U2

U2 formed in Dublin in 1976, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr developing a sound rooted in post-punk and rock that was immediately ambitious and emotionally intense. The Edge's guitar playing was immediately distinctive — using delay and echo effects to create a shimmering, atmospheric sound that became one of the most recognisable in rock music — and Bono's vocals were powerful and expressive, capable of extraordinary emotional range.

'Boy' (1980) and 'October' (1981) established them as one of the most important new Irish acts. 'War' (1983) and 'The Unforgettable Fire' (1984) showed the band's growing ambition. 'The Joshua Tree' (1987) was their masterpiece — one of the best-selling albums in history, producing 'With or Without You', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', and 'Where the Streets Have No Name'. 'Achtung Baby' (1991) was their creative reinvention — equally extraordinary.

U2 have continued to record and perform with remarkable longevity, remaining one of the most commercially successful live acts in the world. Their creative legacy — from the post-punk energy of their early albums through the stadium rock grandeur of 'The Joshua Tree' to the electronic reinvention of 'Achtung Baby' — represents one of the most extraordinary sustained creative periods in the history of rock music.