The Joshua Tree

Some songs are excessively long, but the instrumental doesn't match. This makes some songs very repetitive. Furthermore, the lyrics are beautiful, but vague.

I liked the overall listening experience. I actually preferred the lesser known songs to the ones I've heard before. My favourite was exit

This album feels both timeless and yet also ageing white man music.

I entirely see why this made it in, and on the strength of the hit-laden first half it feels good value. Well made American-Irish fused light rock / pop rock, and no doubt at the time it felt pretty cool. The second half tapers off into U2 slop that I could not care less for. But taking my prejudices aside, just about a 3 for the first half, for what it is. But I still think half of them are right so and sos.

Normally not a U2 listener but decided to give them a listen. Actually don’t mind this one!

Having heard a number of these songs prior it was an interesting listen because once you get past the first 3 songs you get to more of the meat of the album. I found myself pausing in my thoughts to just appreciate the music as I got deeper and deeper into the album. 7/10

Reminds me a little too much of my alarm clock music but not bad

Really influential album. So many bands have taken something from this - creeping build ups, throbbing basslines and Bono's pleading wail. It's heavily front loaded with THE HITS. I don't have any issue with that, but the rest is clearly not as strong or interesting as the first 3 or 4 songs, even though it had it's moments for sure.

For the most part I found the album pretty insipid and monotonous. one song just blended into the next and no single one was really discernible from the rest. With the exception of maybe the last song ( Mothers of the disappeared) I found it pretty generic. The opening three songs were massive in the day, but listening them again they try to build to something and have their moments but never really get there. I think this is when Bono started becoming a bit of an insufferable twat (youtube music shows videos if they are available and most of them are really cringe!). 3 stars (probably 2.5)

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for on this album. The first three songs are incredible - it might be one of the best openings of a record ever, but the rest are definitely not up to par

Would be 1 star due to how much I like U2, but the big 3 songs are too well written to condemn to 1 star

I was the god of War and I personally struck the match that lit The Unforgettable Fire, but I graduated by the time this record came out. Literally. They released this the year I graduated high school and I was busy setting aside my childish ways, so I never got around to listening to this album straight through until this moment now. I have to laugh at how quickly we grow and change through adolescence, because only 2-3 years before this I was camped outside the Hartford Civic Center box office, spending the night to ensure that I would not miss The Most Important Thing That Ever Happened. And by the time their next full length album came out, I couldn't possibly care less. In fact, I probably went out of my way to demonstrate how little I could care to anyone unfortunate enough to let me. Which was probably pretty hard to do, because this album was a monster in terms of its commercial success. Anyway, at this point it is hard to hear this straightforwardly. To me it sounds like a parody of U2, if you can imagine. Peak Edge - he has fully mastered his unique approach to the guitar. But Bono is taking his first steps onto the bridge that apparently connects Dublin to Davos. And then the other two guys, whatever their names are, Larry and Moe? Something like that. Anyway, they do a good job of keeping the two personalities upstage tethered to reality, but can't be accused of breaking new ground, exactly. A little harmonica that Bono musta bought at the Joshua Tree National Park gift shop creeps in as one of the earlier tunes fades out and I took it for the ominous signal it turned out to be, for a few tunes later you get some silliness that sounds like U2 Goes To The Rodeo. Which brings me to Brian Eno. Such an interesting fella, and other than that jarring misstep, this album sounds like the old soul of U2 tugging back on him after the more experimental sounds on The Unforgettable Fire. Not necessarily a bad move, but an interesting development in a spectacular career as a rock record producer. But ultimately this album suffers from singles-itis, meaning that the songwriting falls off a cliff after the first three singles, which are also the first three songs on this album. They were monster tunes but the record really falls off after that.

Some great songs to yawn to. Inoffensive but flavourless. They were songs

As soon as I started this I immediately thought of that self indulgent video of Bono forcing the innocent bystanders of LA to listen to his shitty music. I do fuck with the Edge though, sucks that he had to get caught up in this.

Difficult to get past how 'U2-esque' the singles and much of the album were. A few highlights where guitar doesn't sound so obvious.

The moment when the business part of music business took over and they sold their souls for the yankee dollar.

Obviously, like many people, I find Bono insufferable, but given this is clearly such a massive album, I wanted to try and give it a fair shot... ... I still don't get the attraction in U2. I think I liked this less than the previous U2 album the generator gave me, and I gave that a 3 while thinking it was more like a 2.5. So I'm giving this a 2 while thinking it's more a 2.5. 2/5

It's certainly quality. Great production and instrumentals. And it lets me know where an earlier origin point is for this type of sound. But, idk.... it is kind of bland rock. Best tunes: where the streets have no name, i still haven’t found what i’m looking for, bullet the blue sky, in god’s country, trip through your wires, one tree hill

Fairly uninteresting. 'Bullet the Blue Sky' was the most interesting song there, and probably the best, but still didn't fully grab me. Fairly standard with mediocre, slightly annoying vocals. Not terrible, but not really worth a listen.

Genuinley who likes U2?

it's all the damn same except for bullet the blue sky

I 100% understand why an 15 year old in 1987 would LOVE this record. But the songs sound the same and it feels tired in 2025. I tried very hard to leave my biases at the door I promise. But it was just boring?

Dette er faktisk første gang jeg hører et U2 album. Jeg gikk inn i dette med åpent sinn. Jeg har opplevd mange ganger at band har blitt så store at de automatisk får et "dårlig" stempel. Jeg har selv gått på den mange ganger. Magefølelsen min sier at dette gjelder U2 også. Det er tross alt en av de viktigste rockebanda vi har, og Brian Eno produserer denne skiva også. Dette kan bli kult! Er det nå jeg skal bli U2 fan? Jeg husker jeg oppdaga Radiohead litt på samme måte for noen måneder sida. Kommer dette til å starte en ny besettelse hos meg? Har jeg ett drøss med ypperlige album som bare venter på meg? Kan jeg være den personen som åpent flagger hvor stor fan jeg er av U2, og mene at alle andre som kaller det et drittband bare er kontrære posører som ikke bryr seg om musikk. Det eneste de bryr seg om er å ikke like band, fordi det er enklere enn å faktisk ta stilling. Gjøre seg selv litt "vulnerable", stikke hode ut og støtte Bono, Edge og gjengen. Det krever baller! Det er det ikke alle som gjør. Man må være litt tøff for å stikke hodet ut slik. Jeg har jo faktisk forstått noe andre ikke forstår. Det er jo noe kult i det. Det er jo noe fint i det. Joda, hundrevis av millioner mennesker forstår det verden over. At U2 er et drit kult band som lager dritkul musikk. Tøffe rockere som får meg til å føle meg tøff med den tøffe rocken. Men jeg og mine tøffe venner, vi som ikke kan like noe bare fordi andre liker det, liker det ikke. Og jeg er bedre enn dem. Jeg er kulere enn dem. Jeg liker U2. Jeg er kul. Jeg forstår noe andre ikke forstår. Jeg forstår at U2 er dritkult. Jeg forstår at U2 lager dritkul tøff rockemusikk som får meg til å føle meg tøff. Jeg har tross alt en annen slik kontrær mening fra før av. Jeg liker Sting. Men Sting er ikke tøff. Sting er ikke rocka. Sting får meg ikke til å føle meg tøff og rocka. Når jeg hører på Sting føler jeg meg fin. Han er smart, og musikken hans er smart. Når jeg hører på Sting føler jeg meg også smart. U2 er jo litt politisk også. Jeg er jo litt politisk selv. Kanskje får U2 meg til å føle meg litt smart også. Ja, jeg tror U2 får meg til å føle meg smart, rocka, tøff, og kanskje litt fin? Det har ikke de som later som at de ikke liker U2, men som aldri har hørt på U2, tenkt på. At U2 får deg til å føle deg litt rocka, litt smart, litt tøff og litt fin. Det har dem ikke tenkt på. Men jeg har tenkt på det. For nå er vel jeg en av de som liker U2? En av de som liker U2, på tross av det dårlig ryktet de har. Riktig nok ikke det dårlige ryktet de har fra de mange, den er som sagt god. Men det dårlige ryktet de har fått av de få. Den er ikke god. Men jeg er god. For jeg liker U2. Jeg er tøff, rocka, smart og fin. Og jeg liker U2. Nå har jeg hørt gjennom skiva, og jeg liker desverre ikke U2.

U2 front loaded this album with all of their best songs, and I don't like them very much. The rest of the album gets worse. I'm honestly not sure if the music on this deserves a one, or it's just residual Bono that's colouring my opinion. I'm going to be generous and give it a 2 because I don't want to listen to it again to see if I truly hate it or if I just dislike it.

J'y arrive pas u2

More confused than ever at how popular U2 are, especially this record. It’s not terrible. They arent terrible. But it isnt great either. Hated the first 3 songs - each one sounded tiresome and strained. Like theyd found a catchy hook and wanted to drag it out over and over and over. But then Bullet the Blue Sky came on which has a totally different sound. Almost Nick Cave at times in terms of the vocals. I’d go as far as saying the non-singles are what saves this album. Enjoyed Bullet the Blue Sky, In Gods Country, One Tree Hill, and Exit. None are amazing, but decent enough. Seems to me that when they arent striving to write a stadium rock song they aren’t too shabby. Either way, I wont be returning to this. It’s ok. Nout special. Dont get the hype. 2.5

I knew one or two of these songs already. This album was not bad by any means, but I didn’t find it particularly interesting. It’s not something I would choose to listen to again.

Tried to get through it a couple of times, it just doesn't work for me. The calculating earnestness of their influences and output is very disingenuous, always has been. They're copyists rather than innovators - music for people without ambition or imagination. Some of their music is magical, but even that is lost in the face of the zealotry of their believers. The Manchester United of music

I will give this what I should have given Bruce Springsteen and to give a little Irish flare to it... ITS SHITE! Ok you want some meat on that shite bono. Born in the USA is just a man shouting on repeat. Now U2 / Bono is less shouty (same repeat) but he has that annoying habbit of whaling loudly and then going quiet again. It is like that sketch from ACE Venturer Pet Dectective when he is screaming while opening and closing a sliding door.

I judged Bob Dylan too harshly I realize, at least with him it’s a vortex of 3/5. I realize there is much worse on the list, specifically U2. God this stinks. You know before the list I didn’t like U2 but couldn’t say I listened to a whole album, now the list has made me reaffirm that hate solidly over 4 albums so far. If anything I hate them more. This is supposed to be THE album, the reviews on this site writing essays longer than the album bloviating (thanks other review) about it. Others blame Bono, but it’s not, it’s the whole thing, every piece of it.

Unfortunately a very forgettable album. I can understand it's popularity at the time it came out however, it just doesn't hold up in my opinion. There are some really nice melodies throughout but overall it feels very lackluster and something I wouldn't think twice about if I heard it out and about.

Objectively, the music is terrible.

U2 went to America and all I got was this lousy album. Pompous twattery.

I give this 100 courics

Listening to this album feels like I'm trapped in an MC Escher painting on a never ending staircase. Every song feels like it's building to a crescendo that never happens.

i genuinely do not understand the hype behind U2. how they have managed to cling onto relevancy is beyond me. album comes across as whiny and drab. entirely doleful. genuinely a hard 45 mins to sit through.

The first three tracks can easily be the most overplayed first three songs on a album of all time. Horrendous stuff. I almost turned this record off. Why did bullet in the sky get no play? Wow the rest of the album is really bad. If the next few out of these 1001 also bomb I probably won't continue to weed through this mediocrity. 1 outta 5 mics

I try to ignore my previous feelings about bands and artists and this was particularly hard for me. I hated U2 cos my elder sister and her chums loved them, as an angry adolescent I wanted to find my own thing and so shut them out. a crazy attitude as my sister is an awesome person with great taste in music, but that's hormones for you. still relistening with an open mind I find it's pretty shit. over produced, concieted annoying metaphors and just really dull. I tried to like those first three songs so universally played and enjoyed but they left me cold. it just total arse.

I want to punch Bono in his stupid little face

whats the difference between jesus and Bonio? Jesus doesn't think he's Bonio. musically this is actually fairly enjoyable but its dominated by the wailings of one of the biggest cunts going. an instrumental version of this album would be pretty good, but as it is its really diffuicult to get past the noises coming out of the egotistical, narcissistic self anointed uber cunt. i used to think the hedge was a cunt too, but i've got a bit more respect for his playing now i've endured an albums worth of Bonio.

U2 are a steaming pile of shit. The Joshua Tree hates the fact they named this album after it. Anyone named Joshua is hugely ashamed of any connections to this. All trees are thoroughly embarrassed too.

Ew

U2 suck.

Gross, U2 is the worst

U2 is the worst thing to happen to music - and I still have that other albums on my iTunes 😂

The album starts with some great hits but I love this whole album. I was in 8th grade in 1988 and I listened to my tape cassette over and over. Still great! It's a masterpiece.

Epic.

An all time album with some of my favorite songs on it.

Great album , I think it’s U2 best in my opinion

Another one from my formative years that I can honestly say I had to buy multiple times because I wore out the cassette. A top 10 album of all time to be sure.

One of their best.

Great album, have not listened to U2 in quite a few years :).

<3

I love this album. Too bad it’s the last album I love by U2

I’ve known The Joshua Tree for almost my entire adult life. I first discovered U2 during my final year of high school, and some albums eventually become so familiar that they become landscapes you revisit. The title alone is evocative: a lone tree surviving in a desert, austere and strangely sacred. That is exactly how the music feels. Beautiful because it refuses ornament; mystical because it never explains itself. This is also the most poetic Bono has ever been. America is a spiritual condition, explored with the same searching intensity he once brought to the Troubles in Ireland. He interrogates America, searching through its promises, contradictions, deserts, highways, and mythology. Even the song titles feel literary rather than commercial, less like singles than chapter headings in a novel or passages in a religious text. "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For" possesses the hypnotic rhythm of prayer. Then there is "With or Without You," one of the greatest love songs ever recorded, that refuses to tell you whether it’s about romance, God, or both. Bono has delivered more technically impressive vocal performances across his career, yet none feel more emotionally complete than this one. The Joshua Tree is a pilgrimage disguised as a stadium rock, forever searching the horizon for something just beyond sight. “Outside is America,” Bono sings at one point. It’s one of the album’s defining images. Outside is America: vast, violent, seductive, full of promises and contradictions. And inside? The search for grace.

Иконический альбом, на мой взгляд один из определяющих рок-альбомов 80-х. Они долго шли к нему, становясь все лучше и популярнее с каждой пластинкой, и тут просто вышли на пик. Боно добавил в свой арсенал уже позже ставший фирменным фальцет, плюс как обычно создал немало запоминающихся образов и фраз в текстах. Edge отточил свой фирменный звук, немного смягчив сырые пост-панковские гитары, добавив чуть реверба и написав одни из лучших гитарных партий эпохи. В результате получилось и запоминающееся, моментально узнаваемое звучание, и мощные композиции сами по себе. Причем группа решила не распределять главные потенциальные хиты по всему трек-листу, а сразу с них и начать. В итоге начало альбома получилось каким-то ну просто имбовым, абсолют грейтнесс. Тактика сработала, и остаток альбома отлично слушается уже как минимум на запале от стартовых треков. Но и там есть и интересные номера, и еще хиты, то есть материал достаточно сильный на протяжении всей записи. В результате альбом просто порвал индустрию, коллектив вышел за рамки просто известной рок-группы и влюбил в себя миллионов фанатов самых разных жанров по всему миру. А потом Боно загордился, надел очки и начал творить херню, но это уже другая история.

A powerful album which is part of my musical history

Peak U2

With or Without UUUUUUU2

cool

Even with all lot of the songs being overplayed this is still an exceptional album.

This is the quality of album that should make this list

Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: Massive without feeling bloated. This is U2 at the point where ambition, songwriting, atmosphere, and conviction all align. It sounds like open landscapes, faith, longing, and America viewed through a windshield. Favorite Track: “Where the Streets Have No Name.” One of the greatest album openings ever. The build-up alone is enough to justify its reputation.

The opening six track run from Where the Streets Have No Name to Red Hill Mining Town is unbeatable

Yeah, I understand the Bono-fatigue, but this album is damn good, and I give credit where it is due.

Incredibly strong opening, which it doesn't sustain, but excellent overall 4.5

U2's latest album in this project. My feelings about the band are a bit mixed. In my youth, liking this band was practically a must. I often found their music too saccharine and their stage presence too melodramatic. This album, however, brings back memories of times gone by that I cherish. And that's how I feel about this album, too. It might just be the band's best. 5/5

I was slow to fall in love with this album when it came out, but my god what a timeless masterpiece.

Excellent album, and the run of the first three songs is probably still one of the best in rock history.

Of course this gets 5 stars.

The Joshua Tree is one of my favorite albums of all time. One of the very first albums I listened to of my own accord, and it never gets old.

I mean this is the album U2 should've made everyone listen to on their iPhones. I get it Bono is kind of a prick now and hasn't made a good album in 25 years. But this is U2's masterpiece. Every song has a sense of urgency and angst that the band was never really able to catch again as their fame grew. And the intro on the opening track is an all-time great buildup. Standouts: Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Bullet the Blue Sky, In God's Country, Exit

Epic. Amazing

LOVE! Definitely my favorite LP from the boys.

Classic album. A few of the b-sides didn’t really hit me, but there’s a ton of great stuff here.

Streets Have No Name is my favorite U2 song - first three tracks are the best. Album is very melodic, nice guitar tone and instrumentation, expansive sounding yet simple.

One of my desert island albums

❤️U2❤️One of my favorite albums of all time. Was a pleasure to listen to it front to back again! (5)

Very good

A record that has justified it’s reputation as a classic album.

The album of my high school years; U2 at its musical peak;

My older sister and her friends completely obsessed over this tape.. as did most young adults. At the time the gravity of the record flew over my head. Took growing up, picking up an instrument, and spinning it to finally understand.

This is #day665 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my fourth and final U2 record. I don't know what to say about this one, except that this and Achtung Baby are the band's essential records. Looking at the title "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," I realized I don't even know what I'm looking for, or rather, if I'm looking for anything at all in this life. I don't have many words today. "Exit" is a hidden gem, though. Otherwise, this is a 5 out of 5. Looking forward to, ouch, #day666.

Here is an in-depth review of U2’s **The Joshua Tree** (1987), analyzing its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, followed by a balanced assessment of its pros and cons. --- ## Overview Released on March 9, 1987, *The Joshua Tree* was U2’s fifth studio album and the one that transformed them from cultish post-punk heroes into global rock superstars. Fueled by a fascination with American roots music, wide-open landscapes, and a deep ambivalence toward the American Dream, the album fused Bono’s messianic lyricism with The Edge’s spatial guitar textures. It won Grammys, sold over 25 million copies, and remains a high-water mark of 1980s rock. --- ## Lyrics Bono’s lyrics on *The Joshua Tree* move away from the vague spiritual yearnings of earlier work toward more concrete, often painful, observations of political and personal failure. The dominant mood is **desert exhaustion**—a search for water, meaning, justice, or love in a barren moral landscape. - **Key themes in lyrics**: - **Disillusionment with America** – “In the name of the father and the mother / The Holy Ghost is just another ghost in the blood” (*Bullet the Blue Sky*) explicitly critiques U.S. foreign policy in Central America. *Exit* paints a chilling portrait of a killer driven by twisted religiosity. - **Broken love and longing** – *With or Without You* and *Running to Stand Still* anchor the album in raw, co-dependent relationships and addiction (“She’s the crack of a whip”). - **Spiritual dryness** – *I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For* is an almost gospel-like confession of restless faith, not absence of belief but inability to be satisfied. > Bono’s strength is his directness. He rarely uses abstract wordplay; instead, he sings in vivid scenes (heroin needles, burning oil fields, border towns). His weakness is occasional overreach into melodrama (“The God I believe in isn’t short of cash, mister,” from *Bullet the Blue Sky*), which can feel preachy. --- ## Music The Edge’s guitar work defines the album’s sonic identity. Abandoning rapid-fire punk strumming, he perfected a **delayed, chiming minimalism**—notes hang in the air like heat shimmers over asphalt. - **Key musical elements**: - *Where the Streets Have No Name* opens with a slow, building organ and a cascading guitar figure that never resolves, creating perpetual forward motion. - *With or Without You* uses a simple four-note bassline and a sustained guitar drone, letting tension build through dynamics, not solos. - *Bullet the Blue Sky* features aggressive slide guitar and distorted feedback, mimicking the chaos of napalm. - **Rhythm section** – Adam Clayton’s melodic, repetitive basslines anchor the spaciousness; Larry Mullen Jr. provides military drumming (especially on *Sunday Bloody Sunday*’s cousin *Exit*) but also restraint (e.g., the brushed snare on *Running to Stand Still*). **Weakness**: Some tracks (*Trip Through Your Wires*) feel like filler—bluesy harmonica and shuffle rhythm that don’t mesh with the desert-ambient core. --- ## Production Produced by **Daniel Lanois** and **Brian Eno** (with Steve Lillywhite mixing a few tracks), the production is the album’s secret weapon. Instead of a polished 1980s sound with gated reverb snares, they opted for **atmospheric space**: - **Techniques**: - Heavy use of ambient miking and tape echo. - Bono’s vocals are often double-tracked or treated with reverb to feel like echoes off canyon walls. - Instruments are separated in the stereo field, giving the album a cathedral-like depth. - **The result**: A record that sounds both intimate and vast. You can hear the room, the tape hiss, and the silence between notes—unusual for a mainstream rock album in 1987. **Criticism**: The production slightly mutes the low end, so some editions lack punch. The 30th-anniversary remaster helped, but original vinyl can feel thin on bass-heavy systems. --- ## Themes The unifying theme of *The Joshua Tree* is **the search for something sacred in a broken world**. Three interlocking ideas dominate: 1. **The American West as spiritual metaphor** – The Joshua tree (a type of yucca) is named by Mormon settlers who saw it pointing to the Promised Land. But Bono finds no paradise—only motels, border patrols, and drug deals. 2. **Political violence and personal complicity** – *Mothers of the Disappeared* (dedicated to Argentine mothers of political victims) and *Bullet the Blue Sky* reject jingoism without offering easy solutions. 3. **Addiction and escape** – *Running to Stand Still* describes a woman trying to escape a heroin house in Dublin’s Ballymun flats; she burns a hole in the roof to see the stars. Transcendence flickers, then fades. > The album’s genius is that it never resolves its questions. It doesn’t find what it’s looking for—and that’s the point. --- ## Influence *The Joshua Tree* reshaped rock music in several ways: - **On alternative rock** – Bands like Radiohead (especially *OK Computer*), Coldplay, and Arcade Fire borrowed its mix of atmospheric production and political earnestness. - **On stadium rock** – It proved that introspective, non-ironic songs could fill arenas without pyrotechnics or Van Halen-style guitar heroics. - **On Americana for non-Americans** – It inspired countless European artists to reimagine American mythologies from an outsider’s perspective. - **Immediate impact** – Topped charts worldwide, unseating Michael Jackson’s *Bad* in the U.S.; propelled U2 to headlining Live Aid follow-ups and a *Time* magazine cover (they called U2 “Rock’s Hottest Ticket”). **Criticisms of its influence**: It also inspired a wave of overly serious, reverb-drenched “anthem rock” that mistook gloom for depth (late-90s post-grunge bands like Creed). --- ## Pros and Cons ### Pros - **Timeless production** – Doesn’t sound dated; the Eno/Lanois aesthetic anticipated 90s ambient rock. - **Lyrical maturity** – Addresses politics, faith, addiction, and love without sloganeering. - **The Edge’s guitar** – A genuinely original voice on an instrument that had been exhausted by blues-rock. - **Emotional range** – From the euphoric opener to the devastating closer (*Mothers of the Disappeared*). - **Cohesion** – Feels like a journey through a desert night, not a collection of singles. ### Cons - **Pacing lulls** – The middle third (*Trip Through Your Wires*, *One Tree Hill*) drags compared to the first four songs. - **Over-earnestness** – Bono’s vocal delivery can tip into self-parody (e.g., “And I’m *still* waiting” with histrionic swoops). - **Political vagueness** – For all its critique of U.S. intervention, the album offers no specific policy awareness; “America bad” is a mood, not an argument. - **Missing live energy** – The studio versions are pristine but lack the raw, improvisational fire of the 1987 live tour recordings (e.g., *Rattle and Hum*’s take on “Bullet the Blue Sky”). - **Overexposure** – *With or Without You* and *Where the Streets Have No Name* have been so overplayed that their impact has dulled for some listeners. --- ## Final Verdict **9.2/10** *The Joshua Tree* is not a perfect album, but it is a definitive one. It captures a band at the peak of its creative powers, trying to reconcile punk’s conscience with arena rock’s scale. If you accept its earnestness as a virtue rather than a flaw, it remains one of the most moving documents of spiritual and political longing ever recorded. For those allergic to Bono’s grandiosity, it will still grate. But as a synthesis of lyric, sound, and space, few rock albums reach higher.

A triumph. The singles are so well known, but a few of the album tracks really stand out. “One Tree Hill” is a soaring, epic tribute to a deceased friend; “Running To Stand Still” is a mournful but weirdly hopeful lament on the horrors of heroin addiction; and “In God’s Country” is catchy and infectious. However, the crowning moment of the album is “Exit”. Perhaps U2’s finest musical accomplishment, you will rarely hear a crescendo like it. The slow build of tension before the pounding drums and ear shredding guitar kick in leaves the listener enthralled, curious and hanging on every sound. Lyrically, it is as vivid as anything the band has ever tried. Yes, Bono can be infuriating and some of the band’s later work is bland and saccharine, but there is very little to complain about on “The Joshua Tree”.

me cago en la puta jodeer

I think U2 is a.band that releases great singles and that the remainder of the album fairs poorly in comparison. This album falls into thaat description BUT the first 3 songs on here are so fantastic that this album is an enthusiastic 5 for me.

Is it a five star album because I’ve loved it for so long or have I loved it so long because it’s a five star album?

Fantastic album all the way through! Rating: 9.5/10 Favorite Song: Where the streets have no name, running to stand still, bullet the blue sky

An Irish crime coeur

+5

music is love

Banger

The U2 hate is such a puzzle. Why? Because Bono is “annoying”? (Let’s be clear - he tried to use his fame to support peace around the world, and is in a lifelong relationship with his high school sweetheart. But because he kept himself in the public eye, he’s annoying?) Because they play large stadium shows? Because they gave their music away for free once? One of the most liked reviews here finds their popularity unimaginable. What? There is a lot of music I dislike, and my quibble isn’t with people disliking their music. It’s the dismissal of the music. I can’t stand Paul Simon’s music. But I know it’s good music. The dismissal of U2 is a tell - and a pathetic one at that.

5/9

Top 5 all time album

A great time to be in the sixth form - after 'The unforgettable fire' the band went to another level of popularity and artistic endeavour and, with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (fresh from 'So') at the helm again, it seemed this album was destined to sweep all before it. There are precious few albums front loaded with a triumvirate of tracks like this one has, and although they stand out, the ensuing songs play like superior album tracks and their adoption of American influences led to Rattle and Hum and stadium tours for the rest of their career. Mothers of the Disappeared kept their Amnesty credentials as well. It's one of the greatest albums of its time and sounded fabulous today. Watching 'where the streets have no name' live is one of music's great experiences.

Banda icónica y un tema eterno. Gran álbum.

SO GOODDDDD

Adding their album to every iPhone, the red tinted glasses, the holier-than-thou activism — U2 is pardoned on all counts because of that one time that they visited the American West and made this gorgeous album about it. And I can relate, because I was inspired by a trip to Yellowstone to make a video personal narrative for a 9th grade school project. I proposed in Zion National park! And a photo I took in Joshua Tree is hanging in our house. There are parts of the USA that are still worth a damn, especially if you’re Irish and haven’t seen a desert landscape before. There are also parts that are still awful! If there’s an album that I associate with my dad, it’s gotta be this one. The biggest U2 fan in my life, who introduced me to the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, and took me to the Joshua Tree 30th anniversary tour where they played this record in full. Love this album. Visit new places and make nuanced art about it! Use 12 delay pedals simultaneously! Follow the best love song of the 80s with a song about US intervention in El Salvador!

Great blend of upbeat and mellow

Brilliant. U2 before they lost it.

Is it still cool to hate on U2 or can I admit that this is one of my favorite albums of all time? Is this a safe space? It fucked me up when I learned that they're Irish, but I almost think a love letter this potent can only come from the outside, weirdly enough. There's so many different styles and they're all so fucking good. Special shoutout to how Bono takes the excellent trope of "is this song about a girl or Jesus" and expands it so it could be about romantic love, faith, or drugs. It's amazing.

One of the best rock albums of all time

Sorry U2 I was not familiar with your game

I think I’m starting to get this whole U2 craze.

Classic album, easy listening!

I grew up with this record; I loved it then, and I love it now. It's just ingrained in my soul at this point. I know it's overplayed, and everyone hates Bono for some reason, but this is an incredible rock album. It feels timeless. There are a couple of stray synths that make you realize this was made in the 80s, but otherwise it could come from any time, really. What's interesting to me is what other big 80s bands were doing at this time - people like Genesis, the Police, Duran Duran. They certainly were not putting out gospel-influenced meditations on spirituality. This is just such a step-up in maturity from their earlier work, and it's no surprise at all to me that this the record that put them over the top commercially. My best friend is a professional drummer who plays a lot of weddings and corporate gigs in Texas, and he told me about this time when he was playing a wedding that was almost entirely Asian, and the DJ put on "With or Without You," and immediately about 20 dudes, including the groom and all the groomsmen, rushed the dance floor, holding each other, and sang every word as loud as they could. The power of U2. FIVE STARS

When this album first came out, I hated it because I was already a huge fan of U2 (October, War, Unforgettable Fire) and I thought that they'd sold out. I refused to go see them at the Meadowlands in NJ on that tour because I was mad 😂. Fast forward 30 years later and I went to the 30th anniversary Joshua Tree tour twice because it was so good. The first JT show I saw was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. I still think "Streets" is far better live and a bit neutered in the recording. Ultimately it's the incredible songs that carry it: Running to Stand Still, In God's Country, Red Hill Mining Town, One Tree Hill. And those aren't even the hits. Anyway TJT is full of passion, wanderlust, and deep mystical desert spirituality. I still like Achtung Baby better but it's a masterpiece. TJT transports me in a way few albums do. U2 were one of the first bands that made me think "I want to play music like this too"; you never forget your first.

TOP TEN ALL TIME

Assumed it was a 5, listened to it, and thought it was a 5. Listened to it again, Bono annoyed me (particularly on the last few songs) so thought it was a 4. Listened to it again but didn’t finish, so results were inconclusive. Listened to it again and he didn’t annoy me so it went back to a 5. True story.

It's better than achtung baby which I (incorrectly) gave 5 stars

Daniel lanois, have never listened to the second half of the album. It would seem wrong to give this anything but 5 stars. Nice to listen to

I'll start this review by saying that I'm a sucker for “Dad” music and this ticks every single box. I absolutely love this album. It starts off with an absolute bang - Where The Streets Have No Name is an absolutely killer opener and the album doesn't falter from there. Brilliant music, songwriting and soul.

Imagine hating U2.

este album contiene de mis canciones favoritas de todos los tiempos. que ya arranque con where the streets have no name me hace lagrimear. this trio gives me the chills (las 1ras tres del album). ando a los gritos pelados con with or without you. llegando al final y me emocionó que tengan una canción llamada madres de los desaparecidos. no sabía de su existencia y me conmovió.

one of the best albums it there. every one banger

Fantastic

A classic, great songs, unique sound design. gets a bit weaker on side 2, but still great.

Best 3 song start & strong throughout

One of the best ever!

Solid album. Really liked the first three songs and the last two.

J’hésite à mettre 5 étoiles car les 3 premiers morceaux sont d’anthologie alors que le reste de l’album l’est moins… mais je suis d’humeur généreuse aujourd’hui !

Okay, you gotta give them this one.

Was really only familiar with 5 songs. Gave each of the others several listens today. Liking them more with each listen. I was torn between 4 and 5 on this one. The greatness of a few of the songs pushes this over the edge for me.

that was fantastic - the variety was completely unexpected and that elevated it so much more

banger after banger, great album

Possibly the best start to an album of all time. Where the streets, into I still haven’t found, into with or without you, and bullet the blue sky. Truly an incredible side 1 of an album. The second half isn’t as good, but there’s no duds. The ending is great too. Objectively, the first four songs deserve a 5/5.

5 stars, I love this and have it on CD but not listened in a while. Second half isn't as great as the first, but still 5 stars overall

It's become fashionable to hate on U2 because they're terrible, but amidst the loathing it's easy to forget that they were, briefly, brilliant and the proof is right here. The guitars shimmer, Bono emotes with earnest soulfulness and almost every song builds beautifully to a cathartic climax. It's very sad how far the band have fallen.

War is my favorite U2 album but you cannot understate how massive this album was. Juggernaut of production and pure music on display from the lads here. One of the greatest ever

Tiene mucho hate pero a mí me encantó, un álbum que define muy bien el sonido de la banda, discazo. Aguante u2.

Perfect album. every song is great. B sides might be better than the singles

It was always going to be a virtually impossible job to maintain the level of an album after those first three tracks, but it does a better job than most other U2 albums, with a wide range of influences being pulled in and not just resorting to the “U2 sound”.

It’s a great album that stands the test of time each time I relisten to it. One of the most powerful opening 3 salvos of an album, it goes on something of a journey afterwards but it’s a journey I enjoy, with the Americana, gospel, and occasional blues influences. Bono gets a lot of flak at times but his voice here is at the best it can be; soaring at times, tender at others. The rest of the band also find that quintessential ‘U2 sound’ on The Joshua Tree with the delay/reverb laden arpeggios and chords from The Edge and Clayton and Mullen laying down their solid foundations. Big shout out to Eno and Lanois’ production here too which create that aura of expansiveness and comparatively minimalist space which changes the vibe on this compared to their pre-Joshua Tree era and make this U2’s best.

It's perfect!

Bullet the blue sky is so overwhelming.

A classic

love it

I’ve known this album for a long time. Sometimes hard to hear it as a whole because the singles are so huge but every song is good.

The first time this record really got inside me I was mowing the lawn with a yellow Sony Walkman turned up loud enough to hear over the engine. That’s not a detail about nostalgia — it’s a detail about a record good enough to make a kid engineer an improvised outdoor listening solution just to stay inside it. Some albums find you before you have the vocabulary to explain why they matter. This was one of those. The opening three tracks are as good as advertised. “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and “With or Without You” constitute one of the great sustained openings in 80s rock — each one distinct, each one contributing to a coherent emotional and sonic world that Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois built around The Edge’s chiming, space-conscious guitar work. Then “Bullet the Blue Sky” arrives and pivots the whole record from spiritual yearning into something more confrontational and political, and “Running to Stand Still” carries the exhaustion of that transition with complete conviction. The middle section holds. “In God’s Country” is criminally underrated, and “Trip Through Your Wires” — Bono on harmonica, a bluesier and looser feel that briefly sounds like U2 had been listening to the same Americana records that shaped a whole other part of this listening project — mostly works as a detour rather than an interruption. The closing tracks lose a little steam, but by then the record has already made its case beyond any reasonable argument. A masterpiece that earns the word honestly. Five stars.

Absolutely fantastic album! Strong from start to end. The less popular songs are my favorites. Such good writing.

9/10

This isn't necessarily my favorite U2 project, but it's certainly among their most grand. This album feels so big, and they deal with so many interesting ideas and such on here. It feels very poppy in certain moments, but something like Bullet the Blue Sky is one of the hardest songs they've made, and Trip Through Your Wires is a weird country thing. It really feels like they were just trying stuff out, it's really only anchored by the idea of America. Amazing stuff. Favorites: Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, Bullet the Blue Sky

This album is a hugely important one for me. It came out at a tumultuous time in my life, my freshman year in college, and there are all kinds of memories associated with it. It's hard to write about it now because it meant so much to me then and continues to resonate now. Inspired and inspiring, there are so many things that work so well on this and it is five stars based on the first side alone--probably the best "side 1" of any album ever made. But the second half is just as strong in many ways with some fantastic songs like "Red Hill Mining Town" and "One Tree Hill." And the production by Eno and Lanois is absolutely perfect, helping the band to achieve the apex of its sound and ambitions. Hard to put into words what this one means to me and I know I haven't done that very well here. But sometimes that's what music does.

The first four songs of The Joshua Tree are immaculate. I've always paid less attention to the second half, but there are some great songs there too. I love Red Hill Mining Town, Exit, and the closing track. Hard to go wrong, really, with both Eno and Lanois on production. Bono's lyrics often fall flat for me, he can get very cliche and generic, but some of his best work is here. It's a real full band effort, and I've never noticed how great Adam Clayton's bass playing in particular is on this. A classic for a reason.

Good

Of my favorite U2 albums, it was nice to listen to it all over again after so long and it reminded me of my childhood because I basically grew up listening to this music

This was soooooooo good. I am so embarrassed, I had no idea U2 sang Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For???? Holy shit.

extrême grande qualité, création d'un univers et surtout d'une esthétique propre grâce à guitare, batterie (et autres percussions), et voix.

Easy 5 stars for an album I play a lot

Excellent

uno de mis favoritos que eh escuchado hasta ahora un sonido muy placentero y capaz también atudo que lo escuche en un dia de lluvia 10 de 10

I have been made a U2 fan, apparently; this album is just outstanding overall, from the ambient guitars on the less intense songs like “With or Without You” and “Where the Streets Have No Name”, to the intense bass and drums heard on “Exit” and “Bullet the Blue Sky.” An album about religion and war that fits both so perfectly.

It’s so easy to hate U2. At their worst, they’re too serious, too preachy, too earnest in the ways of affected rich men, too shit. But you can’t deny that this album, like their earlier albums, is objectively good. The three opening songs make this almost feel like a “best of” album. Once you get past these behemoths, the remaining songs are intriguing and extremely listenable. I’ve always liked The Joshua Tree. It’s not my favorite by U2, but it’s an undeniable 5.

I hated this when it came out. I was about 12. Fast forward to approximately 2002 and I saw the greatest hits at a local Best Buy. I picked it up and began my love affair with the band U2. I have almost all their albums and went with my boys to see them at the Sphere in U2. This album is incredible from top to bottom from the anthems to the lesser known songs.

Gud

Look, I know U2 aren’t cool (not sure if they’ve ever been), but this really is the tits. Even ignoring the first three tracks (all top tier), the rest of the album is really solid. Red Hill Mining Town is an anthem

I like this album

I love this album

This was my 2nd U2 album (after about one week here lol) and I enjoyed it a lot. Ended up listening to it 3 or 4 times. So good front-to-back, even ignoring 3 opening bangers. Particular standouts: Bullet The Blue Sky, Red Hill Mining Town, Exit. Being a bit lenient, I rate it 5/5!

Not many albums are this absolutely stacked at the beginning. Like honestly, this is just big, not just in fame and sales and exposure and all that, but it is just... big big quality. It fades in and builds perfectly and that first side just doesn't let up with great songs. I don't think these guys could write something like Bullet the Blue Sky again for love or money. With or Without You's only flaw is familiarity, but I haven't listened to this for years, and it opens itself up on its own terms after that. And it's not like the quality really meaningfully dips off. I have spent much less time with side B, but most other bands would kill for a side that strong, and U2 just murdered it with the first side. There's still a youthful passion here, the Edge still sounds like he's chopping away at the guitar like no one else, and the worst song here (Exit) is still a perfectly fine track. Everything else is a 4 at minimum, and it reminds one that there was a reason U2 got so huge. I think this is my first very well deserved 5? And it starts with probably one of my fave songs ever in Where The Streets Have No Name

Aina hyvä

Outstanding! In my opinion this was the pinnacle of their careers. As someone who has visited the Southwestern US, they captured the feeling and spirit of the area on many songs

Tämä löytyy omasta hyllystä muutamana eri versiona. Hyviä biisejä ja soitantaa.

Classic 80s U2, strong start, obviously, and strong finish, too. 5/5

I honestly don't understand the hate for U2 and Bono in particular, and that this leads to dismissing this excellent album. It is extremely well written, performed, and produced. The buildup is phenomenal, starting with one of the best intros I've heard. Some criticize the second half of the album as being weaker or dragging a bit. I believe that this was intentional, and it fits perfectly with the overall concept of the album. For me, not one track is a miss.

Easily an all-time classic. So good to come back to this and listen to it maybe ~6 times now over the last month or so.

Sometimes I think that Eno/Lanois + Bono/Edge was the Lennon/McCartney of the 1980s. These songs are so incredibly overhyped and overplayed, yet listening to Streets Have No Name open this record is thrilling every time. The builds are masterful — filmic, sweeping and patient. My conviction persists that Edge is an absolute master in restrained, tasteful lead guitar, and one of the very best user of effect pedals, up there with Tom Morello. Anyone else with an echo pedal is risking masturbatory noodling out of the gate. But Streets just shimmers with its jittery echoing lead over choppy rhythm guitar. It's an incandescent album, and even its b-sides like One Tree Hill are magical.

I equate U2 with three albums. War is the Baby Bear album that is rougher, less refined and hungry to be seen. Achtung Baby is the Dada Bear album, a band at its apex, cranking out hit but flirting with being too self important. And Joshua Tree is the Mama Bear... striking a nice balance of the two.

Just an exceptional piece of work. A joy to listen to start to finish.

Thanks for giving me a reason to listen to this again. This is the best U2 album.

5 stars

Five innit? Can't be many greater opening 3 track combos than this. Yes, of course they got massively annoying and Bono became "Bono" etc etc. But as an example of a band at the peak of their powers - Bono's howling vocals, Edge's driving guitar, Larry's heavy boot, Adam's tonality................ it's absolutely glorious.

By many accounts U2 were the band of the decade in the 80s and certainly the run from Boy to Rattle and Hum is incredible — there's room for criticism in those records but it's mostly minor compared to 91's Achtung Baby and beyond. And so, how to begin a review of The Joshua Tree? An album and a band that nearly everyone listening from the 80s on has an opinion about, a record that's been with me personally since my 6th grade teacher gave me a dub of the tape in 87 and where U2 looms large in the development of my personal taste in music. It hit at the right time for me, just when I needed something mainstream that could be an onramp to more interesting music. Maybe there's little objectivity to cling to — just like the "mythical" America U2 mines — in discussing it. And why a 150 word preamble before speaking how you feel about it? Is it because in talking music it's difficult to call something perfect? Maybe. I'm not prepared to call the entire album perfect — I think the back half is left wanting because they decided to end in a whisper rather than in an anthem. I think the final four tracks needed an edit of some kind and yet, real talk, Side A is a perfect half of an album. It is one of the greatest sides of all time and it makes me long for a vinyl copy again. If I'm able to listen with any measure of focus as this record starts, it's chills every time... and Where The Streets Have No Name isn't even the best song on the side, though there's enough depth to it that repeat listens mean my favorite shifts over time. It's a piece of art that changes with you. I guess it's like the America it conjures: both mythic and flawed. But when it works, it feels like something to believe in anyway — even if we still haven't found what we're looking for.

Tremendo album. Vale la pena escucharlo otra vez jaja

very pleasurable, enjoyable record

This is the first LP to come up that I know pretty well already. Got his on vinyl when it come out in the 80's. The first three songs overshadow the rest of the LP which is good on it's own. I am not a big U2 fan TBH, but this is a landmark in pop music.

Pre mňa jeden z dvoch najlepších albumov U2. Pamätám si, ako ma fascinoval zvuk a atmosféra albumu. Bolo to niečo celkom nové.

A masterpiece

A classic for a reason. The soundscape is just epic.

This is an excellent album. Side one is timeless. This is the only 80s album I listened to on repeat. I like how they created a bigger luster sound then previous albums. I'm sure Lanois n Eno helped here. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For......

Am I correct in my impression that this album gets on a lot of people's nerves? I seem to recall reading many negative remarks about The Joshua Tree. It's oversaturated; the songs are played out; Bono's obnoxious. I think this album is one of the best I've ever heard. Every song is entertaining, well-written for the most part, and well-performed. Even when it borders on the grandiose, like on Bullet the Blue Sky, sincerity and rock n' roll freedom give them all a pass. Every song on this album is unique, but they all come together as a whole. "With or Without You" is on this album, for god's sake! Not to mention that it's the last song of a killer opening triptych made up of three stone-cold classics of eighties rock. This is one I have come back to over the years, and I'm sure I'll keep coming back. Five stars.

I like. I know it well already

..

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Like a greatest hits album for U2. All the good stuff I grew up listening to.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Outstanding songwriting and production by Eno/Lanois. The album shifted music and made U2 a stadium band for many decades.

2/23/26 - Listened during "work". This is my favorite U2 album and I don't really like U2. The radio hits are all classics but the album tracks are all good to great as well. Where the Streets Have No Name is probably the best overall song here with an iconic opening. Top Song - Besides the radio hits, Bullet the Blue Sky.

If you don't like U2 that's fine but have you heard Joshua Tree? Holy fuck. This is amazing. Starts off with a side A that's one of the most frontloaded in history, then follows it with a side B that still blows my mind. The Edge shows here why he's a revered guitarist, beautiful riffs. The production is unlike anything I've heard. So big, like it could only be played in a stadium so the song can float into space

Because U2 released a few different monster albums across several different decades, it’s hard to say which one cemented their legacy. But for it was Joshua Tree. It’s “slower” by U2 standards but songs like With Or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For ruled the airwaves and maybe more importantly, MTV.

Wohl eines der besten Alben überhaupt für mich.

Great

i just think they're great

Have loved this one for a long time.

When a great band rock band visits the US (they’ll descend to parody almost immediately, but this is a great album)

Mid tempo albums don’t get much better than this. For me this is the pinnacle of their catalog. It’s easy to put this album on and just let it play through. The Edge deserves a lot of credit for making this album cool. The guitar tones beautifully layered and hold the album together while love him or hate him Bono’s singing is all time stuff. Just a brilliant album.

Super stacked at the front half of the album. The back half is pretty lame tbh. tough one to rate but I think at the bangers at the beginning earn it 5 stars.

Damn massere af gode sange. Produceret af Brian Eno som giver det en masse atmosfære og rummelighed selvom det er stadion rock i den forstand at det er virkelig storslået og fyldigt eller hvad man skal sige. Det er virkelig et flot album og det bliver ambient og filmisk nærmest. Der er enormt mange gode sange på, så det er svært ikke at synes det bare er mega fedt. Jeg kan sgu godt lide U2 de er altså deroppe af med Stones osv for at være legendariske

Wow. Equal parts rock and edgy mixed perfectly with tender and thoughtful. U2 always have something to say, and they do it perfectly through their music. They are very, very talented songwriters and musicians, and "Joshua Tree" is a prime example. I don't give out a whole lot of five star ratings, but this is definitely one that has earnef it.

I’m not a great U2 fan and have heard the singles too many times. However, as a complete album this a great piece of work.

While it may not be something I often turn to, this album is objectively a classic and I admire the craftsmanship.

Easy 5. Fantastic production and songwriting. 8 of 11 tracks are bangers. 3 to 4 of them are all time standards. A touchstone for Generation X and the 1980s themselves. Hard for me to decide which of THE JOSHUA TREE or ZOOROPA is their best. ACHTUNG BABY is clearly their third best for me.

This blew me away with the first three songs. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! The quality didn’t really drop off much after that either. Bangers on bangers. What an album.

It's easy to make fun of U2 for being dramatic and bombastic, but this is really the pinnacle of that style. They try so many genres while keeping their own flavor and the production is absolutely immaculate. Unlike many albums of the 80s, it doesn't sound dated at all. You can listen to this one again and again.

Prachtig, mooie teksten, zeer bijzondere sound gezien het landschap en vorige werk. Vergeet altijd een beetje dat deze richting het einde best experimenteel wordt nog. Highlights: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found…, Running To Stand Still, Mothers of the Disappeared.

This album is fire, loved almost every song. I think it has some amazing vocals and the length is just perfect. My favourite song for now is probably "Red Hill Mining Town".

Can I say best U2 album? I think I can.

A monster of an album - I'm not a great fan of U2's later stuff but this is a classic.

I've listened to this album many times over the years so I know it well. I was surprised to see it's from 1987. It feels modern enough to be a much more recent album. The big hits are obviously well know, and fantastic, but the rest of the album is great too. The music and vocals are good to sing along to, although mostly in my head - it wouldn't be fair to inflict mt singing voice on others!

One of my top ten of all time

This album has so many back to back to back anthems. An incredible swing.

Don't need to comment. This ones a 5 too!

Actually pretty good!

Outside is America

Pretty staggering, a band at their peak.

Fantastic album about an America that never existed but we wish did. Oh if only Bono didn’t let his ego take over…

U2 are one of those bands that have really transcended. Bono himself is one of those people who have transcended. Chart topping protest songs, live aid charity performances, south park episodes, 4 decades of relevance, the unforgivable apple iphone album, which actually featured a track I dug titled "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone), a 360 degree stage tour, the infamous sunglasses (we all felt bad making fun of them once we realized Bono actually wore them due to a medical condition), and everything (whatever is left) in between. One of the first albums I owned (that i'm not embarrassed to admit - sorry NSYNC and Backstreet Boys), was "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I guess I was 9. Vertigo (again an Apple advert) was the lead track, but the album had some depth with their deeper cuts, pretty remarkable after 24 years of music actually. This brings me to Joshua Tree. I guess its on the list because its U2s most popular album. From 87, they were barely 30. Lyrically, the album is incredibly strong. I don't know what it is about the Irish, but they have an uncanny vulnerability and honesty in their music. This isn't just rock for rocks sake or meaningless rhymes, they're purposeful. In high school English class, my teacher taught us about purpose and conviction, the reason we study context and themes in novels is because the best novels arent just written for high level entertainment sake, they're written for a purpose, the artist is conveying a message, there is a difference. And while in music more broadly, there is a place for bullet proof pop music that just sounds good, we hold much more space for music that has purpose and conviction. And to be perfectly honest, I don't even think Bono is a good singer, but he sings with raw passion that is completely unavoidable, and it cuts through much more powerfully to me than the likes of your pop artists who have the look and the sound to survive a summer on top of the billboard charts before plummeting into the back of our ever shortened memories. These lyrics and vocals paired, create some emotional feeling within me, and judging by their success, within lots of people, that is extremely unique, and as ive said before, that carries far more power than far more talented singers. And i guess that gets us to the rest of the music. The Edge has the distinct echo effect through his guitar that matches the sound perfectly, it is instantly recognizable, and doesn't need to show off, its a lesson in "less is more" and a lesson in understanding what sounds good is better than producing something much more complex for complexity sake, when it doesnt sound half as good. And then we get to the album itself, perhaps the strongest 3 track opening i've experienced on this list so far, perhaps a strongest 3 track run i can remember listening to at all (maybe Katy Perry's Teenage Dream with Teenage Dream, Last Friday Night, California Girls, and Firework trumps it, but I think she had a bit more support than four 27 year old boys from Ireland with some guitars in a studio). I guess finally we get to the cultural significance of the album. Apparently this album cemented them as the worlds biggest band, the album is viewed as an anthem of doubt rather than faith. After visiting the US on tour, Bono attempted to explore the gritty reality within America through this album. Similarly, his trip to Ethiopia between releases seeps into the album through the spiritual journey themes. Ultimately, this album comes through as a man trying to come to terms with a lot of different feelings all at once. There is a first world experience, and pre internet it probably was reserved for people like Bono who had just reached international fame and success, but today it is available to most of us with a phone and internet access. We can see all the most heartbreaking realities of the world, and all of the beauty, juxtaposed, one after the other, and this album, is possibly before its time, in the sense that the band tries to explore this idea. In todays context, much of the album holds up as strong as ever, the themes the band discuss lyrically are still alive and strong. Perhaps its a double edged sword, if we solved these world issues, would the songs carry as much weight today? I don't know the answer but as i sit here at my desk at work, procrastinating by writing this review, Red Hill Mining Town plays through my headphones and the ache in Bono's voice almost brings me to tears. The band holds a place in my heart, and this album is a defining triumphant moment in their illustrious career. 9.2/10

"The Joshua Tree" is heralded by the iconic opening track, 'Where the Streets Have No Name' (inspired by the sectarian geography of Belfast), and that stunning, driving bass line. From the very first listen 39 years ago, it was clear that U2’s sound had shifted. They moved towards a more robust 'rock' foundation, with a sharp definition between the guitar, drums, and bass that provided a solid anchor for the songs. Bono’s vocals felt more controlled, softer and more soulful than before. Compared to its ethereal predecessor, "The Unforgettable Fire", this was a more conventional rock record. Lyrically, Bono's writing took on a sharper contrast; it was far more apparent that the band was grappling with politics (six of the eleven tracks are political in one way or another). For me, this era marked the beginning of the wider critiques of U2, and Bono in particular. He began to polarise people on a much larger scale. Those criticisms continue to this day and, admittedly, some are deserved (the Apple Music debacle, for instance), but many have now become like an urban myth. People often make up their minds about the man without actually listening to the music first - you only have to look at some of the modern reviews of this album to see that bias in action. Side one of "The Joshua Tree" is, for me, a perfect side of music. It is difficult to pick a favourite as the quality is so consistent, but if pushed, I would choose 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'. It is a gospel-infused track that showcases a newfound maturity in their song writing, admitting to a persistent, human sense of spiritual hunger and unfulfillment. Side two is darker, and less consistent. It certainly lacks the "instant" appeal of the first half. However, my favourite track on side two, and a personal highlight of the entire album, is 'Exit'. Inspired by Norman Mailer’s The Executioner’s Song, it is a frightening, "creepy" track that attempts to get inside the mind of a religious fanatic driven to murder. It feels much more in keeping with the raw energy of their earlier work. The album reaches a solemn conclusion with 'Mothers of the Disappeared'. It is a wonderful, beautifully sung piece, a stark, chilling closer about the mothers in Argentina and Chile whose children were abducted by military dictatorships. I have always felt this track evokes Peter Gabriel's 'Biko' (from his third album, Melt), both in its sombre tone and its placement as a final, haunting statement. "The Joshua Tree" was a monumental turning point for U2. It became their biggest-selling album and saw them headlining stadiums worldwide for the first time. It is a great album, although the slight dip in quality on side two, specifically with 'In God's Country' and 'Trip Through Your Wires', means it just achieves a five-star rating. Side one 1 "Where the Streets Have No Name" (5/5) 2 "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (5/5) 3 "With or Without You" (5/5) 4 "Bullet the Blue Sky" (5/5) 5 "Running to Stand Still" (5/5) Side two 1 "Red Hill Mining Town" (5/5) 2 "In God's Country" (3/5) 3 "Trip Through Your Wires" (3/5) 4 "One Tree Hill" (4/5) 5 "Exit" (5/5) 6 "Mothers of the Disappeared" (5/5) Total - 50 Average - 4.55 217/1001 121/217 albums reviewed were new to me.

The Joshua Tree is an instant 5 for me. I had already "liked" every song on this on Spotify before being assigned this to listen on here. It's a perfect album with no skips. I also saw U2 for the first time on this tour and I think I've seen them in concert 6 times, including at the Sphere in Vegas. I've got 3 U2 albums that I consider Perfect Albums - where I like every song. War (1983), this one (1987), and Achtung Baby (1991). There is not one bad song on this and all of them are actually great songs - that I never get tired of hearing. Even though some of the hit songs were overplayed at the time, I still really like them. Some of the best songs on this are deep cuts that never got radio play. Any song off this album would be a peak song for most other bands. By the time this one came out I was already a big U2 fan from the War and The Unforgettable Fire albums. But this one took them to a whole other level of popularity. Before this they were more of a niche thing, after this literally everyone knew who they were. I remember being kind of annoyed at all the new fans but had to admit it really was a great album and they deserved as much praise and attention as they were getting. The album starts with the 3 songs that were the big radio and video hits - which are great songs - but all of the songs after the first 3, from Bullet the Blue Sky to the last song (Mother's of the Disappeared), are all 10/10 - great lyrics, great vibe by the band, great vocals by Bono. Very intense, sad, angry, joyous, quiet, loud - all the things. If the sequence of the last 3 songs from One Tree Hill to Exit to Mother's of the Disappeared doesn't grab you then there's something wrong with you :) Liked songs on Spotify: 11/11 (Perfect Album) Rating: 5/5

Nice authentic album

Joya

What a beautiful album. The instrumentals are euphoric and evokes the feeling of a movie. I listened to this album after being sick and it made me feel alive again.

An album that's ingrained in my memory. I ahven't listened in years even though I still own the original CD but after this re-listen it all came flodding back. There's some U2 hate out there that I don't understand past just being about the personality of the band but man I love this album. Dancing around the living room on this listen. Red Hill Mining Town is extraordinary. In God's Country. Trip Through Your Wires. LOVE One Tree Hill. Side 2 is beautiful.

❤️❤️❤️

I don't know what to honestly say about The Joshua Tree. It's perfection, but it's also U2. No musical snobbery here, nope. It was right for me at the time with a shiny new CD player paid for out of my first pay packet. It led me to exploring other types of music, meaning that I left U2 behind. I can't diss it, as you would expect in a cool, Bono bashing way. The songs are great, the production is lush. It's a pleasure to listen to from start to finish as a one off again. But I didn't really say that, right?

I actually liked this album. The first three songs are classics

My favorite by U2. IMHO their best.

Fuck it, the first 3 tracks are good enough for a 5.

I did not appreciate this one when it came out but definitely a good one

Probably my favorite album by U2 - huge fan of Edge's guitar sound.

the overall atmosphere i'm a big fan of - and reminds me so much of my childhood and music my dad played

Was besseres kam von U2 nicht mehr. Dieses Album ist großartig. „Where The Streets Have No Name“, „I Still Haven‘t Found …“, „With Or Without You“, was für ein Einstieg!

love two songs of this album---"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You"

Excellent U2 LP.

I always liked U2 - great album!

Classic album and one of the first cassettes I owned. Solid from start to finish.

An easy 5 stars for me. One of the best and defining albums of the decade. Side 1 had all the hits, but it is side 2 that I return to time and again. Just brilliant atmospherics. Had the pleasure of seeing the tour that accompanied this album with BB King as opening act.

one of the best ever

Good songs

Best U2 album full of bangers

The way the guitar rings out, and the driving drums, and Bono's voice over it all - goosebumps.

Not a U2 fan by any means but this album is fantastic. The sound is just so big and “new” even thought it’s almost 40 years old. Part of a permanent collection.

Ellie’s birthday album (12/23/25)

One of the best albums ever

this is when u2 peaked. what more can i say? 5/5

Iconic

I didn’t want to give it a perfect score but my lord. This is a masterpiece

capolavoro.

Their best in my eyes. Undeniably amazing. First 6 songs are ALL all-timers. 8 of 11 are just amazing.

Wow.

It wasn't until I got half way through this that I realised I have it on cd in my collection. I'd stick my neck out and say this is probably their last great album before being totally suffocated by Bono's ego. It's certainly the last U2 album I ever bought. But I'm really glad to have the reason and opportunity to reaquaint myself with it.

I could spend all day trying to convince myself that this is anything less than a five-star album.

Love it. Own it.

I never knew that there is one U2 album containing so many of their hits. Great songs, I have to give this 5/5.

Released in my 5th form year at high school. Great album especially the track One Tree Hill.

Well, it's one of the albums of my life. My mother (and to a much lesser extent, my father's) attachment to the album meant I grew up listening to it, at least in part. It may not be their most experimental or ground-breaking perhaps, but for me it's their best album and easily in the top 100 albums of all time. Amazing to hear that it was actually mostly made in a house near Ticknock and in another house near Monkstown, both in Dublin and very close to my own heart. Will have to check out. U2 get a lot of hate but they're wildly popular and critically acclaimed when they want to be. They've also been going for more than 45 years now. Crazy. Shout out to Brian Eno who somehow had an involvement in all the albums I knew most growing up. 5*, top stuff, Mother's of the Disappeared has a special place in my heart (from it's Central American roots to its association with the awful authoritarian regimes of Chile and Argentina. Goosebumps.)

It’s a beautiful album that just gets better with age. Daniel Lanois / Brian Eno give these songs magic.

As if it would get less than 5

big nostalgia factor, bono u will always be famous to me

One of U2’s best albums

I had forgotten that once, before they became too preachy, too samey, too bloated, too old, they were very very good.

Day679 - love ‘em or hate ‘em this is a fantastic album

One of my favourite bands and albums from my youth! I started listening to U2 after discovering songs like “With or Without You” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” I would justify it because of the American and Irish roots music and the atmosphere that it provides, which deeply resonates with me. I feel emotionally connected to this album, so it’s difficult to give an objective review. First, because I really love all the tracks. If I had to choose one that I like a bit less, it would probably be “In God’s Country” (track 7). If I had to pick favourites, I’d say I’ve always had a special connection with “Running to Stand Still.” And for sheer intensity, track 10, “Exit,” is both brutal and cathartic. Do you know those songs that sometimes pop into your mind and you start singing them? From this album, I have three: “Running to Stand Still,” “With or Without You,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” It’s a record for the ages! Today, I have to be honest, I don’t listen to U2 anymore. After 2000’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” I kind of got into other sounds, and to me, they seemed more of the same and less creative. But good memories come from this one. I would give it 6 stars on review if I could. All emotions!

One of the best albums ever. Enough said. Pitchfork: 8.9 (4th highest for U2) Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #135 (2023) Best Songs Where The Streets Have No Name I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With Or Without You Running To Stand Still Red Hill Mining Town In God's Country One Tree Hill Mothers Of The Disappeared

U2s finest hour and possibly one of the best albums to come out of the 80s Whether you think Bono is a bellend or not (he is!) this is still a fantastic listen, the opening 3 tracks alone put it into 5 star territory! I saw then live twice in their early days and they were ace!

Stacked the big hits at the start, second half still quite enjoyable, definitely U2 during their peak era.

My first album is one I already own, but haven't listened to fully in years...

This album has some of the best songs ever written on it

Good

I was reminded of how I listened to this song on repeat in my dorm room my freshman year of college. Though I haven't listened too often since, I'm struck by how good it remains. Big sound, singable lyrics that have reawakened the earworms.

I didn’t like U2 before this, but it was honestly mind blowing how good this album is. Wasn’t expecting this at all

Amazing!!!

Extremely nostalgic and cathartic listen. I haven't listened through the whole album, just some of the well known tracks (namely, the first three). But damn, this is emblematic of an album you must hear before you die. Atmospheric instrumentation with Bono's signature, powerful singing.

Really long intro to where the streets have no name but honestly worth it Very end of an 80s movie hopeful sounding Similar vibes to other songs Love the vocals on with or without you Gets a bit of a darker sound on bullet the blue sky, slightly heavier and slidier on the guitar, more reverb Running to stand still starts like a western but then goes chill and quiet again— slight build up at points but largely very quiet until the wailing parts These were remastered in the year I was born wow that’s weird Main singer is quite good at the high pitched quiet shouting kind of singing New vibes at the start of in god’s country Harmonica (?) at the start of trip though your wires

U2 were just becoming U2 when I was a kid. By 1987, when Joshua Tree came out, I had discovered Van Halen, ZZ Top, just good old classic rock, so I didn’t have time for new rock like U2. I need songs with riffs and guitar wankery. But I remember all the hoopla about Joshua Tree. It was all over mainstream magazines and radio. Still, it didn’t appeal to me at that time. Just young and dumb and full of.....beans. Then I stole my older brother’s cassette tape of U2’s Achtung Baby in 1991 and I finally got it. I figured out that U2 was a great rock band and the best rock band in the world for a long time. It was the songs, the lyrics, the guitar sounds from the Edge, the way Bono belted out his lyrics, the rhythm section made up of the other dudes…..I know them, just let me Google a recipe first…Yeah! Larry Mullin Jr. and Adam Clayton. Those guys are good, too. I’m joking, but that is a tight rhythm section, and it allowed the Edge to experiment with his guitar. The first four songs on Joshua Tree are reason enough to think Joshua Tree is one of the greatest albums ever put out. It starts with Where the Streets Have No Name, then I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, then With or Without You and then Bullet the Blue Sky. What?!? The most amazing thing about Joshua Tree was that, around this time, rock was still in its new wave/post punk time period. What was selling records was keyboards and synths, and beats. U2 wanted to put out a rock album, and they succeeded in recording music that can’t be easily placed in the 80’s. It’s evergreen rock. Which is hard to create as everyone wants to follow the trends or maybe edge closer to what's popular to sell records. This was the album that made U2 stadium rockers, and it’s easy to hear why. All the songs probably sound amazing in a huge stadium setting, as most are stadium anthems. There’s a reason why U2 was known for a long while as the world’s best rock ‘n’ roll band, it’s because they were. Plus, the opening couple of minutes of Where the Streets Have No Name give me that feeling. You know, that feeling that overwhelms you and you think, "Holy crap, am I getting ready to cry?" It's impactful music, which is a blessing because most music is cotton candy, here for a short time and then forgotten about. I’m sure this won’t be the only U2 album on the 1,001 list, but if they’re half as good as Joshua Tree, I’m in for a real treat

I think this is an incredible album, great guitar sound, anthemic songs, crystal clear production. I was surprised as U2 has been such a omnipresent band, I had my guard up about this album.

Best thing EVER I love U2

Connu. Super

5/9

C'est Guillaume qui doit être content! Une des personnes que je connaisse dans les plus encyclopédiques et perfectionnistes du monde du son, Nicolas Grou, qui conçoit et construit des studios pour des artistes québécois et qui produit des albums, voue un culte infini à Daniel Lanois. ///// Pour un anniversaire aussi important je pourrais recommander 1- dans un esprit rock l'album des Black Lips sorti ces dernières semaines Season of the Peach (China est un peu déçue / moi j'aime pas mal mais je suis un grand admirateur); 2- dans un esprit plus doux le testament de Michael Hurley dont je parlais récemment Broken Homes and Gardens; 3- dans un esprit international l'album SOGOLO du groupe légendaire de Zambie Witch, des pionniers du Zamrock. Ça continue à rocker malgré l'âge qui avance. Bonne fête Paul!

Daniel Lanois, un génie. Les 4 tounes sonnent comme de la bombe. Bullet the blue sky me fait penser au break de Whole Lotta Love et à When the levee breaks. Après c'est un peu plus tough à apprécier, mais il y a de la grande musique un peu partout. Trip through your wires j'adore comme blues. On voit une grande attention portée aux textes. I still haven't found bâtie comme un psaume... wow! PS JF on se cherche un millésime 2025 qui vieillit bien pour commémorer la naissance de notre ti Paul, je prends les suggestions !

5 étoiles! Le classique de U2. Trouve moi un album qui commence aussi fort que Joshua Tree. Les 4 premiers tounes sont des classiques. Red hill mining town, in god’s country et One Tree Hill laissent pas leur place non plus!

Still takes me back to seeing these guys on MTV constantly. Classic album that always brings back a flood of memories. Easy 5

own

The best album of U2 is still this masterpiece that has a great way of doing good stuff with little things. For example, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" has this really great rhythm section. People go on about whether The Edge is a good guitarist or not, but it's the rhythm section that does great services to the music.

This was the first CD I brought. I was a massive U2 fan in the 80’s and think I got this the day of release. It’s probably my favourite U2 album and the last album of theirs that I think was full of great tracks. Post-Joshua Tree there are certainly songs I like but I rarely (or never) listen to entire Albums all the way through from their later releases.

In general, U2 leave me a bit cold. This, however, is one of the greatest albums of all time. And I will die on the hill that the media went all out to make everyone think Bono was a prick as soon as he tried to leverage his fame into campaigning for the environment etc. Although he does come across as a bit of a bellend, regardless.

I know we're supposed to hate on U2 but I love this album. Listened to it a ton in the early days of really exploring music as a teenager and thought it also had something really special.

The Joshua Tree was the album that catapulted U2 from college radio and MTV darlings to one of the biggest bands in the world. They combined their anthematic new wave with American blues and roots to create an amazing synthesis of European and American music. Even U2 fans often consider this their best album and high point. With or Without You was a mega hit and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For a timeless hit. Enumerating the great songs on the album is futile: Everything is great, just in different amounts. In addition, The Joshua Tree captures the sound of the late 1980s, a time before hip hop went mainstream and R&B Pop became, well, Pop. I can argue on personal preferences for War as the better album but, that's nit picking. This is perhaps THE U2 record.

25 million sold, arenas Where the streets have no name I still haven't found With or without you

Amazing start to the album

This record came out when I was 14. I’m 52 now so I’ve loved it for almost 40 years. I’ve never gotten sick of it, never ebbed on any individual track. This is as close to a favorite album as I’ll probably ever have. I saw them on the original tour in 87 and again in 2017 when they did it again. Loved both shows, but they were right the first time to leave out Red Hill Mining Town, plodding in a live set. TBH I’m not entirely sure this is better than Achtung Baby but it doesn’t matter. Bury it with me when I die. Wish I had more thumbs

Every song is great. This one has aged like fine wine

Still a top notch collection of bangers after all these years. Intro to “Where the Streets….” still gives me goosebumps

The soundtrack of my senior year in high school. Such an epic album. I was able to see their Joshua Tree anniversary tour a few years back and it was amazing!! This is a band that was allowed to take their time and develop. There will never be more bands like U2 because if they do not have a hit out of the gate they yank their contract. This album has it all……rock…..roll…….emotion…..inspiration……empowerment…….social issues……incredible lyrics and next level musicianship. The cool swagger of Bono helped also. 10/5

Amazing album, start to finish. Prime U2 here

An amazing album. No bad songs.

This is the album where U2 bacame, well…U2. And why they would rule as one of the best pop rock bands for the next decade. The first 4 songs are Bonafide radio hits, that alone makes it a five star record. The fact that the rest of it can hold up to them just shows how much U2 wanted to step up to the next level. Amazing record from start to finish.

Echt zo leuk