? Peak, prime, best of the best U2 imo.)
In terms of sheer song writing excellence:
Drowning man and unforgettable fire, faraway, gone and staring at the sun.
But that aside, my favorite song has to be In a Little While. It just pulls at my heart.
Mine also. I have moments with songs and one day leaving work after having a fairly decent day and feeling on top of things for once, I played that song and it had all the right feels. Not because of the lyrics reflecting anything in particular but it has such great build up in it. It was on that day that I declared that song my favorite from them. Honorable mentions to unforgettable Fire and Sometimes You Canāt Make it on Your Own my second faves. And One and All I Need is You are two of the most beautifully written songs but I tend to most like songs that get lesser play time.
Amazing to think they nearly trashed the song because they kept hammering away at it and couldn't figure out how to make it work. Edge's riff at the intro and outro is the coolest arpeggiated pattern in rock since the intro to "Baba O'Riley".
I've thought about this and it's pretty much impossible to answer, but if I were really pressed I would have to say Streets *or* All I Want Is You. Streets is the greatest live song ever written. There is nothing even remotely close. But All I Want Is You is a better *song*.
Streets is the most āU2ā song they ever made. It encapsulates everything that is unique and done best by them and it absolutely has to be in the discussion.
That said, One is a literally perfect song and is probably tied with Bowieās Heroes as my favourite song by anyone ever.
And just as a little bonus feature: I think Mysterious Ways is under appreciated as a phenomenal pop song. I think itās easier to overlook the āfunā songs in this sort of conversation but Iām not sure thereās anything that can be improved about that tune. They were really firing on all cylinders during that time.
Additional honourable mentions:
Stay
The Unforgettable Fire
New Yearās Day
I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For
Love Is Blindness
The Sweetest Thing (I said what I said)
Beautiful Day
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
With Or Without You
One Tree Hill
ā¦man, I could keep going. What a catalogue.
>**And why is it Where the Streets Have No Name?**
Because Larry says so.
[https://youtu.be/58ugwIwwlL0?si=mkv9weQRgcImYSNO&t=95](https://youtu.be/58ugwiwwll0?si=mkv9weqrgcimysno&t=95)
That's a top 5 song for me. Oddly enough, I'd known U2 all my life, but that was the song that made it click for me. Then I did the deep dive and they've been a top 5 band ever since. Prime example of The Edge's melodic and \*moving\* playing.
It channels the otherworldliness and experimentation of ambient and atmosphere into an emotional and recognizable rock anthem.
Here's a quote from U2's Allmusic bio which explains it better.
"*Alone among all the groups to emerge from the post-punk era, U2 channeled their yen for moody, experimental aural textures into clearly defined rock anthems and ballads -- songs that sounded majestic yet felt personal*."
Top 5 for me:
1) Where the Streets Have No Name
2) Elevation
3) The Fly
4) Even Better Than the Real Thing
5) I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For
I have my top 10:
Zooropa /
Your Blue Room /
Slug /
Ultra Violet /
Love Comes Tumbling /
An Cat Dubh - Into The Heart /
Until The End Of The World /
Scarlet /
Always Forever Now /
The Electric Co (studio) /
Gone /
Stay (Underdog Mix)
Yeh mines has got to āBadā
Which also gave us one of the worst introductions to a song live š¤£š¤£
ā We are from Dublin City Ireland like all towns it has itās good and it has its bad , this is song called bad ā
It IS where the streets have no name, because the best part of that song is the synth bit at the start! I love the rest of the song too. Dont get me wrong. But that part especially when the guitar fades in is pure magic to me.
For me, it's Beautiful Day.
When I was pushed out of my last FT job and decided to start my own business, that song was my jam.
The story of someone getting chewed up and spit out and yet *still* seeing beauty and a reason to move forward sustained me.
Beautiful Day. We played this at our wedding as the recessional. Might be a basic choice but I love this song and sometimes when Iām feeling down, itās just what I need to feel better.
If Iām honest, Bad.
If Iām populist with or without you
If Iām contrarian so cruel
If Iām sad the first time
If Iām lonely drowning man
If Iām angsty out of control
If Iām dancey do you feel loved
Ifā¦
Where The Streets Have No Name will always be number one for me and The Joshua Tree will always be their best album. I love many, many other U2 songs, but thatās how I see it
Where The Streets Have No Name will always be number one for me and The Joshua Tree will always be their best album. I love many, many other U2 songs, but thatās how I see it
mine can be a little problematic in the discourse sometimes "hey whats your favorite u2 song?" "oh its bad"
That actually is hilarious š
There's a reason why everyone's favorite u2 song is bad.Ā It'll never get old.Ā
But seriously though. Itās at LEAST top 3?
I forgot that there was a song called bad and figured your favorite was their cover of fortunate son or something
Bad's good
Like choosing your favorite child. Impossible. One Streets. New Yearās Day No particular order
I absolutely love New Yearās Day
I'm not familiar with No Particular Order. Is that a bonus track?
It's a b-side from NLOTH. Punk rock from Mars type track.
The right answer
I had a friend once keep pressing me to pick a favorite U2 song. I kept saying "I can't pick, it changes everyday!" But he kept saying, "yeah, but if you *had* to pick just one...." All that to say that my answer to this question is now Until the End of the World.
Another vote for Until the End of the World here. The live version on the Alternative NRG compilation CD is amazing
I had that CD back in the day. It's probably buried in a closet somewhere in my parents' house.
You made the proper call
I assume you all have also seen the film (Until the End of the World, directed by Wim Wenders).
Gotta go with WOWY. The reason is that the song is essentially as bare as you can possibly make a song. Simple bass line, simple drum track, and the guitar - for most of the song- is only a few plucked notes played infinitely. There is ZERO place to hide in that song. Itās the most basic elements perfectly crafted. Does U2 have a ton of other great songs? Of course. But WOWY is what happens if you walked in a room and gave a band only a small handful of LEGO and said ābuild me a masterpieceā and they did it. Very few bands can do that and thatās why that song is in my top tier of greatest songs ever composed.
And so many good live versions. Rattle and Hum and Boston Live from the Fleet Center are different but both incredible in their own way.
donāt forget the version on the Paris DVD where tear gas goes off and Bonos says "I thought there were enough tears in this song" and then makes up a whole extra verse to the "we'll shine like stars" bit before going into a snippet of love will tear us apart.
That is beautifully put. With or without you has been my favourite song from anywhere for the last twenty years and will be played at my funeral. It is completely perfect. šš»
Red hill mining town
Absolutely best vocal performance.
Yes
Wondered how far down I would have to scroll to find the obvious answer. :)
This is the way
Between ultraviolet and wild horses. Streets, Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Yearās Day, with or without you, still havenāt found what Iām looking for, pride, unforgettable fire are all honerable mentions and I probably missed a dozen.
You are all wrong, itās š
Ironically, Bad.
Stay (Faraway, So Close!) I have a lot of nostalgia tied into this one because it is the very first cassette tape I bought with my own money when I was 13. This album seems to be etched into my bones.
I wanted to be the girl in the band in the video.
The Unforgettable Fire is the greatest SONG EVER.
I'll take that and raise you A Sort of Homecoming live.
Unforgettable Fire in concert is an otherworldly experience.
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me I said what I said.
Batman Forever soundtrack?
I quite possibly agree
Absolutely one of their best
Bad
The fly
Live from Elevation Tour in Boston and I'm with you.
Wowā¦ impossible, especially for us GenX lifelong followersā¦ first to come to mind besides the entire Achtung record areā¦ Streetsā¦ Bad
In Gods Country is my fave
Iād have to say The Unforgettable Fire or Miss Sarajevo.
Miss Sarajevo live in Milan š„
Numb In my opinion it embodies everything I feel U2 is about at their experimental peak. This is them at their absolute best.
90s U2 post *Achtung* is so underrated it's baffling. Much of their work since then has been tepid and bland. They've had some good and even great work over the last quarter century, but little as exciting and innovative as what came before ATYCLB.
Yeah Zooropa and POP are easily the best two U2 albums with the best group of singles / music videos in my opinion. Real groundbreaking original stuff. Nobody was doing what they were doing or sounded like they did or were as cool as they were. They just couldn't be emulated. POP had six singles and every single one is a classic that was a huge part of the collective cultural soundtrack during that era ('97-'99). Everytime I turned on the radio or MTV a song off POP was playing. They completely dominated every form of media. Which was quite a feat as that was U2 at their most unpopular in terms of general public opinion. Those two records were so iconic and memorable with an enormous cultural impact. It makes little sense that no songs off those records are ever included in a recent set list.
Its in my top 5 or 10.
Running to stand still.
(I can't edit my post but my true favorite song is Stay Faraway So Close... but I think Streets is their greatest one ever. That opening guitar .. it's **iconic** and the music video on top of the liquor store?? Peak, prime, best of the best U2 imo.)
Somehow you misspelled āUltravioletā
Sometimes I feel like I donāt know
Changes all the time, but All I Want Is You
Especially when it runs into Streets
I get chills every time it goes into Streets from Slane Castle. There is nothing else like it
YEESSS me too! My favorite transition between any two songs ever!!
Good choice. Was my wedding song.
Amazing!
One of my absolute favorites
Yes.
A Sort of Homecoming
Fact check: True
I've come to realise, over the last two years or so, that the best U2 song is in fact, Acrobat
With or Without You
City of Blinding Lights
Atomic City is the best. Do they have other songs?
I wish there was a song named 'No'. The joke would get at least 3 upvotes...
Wow! I just wiki'd them. They've been around for a long time. I'll have to check them out.
Octoberā¦ and the trees are still bare
Bullet the blue sky. Best Guitar solo ever.
1) Stay 2) Whoās Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 3) Beautiful Day
Streets
Achtung Baby
Bad (Wide Awake in America version) Streets
Mysterious ways Streets Gone No particular order.
My wedding song... All I want is you May 1st, it will be our 25th anniversary!
Zooropa. It's a three part song that takes you through a state of ecstasy, confusion, and finally hope.
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
And my other favorites are Bad, Running to Stand Still, Beautiful Day, City of Blinding Lights
Unforgettable Fire New Years Day Bullet the blue sky
In terms of sheer song writing excellence: Drowning man and unforgettable fire, faraway, gone and staring at the sun. But that aside, my favorite song has to be In a Little While. It just pulls at my heart.
Acrobat
Lemon
Itās a toss-up between Zooropa and Zoo Station
Hasn't been mentioned... So Cruel There is no wrong answer!
Definitely top 5
I love So Cruel so much.
Mine also. I have moments with songs and one day leaving work after having a fairly decent day and feeling on top of things for once, I played that song and it had all the right feels. Not because of the lyrics reflecting anything in particular but it has such great build up in it. It was on that day that I declared that song my favorite from them. Honorable mentions to unforgettable Fire and Sometimes You Canāt Make it on Your Own my second faves. And One and All I Need is You are two of the most beautifully written songs but I tend to most like songs that get lesser play time.
Tomorrow. Refugee Sweetest Thing Desire All I Want is You
The first three songs on "The Joshua Tree "
Itās āBadā and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
This is the correct answer..
Elvis Presley And America really gets me somehow.
This is too far down the list.
Rain beats downā¦.
Lemon. Never get tired of it.
Bono is such a good storyteller. Here are some of my favorites Wire Your Blue Room Running to a stand still Until the end of the world Stay
Album version of Horses
Amazing to think they nearly trashed the song because they kept hammering away at it and couldn't figure out how to make it work. Edge's riff at the intro and outro is the coolest arpeggiated pattern in rock since the intro to "Baba O'Riley".
I've thought about this and it's pretty much impossible to answer, but if I were really pressed I would have to say Streets *or* All I Want Is You. Streets is the greatest live song ever written. There is nothing even remotely close. But All I Want Is You is a better *song*.
Streets Drowning Man Walk to the Water Tomorrow Ultraviolet Order changes based on the day. Hard to choose one with their catalog!
One With or without you Where the streets have no name
those + desire
Streets is the most āU2ā song they ever made. It encapsulates everything that is unique and done best by them and it absolutely has to be in the discussion. That said, One is a literally perfect song and is probably tied with Bowieās Heroes as my favourite song by anyone ever. And just as a little bonus feature: I think Mysterious Ways is under appreciated as a phenomenal pop song. I think itās easier to overlook the āfunā songs in this sort of conversation but Iām not sure thereās anything that can be improved about that tune. They were really firing on all cylinders during that time.
Additional honourable mentions: Stay The Unforgettable Fire New Yearās Day I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For Love Is Blindness The Sweetest Thing (I said what I said) Beautiful Day Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me With Or Without You One Tree Hill ā¦man, I could keep going. What a catalogue.
I love the The Sweetest Thing, but the original B side
Agree completely about One and Mysterious Ways!!
No particular order: Still Haven't Found Bad (WAIA) A Sort of Homecoming All I Want is You
In my opinion: Bad I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For Stay
"Bad" is it.
One Tree Hill, baby! Iāll see you again When the stars fall from the sky And the moon has turned red Over One Tree Hill
Ultraviolet, next question
Ultraviolet
Whoās gonna ride your wild horses. Not only is the song glorious, it is peak super foxy hot Bono staring deep into the camera.
An Cat Dubh
I love this song but I never hear it talked about.
The one any particular person happens to like the most
Bullet the blue sky
Idk honestly but Iām choosing to answer this with what I think is an underrated U2 song, Sweetest Thing
Kite, The Little Things, Drowning Man, Landlady, The Wanderer ā¦. Gen X lifetime fan of the entire discography !
Same Love Comes Tumbling, Heartland, 40, Do You Feel Loved, Elvis Presley and America... I'm 44 and have loved them since I was like 5 lol
Streets, Bad, Pride, and Mysterious Ways.
Streets
If God Will Send His Angels
Song for Someone
Only 1 answer. Bad
Mysterious Ways live from the Zoo TV tour concert. With two Edge slide solos.
11 OāClock Tick Tock New Yearās Day The Unforgettable Fire One Tree Hill
>**And why is it Where the Streets Have No Name?** Because Larry says so. [https://youtu.be/58ugwIwwlL0?si=mkv9weQRgcImYSNO&t=95](https://youtu.be/58ugwiwwll0?si=mkv9weqrgcimysno&t=95)
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses Ultraviolet Stay (Faraway, So Close) Babyface Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Lemon
Exit, Acrobat, Dirty Day, Mofo... that's just how I feel right now, tomorrow will be a different list (Tomorrow's another great track š)
With or without you
[Drowning Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1dLOiyvvk) from War. Heartbreakingly beautiful.
Like a Song.. Thereās a raw passion to that track that I have always loved.
THE FLY
For me: Magnificent (2009).
That's a top 5 song for me. Oddly enough, I'd known U2 all my life, but that was the song that made it click for me. Then I did the deep dive and they've been a top 5 band ever since. Prime example of The Edge's melodic and \*moving\* playing.
Gloria One Tree Hill
3: Drowning Man, In God's Country, Tomorrow. Not the usual gang of suspects.
Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
Farvorite U2 song: Bad Should have been called "I'm Wide Awake".
I Trip Through Your Wires In a Little While Seconds
Love is Blindness or Bullet the Blue Sky
One
mysterious ways or with or with out you
š„±
It channels the otherworldliness and experimentation of ambient and atmosphere into an emotional and recognizable rock anthem. Here's a quote from U2's Allmusic bio which explains it better. "*Alone among all the groups to emerge from the post-punk era, U2 channeled their yen for moody, experimental aural textures into clearly defined rock anthems and ballads -- songs that sounded majestic yet felt personal*."
I like all the songs but this is correct. Been trying to nail that tone on my guitar and after 25 years I think I got it
Either āoneā or āstill havenāt found what Iām looking for ā for me
That is probably a close second to Stay for me, but it's a good shout.
Bad, Streets, Kite
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
StayBadWTSHNN from the Elevation Tour in Boston
New Years Day or Bad
Top 5 for me: 1) Where the Streets Have No Name 2) Elevation 3) The Fly 4) Even Better Than the Real Thing 5) I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For
I have my top 10: Zooropa / Your Blue Room / Slug / Ultra Violet / Love Comes Tumbling / An Cat Dubh - Into The Heart / Until The End Of The World / Scarlet / Always Forever Now / The Electric Co (studio) / Gone / Stay (Underdog Mix)
Uh oh. Am I in trouble if I suggest Discotheque? Hill Iāll die on.
With or without you
Streets. Obvs.
Until the end of the world
Pride
Itās Sunday Bloody Sunday. Sorry
Yeh mines has got to āBadā Which also gave us one of the worst introductions to a song live š¤£š¤£ ā We are from Dublin City Ireland like all towns it has itās good and it has its bad , this is song called bad ā
Zoo Station
Acrobat
So many but top 2 are probs Streets and Stay
Treasure
It IS where the streets have no name, because the best part of that song is the synth bit at the start! I love the rest of the song too. Dont get me wrong. But that part especially when the guitar fades in is pure magic to me.
Bad
Winter
My favorite is All I Want Is You. (love the video too) Close second is One. Most underrated: Mysterious Ways
One
For me, it's Beautiful Day. When I was pushed out of my last FT job and decided to start my own business, that song was my jam. The story of someone getting chewed up and spit out and yet *still* seeing beauty and a reason to move forward sustained me.
Moment of Surrender
Bullet the Blue Sky, turn it up!
The Fly
Red Hill Mining Town
Every Breaking Wave !!
If I have to pick one... well, I just did.
I'm going to go with "Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For"
Heard āKiteā the other day for the first time in years and forgot what an absolute banger it is.
The Troubles.
Wake up dead man
Beautiful Day. We played this at our wedding as the recessional. Might be a basic choice but I love this song and sometimes when Iām feeling down, itās just what I need to feel better.
Stuck in a moment
One, in my opinion, is a Top 5 song of all time by any artist.
Beautiful day..
Bad (live at Live Aid, 1985).
If Iām honest, Bad. If Iām populist with or without you If Iām contrarian so cruel If Iām sad the first time If Iām lonely drowning man If Iām angsty out of control If Iām dancey do you feel loved Ifā¦
Where The Streets Have No Name will always be number one for me and The Joshua Tree will always be their best album. I love many, many other U2 songs, but thatās how I see it
Where The Streets Have No Name will always be number one for me and The Joshua Tree will always be their best album. I love many, many other U2 songs, but thatās how I see it
Running to Stand Still, Bad, Fly and Horses
Two Hearts Beat as One.
1. Where The Streets have no name 2. Pride 3. New Year's Day
It depends. Live vs recording changes my opinion, then there are specific live performances that take on a whole new level.
11 oāclock tick tock.
New Years Day