Reviews (page 9 of 14)
At it's best, it reminds me quite a bit of the poppy era of Marillion under Steve Hogarth, but with a worse singer; at it's worst it's just frankly inoffensive. If Bono wasn't such an easy punching bag of a celeb I would have trouble understanding the sheer hate this band gets, but on the other hand I'm also not overly impressed by this album. 6/10.
Even the more popular tracks felt just ok to me. I just don't think I'm big on U2.
It's an okay album. There are some songs on here that are well known and done well, but the album starts to get a little stale towards the end. 3/5 Might listen again
Some songs I recognised and enjoyed but many others I did not. Have never enjoyed listening to Bono either singing or speaking, this album did not change that feeling.
I am enjoying the fjrst two songs I actually really enjoyed where the streets have no name and i still havent gound what I am looking for. I actually also enjoy with or without you. Its similar with or without (you) by Joon. Did not really enjoy bullet to the blue sky. The first few songs were good but its like a 3 star album for me
Zitten een aantal vette nummers tussen die ik wel kan waarderen. Lekker dramatisch en meezingbaar, goeie gitaren en reverb op zn tijd. Ik zou U2 denk ik cooler vinden als ze een main zangeres zouden hebben want op de een of andere manier voelt het alsof dat beter zou passen ipv een kreunende man.
u2 är u2
Kinda beige but not an unpleasant listen
There are some really good songs on here, but overall it is on the boring side. With or Without you drags it to a 3.
Has some decent tracks, although not a riveting album overall. A generous score.
One of my least favorite U2 albums
Geht unheimlich stark los, kann das aber nicht über die ganze Albumlänge halten. Nahe an 4 Sternen für mich.
Kind of a conundrum for me. Bono is obviously a great singer, and I really like the Edges guitar technique, but it all just seems so Bland to me. Certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but just not that compelling. Do I like music?
Теперь понятно откуда торчат ноги у Angels & Airwaves
Starts really strong but interest drops off later
Это мой второй альбом на этом сайте. Начал я его слушать когда утром ехал по делам и честно вайб создается будто ты в тревл влоге с эстетичными кадрами. Where the streets have no name больше всего понравилось. Хороший альбом чтобы слушать на фоне, но ничего запоминающегося особо нет
The vibes I get off this album are like an attempt to make an epic, storytelling album. Reminds me of roots rock and Bruce Springsteen. The songs themselves don't feel too long despite the runtime. My favourite among them has to be "With Or Without You". The way it builds up and gets intense with every verse is *chef's kiss*. Unlike the last album I got, this one is more consistent, but the production choices sound make it same-y than cohesive. That's the major gripe I have with "The Joshua Tree".
Better than expected
I find them so annoying ever since that apple stunt ages ago where everyone automatically had that one album downloaded to their apple library (violation of consent much) but like they do have that very distinct divorced white dad sound
I recognised half the songs immediately, and the others were good enough. They're just not my jam.
Pretty cool album. Ive heard of the band U2 but didnt realize how much songs I knew were made by them. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Bullet The Blue Sky were my favorites. 6.8/10
People despise U2 for some reason but idk this just sounds mildly good
Je ne suis pas très réceptive à U2, même si je reconnais qu’ils ont leur pâte (merci the edge) et que ça doit sans doute être top en live…
Trying to listen to this on its own merits rather than it be U2, I enjoyed quite a bit. Back half of the album limps on a bit. And now understand what tom from blink was trying to do with angels and airwaves.
I’m not a U2 fan - I mostly find the music bloated, preachy, and reeking of self importance. However, sometimes when the Bravas are cold, the sun sets just right at Rundle Park, and the 360 degree throw from short is right on the money - you can’t deny it has its moments. 3.6
Popular means bland
I was born in 1985 but I've never listened to a full U2 album before. Now that I tried, The Joshua Tree is so front heavy that I could have stopped after the first three songs. That being said, this is a pretty much an ok album.
mid. like the other U2 albums here.
First three tracks are pretty dang great.
This album has a few standout moments, but I’ve never understood the near-universal praise it receives. I tried listening with an open mind, yet most of it just felt good rather than groundbreaking. I’ve always preferred U2’s earlier, rawer sound, which had more energy. It’s an enjoyable record, but for me it doesn’t quite live up to its legendary reputation.
Not a U2 fan, but they are simply unavoidable for anyone that has listened to the radio. I've always heard how good this album was. It's fine. There's definitely a few standouts, and it feels like they try their best to make every single song and expand on it to make it feel larger than life. I can see how this goes over well in an arena. But there's some misses too. It's just, boring.
Nice to have a reason to give this album a listen. The first three tracks are all monster hits, culminating in With or Without You which is U2's best song. I'm not a huge fan and find Bono's voice to be too much, but do appreciate they are pretty seismic. They don't keep the energy going and the quality of the music tapers off somewhat. I found the remainder pretty boring, but I do appreciate the general 'desert' atmosphere of the album and there's a few interesting instrumental sections. 6/10
I am proud of myself. I really dislike U2, but this project is about having an open mind and -boom- I enjoyed it. That’s the beauty of this challenge!
This sounds way more modern than the 80s to me. I enjoyed it and there are several songs I added to my liked list. I preferred War overall as an album.
Better then Achtung Baby, still not great. This album really wants to feel huge. The constant slowly building synths, overwraught singing... It works for a bit, and then gets incredibly tiring. I actually enjoyed the first three songs here a fair bit before realizing that this sound was going to be the entire album and I was only a quarter of the way through. By the end I became sure that U2 is basically the Coldplay of the 80s. I can see why people really do love this sound, but it falls into such deep mediocrity for me.
5.5/10 - I think you had to be there for this one. I only ever hear people 45+ mention an affinity for U2. I think it’s nostalgia and memories of a time where U2 was the biggest thing. Feels to me like a band whose image and fan base exceeds their musical prowess.
repetitivo
certified U2 hater Would I listen again: no Deserves to be on this list: this is like their best album, but I don't understand why they're popular 2.3
I think, we, as full-album listeners, sometimes forget that it's completely okay to be a singles band.
It was alright, another review said it sounded like a dentist office and I couldnt help but agree.
Some fantastic songs on here, but hit or miss overall.
I'm sure it's a good album, but unfortunately, it doesn't do much for me and feels rather average.
good, it a bit familiar to something but idk what
Sounds like U2. Pop rock. Had fun listening. Works great as background because I didn't realise sometimes where one song ended and the next began.
This is a stereoscopic album. Really immersive, cinematic, all that. It's also kind of boring. Bono has some passionate delivery, and the instrumentals all sound great in the mix, but there's something about it that just doesn't really engage me. Maybe I associate U2 with commercials from growing up, maybe it's the curse of not liking music that was popular when you were born. A fine album, just not my cup of tea. 3/5
U2 is a very overrated band. They have a bunch of hits, all of which are above average songs, some even great. But the filler on this album is just so-so.
I’m not a huge fan of U2, but this album was quite refreshing. It’s not the best album ever, but it’s one of those albums that you might listen in the middle of the night while you’re thinking, so it’s not that bad. The songs seem a little repetitive but definitely better than some other U2’s songs.
good heartland rock sound good dad stuff 7/10
Rating: 3.5/5 (With or Without You added .5) Playlist track: With or Without You & Red Hill Mining Town Date listened: 28/05/26 Listen when: I have a coming of age movie
U2 has potential.
nonostante alcuni grandi pezzi come with or without you non mi emozionino particolarmente, altri pezzi sono davvero forti
I can't tell how to rate this. It's an album I connect to from my early teen years. I really enjoyed it then. Played the shit out of the tape I had. It holds up to a good degree from how I remember it. 80s stadium rock. The first half is full of well written tracks. It lags pretty badly toward the end of the album though. Full deserves to be in this list for it's significance alone. But it's not something I'll be reaching for again anytime soon I think that answers the question. 3
Bono and co. are going for a big, arena-ready sound here, and sometimes it works. The three singles that open the album are solid, and there are some great deep cuts, like the grungy Bullet the Blue Sky and the desert-tinged In God's Country, but a lot of the surrounding material doesn't live up to the grandness the band is attempting. A good portion of this album just sounds flat, and the ocassional flashes of brilliance that shine through just make those portions easy more dull in comparison. I appreciate the socio-political themes that Bono works into his lyrics, especially on the closer Mothers of the Disappeared, but lyrics without good music to back it up only get you so far.
It’s fine. Probably would have liked it better if I heard it for the first time.
The very definition of front-loading. I don't know if the three openers we acknowledged to exceed the level of the rest of this album at the time of finalising the tracklist, or if it's simply a matter of all the songs being the same and the first three being what you get through before you tired of the edge's pedalboard, but the 70%-ish of the album that follows is entirely redundant.
A few awesome songs and some very average ones
Listened at work through headphones, at various intervals. I can appreciated the gravitas of this album, and the rhythm section in particular is very strong, but I just don't care for this breed of stadium rock at all. The enjoyment I get from most of these songs is purely on a nostalgic level of listening incessantly in the car as a wee tyke. Is U2 the biggest band to do absolutely nothing for me? Quite possibly.
Greit med hits, men mye fyllmateriale.
for me the hits on this album are undeniable, but as an album its to whiny and preachy and drags a bit, but thats just me
very subdued rock, but I like it at times.
I've never quite got the mass appeal of U2, though I do think they have some good songs I've never known what it is that makes them so renowned. As far as I'm aware this is their biggest album, and I still can't put my finger on it. The album opens strong with 3 of their biggest songs. "With Or Without You" is too overplayed for my liking, however I do think "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" are great. One or two others I didn't mind were "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Running To Stand Still". Even then I felt the songs repeating a lot, and there's something about Bono's vocal delivery that irks me in a lot of songs. Bit over the top/pretentious perhaps? I see what they're trying to do but it doesn't grab me, I feel like I'm left wanting more. A solid 3/5 for the good songs I mentioned.
I always think I want to give U2 another try. And then I do… and I regret it.
There's something about like 4 of the songs that feels almost... western movie to me. I don't vibe with that. The singles (first three songs) and In God's Hand are bangers though.
Pretty front-loaded. Second half just felt less compelling to listen through compared to the first.
something id hear in stranger things? its aight
Very top heavy - 3 massive singles back to back followed by a mixed and sometimes bland collection of tracks.
I had this album on cassette back in the day. Side 1 has some hits, but side 2 was a wasteland, causing you to spend 4 minutes in silence while you rewound side 1 to listen to it again.
It's OK, good in places.
Going into this I thought I would be like "I can't stand Bono, but have to admit they have good songs". However, I found these songs also a bit dull and overwrought.
This album had such a strong start. The first three tracks were grand and evoked big feelings of nostalgia and a certain type of peace/yearning. The rest of the alum was okay. Pretty inoffensive and fine to listen to. I kept finding myself missing something. Favorite tracks: Where The Streets Have No Name I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With or Without You
I Wanna Run 1001 Albums Generator 278 (4/28/2026) Just like The Cars' debut I had yesterday, The Joshua Tree has an incredible 1-2-3 punch at the start that it never fully lives up to. However, while The Cars had some really good deep cuts, The Joshua Tree doesn't even approach the quality of the three hits that start the album. I will say that I was surprised how much of this kinda sounds like Bruce Springsteen. Bullet The Blue Sky is also cool and sounds huge. 3/5, one star for each of the first three genius songs. Favs: Where The Streets Have No Name I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With Or Without You Least Fav: Exit
I do not like this band very much, so I did not expect to enjoy this famous album. The most popular songs on the radio are quite boring to me now, but I actually liked the less famous songs much better. It is an okay record, mostly because those hidden tracks are good.
U2 é a banda mais sapatenis que existe, porem... é um álbum bem consistente, com algumas músicas que me pegaram bastante e uma atmosfera interessante, no geral não é dos meus favoritos, mas é um álbum bom (achei que seria mais torturante ouvir esse álbum na integra)
I've never listened to U2 on purpose and yet I knew most of these songs. It was just alright.
I don't love U2 but it was ok
A classic U2 album. Rating:3.8/5 GEMV (23.04.2026)
Opening 4 tracks are all fantastic. 5 or upper 4.x stars each. The rest of the album is forgettable. Going with 3 stars for the overall album.
gotta say this is starting to work better for me
Pretty uninteresting despite a few standout songs. Was hoping for more given how much I liked War. Fav tracks: With or Without You. RYM: N Saved a song: N
Solid classic but not blown away by it
It's not bad, I pretty like it, but it's like background music, these songs don't have much changes, it's always the same. But it's still good
Singles 5/5 Album tracks are definitely less standouts
My favourite episode of Come Dine With Me was one where the host of the evening had a photo of themselves with Bono framed at the top of the stairs. One fellow participant saw the photo and examined, “I didn’t know you knew Bonio!” She must have said the word Bonio maybe twenty times. Anyway, this album was fine. Bonio is at Peak Annoying throughout and The Edge needs to lay off that delay pedal but most of the songs are fine. I kept listening to hear if I could identify those trad Irish influences I read so much about on this album but they are nowhere to be found. Best: Bullet the Blue Sky, Exit Worst: Running to Stand Still
Sounds like what i'd listen in my dad's car
u2 is OK I guess. all of it blends in together with the newer stuff tho... occasional banger tho yay
Am Anfang denkt man ganz nett - aber dann irgendwie immer das gleiche
pretty dec, only listened to about half though
liked this more than i thought i would
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Eu escutava bastante o U2 quando eu tinha 11-13 anos. Entretanto, até mesmo naquela época eu sabia que era uma banda que tinha no máximo 2 ou 3 músicas boas por álbum. Foram mais de 10 anos sem escutar um álbum completo do U2 até que ele apareceu hoje nessa lista: nada mudou. é um álbum de 3 músicas só. 2,5/5.
Schon gut gemacht, bin kein fan
Wegen mehrerer Hits auf jeden Fall drei Sterne. Vielleicht wären auch vier angebracht, passt aber verhältnismäßig dann nicht mehr.
I hate U2 so much. But I didn't hate this. There's something about that guitar intro on the first track. Pretty badass, actually. And a few of the more obscure tracks at the end weren't bad. Fuck Bono tho
U2 are always considered one of the greats, one of the bands who defined their era and whose influence rings through to today. As you can imagine in a list of highly influential, important, and other positive adjective albums, U2 are one of the many on our list of targets. I’m still early in my hit list, and of the heavy hitters I’ve gone up against so far, U2 is the one I get the least. That’s not to call this album bad, that would be deceptive of me, but The Joshua Tree is an album I have never listened to but know by name, by an artist with a reputation. I cannot understand why or how this album carved out the influence it did. The musicality of the album is solid, but not to me at least world-class. There are good songs on here, controversially to me the first three songs of the album, which I understand to be the big hits, were not the ones I would have ranked too highly, but even the ones in the moment I felt were strong and solid are ones I would rush to go back to. Perhaps the context, the time period it was released to and the concerts they continue to sell out, matters more than I’m realising. I know they’re often considered arena rock. I cannot knock the talent, but not for me. Worth a listen, but to me not worth a frequent return.
Ok
Some good hits on this and overall a good album. Enjoyed listening to it, but I don't know how often I'll be coming back to it.
Hørt på vei hjem fra byen. Klassisk u2. Whatever musikk.
God åpning med tre hits, men derfra og ut går det fort i stampe. Pent lydbilde, men det er ikke så veldig interessant.
Inoffensive to the point of being boring at times
Initial reaction: Early U2 is great - it is unfortunate that the band's rep got damaged by the forced addition to Apple music. I enjoyed it.
Honestly, was not to excited going in to this as U2 has always been a band that's just never grabbed my attention before. With Or Without You continues to stand as a classic song and the South Park Bono episode is still hilarious, but beyond that I've never really had a drive to listen to U2. After listening, I think my opinion mostly still stands. Don't get me wrong this is a great album, but I don't see myself returning to the full project often. For me, there's no real hook that gets me to go "fuck yeah this is sick" compared to many of their rock contemporaries from around the same time. That opening 3 track run is great and there are some awesome guitar parts and Bono can really carry a note, but again nothing that really gets me excited to talk much. Solid but far from my favorites.
listening to this I feel like someone's dad (czyjś stary) speaking of dads, Bono is probably coldplay's dad
Classic U2 album. Had most of their well-known songs album was pretty good knew the biggest hits but overall it wasn’t too bad.
Fine
The first ten minutes felt like horizon, but the rest was a bit rough and uncomfortable
it kinda makes sense why they sell out stadiums because listening the album at home is just not that all impressive
Personally not for me, but can appreciate the work in it.
A couple good songs added to playlist, not my fav
Everyone seems to laud the opening three tracks of this album. I beg to differ - I think they encapsulate the bombastic stadium rock style of U2.
I’ve found that U2 is a much better singles band than an albums band and it’s on full display here. The first 3 tracks are great tunes that are nearly ubiquitous if you’ve ever listened to a classic rock station. Then there’s the rest of the album, which is still pretty good, but nowhere near the quality of the first 3 songs.
Enjoyed the latter tracks much more than the earlier ones, contrary to Spotify popularity/streaming numbers. None of the songs particularly stuck out to me, but that might change on relisten
Didn’t really listen and also -2 for that apple music rollout a decade ago
Probably U2 at their best.
feels like u2 at their most floaty, wispy, 'With Or Without You'-y. not bad! low points get balanced out by some jammers. favorite song is Exit
Really not that bad. Bullet The Blue Sky cool song - reminds me of Deftones. I won't willingly listen to this again but I didn't hate my time with it 6.5/10
I'll go with ....better than expected? I know it's one of those albums everybody knows and raves about, but it's still classic rock. Took a few tries to get over that hurdle, but it wasn't terrible.
Smooth but boring
Grandes canciones que forman parte de la historia de la música, no son de mis agrupaciones favoritas, pero definitivamente entiendo porqué están aquí
An album like a worship. U2 on its way to became a stadium rock band.
I don't typically like U2. U2, as a band really baffles me. They sell out massive arenas within minutes, but, over the course of my entire life, I've only ever met 1 person who is a fan of U2. Thus, they're put in a mental compartment of mine along with the Black Eyed Peas. Groups that have loads of hits (you know at least a dozen of their songs), but also groups that have no fans. This album, however, was actually pretty good. It's cohesive. It's undeniably U2, who's sound is immediately identifiable.
Kinda whatever
With or without you and where the streets have no name natürlich überragend schöne Songs, aber der Rest war eher "ging so"
Ganz gut. Ikonisch. Aber bin kein U2 Fan
I can’t say I’m a big U2 fan, but this album has all their best songs on it by far. This was actually pretty decent, and does make me understand why they’re such a huge band nowadays.
Maso
First three tracks are good, but it disappears up its own arse slightly after that
Was enjoying the first 2 minutes and was then let down when Bono started singing. I still haven't found what I'm looking for and with or without you carry this to a 3
"with or without you" increíble, y alguno que otro muy bueno, los demás son mas tranquilos. buen álbum.
It was good...
I'm not a fan of U2 but this album did threaten to change that. The first half of the album is strong and I do really like Bullet the Blue Sky. The second half I'm not bothered about though. And Bono is a knob.
Onpa kaksijakoinen levy. Alkaa kolmella todella komealla jättihitilä mutta lässähtää sitten Exit-biisiä lukuunottamatta melko keskinkertaiseksi pop-rock -levyksi, josta ei jää oikein mitään käteen. Mitta nuo levyn avaavat kolme biisiä; onhan ne nyt älyttömän kovia veisuja. Ja Exit piristävän erilainen ralli levyn lopulla. Vaikea arvioida kokonaisuutena, koska sisältää mestarillista ja yhdentekevää musaa. Kokonaisuus ehkä 3/5, kaukana mestarillisesta Achtung Babysta. Hitit toki Achtung Baby -tasoa.
Didn’t finish but I will. I liked it more than I thought
I liked a couple of tracks - where the streets have no name and exit. Otherwise mid
The world’s first and last good Big Music band.
The grandiosity just borders on being overwrought but overall it's a pretty enjoyable album Fav track: Bullet the Blue Sky
I think I'm not a big fan of the vocal performance on this album. I'm not sure what bothers me about it. It was fun to finally get to hear this album, though.
It's *really* hard to hear this with fresh ears given my mom had this album on on repeat. Combine that with the videos being on continuous rotation on MTV - Bono looking deeply earnest, the Edge in that hat - it's just hard to consume it without all the baggage of what U2's become, the singles feeling like a cliche more than anything. So it mostly comes off as a bit trite, which is too bad because so much of it is really catchy and you can see they probably meant it at the time. I liked the more unfamiliar songs best, and Exit in particular, which reminded me of their earlier albums while also seeming to harken towards the grunge that would become mainstream in just a few years.
wish they didn’t come out with support for palestine so late :/ but i applaud them declining to ever perform there again after they performed once in aviv in 1997 which was actually this album
I don't like U2. I don't really want to think about U2, let alone listen to this album. I fear there'll be more on this. I did listen and now I can be thankful that I don't have to listen to this album again. Why the distaste? Sometimes justifying a strong dislike is something I don't want to spend energy on.
I’ll admit that musically, this wasn’t that bad. I just can’t escape the image of Bono I have from an episode of South Park. In the show, he’s portrayed as a sentient piece of shit who bursts into rooms pumping his fists and shouting “YE! YE! YE!” while some middle-of-the-road rock anthem plays. But because he’s a literal piece of shit, he can’t stand being called “number two.” He has to be “number one,” so he travels the world with U2, breaking records and doing philanthropic work. He’ll always be a piece of shit, though.
Спорный, местами зашёл, местами нет
Pretty awesome album when you're hurting. But even if it caught me at a good (bad?) time, tracks 5 and 6 ran pretty boring to me, and they don't exactly run short. There's a song or two more that disinterested me, but you can really feel out your emotions on the dotted delay hits, and it's got a hell of an energetic ending. It takes a lot of focus, but it's a pretty album.
S'ok, not really my thing but OK
My dad got me into u2 I think they were a generational band and very up there at the time. Some great music, song writing. But a big but. After a few songs you sort of get a little fed up. A few songs at a time you’re ok.
There’s no denying the first 3 tracks of this album. But everything after that was pretty unremarkable.
Starts super strong and then dies down a bit. Need to dive a bit deeper. I prefer their earlier work.
A solid first three tracks. Amazing buildup, very anthemic, their most popular off this album. After that, very forgettable songs. That's my entire review.
good album although the guitar sound has not aged well and is associated to advertisment music now. Favourite track: Bullet the blue sky
this is actually already saved in a playlist titled ‘albums to listen too’ lol. glad i listened but im still mad they forced their album on everyone in 2014 so i have to give it a three i fear.
Enjoyed, with or without you is one of my favourite songs
Couple classics on here that my dad played a lot. 3.5/5
meh
Not a big fan of Bono's voice but definitely dug some of the riffs and the overall themes. Not bad I just think that Bono sounds like he's whining most of the time Highlights: Bullet The Blue Sky, With Or Without You (ofc), In God's Country
Was a fan when it came out. It was a coming of age album for them and me in a way. Their American visit gave them a bit of material to work with. 'Angel in devil's shoes, salvation and the blues.' kinda summed up the US for me quite nicely. But as the years have gone by 'I still haven't found what I'm looking for' doesn't have the meaning it once did and the group have become a distant memory and a disappointment, hobnobbing with elites and Bono just being a bit of a prick. I'll give it 3 for nostalgia's sake.
Good songs are great, rest are forgettable
"The Joshua Tree" stands out for its expansive sound and strong buildups. The album flows smoothly from track to track and works well in a contemplative mood. There’s a sense of space throughout, with songs unfolding gradually rather than hitting hard right away. “Bullet the Blue Sky” is a highlight for its grit and raw edge, bringing a welcome intensity to the record. Overall, though, the polished, “dad-rock” sound doesn’t fully connect with me. It’s not a bad album by any means, but it doesn’t stand out strongly either.
I have definitely heard The Joshua Tree enough times to be able to declare that I heard it before I died. We listened to this record constantly when it first came out; it had some inspiring instrumentation and was fun to sing along with while driving around. But then I got sick of it and haven't listened to it since. So it was fun to hear it again today, but I doubt I'll go back to it anytime soon. Of course I have to mention that hearing "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" immediately called to mind the hilarious Negativland track "U2" that sampled that song and made fun of U2 a bit. At the time we thought it was absurd for Island Records to sue little Negativland over that? But they may have had a point, seeing as that's always the first thing I think of when I hear the original song. 3 stars for U2, 5 for Negativland
J’pensais pas que j’allais bien aimer mais la fin c’est chiant c’est répétitif
for a u2 album, this pretty good shit. Just don't mention that every song sounds the same
3 - good but for squares
Even though this album loses steam pretty quickly, I would have preferred this one added to my ITunes without my consent back in the day. Likes: Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, With or Without You
Always felt U2 and the Bono were a bit comical so glad to see what their earlier stuff is like and give my first album of theirs a full listen. I want to dislike it and there is a tone of grandiosity, but this is also what they offer well in the size and depth of the songs too. ‘Bullet for Blue Sky’ what the hell. It feels a cringe and comical song 😬 I actually thought my opinion might have been changed after the first 3 tracks, but it appears they are the only quality on here and the rest is as expected - over the top, self-important and a bit over earnest. First 3 tracks, easy 4*+, the rest, just scrapes a 3* (3.5)
This is good, not great. This album falls flat beyond the singles. 3.45 stars
U2 is great. Everyone knows that.
Enjoyed listening. Found the three singles the most enjoyable. Preferred the heavier rock sounds to the more mellow.
Good album Song I like: I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, With or without you
With or without you é a melhor. Começa super bem o álbum e depois senti minha atenção indo embora.
Easily the best U2 album on there, it is solid. I was anxious, cause those haven't been hiting, (it's my fourth one) and I was decently surprised. Unlike the rest, it is listenable and not a one hit album. There are still the usual big U2 doodoos, (bullet blue sky leading in that caregory) but yes not horrible
meh it's fine. boring. i find u2 the most critically overrated band of all time. generic rock for people who want to look like they know and are in to music - but clearly don't and are not
приятный рок, переслушать можно без заявки на что-то мощное и новое немного отдаленное звучание, мягкое какое-то больше инди и для поездок 3.5
While yes, I also feel U2 are pretentious assholes, I'm not going to let those feelings affect my rating. Bono may be a massive piece of shit (the world's largest if you believe south park), but I can't imagine a world in which you tell the history of the past 100 years of music without including U2. Sure, their music is bland and not necessarily revolutionary, however it clearly struck a chord with someone considering how popular they were in the 80s and 90s and how ingrained they've been in pop culture for the past 40 years. In terms of this album - it sounds bland, sounds like there isn't much going on, it feels "safe". I appreciate the message it's putting forth, and very much feel it belongs on this list overall, however I'm not going to act like it's anything but average rock
Embarrassingly enjoyed this way more than I wanted to. Can’t believe it devastated
A top heavy album 3*
Konsistens og Helhed: 7/10 Guitarspillet har en meget atmosfærisk lyd igennem sangene. Meget atmosfærisk lyd. Bono varierer også imellem at synge med kraftigt og blødt igennem sangene Innovation og Originalitet: 3/10 Man kan godt høre det er en U2 sang, men sangenes form er meget statisk og ikke så originale. De er ikke så meget for at prøve nye ting. Den atmosfæriske lyd lyder dog ikke så meget som noget andet. Emotionel resonans: 8/10 Jeg synes lyden vækker de rigtige følelser frem så det har de gennemført godt. For de fleste sange Tekst og tematik: 9/10 Er ret vild med deres tekster, nogle er simple med fungerer godt og andre har nogle dybere meninger Musikalsk komposition: 5/10 Helt klart guitaren der bær det musikalske hvor bassen og trommerne ikke tager nogen chancer. Dog gør guitaren det rigtig godt. Mundharmonikaen synes jeg nogengange bare er der for et ligegyldigt fill. Til gengæld er Bonos stemme virkelig god Tidsløshed: 6/10 Det er kun få sange folk snakker om fra pladen, men den er ikonisk og vigtig for hvordan pop-rock har formet sig. Den har dog ikke helt holdt sig over tid fordi det ikke har været så originalt Subjektivt X-Factor: 7/10 Det er ikke et album der har et sted i mit hjerte, men jeg ville sige Bonos stemme har et sted og deres tekster har også gjort et godt indtryk på mig Bonus noter: Der var flere catchy sange end jeg huskede og det er ikke fordi det gør så meget at instrumenterne ikke er over det hele. Ville nok komme tilbage nogle enkelte sange Rating: 6,43 Bedste sange: With or Without You Bullet the Blue Sky Red Hill Mining Town
It was pretty good, and totally a classic. I can understand the art, yet this is really not my taste, and the band is tainted by constantly performing in Las Vegas, so I absolutely cannot glaze.
Ok, good for repair jobs
aite
Boring but pleasant. Like sitting around waiting in someone's lounge but they have very nice wallpaper.
I quite liked this! had it playing while I meal-prepped and it was really nice background music. Definitely wanna check out more U2 bc of this !
Considero que es un álbum bueno, me transmitió mucha paz y cada canción fue un viaje completamento diferente, realmente siento que fue un buen álbum para iniciar este viaje...
The hits are classics but the rest of the album simply did not hook me - Felt kinda sameness
This is all objectively very lush and very well-produced, but personally it somehow didn’t grip me much outside of a few highlights. It felt a bit like Coldplay’s Parachutes in that I remember liking the band’s big hits a lot growing up, but felt a bit let down by the album despite it not being all that different from their usual style. Still the best I’ve heard of U2 to date! Standouts: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For • With Or Without You • Bullet The Blue Sky • Mothers Of The Disappeared
Powerful pop songs. I don’t love it but don’t dislike it either. I’ve always liked Still haven’t found what I’m looking for. The songs have a similarity between them. That’s style and the U2 sound, and nothing else. I don’t think I’ve heard one tree hill before and like that. That guitar and Bono’s passionate singing are what make that U2 sound. I imagine this album would have a bigger impact on me if I was older when it came out. Instead my father tried to convince me to hate the band. Unbelievably stupid but it worked until I was in my teens or 20s.
Hit after hit. Fatiguing not because of the music but because of how often I’ve already heard these songs. Suffering from its own success. Decent album.
Actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Bono appetit
Ah they're a singles band really, aren't they.
It was okay. A few standouts but overall a bit same same.
Nothing really jumped for me here the way that One did on the other U2 album
meh. some good tracks, some pretentious and stupid tracks. I think this is mostly a case of the album being 40 years old and the conversation having moved on
хорошо ли это? да добавлю к себе в плейлист? нет альбом с вайбом поездки куда то далеко на машине в роуд муви смотрелось бы очень органично
My second U2 album on this list, and like War, I enjoyed it. This was just before the band got unbearable in my opinion. It is front stacked, but was enjoyable enough. The more familiar songs certainly still hold up.
Ah U2. So I've never been a fan of theirs. They do have some great music but they are a give me a greatest hits band more than a I want to do a deep dive on them. This album starts off strong, the songs work well. Then the slog of it all sets in. The music is kinda same and makes you go, YOU HAVE TALENT, DO SOMETHING! It's not a horrible album, I'd rather listen to this than the first Oasis album for sure. It's just that the longer I listen to it the less I like of it. Maybe it's a preconceived notion that I know Bono is a pretentious wanker, maybe it's because I know the guy that honestly calls himself The Edge is too and damnit he's a better guitar player than this album. Maybe I really hate but I grew up with U2 being all over the place and so I have some form of Stockholm Syndrome with them where I just think I enjoy it. Either way it's pretty non offensive music, they play well and Bono isn't a terrible front man for them. It's a generic rock album.
ik ben nooit echt fan geweest van u2, ik vond ze altijd een beetje mid en na het luisteren van dit album is mijn mening niet veranderd. de liedjes zijn gwn allemaal zo repetitive en voorspelbaar
Kinda forgettable. Fav might be “One tree hill”
It was fine but not remarkable. The first half of the album was better than the second half; the second half was just very quiet and didn’t really pique my interest.
Review - I've never liked this band but this album has made me re-evaluate my opinion on them. The first 3 tracks are all classics that I know well, and they're better than I remember them being. While a few tracks are too brazenly country/Americana inspired and they don't really have the chops for it, mostly they pull it off. There are also a few songs (Red Hill Mining Town, Bullet the Blue Sky) which are a lot rockier than I realised this band ever were? And The Edge has a non -twinkly guitar tone - I didn't know he did that sometimes. Rating - 7.5/10 Need to hear? YES
Revisiting an old friend, a good album but not as good as Achtung Baby.
3.5/5 I can't stand this band but I can't deny this album
You can't deny, U2 have written some good songs. There are a couple of stinkers on here too but overall it's ok
This is fine.
I own and like 6 U2 songs. 2 of them were on this album (I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and With or Without You). Other than those two, I wasn’t super impressed by anything else on the album. It wasn’t bad though.
Woman rock. 3/5
As opposed to yesterday, this is far more a straight down the middle rock album. Not in rating, but in what it's going for. Each song is its own thing to say rather than the soundtrack feel of The Wall. Obviously, two immediate classics with I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and With Or Without You. I don't think the rest of the album hits nearly that hard, so it does feel a little more like a few big bangers surrounded by lessers.
Changed my mind about U2 being lame but not by much
Love the start of this album but by the end I was a little bored.
Probably the best U2 album I’ve listened to thus far. The first half of the album is genuinely very strong. Second half kinda peters off into “generic U2 type music” but overall it’s a good album
I'd say this album is average. The first 3 tracks are so strong but the rest is just okay. It kind of sounds like more of the same, but not quite as good. They definitely chose the right singles off this album.
track 1 - i like the small build up. track 2 - the instruments blend together really well in. track 3 - the switch of passion is cool. track 2 was more strong, while track 3 feels more desperate or longing. track 4 - fav song off this album, similar to what i’d usually listen to and love the vibe of the song overall. track 5 - very soft, a bit calming but slightly sad feeling. track 6 - i like the light guitar, it gives a bright sound / feeling. track 7 - bright like track 6, more bold tho. track 8 - as soon as i heard the harmonica, i knew it was gonna be a good song lol. it just gives so much character. track 9 - not many thoughts on it. i could tell it had passion but didn’t interest me a whole lot. track 10 - love the vibe of the song, the build up, and slight story feel to it. track 11 - reminds me of car seat headrest lol. rating: 3/10 - not necessarily my thing. track 4 and 10 were my favs tho. it was a calm listen as well, i could play it in the background while doing something and be happy with it.
best vet
Begin was goed, maar dan begon het al rap saai te worden Jonas vindt U2 niet goed!!!
There are some iconic songs on this album, it was definitely ground-breaking and a cultural touchstone... but U2 just annoys me in principle and in practice.
I like the hits, especially with or without you
This record sounds like a soundtrack to a time that will never come back.
Good! Not my daily vibes but I will keep One or Two songs!!
3.27
Good music
An inkling into the sound Coldplay would later steal
Dad rock but if your mom was your dad. Some bangers tho
Melhor que o esperado, começa com os hits ja conhecidos mas acaba muito bem.
3.5
Very front heavy. Mostly forgettable after the first 3
mochte ich
Chouette album
quisiera ponerle más puntos solo porque esos primeros tracks son brutales, pero el disco sí se cae gacho después
Clásicos de universal, me hubiera gustado escucharlo sin la sobre exposición a los singles en la radio pero igual está weno
Rock’d out at the moment but this was still solid
In 2025 its giving modern Christian worship meets corporate
173 Escuché tanto U2 en la radio por allá por los 2000s que me cuesta demasiado creer que este disco se empezó a grabar el 86. Me encanta la capacidad de U2 de hacer canciones que parecen openings de series, pero a ratos se volvía un poco repetitivo.
it’s a good solid album but i do feel like u need to be in a mood to get the full experience of it so maybe in the right condition i could bump it up to a 4/5
About 5 good tracks
I had War on cassette tape as a young child. When this album came out I was 10 years old and already a full blown metal head. Decent enough album though MTV played the hit videos over and over and over again. It got even worse with the following albums.
knew a few ofc. not rly my style but good especially the last 2
The hits are all classics, then the rest of the album whimpers into silence.
Some absolute classic, I thought this would be a 4 but my oh my there's some bores in the track list when you listen as a whole.
As a self proclaimed 'not a U2 fan' i was pleasently surprised by this album Would i put it into my furture playlists? Unlikely But, would i happily lisyen again? Yes
There’s front loading an slbum and then there’s the Joshua Tree. The first three tracks are unashamedly classics, but it does feel there’s only one way to go from there and whilst the rest of the album is good it was an almost impossible task to live up to that opening. Bullet the blue sky’s mainly spoken vocal provides an interesting contrast straight of the bat. For all the attention Bono gets Joshua really showcases the rest of the band, whether this is Edge’s chiming guitar sound that was made for large scale gigs or the driving rhythm section of Mullen and Clayton. Overall it’s a 3.5/5 but as no half marks i guess it’s more a 3 than a 4 (just)
U2. classic but not exceptional
With or without you I cant live eith or wothooouut you! Every single song you have at least hear once on the radio as a kid.
Best Track - "With Or Without You"
I knew more songs than I imagined I would, it was very nostalgic and fun to hear again.
3.5/5
Meh
nice songs but wasn't really catching, maybe a few more listens would fix that
damn i did not wanna have to listen to this one. first few tracks are insane and then it all kind of fizzles out but well worth it for that opening alone
A pretty cool album, I think this really solidified their longstanding long term fandom. 3.5
Strong 3
was okay got micole to give me songs from it
good
Meh. Favorite tracks are the classics: Still haven’t found what I’m looking for With or without you Wouldn’t listen to again
I fared better with this album than the last U2 one I had to listen to. I still think there shouldn't be this much U2 on this list, though
This was … fine. I still get emotional hearing With or Without You because it reminds me of the brilliant finale of The Americans but otherwise this album was basically just background noise to me.
It’s fine. Nicely crafted if perhaps a little too refined. An inflection point from the raw energy of earlier stuff and the next phase where they disappeared up their own arseholes.
Had some good songs, like "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" or "Red hill mining town" but overall just fine. Felt very similar honestly, couldn't tell when songs would start or end.
Solid hits on this album. I think the rest is fine.
Fantastic production with some iconic songs. However, many of the songs (especially in the latter half of the album) felt more like filler.
Emotion has never been communicated with such grandiose. Bono’s charisma is held up by incredible soundscapes - the band, Eno, and Lanoise deserve high praise. Name a more powerful set of three tracks to start an album, I’ll wait.
I've always been quite neutral to U2, I think they have some genuinely good songs but other songs are either just okay or too preachy for my liking. This album fell more under the former for me, after the first 3 songs (all I did enjoy) it was kind of just alright. Nothing much stood out to me, funny enough they did an anniversary tour for this album some years back. I went because my brother bought tickets but even then I just felt like it was okay.
bullet the blue sky muito muito boa
Mam jakiś problem z tym zespołem. Lubię głos Bono. Lubię też niektóre melodie. Ale całość jest taka radiowa. Osłuchana i oklepana. Nie jestem w stanie z czystym sercem dać tej płycie 6/10. Może właśnie dlatego, że słuchałam singli praktycznie od urodzenia. Mam przesyt tego zespołu.
pra mim, o melhor album do U2
Am I allowed to use the words pompous, bloated and boring about the biggest band in the world (at one time)? TBF, I liked the run from song four to end much better than the first three, monster hits. I’ve just heard them too much. Still, U2’s self-seriousness and studied grandeur in general doesn’t do it for me.
idk always thought these guys were just like really average, Bono's obviously got an amazing voice thought, some parts actually reminded me of the dude from the Blue Nile in some places, just I guess a bit faster and less Scottish. I feel like the instrumentals are quite average, and there's nothing really that boundary-pushing. I feel like the songs seem to all blend into one. There's some kinda interesting guitar tones and stuff, like in exit. I feel like the lyrics are also quite socially conscious, especially for a band of this size, I think Bono was an activist of the time. Just saw that Brian Eno produced this, and I feel like he somewhat becomes an extra band member to whoever he works with, and I think you can totally hear that like in the last song at the start. Favourite songs: with or without you, in god's country, exit, Mothers of the disappeared. Overall around 6/10
later
I spent a lot of time with this album wondering, what am I missing, what isn't doing it for me? This is often ranked amongst the greatest of all time. Am I just not a U2 fan? Is it personal taste? Have I heard some of these songs too many times on the radio? So I listened again and tried to really be objective, and read the Wikipedia page for context and more appreciation of the creative process. Well, I'm still pretty convinced that U2 is up its own ass, and Bono is a wanker. And I think that's where the flaw in the album comes for me-- Bono's voice and singing, which is just so self-aggrandizing and pompous and even annoying in its inflections and breathy lead ins. See for example "Bullet the Blue Sky" which is just cheesy and unlistenable for me. Chill, dude. There is some kind of obsession with being "special" in their celebrity lives and their commendable but performative humanitarian efforts that also leaks into their music. All must be big and profound, yet they want to strip down to musical roots, especially American themes. They talk about limiting themselves to the "primary colors of rock", i.e. a fancy way to say guitar, bass, drums. Yet they want to capture huge lyrical themes and grandiose emotions. So that is where a certain tension and drive manifests in these songs. The rhythm section always moves forward. The Edge's style is at once minimalistic and huge with its screaming arpeggiated delays. Bono's voice often sails over this like a bird over mountains. Overall, the album as a whole is great in terms of songwriting and playing, and I'm better understanding why so many love it. For me, I cannot get past Bono's frequent posturing and over-singing. Remove it, and it's one of the best ever. Wish I could just listen to an instrumental version of it all.
After a bad run, I got a heavyweight album today. I'd listened to this a few times back in the day, though U2 are not really one of my favourites. One of those bands I always thought are better on compilations as even on their most famed album here there's a bit of stodge. Obviously With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For still sound great and Running To Stand Still is a nice song but the album is pretty 'front-loaded' and more it goes on the more his voice seriously grates on me. I know most consider it a classic and it's ok but never reaches that level for me.
U2 has always been very forgettable for me. Not awful. Just not my favorite.
Yep. It’s a U2 album.
this is music that goes straight through you…it’s not horrible but it’s just weird to me that this is such a lauded album when it really doesn’t sound like anything special at all. i actually think i’m predisposed to finding ‘with or without you’ more moving than i ordinarily would because my mom had some U2 CDs that we would listen to in the car when i was a kid. but other than that i can’t say i was particularly touched by any of these songs.
Not as bad as I remembered but still not really for me. The first song and many others sound like the royalty free music you’d hear in a corporate HR training video. “Bullet The Blue Sky” is the only song that really stood out to me and that one I think is really great actually. But the rest just don’t really catch my attention or feel that special even if they’re not bad.
Starts really strong, don't love the back half. 3/5
Definitely a certain vibe
3/5 decent listen
Well, their biggest hits are on there, but the rest of the album is just kind of 'eh'. U2 is decent in what they do, just what they do is not for me.
This is their best and it’s still pretty lame. I just can’t with BONO.
I thought it would be boring, so it is but at least the music doesn’t bother me, and you can delete the rest of them except the first two tracks
I miss my dad
Honestly went into this not expecting much. U2 is fine but later U2 overshadows earlier U2 in terms of public perception but honestly this album was pretty solid. Would listen again!
Sounds old.
Good album
oho u2 der pathos von bono und der sound von the edge, stadionband, ich gebe zu habe ich ganz früher sehr gerne gehört.schlimmer Kitsch Doris lieblingsband;) c
Strong start, weak b side
Frantic beats, soaring arpeggios, and breathy, overwrought vocals. In a word, produced. There are moments where the combination hits. And when it hits, it hits. The problem is how it can hit and miss in the same song (With or Without You). One chorus kills and the next dies. Frustrating. Bullet the Blue Sky is garbage and points towards the nonsense that was Discotheque. They tried to do something cool with Running to Stand Still, but Bono shit the bed. The music makes promises the vocals and lyrics can't deliver on. All that said, I see how some of these songs would be incredible played loud and live. The hits are the hits, and the B sides belong on the B side. No buried treasure here. I'd be disappointed if I bought this album for the radio hits. I think I've always thought of U2 as Bono centric. Now I see that The Edge is the real star of the show.
A couple classics on here but I'm just not much of a U2 guy.
I get why people were obsessed with this band during their reign but it really feels like a specific time and place. Doesn’t particularly hold up well to me.
A worthy contender for the biggest album drop off in music history after the first three songs cuz man it’s ROUGH. The first three songs are just that good, however.
Shocking number of hits. Basically marked the end of U2 listening for me, however. Nothing after this was ever as good as what came before.
Opening three songs are undeniable bangers. Just incredible, I'm wanting it to carry on surprising me, but it doesn't. On those songs, and In God's Country, Bono's voice matches the general feel of the song, on the others it just grates on me. Still those three songs are amazing, the rest I can overlook. Had definitely had enough by the end.
As big as this album was when I was in middle school, I never got into it. Or U2 as a band, really. There are definitely some good songs, but I’m not convinced they’re worth the hype. There isn’t anything particularly bad on here, but I wouldn’t listen to it again. Maybe it deserves a 4/5, but I have trouble going that far because I e always felt U2 is overrated already. But it’s also pretty decent, most likely their best album. Oh, my kingdom for a half-star system! Or ten star. Well, at least it wasn’t forced on people like some other album.
I quite simply do not like U2. There are some songs that I like, note that I said like, but for the most part they do little to nothing for me. The first 3 tracks are the "hits" they are fine songs but I don't like them, I tolerate them only because they are familiar. That being said they are talented. I just don't like it. 3
Never was a big U2 fan.
Another album I found surprisingly disappointing. Certainly has its fair share of highs moments, but I found it pretty "okay" for how much star power it brought U2. Really solid radio hits, but a pretty lackluster total package. Top tracks: With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, One Tree Hill
This album is fine. Starts off pretty good; kind of mellows out. Still find this band mostly boring.
Semi-enjoyable mum-rock
a solid rock album
If this were a review for the first 4 songs it would have been 5 stars, unfortunately the latter half of the album fell flat for me.
I liked the last song a lot
Gets really nice and funky around min 18 (the song actually starts around min 15 and is good). Before that quite boring. After that okay, but not fun.
Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois's production here is very nice, indeed. And while individual songs here are quite decent, album as a whole kinda drags a bit, pacing-wise.
- with or without you is good - rest is so boring
3/5 started strong with the 1st 3 songs but fizzled out after that.