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The Joshua Tree

U2

1987

Buy At Rough Trade
The Joshua Tree
Album Summary

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire, the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures on The Joshua Tree. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music, and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America". Inspired by American experiences, literature, and politics, U2 chose America as a theme for the album. Recording began in January 1986 in Ireland, and to foster a relaxed, creative atmosphere, the group primarily recorded in two houses. Several events during the sessions helped shape the conscious tone of the album, including the band's participation in the Conspiracy of Hope benefit concerts for Amnesty International, the death of roadie Greg Carroll, and lead vocalist Bono's travels to Central America. Recording was completed in November 1986; additional production continued into January 1987. Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record, one that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of the United States. They represented this in the sleeve photography depicting them in American desert landscapes. The Joshua Tree received critical acclaim, topped the charts in over 20 countries, and became the fastest-selling album in British history. According to Rolling Stone, the album increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". It produced the hit singles "With or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Where the Streets Have No Name", the first two of which became the group's only number-one singles in the US. The album won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1988. The group supported the record with the Joshua Tree Tour throughout 1987, during which they began to perform in stadiums for the first time in their career. Frequently listed among the greatest albums of all time, The Joshua Tree is one of the world's best-selling albums, with over 25 million copies sold. U2 commemorated the record's 20th anniversary with a remastered re-release, and its 30th anniversary with concert tours and a reissue. In 2014, The Joshua Tree was selected for preservation in the US National Recording Registry, having been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.67

Votes

12157
Genres
Rock

Reviews

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Thu Jan 28 2021
1

I think this is the worst thing I've listened to yet. I tried. Honest. It was really a struggle to power through this. Every song was exactly the same. At its best, I found some of these songs to be somewhere between "Gen X Easy Listening" and "Songs to hear when you're in the dental chair". If you found a Gen Z kid who had never heard U2 and then played this album for them while saying "These guys sell out stadiums", they straight up wouldn't believe you

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Thu Nov 04 2021
2

I still haven't found what I'm looking for, but I know it's definitely not U2.

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Tue Mar 09 2021
5

I needed exactly this album today. I mean, this is one of those all-time-great albums anyway but there's nothing like listening to the perfect album for a particular time. This morning, this is the album I needed and I'm not even a U2 fan. But these tracks are undeniable monsters.

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Fri Aug 20 2021
5

Seventeen year old me chalks this up as an easy 5. And upon listening again, 51-year old me is pleased to agree with my younger self. Bono can get on my nerves pretty fast, but I have to think even his harshest critics have to give him props for a lot here, especially With Or Without You and my favorite track on the album, Running To Stand Still. This was the moment for U2 when everything fell together, and they finally reached an audience who somehow missed their landmark performance at Live Aid two years earlier. The three hit songs from this album are arguably the three most popular of the band's career. It's almost the definition of a quintessential album. It's worth listening to the 30th anniversary edition, as not only is the entire original album remastered, but you get a great concert from this album's tour in 1987. For anyone tired of "With Or Without You", go watch how it was used in the final episode of The Americans. It'll make you appreciate the song all over again. As much as I cherish The Joshua Tree, it's my third favorite U2 album. Quick research tells me the other two will be coming up on this list.....

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Wed Jan 20 2021
5

When I grabbed The Joshua Tree on cassette when dropped my senior year of high school, it was exactly what I needed and solidified that U2 was my favorite band. There was no album I knew better that year. Its symbolic and poetic lyrics are rich with very human truths and contradictions, as well as spiritual longings. I could write on and on about how each song has influenced my own writing, spirituality, and outlook on life, and how the musicianship from Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry in this piece of art framed a sound that I gravitated towards back in '87 as well as inspired my search for more of the same moving into college and beyond. There isn't 1 of the 11 songs that I don't love and that doesn't spark contemplation and joy in me. I know each one personally and have meditated on each with endless hours and emotional intention. Initially One Tree Hill was not a popular song, but it made it onto several mix tapes that Scott and I made. One of my Top 10 albums of all time, The Joshua Tree is one of my favorite representations of why an album is greater than the sum of its parts, even though each individual song is so powerful!

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Thu Apr 08 2021
2

I'm not a fan of U2, and this is a great representation of their sound.

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Mon Aug 22 2022
2

I've written and deleted the word "bloviated" at least five times. Thing is, despite each song being a short walk up a small hill stretched out to feel like an ironman challenge courtesy of those neverending synth lines, marching drums, and Bono's mouthful of cotton wool, these songs move at some kind of clip. Right, they spend longer in each section of the song than most artists would, but within their clearly defined aesthetic, they don't spend longer than they should. So I'm happy to call it a formal achievment, even if I found virtually nothing that made me want to come back.

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Sat Apr 10 2021
5

My first 5* new discovery (although hardly a hidden gem) and of all the artists for it to be... not a weak song in sight though and there's just a weird kind of atmosphere throughout which I can't pinpoint but I'm all in for. Best track: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

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Mon Feb 28 2022
5

As someone who grew up surrounded by desert but didn't appreciate the landscape until I grew up and moved away, I connect with U2's desire to build an album around their desert inspiration. The album builds up and opens with so much excitement and energy. That energy builds and is held throughout the entire album. This album marries unique rock instrumentation with Bono's soaring, ethereal voice to make every track something interesting, unique, and a little bit mysterious. Everything about Bono's voice seems deliberate; you can feel the emotion behind the way he sings, artistic and full of emotion, but in full command of his vocals. Bono's lyrics, inspired by political and world events, are also deliberate and done incredibly artfully, as if writing a poem. This album caught my attention and didn't let go until it was finished. Every song was strongly written, sung, and performed. This has definitely inspired me to dig further into U2's discography.

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Tue Feb 15 2022
1

U2 seem to be the band everyone loves to hate, mainly due to Bono. I never really felt that is particularly fair but I've never really previously found a good reason to ignore this viewpoint either. A further listen today hasn't changed this. I tried to be open minded and enjoy it, but I just cringed. Bono over-sings every line like a 3 years old who hasn't got his or her own way. Some people are just born to be really annoying and you can't quite pinpoint exactly why. With regret Bono, that's you.

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Tue May 18 2021
5

Beautiful album. The opening three songs are probably the best album opener of all time. The rest of the album is filled with mysterious atmospheric songs about American desert, which are not standout hits, however give a great vibe.

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Wed Mar 31 2021
5

Hard to think of an album with a stronger opening three songs. This album turned U2 into global superstars and rightly so. It’s not just the anthemic Where the Streets have no name, Still haven’t found what I’m looking for or With or without you that make this such a good album, it is consistently excellent all the way through. Blues and Country influences add light and shade throughout as U2 tap into their American influences and the result is a near flawless record with some epic track that have more than stood the test of time.

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Wed Mar 31 2021
5

Perhapss the most important Irish rock album of all time and certainly the album that turned U2 into the biggest band in the world. It is both a political and religious album and makes no apology for it; ground well covered by U2 prior to Joshua Tree. On this record however there is a power and conviction in the songs as well as a confidence in the presentation and imagery of Americana, despite most of the songs not being directly about America. ‘WTSHNN’, inspired by Belfast, is as good an opener as you’ll hear on any album whilst the soaring ‘Red Hill Mining Town’ is about the UK miners strike of 1984. Although the second half of the album cannot match its powerful opening run of anthems The Joshua Tree is a triumph.

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Fri Aug 20 2021
5

Greatest three-song stretch opener of all time. These songs are loud and orchestral, carrying New Wave into a more alt rock direction in the late 80s. This is an album hard for me to describe why it deserves all 5 stars, but it's intelligent and hardly possesses any negative characteristics. Between the lyrics and choice of instruments like the harmonica, the songs reflect strongly of American folk culture, speaking of the vast open space and American ideals. The gospel-like orchestral sound puts you in that environment, feeling insignificant yet open to opportunities. Did I mention Eno helped produce this piece? Explains a lot considering he invented the ambient genre. There is hope and optimism in these songs (also religiously influenced). This is U2's most impressive record yet and got me into plenty of their singles.

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Sun Jul 04 2021
1

It’s been said that Elvis died musically when he reported for duty after receiving his draft notice. U2 died musically with Joshua Tree. The rating is not based on the music which is better than my rating. It’s a 1 because it marked the death of an excellent band’s music and how big of a letdown that was. Their first album Boy came when exciting music was staring to make its way to Sudbury. I expect MG procured Boy since I recall having it on cassette. I stayed a U2 fan for their first three albums picking up what I could on cassette. I saw WAR on release in the local record store, bought it on the spot and it was my favourite album. I was a big U2 fan. They were getting better known and their music kept getting better. They had a hard driving original sound, were exploring new areas, playing w passion and had an original and provocative sound. WAR was better than prior albums and they were on an insanely good trajectory. I could only dream about what might come next. Spoiler Alert Then came Joshua Tree. They simply followed what worked on WAR. They died musically. I think they realized this and tried to get back on the trajectory but never did. The ship had sailed. Of course the record buying public rewarded them which didn’t help. Its hard not to think of Joshua Tree when I hear the song American Pie.

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Tue Feb 23 2021
5

Classic U2 album. Probably their best with some of their most well-known and best loved songs. Probably a band at their peak on this.

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Tue Jul 27 2021
5

Classic! Everyone needs to hear these songs

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Sun Aug 22 2021
5

Hard to think of an album with a stronger opening three songs. This album turned U2 into global superstars and rightly so. It’s not just the anthemic Where the Streets have no name, Still haven’t found what I’m looking for or With or without you that make this such a good album, it is consistently excellent all the way through. Blues and Country influences add light and shade throughout as U2 tap into their American influences and the result is a near flawless record with some epic track that have more than stood the test of time.

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Tue Aug 15 2023
1

Awful, like Phil Collins all the songs have completely rounded edges, anything interesting is sanitised for mass appeal. Anything that seems like it might be worth listening to is repeated for ages until you forget how it could have been interested in the first place. With or without you is the best track and it's terrible.

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Tue Feb 09 2021
5

Gran disco, la verdad. Quizá hoy en día, U2 ha perdido vigencia, pero sin duda, tuvieron lo suyo. No sé bien cómo explicarlo, pero creo que es un álbum grandilocuente: en su conjunto, las melodías con las letras, la voz de Bono, tranquila en ocasiones, en otras, más bien hasta desgarradora. Creo que todas las canciones me gustan, la triada del principio está muy bien, pero quizá mi fav esta vez sea "Mothers of the Disappeared". Un cierre genial. Finalmente, un pensamiento random: ¿le debe mucho Muse —con sus atributos y carencias— a U2? 9.5/10.

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Mon May 03 2021
3

I do not love U2 and would go so far to say that they get a big eye roll from me, but I like the more muted rock from this album compared to their hits from the aughts.

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Sun Jan 31 2021
3

Some of the tracks on the second half of this album are a bit boring/naff but the first 4-5 really make up for it. Bullet the Blue Sky is slammin'

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Tue Jun 08 2021
3

Never been a huge U2 fan. Not bad, but pretty generic and samey sounding.

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Sun Jan 17 2021
5

There is literally nothing I can say about this album that has not been said by thousands of other Irish. It's a national heritage at this stage. It should be on a podium in Dublin Airport, and it probably is. Bono is still a gobshite though.

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Tue May 25 2021
5

Incredible. Epic. Interesting. Lyrically diverse. An all time classic.

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Sat Mar 20 2021
5

Un classique. Le debut est incroya le 5*

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Thu May 13 2021
5

Obra maestra de éxito comercial. Prácticamente todas y cada una de las canciones son de 5 estrellas, desde las más conocidas: Where the streets have no name, I still haven't found what I'm looking for, With or without you hasta Running to stand still, In god's country y One tree hill. Imprescindible de verdad.

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Mon May 03 2021
5

don't LOVE U2 but this album is pretty damn good

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Mon Jan 25 2021
5

very good album, all songs were amazing but not all like each other, creating a very nice listen. very good vocals and very nice accompaniment

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Mon May 03 2021
5

Can still always listen to it, even though it's become pretty basic.

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Mon May 03 2021
5

I love when they stack the hits up front. Even better, this really is a strong & varied album throughout, hard & soft. Vocals & lyrics are great.

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Sun Jul 04 2021
5

Epic Es bleibt genau meine Mischung aus Folk, Rock, Hymne, Druck, Pathos, Einfachheit und einem Schuss Selbstgerechtigkeit. Klappt bei keinem anderen U2 albbb I’llm in der Form

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Wed Aug 11 2021
5

Fantastic album front to back

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Sun Aug 22 2021
5

I struggle to think of a better opening three tracks of any other album - it’s quite something and nearly 35 years later the 3 tracks remain as iconic as ever. The rest of the album can’t cope to keep up but still holds some of U2’s best work by a distance. I debated a four but felt I would be doing this album a disservice so I listened again - it’s gets the five it deserves

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Tue Aug 24 2021
5

The greatest rock album of all time.

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Tue Aug 24 2021
5

In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire, the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures on The Joshua Tree. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music, and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America". Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record, one that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of the United States. They represented this in the sleeve photography depicting them in American desert landscapes.

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Mon Aug 30 2021
5

Get some stick but this is actually an unbelievable album!

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Tue Aug 31 2021
5

The best album opening ever and one of the best albums ever made; should be played through high-quality speakers for maximum effect...

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Tue Sep 14 2021
5

You can tell that U2 knew what album they wanted to make, and they succeeded on all fronts. All the singles are frontloaded but you never want to stop listening because every track could’ve been a single. Another example of albums as art.

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Tue Sep 21 2021
5

5/5 One of the best albums of all time.

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Tue Sep 28 2021
5

Amazing, not listened to this in a very long time. Forgot how brilliant U2 are, when they are just being brilliant. I was back in the car with my Dad listening to this on cassette during the drive to school.

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Sat Oct 16 2021
5

The Joshua Tree by U2 (1987) The American spy plane with the designation “U-2” is an instrument of war designed to peer surreptitiously (from 70,000 feet) into things the enemy doesn’t want you to see. As the name of an Irish rock band, U2 is potently and multi-valently symbolic of what they’re trying to do. From the high altitude of their aesthetic perception, they endeavor to make these things seen by ‘you too’. And boy, do they succeed. When I first listened to this album at the time of its 1987 release, I concluded immediately that it was one of the greatest recordings I had ever heard. My judgment hasn’t changed in 34 years. Lead singer/lyricist Bono’s words stand as poetry on their own. Technical innovation by guitarist The Edge more than compensates for any deficiency in virtuosity. Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullen, Jr. on drums/percussion together provide a rhythm section that goes far beyond foundation, making compositional contributions that round out the near-symphonic sound. And Bono’s vocal delivery is infused with passion, sincerity, dynamism, and color. When one focuses all this Irish talent toward a not-so-surreptitious gaze at “God’s Country” (that would be the USA), guided by producer Brian Eno, the result is high art. What makes the sound so great on this record is the subtle use of silence. It creates distance, scope, and room for the reverberations and echoes. The Edge finds a way to make a guitar sound like chimes, church-bells, and pipe organ, all of which require sonic space. And Eno gives us plenty of it. Longing for a transcendence that leaves linguistic tags behind, the first-person opening track (“Where the Streets Have No Name”) summons the listener to join in an adventure of seeing—together. “When I go there I go there with you .” It’s part of what makes us human. But we’ve not yet seen clearly (“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”), even if we’ve gazed intently into the Paschal Mystery. There are lots of angels and demons on this trip, helping us to see what some say ain’t even there. Plenty of metaphysical strife. And we’re caught right up in it. The beginning of the bridge at (1:47) on “With Or Without You” produces a shiver, as even the first-time listener knows what’s coming. And the gradual buildup in the dirge for a junkie “Running to Stand Still” (2:14 to 3:04) resolving in the hushed climax is powerfully poignant. Bono’s wailing lead vocal on the chorus of “Red Hill Mining Town” leaves one cold. And the screaming lament over Chilean singer/songwriter Victor Jara (at 4:09 on “One Tree Hill”) fires our passions. Jara was one of the “poets [who] speak their heart then bleed for it” (actually the bleeding wasn’t the worst part—he was tortured before being shot). These are musical moments of naked drama. And there are so many more on this record. How many tears ya got? In terms of socio-political outlook, this album gives unreconstructed Reaganites something to think about whenever America considers the use of lethal force to confront undoubted evils in places like Nicaragua and El Salvador (“Bullet the Blue Sky”, “Mothers of the Disappeared”). While such force may have produced measurable gains for good in Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw, and Prague, what would be the effect in Kosovo, Baghdad, and Kabul? And what lessons can be applied today in response to injustices in Xingjian and Addis Ababa? Do we “stoop so low” in order to “reach so high”? One should always listen to this record immediately after reading George W. Bush’s Second Inaugural Address. Because of The Joshua Tree, this U2 will persistently be there to help us see the innocent human element and “hear their heartbeat” (in “Mothers of the Disappeared”), even if the enemy prefers we look (and listen) elsewhere. This not just great music. It is has a cultural, political, and spiritual potency that gives voice to the world-soul. 5/5

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Tue Oct 19 2021
5

This is my favorite album of all time with my favorite song of all time, "Where The Streets Have No Name." It's excellent in every way and all songs, save for Exit and Mothers of the Disappeared" are absolutely excellent. Incredible start to the album and the middle through the near-end parts are massively underrated compared to the rest of U2's catalog. 10/10.

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Tue Oct 26 2021
5

Stunning album. First three songs set the mood perfectly. Love the soft/ poetic like acoustics and lyrics. I'd say this album, U2 found their sound. Despite their 1984 album, with their single "Sunday Bloody Sunday", all eleven tracks are monsters! Although they're a rock band, their music is light. You're able to appreciate it more, since the instrumentals arn't dominating your attention. Defiently reccomend. Total stand out is "The Streets Have No Name" excellent opening. Although "Bullet The Blue Sky" gets an honourable mention, as I haven't heard it before and my god it's brilliant!

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Thu Oct 28 2021
5

This is a forever album. I was 10 when this album came out... Still a great listen, 35 years later. I'm surprised tracks like Exit and Bullet the Blue Sky don't get more love.

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Tue Nov 16 2021
5

I was already mad crazy on U2 when this album debuted and it's one of the few musical moments for me where I have a sharp, distinct memory of counting down and listening when my local station broadcast With or Without You for the first time. The album is truly All Killer No Filler, and probably my vote for Brian Eno's peak production effort. It's hard for me to separate this album from all the personal moments it had for me at the right time of my life. But listening fresh years later, it's only gotten more monumental .

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Sat Nov 20 2021
5

1. Fixed drum fill 2. Ambient sound 3. Periodic guitar riff 4. Single lead voice 5. No instrument follows lead. 6. Great lyrics 7. Occasional chois by single person. 8. Pannned guitars

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Tue Nov 30 2021
5

Loved this when it first came out and it’s still an impressive piece of work

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Sat Dec 11 2021
5

I listened to The Joshua Tree a lot when I was in high school. Everyone seems to agree the first three tracks are all monster hits. I also really like Bullet the Blue Sky and Running to Stand Still. It's just a great fucking album.

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Fri Dec 17 2021
5

Great album. Seems ahead of its time. Classic U2 stadium sound.

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Sun Jan 09 2022
5

112. The Joshua Tree - U2 11 tracks. Running to Stand Still was played at my mate Tommy's funeral.... The album has always been important to me & it's a hugely emotional listen for loads of different reasons. I'm enormously biased though. 5/5

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Mon Jan 10 2022
5

Where do I even start? Or end? The band and album that changed everything. From hearing 'With Or Without You' in the car on the drive back from school, seeing them on Whistle Test the week the album came out playing 'Exit' and 'In God's Country', buying the 12 inches for the extra tracks, my first concert at Cardiff Arms, buying the program full of Anton Corbijn photos which really kicked off my interest in photography. All of it. Seeing them in pre-COVID play the album in full, going with low expectations and being completely blown away at how stunning it was. However annoying Bono might have become, however patchy the band might have been over the last 20+ years, this album is still pretty perfect. It not be quite as beautiful sounding as 'The Unforgettable Fire' (being more of a Lanois album than an Eno album) but it's the band at the peak of their powers. There's so much on here that still floors me for a band in their mid-twenties on their fifth album. Bono's voice when it was still beautiful, before age, drink and smoking wrecked it. the minute and three quarters at the start before you hear a voice. 'Bullet The Blue Sky', still probably their best song even if there's plenty of live versions on YouTube that surpass the album version. The B-side of non-singles that are better than the singles - 'Red Hill Mining Town', 'In God's Country' (I think it might have been a US single), 'Exit', 'One Tree Hill'. An album that always makes me wants U2 to rediscover themselves and realise they can make an album like this if they choose to. The band is still pretty good, Bono needs to pull his finger out and remember how he used to write lyrics.

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Tue Jan 11 2022
5

U2's finest moment. One of the great rock records.

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Thu Jan 13 2022
5

L'èpica en la seva expressió més colpidora. Grandiositat, estat de plenitud d'uns músics consumits per la musa. Una producció increïble per uns temes que han marcat més d'una década. La primera cara, per emmarcar con una de les millors de la història del rock, està ja tant assumida que es fa difícil valorar com es mereix. Ens queda la segona per anar-la redescobrint i saborejant amb els anys

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Fri Jan 14 2022
5

Banger. Their best album- 5 of the first 6 songs are fire and the closers have grown on me too.

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Wed Jan 19 2022
5

What an album. It’s pretty flawless in every way, and an easy 5. I was 16 when this album came out. Joshua Tree felt timeless then and still does, so many years later. It was U2’s fourth album, but really different than anything else they had put out at that point. It was a continuation of the band’s relationship with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois that began with The Unforgettable Fire, but in a far more mature and carefully crafted work, their most perfectly realized album. Joshua Tree marks a turning point for U2, after which they were simply the most important band in the world. No one makes albums like this anymore. From that first slowly unfolding open in “Where the Streets Have No Name,” you know you’re in for something special, something monumental. It really does have a cinematic quality to it. This is mature, thoughtful music, beautifully written and expertly played. In 1987 it stood out starkly in a landscape full of spandex and hair, of glossy, gimmicky songs. It was also their most focused work to date as a band. Bono’s ode to/critique of “America” is palpable here, but not at all overwrought. I often think of this U2’s Springsteen album, which I mean as a giant compliment to both of them. The earthiness of these songs, the warm and resonant arrangements, the full throated expressions of emotion, the sense of spiritual longing, the images of a promised land out of reach… it all comes from the same musical place. Lyrically, Bono has matured tremendously on these songs. The lyrics reflect the band’s lived experiences at that time, like the death of band roadie and friend Greg Carroll (One Tree Hill) and Bono’s growing interest of global social and political issues (“Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared"). U2 was always an openly political band, but these songs just feel much more personal, more passionate, more spiritual. Still, he’s also able to address his own demons, with the stunningly lovely, slow burning “With You or With or Without You,” which pulls away from the political to look inward and face his own frustrations and anguish. The emotion feels real because it is real, simply put. Bono’s delivery of course is captivating. He sings with an urgency and an earnestness that I think a lot of people don't understand, but he makes you feel these songs in your bones. As for the Edge, I mean, come on. Here is one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, making some of his best music ever. There is a texture and a resonance to the Edge's playing that no one really can touch. I mean, he's painting with sound here, showcasing that signature chiming style through an adept use of studio effects. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are also in top form, one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock. Clayton and Mullen’s ability to intuit just the right amount of intensity to serve each particular song is an underappreciated talent and really the backbone of the band’s entire sound. Individually these songs are all exceptional. Taken together, they’re nothing short of a masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, In God's Country, Red Hill Mining Town, Bullet the Blue Sky, Mothers of the Disappeared, Exit, Running to Stand Still, One Tree Hill, Trip Through Your Wires

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Mon Jan 24 2022
5

Killer intros, great textures.

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Tue Jan 25 2022
5

These songs eahm saved my life. Eahm.

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Mon Feb 07 2022
5

I remember my older brother coming home really excited from a concert at a local community college on Long Island in the early 80s. "This band from Ireland is the next big thing, they're amazing!". While I was young and unable to go see them until the Achtung Baby tour, my fandom jumped onboard like any other impressionable early teenager's would when their mentor in all things music discovered a new gem. My love / hate relationship with the Dublin boys would swing both ways through the years, but you can never argue that Joshua Tree is an amazing album. Yes, Bono can be an irritating prick at times and The Edge's guitar stylings can be predictable and lazy, but this era of U2 that launched them beyond the stratosphere will always be peak. 5/5.

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Thu Feb 10 2022
5

5 stars. Classic album with brilliant songs.

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Thu Feb 10 2022
5

This was the first album I've heard before so far. U2 is a great band, and this album has one of their greatest hits. It's a very comfortable listen for me, because it seems to me that after a while we always go back to the songs and bands we used to listen as teenagers, like eating your favorite chocolate bar because, besides the flavor, it brings nice memories.

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Wed Feb 23 2022
5

Ah, U2. Such an interesting discography, and yet this album is probably still my favorite. Fun fact, I used to hate "With or Without You".

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Sun Feb 27 2022
5

Ambient perfection from beginning to end.

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Mon Feb 28 2022
5

i knew u2's hits and of bono's humanitarian work, but i was still taken aback when listening for the first time. this album, with lyrics written only by bono, covers so many topics and political themes. i love pop-y, mindless songs, but songs with great meaning? those are dynamite. bono's heart and compassion come through the lyrics so clearly. "mothers of the disappeared" in particular is going to stick with me for a long time--"we hear their heartbeat." i'm not sure if i've ever heard of a genre called "art rock," but as i listen to this album, really listen to it, i totally get it. all music is art, yes, but u2 takes it further, on all possible musical levels. every song has such beautiful instrumentation. definitely a concept album. i cannot wait to listen to this album again and grow to truly love it.

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Sun Mar 20 2022
5

I had never really gotten U2. The songs when they came on the radio sounded samey, and I wasn't overly impressed with Bono's vocals. Because of this, I avoided listening to much of the band and skirted around challenging myself to listen to an album. Then 'The Joshua Tree' came up in this generator, and I put off listening to it for the longest time. What a mistake. Now I certainly understand why this album is on here. I gave Bono's vocals undue criticism, because I think they're perfectly fine here. It's the lyrics, the instrumentals, and the production that really blew me away, however. The album starts off super strong with 'Where The Streets Have No Name' and 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.' Apparently Brian Eno helped out with this album? For a guy I knew nothing about, he has a wide-ranging musical career and has done some really miraculous things. Anyways, I really felt like this album had some genuinely interesting things to say, and it said them in an musically entertaining, catchy way. I think I'm starting to 'get' U2.

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Mon Mar 21 2022
5

U2 was my first concert I grew up listening to them so I have entirely too much nostalgia. I know people hate them because of their album being downloaded onto everyone’s phone that one year… but imo that’s more of an Apple issue and this album specifically is so good man. Just classics.

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Mon Apr 04 2022
5

In college this was the default soundtrack for a year or two. I don’t listen to it a lot today, and for some reason haven’t been compelled to, but after listening again this time had a “why don’t I listen to this more?” thought cross my mind. I realized that I may have absorbed the backlash that people have to U2 and this album. Glad to be back. This is an amazing album and it is clear to see why it became one of the best selling albums of all time. It does belong on this list, no matter how played out you think it or U2 is. Incredible album.

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Mon Apr 04 2022
5

Another album that is church to me. If someone made me choose a favorite album, this might be it. Holy. Holy.

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Mon Apr 04 2022
5

I remember my introduction to this album was their concert. It touched me deeply!

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Mon Apr 04 2022
5

I don’t imagine I’m the only Gen Xer for whom this album is a touchstone of a specific time in life. This album is, for me, everything about being 19, second year of college…it all comes back so vividly. U2 was held in reverence by my peers. This was the soundtrack to my 1987 and everything I felt in that ridiculously serious transition to adulthood. This one is all about the memories, but the music is still great, too.

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Fri Apr 08 2022
5

Rijedak album di je druga polovica albuma di nisu hitovi zapravo bolja. Jedina stvar koja mi je slabija je trip through your wires jer je prespringsteenovska

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Sun Apr 10 2022
5

This is the only U2 album I really like. I wish they kept with this style throughout their career, but I understand their need to adapt to pop trends. This is such an iconic 80s album; truly one of the bests of my not-so-favorite decade for music.

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Mon Apr 11 2022
5

Absolute classic, not bad for a small unknown Irish band

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