War

E bare ikke for mæ

Hørt på solsenga på Granka. Herregud så forferdelig å høre på? Ikke en eneste redeeming låt på hele plata.

Et par hits og en drøss plagsomme og kjedelige låter. Visste faktisk ikke at Bono er så irriterende å høre på i lengden.

Some songs are better than others; just never really “jived” with Bono’s vocal stylings.

Some ok if overplayed songs on here, some somewhat decent stuff, and a lot of annoying Bono.

Quite an underwhelming offering from these guys

I’m disappointed that there is two more U2 albums on the list. I’d rank U2 higher than country. With either of them playing, I’m just waiting for it to be over.

War jetzt nicht das beste müsste ich nicht nochmal hören

Current pretentiousness and epic douchebaggery make it almost impossible to listen to their early stuff anymore

Good for the time, personally liked their early stuff better

First time listen There's a breathiness to everything Bono sings that makes him really exhausting to listen to for a full length album. The first few tracks are good and then by the end I'm just tired of hearing the guy. It's better than their later stuff at least. Favorite Tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day Least Favorite: Red Light, "40" 2.5/5

I'm too much of a millennial to ever find U2 cool. The singles are fine, I guess. This band will just never do it for me.

If I HAVE to listen to a U2 album, this one isn't the worst

Something about them just rubs me the wrong way. This would be a 1 if it didn't come out in '83 and have a clear impact on music.

I swear I'm not a U2 hater, I just happened to think Achtung Baby was fine and I enjoyed this album less. I don't really like the sound of post-punk in general and knowing that this band would go on to make The Joshua Tree four years later wasn't going to change that. Highlights: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day

sa momenty i jest cala reszta

i love the irish but was not a fan of this. started off strong then i got bored

Its alright. Never been a big U2 fan, and this wasn't it for me. The messaging does come through strong though!

I thought this was going to be one of those moments where you find out exactly why a massive band are actually so massive, because they did their best work before you were paying attention... But no. This was extremely average. There was one good song (great, actually) and the rest instantly forgotten. I concede that I pre-judged this album but in a boost to my ego, I was absolutely right to

This was so up and down. Good song....crap.....decent song.....rinse, repeat. I also hate Bono's voice for some reason.

I remember listening to this back in the day, it was a massive hit and it seemed to be played everywhere.

This is my favorite U2 album because it contains the only U2 song I like, Sunday Bloody Sunday. It all went downhill after that. The whole idea of Bono annoys me, the overwrought voice, the simplistic politics, and his self appointment as international ambassador of global peace.

A couple of half decent songs but ultimately I find this band tedious. There are some interesting stories and messages contained in the lyrics but unfortunately they are delivered by an absolute tadger.

Tied for best U2 album with Joshua Tree. I actually was digging the beginning of The Refugee, but then it morphs into a normal U2 song. I looked and it's the least listened-to song on the album. I also googled it and it's considered the worst song on the album by U2 fans. I guess that says a lot to me about U2 fans... 2/5

I know this album is good but I just can't stand U2.

u2 was a plane

Its aight. The singer seems to think that singing as if you're standing on a cliff dearly holding on to the life of your young child makes it more emotional. However as he uses the same tone for almost the entire album, it loses it power and makes it sound kind of goofy. It feels kind of self-important and meaningless. Yes war and atrocities are bad, but do you have anything actually meaningful to add to the conversation? If you like christian-light rock with a kinda social message this is the record for you. For everyone else: move on. 5/10

What an anti climax! Sunday bloody Sunday is such a banger, and new years is day is great too. And the rest of it is just forgettable trash, honestly couldn't wait for it to be over. I'm no U2 hater, I think Bono has a phenomenal voice and the edge is sick guitarist but this was just 2 food songs and a load of filler, hard pass.

pretty good

Bono is an acquired taste, some people never acquire it. I’m in the later group. While their music is ok it baffles me how they got so big,

3/10 I feel like there are moments on this album where I can see why people enjoy U2. Some of the instrumental writing is pretty decent in places, and they do create some really nice vibes here and there. But too often it just feels very underdeveloped and frequently doesn’t really go anywhere or deliver any payoff when they’ve built quite a good opening to something. What I can’t ever gel with, though, is Bono’s vocal. He sounds like he’s trying so hard to be a cool rock god of a singer, but it just comes off as inauthentic to me and overdone in the most 'theatre kid' way possible. Another thing that grated through this album was the mixing. It was all over the shop. There were times when the bass was way too loud, times when the vocal got lost in the mix, times where the whole thing got cluttered and muddy, and it was all so inconsistent, which made it feel quite disconnected from track to track. Adam Clayton’s bass lines were almost exclusively the most boring, uninspiring, "play the root notes please, Adam” choices, which really didn’t help with momentum in a lot of the songs either. It made me laugh when I actually noted a more interesting bass line in the closing track and then found out that The Edge did the bass on that track. If they’d have spent more time developing variations and paying off the build ups of the songs, this might have done something more for me, even if I would have needed to struggle past Bono, but unfortunately each track felt a bit too one paced and compositionally thin for me to give this any higher marks. Sunday Bloody Sunday - It starts off with a fairly interesting beat that shifts into something less interesting when the guitars come in. And then Bono comes in. I just don’t like his vocal style at all, it sounds so performative. It hasn't really added much of interest and the beat is just too repetitive. They try to inject a bit of rhythmic variety from the other instruments, but it’s all a bit thin. And the violin that comes in sounds so scratchy and horrible. Oh and the guitar solo is shit. Not a good start. Seconds - If this bass line persists through the whole song, I’m going to be so annoyed, it’s very boring and too prominent in the mix. It does change a tiny bit, but not enough. I don’t think the central chord structure and riffs are too bad, even if they’re a bit bland, but they do nothing to develop them at all. There’s some nice moments in the drums, but all in all it's just uninteresting and underdeveloped. New Year’s Day - The mix is way better for this track straight away. This is a pretty good composition in the verses. It drives along nicely and has a good atmosphere to it. Still not keen on the vocals, they sound so faux-sincere, but I’ll let them ride when the rest is decent. The work has been solid up to the point where they hit the chorus, but where is the payoff? It’s such a limp chorus! Then the instrumental section is too long. Like A Song - It’s an atmospherically interesting start that moves along with decent pace. This isn’t bad actually. There’s a nice bit of movement across the different instrumental parts. Bono’s vocal line wanders around a bit too much, but it comes together at the right points. Still not into the delivery, but otherwise, it’s not a bad vocal melody. This is probably my favourite so far, but this uninteresting instrumental bit at the end isn't helping it. It was ok, but I’m not desperate to hear it again. Drowning Man - Oooh, Bono isn’t overdoing his vocals at the beginning here. Oh, but he makes up for it. Yuck. Again, it feels like they’ve come up with a half decent idea, not developed it far enough and then put Bono’s try hard vocals over the top. It all feels like it’s building to something that never arrives. All of the development is just adding to the one section that just repeats and they don’t build it into anything, which is super frustrating. The Refugee - I feel a theme coming on. Some half-decent ideas that are underdeveloped and don’t really go anywhere. There’s quite a nice feel to moments of this, but the mixing is so weird. The big drumming section in the middle just swamps everything. Adam Clayton must be the most bored man in music, playing a one bar bass line for the entire song again. It all just feels like their main way to develop an idea is to just pile more instruments on top to thicken the sound, rather than actually write with forward momentum. Two Hearts Beat As One - The instrumentation in the verse isn't bad, even if it’s a little too one paced. I’ll stop talking about how much I dislike Bono’s vocal now, so just take it as a given. The chorus here is crap though. It’s way too staccato, which doesn’t work well laid under the more legato lead vocal. And by the time we get to the end, i’m just tired of it. Red Light - The band puts together a more sparse arrangement here that has quite a nice atmospheric vibe to it, but then Bono just wails all over the top of it in a completely disconnected way. And then what the fuck is that trumpet bit? It just tails off into more repetitive, uninspiring nonsense. Big old meh. Surrender - I’m just starting to get bored of this now. Again, there are some not too bad moments in here, but the bass is crap and too loud, it just cuts straight through everything and makes it hard to concentrate on anything else. It’s ok, I guess, it’s just really uninspired songwriting and doesn’t interest me in the slightest. And good god, it’s too long. “40” - Apparently The Edge played the bass on this one. It’s better than the bass elsewhere, so maybe they should have got rid of Adam Clayton? “How long, how long, how long” will this album go on for? Too long, too long, too long, Bono. Too long. It’s actually a fairly pleasant song, but I’m just tired now and struggling to get to the end. Bono, my tyres are gone.

Honestly, I don’t have a lot to say except I was excited when this album popped up next but disappointed when I listened to it. It wasn’t bad or anything, it just felt underwhelming. And I like U2. Or thought I did. I’ve listened to most of the albums at least twice up to this point but I don’t want to re-listen to this. Meh. Standout: “40” 01-15-2026

u2 doesn’t do it for me, new year’s day is a fantastic song tho so rounding up

Jokainen biisi kuulostaa samalta. Kai näillä oma kuulijakuntansa on. Minusta se on tuollaista kiekumista. hyvää tuotantoa kuitenkin.

Not as much of a fan as I am of their other works (Joshua Tree). Bono's voice doesn't hold up but maybe that's because I just listened to Elton John. Also some odd vibes as if they don't know themselves as a band 🤷

Catchy centrist political anthems right here. Bro you’re Irish and imperialists are occupying your country. How are you going to “both sides” this? Boring politics, mostly boring 80’s rock.

back to whiny men music again, i guess. why is sunday bloody sunday so popular? usually i can understand why one song has more streams than the rest of the album but not this one Would I listen again? No Deserves to be on this list? No 2.2

not my favorite. it was just boring and not my style

Very loud.

just the hits for me

Although I can appreciate the concept behind this album, none of the songs really stands out for me. All of them pretty much sound the same and maybe that is what a group is looking for when they produce a concept album, but I thought the album lost out since there was no particular song that stood out.

Dull, warbling, self serious pap.

Repetative overall, couple of good songs

really not my forte, maybe I’m still mad about them forcing that album onto my iphone in like 2010

boring songwriting boring playing

One of these songs at a time is fine but all of them in a row really started to hurt my ears. Not for me.

Had this back in the day when people were persuaded they were good. We’ve since learnt the error of our way

Liked the opening track. The whole album kind of blurred together for me. Wouldn’t listen to again

Couple of good songs, mist were meh.

I've soften my hatred towards U2 at this point in my life. There's a lot of cool sounds here but it just doesn't quench my rock n roll thirst. Its just plain jane 80's nu wave alt. Which this list has way too much.

Surprisingly insipid even at this early stage of their downward spiral. New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday may both be worthy classics but the versions here are much inferior to the commanding live takes on Under A Blood Red Sky.

Not a U2 guy, I can see why people like this though

U2 hab ich noch nie richtig verstanden. Klar hier ist mit Sunday Bloody Sunday ein recht guter Song dabei und die haben auch sonst ein paar Hits geschrieben, aber warum diese Band so sehr verehrt wird versteh ich einfach nicht. Das Album langweilt mich sehr schnell, das klingt alles so flach.

Not my cup of tea

As U2 albums go, this is probably the best that it gets. Unfortunately, that's a low bar for me. Well produced, and sometimes capable of a really nice texture, but that's about the only thing they have going for them to my ear. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day are standout tracks.

I always thought U2 was boring

The best U2 has to offer, but still U2

Meh. First U2 album I've listened to in full, safe to say I'm not a fan. 5/10 Favourite track: New Year's Day

I just absolutely cannot connect with this band. I don't have any explicit reason why. When I was younger they were kind of in there later stages where 'The Edge' was doing infinitely looping tinkle-riffs that would often be used for software conference plenaries or product launches. Steve Jobs forcing everyone to have a copy of 'Songs Of Innocence". I'm not looking for ammunition to be a hater, I'm doing the opposite when I go through this list. I try to listen with ears focused just on what is intrinsically there and none of the other context and I just don't like this. There are times when it almost seems like it's approaching The Cure but in an off-putting way. I've already had to listen to Joshua Tree or some other album on this list. I hope this is the last one for the love of all that is good.

Sunday bloody Sunday is decent. Overall a little boring and all the songs sound the same to me.

Gear: Penon FAN 3s Artwork: 😠🧒🔲 Production (2008 Remaster): 🧼📻👍 Music: 💣📉💥 Rating: 🪖🪖/5

Maybe if Bono didn't sound like he sounds...

1 great song rest are very below average

Still not a fan of U2. They’re just ok

Pompous and dull as ditchwater

Bono is fine. The Edge is fine. The drummer is fine. 2/5.

Boring

just so bleak.

I thought the hits on this album were decent (Sunday, New Year's), but the rest were forgettable to downright bad. I must say, The Refugee was impressively bad, the worst song I've heard in a while. I busted out laughing when Bono starting doing his "Uh, HUAHs". I actually relistened to this song after I finished the album to see if it was as bad as my initial impression, and it was even more hilariously awful the second time. 1.5/5.

ehhh just very mediocre

Dece, Boy is their best imo. Sunday a fun song

musically it's slightly more engaging than U2's other albums but that's precious little consolation for putting up with Bono's caterwauling. still, i crown thee best U2 album (which is a bit like being the most complex and challenging dish on a cracker barrel menu)

Never been a fan of U2. There is something about their music that leaves me cold, i'm not sure if it's Bono's vocals or the production, but it also seems sparse and empty to me. Bono is always echoey and that rarely works for me. Overall this album is passable musically, perhaps the lyrics carry more weight than I realise, don't know, don't realy care. If it isn't interesting musically then the lyrics pass me by. Top Track = Like a Song..

Mid at best

It's alright. Production seems a bit flat - I think I remember at the time maybe only hearing the songs I know on Under A Blood Red Sky where they sound MUCH better. That sounds like an exciting band, whereas this doesn't much to me. I prefer Sunday Bloody Sunday without a violin. It's not changed my general ambivalence towards U2.

Dude being guys music, least enjoyable kind. Ended up being okay background music, but ultimately not enjoyable.

Bono is so fucking annoying. Here’s an idea, if you want to make an activist album and get people to listen to your message, maybe you should make your music bearable to listen to. I think I’d rather go to war than listen to this one again.

U2’s *War* delivers raw energy and urgency, even if I’m not the biggest fan. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” stands out with its sharp political edge and fantastic drumming. While some tracks don’t fully grab me, the album shows flashes of greatness and a powerful rhythm section worth hearing.

Not necessarily my taste. Ending number 40 was kinda okay. 4/10

Better than other U2 project but still not great as an album. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a hit, no doubt about it, and I found the album more coherent and lsitenable. But there is still a lot of filler song on there, and the ambition of the band sonically is not there. I am not mad at this inclusion, but is it a must listen gorgeous thing, no. It's not reinventing anything, it's just nice enough.

It’s nice that U2 put together an album which includes statements of anti-war and other social issues. The two singles from the album (‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ and ‘New Year’s Day’) are the best tracks. However I never have been a huge fan of U2, so the remainder of the album is totally forgettable.

Idk U2 kinda sucks

Still don’t get u2

Typical Bono-slop. Pretentious but not horrible

The best song on this album is Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Honestly... not that memorable

Solid album nothing crazy 4.1/10

I've realized after listening to War that U2 - at least, this generation of U2 - are a new-wave band masquerading as a rock band. I hear little difference between this and The Police, Talking Heads, The Cure etc. I've heard my fair share of New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday via Classic Rock Radio to fool me into thinking they were big boys of rock, but among this collection, I heard them differently. Anyway what I'm trying to say here is that I'm not at all a fan of new wave, and by extension, neither am I a fan of this album.

Wouldn’t listen again.

Bland. I can see why folks like it, but this isn't for me. Soft rock, with a teenage level politics undercurrent. Love songs seem to be rather prominent.

New Year’s Day is one of my favourite U2 songs. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a classic. The rest was… fine I guess. The lyrics to The Refugee made me cringe - so patronizing.

This album is more interesting than it is good. It feels like you're listening to U2 at a real turning point in their career. Do they take the leap and chase their pop aspirations... or do they stay a moody post-punk 80s alternative band? Obviously they chose the former... and I think it was a good call. I don't think they would have received the respect they craved as an alternative band.. especially with Bonos cheesy, peace and love lyrics that sound like ad slogans. I will say that I like the vibe of this album over other U2 albums we've reviewed. I like that it's a little shaggy, a little punky, a little strange (for U2). You can feel that 80s punk/alternative influence on this, the Smiths or echo and bunnymen etc, especially on the deeper cuts. Also there's some 80s coldwar nihilism sprinkled throughout this thing which i dig. I much prefer that to the optimistic peace and love bullshit of the later material. It's nice to hear a stressed out and anxious bono for once. I can relate to that more. The 2 big hits do sound like the U2 that is to come but with a little more grit which i do like. I'm a fan of Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day... they are solid tracks. I'm also intrigued by Like a Song... which doesn't sound like U2... it's very moody 80s alternative rock. It's neat. The rest of the deep cuts are mid to bad. I did not like The Refugee or the closer. The lyrics, his use of annoying cliches, definitely bring this thing down. Again, i found this album more interesting to think about than to listen to... which is not really a compliment. I guess it's a 2.5, but i'll round down.

Little bit of a train wreck from the start. Not good. The mixing and sound is pretty bad. A few tracks are just meh. 2 stars

have a good day! thanks, u 2 XD not mine. not for me.

It's just absolutely fucking nothing, close to rating this a 1 just because of how nothing it is for me Fav song: Sunday Bloody Sunday I guess

Basic rock, ich schlaf ein 4/10

Some great songs but too many average songs for me to really get into it.

When I was 4, we had a barn cat that one day started making these horrible moaning sounds. I panicked, thinking she was dying. Turns out, she was giving birth to five kittens. To this day the sound she made is all I can think of when I hear Bono’s voice. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is amazing in spite of him. No thanks to the rest.

Like Bono thinks he's in a war as he just shouts continuously. Lazy song writing.

What am I missing?

Familiar with Bloody Sunday, but its so repetitive and boring. The album only gets more boring from there on. U2 is really not for me. Bono is a less inspiring and less inspired Bowie.

Left me wanting more. Starts off with Sunday Bloody Sunday which is awesome. Rest of the album disappointed

First two songs were good, very emotional and I enjoyed that. But it got quite boring and flat, I forgot that something was playing in the background and it didn’t impact me in any way.

One good song! That's more than normal for U2!

Not as awful as some albums we've had on here, but nothing to suggest they should have lingered in the public consciousness for as long as they have.

Sunday Bloody Sunday slaps. The rest of this sounds like a whiny pile of shit.

U2 is gewoon niet mijn ding. Geen slechte liedjes, maar ik kan er niet van genieten.

Not my cup of tea

4/10 Top 3 tracks: 1. Sunday Bloody Sunday 2. 40 3. Two Hearts Beat As One

Not much of a big U2 fan but this is a good introduction to their work and not all of their later crap. Disgruntled Irish people hating the British is fire.

There are things I really like about this album but not enough to get a 3 but I can't validate giving it a 1 either. The whole album just sounds off to me with the singing and other parts

a probao sam stvarno, ali mi se ne dopada. džošua čri zapravo bolji

Good message. No hook though

Not a U2 Fan

I didn't hate the songs as much as i expected. There were some solid ones in the, even though i generally don't like U2. I was going to give it 3/5, but the 2008 mix/remaster is genuinely horrible. The drums are muddy and barely audible. I might've liked it a lot more on CD

This is admitted a lot better than Achtung Baby which was not good at all. Not too bad at the start but then just stops being interesting. U2 aren’t very good are they? Still have the one everyone holds up the highest somewhere on the list maybe that will fare better.

U2 cannot escape Bono. This earlier stuff is obviously influential, and I very much like the protesting nature of it. But I really dislike U2.

It’s ok. They’re so overhyped though the fans love it, but I think most hate it because of what they became.

Opening track starts the album strong. For me, it felt downhill from there. Didn’t think it would include as much hollering as it did. Too many eight note high hats.

no thank you

Sunday Bloody Sunday is an epic track and the only playback here. Bono the social activist is on the move! This is the stuff that gives U2 a histrionic reputation—heavy-handed in lyrical theme (War!) and musicality (screechy vocals ... and screechy guitar) and album cover (split-lipped child).

U get 2.

Not good, not bad. It is fine.

I am not in to U2, but was slightly intrigued by an earlier album that supposedly is more post-punk than it's later bland rock music. I guess it was better, but man the production and the sound of this band is just too much for me.

There are some great songs, but the lead singer's voice gets so annoying over the course of the album. The two good songs are not worth the rest.

Same as the last U2 album we had, the singles are good anthems but are smothered by the less good filler tracks. Probably why they were such a stadium band ignoring the obscure stuff.

Just can’t get into U2. Overproduced arena rock.

Some alright songs but overall boring 5/10

Skip. Maybe later

More whining from Bono

Aggressively okay

Dont like u2, first song was okay

Bonio is very shouty on this one.

I liked Sunday, Bloody Sunday, but every other song slid right off me. It sounded too samey across the album.

Sunday Bloody Sundays is all I can write home about. Feel like the sound hasn't aged that well. Wouldn't go back

Gonna be honest, I didn’t get much out of this album. Lyrically, it feels very repetitive. Bono shouting doesn’t really do it for me. I like the idea of what U2 is about, but I just didn’t feel it through the album. Never been a big U2 fan and I think that’s going to continue.

I can't stand U2 to be honest - it's not that it's bad, I just find it so tedious. I hear the lyrics are good, shame I can hardly understand them.

Vanilla.

Aside from the two known hits this album is just ok, mostly missable. It's not bad per se, it's just not really for me. Plus, the more I know about Bono the less I like the band in general. This album feels like a Christian Rock band going political. Throw some random shrill horn on top (see "Red Light" at 1:55) and call it a day. I will not "Surrender." 2.35 for coming out in 1983 and not being totally cheesy though.

Approve the message but not a fan of this band

Tråkiga

Skränigt

Starts off with Sunday Bloody Sunday which I've always loved. And then it just goes downhill. Seconds, The Refugee, and Two Hearts Beat As One were mildly interesting, the rest were just boring. Best song: Sunday Bloody Sunday

It's aight. Not really my thing.

whatever

1.5 this is angry dad music

Hmm I don't know. Liked the first song. The rest reminded me a lot of The Cure. Very brittish. I didn't really listen tho, was kinda unfocused. I've never really listened to U2, but their later stuff is a bit more "pop pop" right?

U dont know how broing it was 2 listent to you. U2

On paper, I should like this album, but I don't. I've never really listed to the band except for that one time when their album just came with my neat new iPod touch, but somehow there is still this deeply rooted aversion to anything U2. 2.5/5

Not a fan really. Couldn’t get into any of the songs :/

Ok. Not one of their best if I am honest. Pretty average

Not for me

Sunday Bloody Sunday is my favorite U2 song. Actually, it’s really the only U2 song that I actually like. All the rest are at best ok, and that pretty much sums up this album. I guess New Year’s Day is probably fairly good. The remainder of this album is filler at best.

I've never really been into U2 and to be honest War did little to change my opinion on them. It's fine

I understand why I’ve only heard one of these songs before. It’s fine.

U2 just fails to capture my attention, maybe its how classic their sound has become after all these years and how many immitators there have been but i find few songs that make me intrigued

It's just not my type of music.

Don’t really like u2, not that I think there a bad band just so into themselves and overrated musicians

Teknisestihän tää on ihan ok mut U2 on vaan tylsä bändi. 2/5

Ganska meh, inte så intressant

The best part of this album is when Spotify shuffled from it to tears for fears.

не зашло

I’ve always found U2 to be such a weird band. Bono always gives off the energy of someone who thinks he’s a god. He’s certainly done well for himself, but I’ve generally found U2 to be one of those bands that releases a handful of bangers and then a boatload of boredom. This album is exactly in line with that expectation too. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great song, and I understand how it thematically sets the context of the album being about The Troubles, but that doesn’t stop the rest of the tracks being fairly dull. Overall, it’s an ok album, but it certainly didn’t make me change my mind about U2.

War was released the year that I was born and "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" were perpetually on MTV and corporate radio. Post-punk informed by Irish politics, but with enough pop sheen to become the background music of a generation. U2 sounds like late career The Clash flirting with dub reggae and slashing, angular guitar or Gang of Four without the Marxist critique and art school situationism. New Year's Day sounds more like the Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen, all bleakly romantic "blood red skies" and "beginning again." All the other songs tend to blend together it the crash of stadium rock produced percussion, and lacerating guitars, buried bass and Bono's voice. Drowning Man is quieter, chiming guitars and strings, Bono voice goes swoops between raspy belting and falsetto. The Refugee all frenetic tribal drumming and staccato vocals, Red Light is a trumpet and Kid Creole's backing vocalists the Coconuts. Surrender is surprisingly good and catchy. 40 a light melody with haunting harmonies is the shortest song on the entire album.

yawn

It's not my style. I recognized a few songs. Now really bad, but not for me. U2 sounds too dreary for me.

More "general rock". A few familiar songs probably heard a lot on the radio. Dont hate it, but not a fan.

Not a fan of U2. I would probably give 3 stars if this wasn’t the 3rd U2 album I had to listen to on this list. I never thought I listen to 1, and while I was surprised that I didn’t hate the band, I don’t need to hear this much U2. Fix the list.

I don’t know why I hate U2 so much. Idk if it’s the way it’s recorded or the musical tone or vocal tone but this album pisses me off!! No thank you!! (Bloody Sunday is a good song tho)

Two solid tracks and fillers.

Most overrated band ever. I like Sunday Bloody Sunday though.

Not memorable, not that bad either.

Underwhelming

Not good.

I wish I could give this 1 star but parts of it are ok. The guitar on Sunday Bloody Sunday is pretty cool. The guitar overall is alright. Bono is insufferable. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Best Song: Sunday Bloody Sunday. A nice, simple song with a catchy, singalong chorus. This is where U2 belongs. The drums are really the star here. Worst Song: The Refugee. Bono cannot pull off the punk energy t hat this song demands. Overall: Apart from the opening track, woefully boring. The definition of safe rock. Music for malls.

Two strong singles but everything else sounded “same-y.”

The drums stand out, not quite the dynamics of the Pixies, but have power nonetheless. The rest is preachy and hardly vital. Not for me. Is it for anyone? I really can’t tell. ‘Drowning Man,' perhaps, but even this I most likely won't have on rotation.

geprobeerd... maar helaas het heeft niet geholpen... sorry voor de fans maar dit is echt een plaat van dertien in een dozijn... jaren tachtig gezwollen muziek en teksten... dezelfde saaie stem altijd van de republiek Bono... pfff

Too punk for me, borderline metal it is. But I'm sure I'll vibe w their more toned down songs when I'm in da mood for it.

It's not my taste and I would like more sounds

Some good stuff at first, but peters out into the bland, average U2 fodder.

#401. U2 is one of the two most overrated popular bands that I don't understand the most [along with Bon Jovi]. Why is it that people seem to like this? And then, separate from their mediocre hair salon music, they're all insufferable twats too. What is it that I'm not seeing here, surely I'm just missing something that everyone else sees. 2/5: dumb

No staying power. Feels dated

It was ok, I’m not a massive fan of U2 trying to be political

Two good songs.

Never been a U2 fan. I can count on a hand the number of songs of theirs I like. Figured I'd give this album a try and it's not bad. Just not my cup of tea.

A little bit generic and boring.

*Achselzuck*

I just don't like U2, you know? I can appreciate the album for what it is, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. I'm sure I'll hear a bunch of these songs again, and I'm sure I'll tell whoever put it on that I don't like U2, but will I actually care? Probably not. That's why I'll give this album a 2.

Felt like the album started off really strong and then faded off towards the end. The sound was more of the same and by the end of it, I wasn’t even sure what song I was on. 2/5

Det er godt nok intetsigende haha, selv Sunday, Bloody Sunday ville jeg ikke rigtig kalde en banger. Var ellers klar til at blive modbevist fordi de har fået så meget hate i populærkulturen men oh well. Nogle gange er et omdømme vel fortjent

didn't like the first u2 album i listened to so im not very excited to listen to this one just like the other u2 album i listened to, it went in one ear and out the other

This was fine. If talent could be boring.

2/5

I do not like U2, but this isn't a bad album.

Ok

"I don't go to awards shows anymore. I'm not saying I'm better than anybody else, but you'll be sitting there at the Grammys, and U2 will beat you. And you say to yourself, 'Wait a minute. I can play that kind of music, too. I played La Crosse, Wisconsin growing up, I know how to do that, you dig? But you will not do 'Housequake.'" - Prince. “They have the worst rhythm section in big rock. That is the most plodding, corny rhythm section ever to fill a stadium. If you look at some of those records, they’re mediocre Brian Eno records with a bad band in the way. They need a producer like Eno or Daniel Lanois to kind of prop up this cabaret singer and his one-trick pony" - Henry Rollins

2.5 ok

The singles are okay in that anthemic-could-mean-anything kind of way, but you can see why they eventually got Eno involved to add some texture to their sound. There's only so much this band can achieve with the basic elements that they have at their disposal here, and it gets rather repetitive eventually.

I tried to listen to this once again as a stand alone piece of music; no prejudices, no knowledge of the fuckery that was to come. It kinda worked with the energy of the songs. Adam Clayton's bass playing in particular is a highlight. 40 is a great album closer. Hindsight got the better of me. They're utterly ridiculous as a band.

I was really looking forward to this but found it only really had two tracks that did it for me.

I've tried multiple times to like U2’s music, as many people really like them and feel their songs are important. But I’m fighting a losing battle—their music is always boring and tuneless to me. Sunday, Bloody Sunday is the sole exception.

Decent for background while hanging out/ at a bar, but not super memorable. Favorite songs: the refugee or New Year’s Day

Most of the songs blend into each other although I still like New Year's Day. Far from my favorite U2 album

The second album from 1983 this week and it’s a complete contrast. I remember enjoying this at the time but it hasn’t aged particularly well. It’s po-faced and preachy, and you get the feeling that no one involved had any fun at all while they were making it. I can’t imagine U2 busking outside a Pretenders gig and getting invited to be the support act for a night. Knocking off a star from the 1001 albums rating until they start paying their taxes.

U2 always been eh for me can’t change my mind, Some classic triple m songs on this one tho

U2’s War! What is it good for? think it speaks to my investment in this band that I’ve heard all of their albums before and yet I don’t really have any strong feelings about them … I think this is a serviceable album though with a couple of standout tracks, but it’s just not really my sound.

Insufferable

Nah

Flava flavvvvv

2 star for two decent songs

Eh, back to not really getting U2

The only tracks I’m familiar with are Sunday Bloody Sunday & New Year’s Day. I’ve played the album through once & don’t feel like I’ve missed anything in the last 40 years, during which time Bono has just become more insufferable. Two stars

Not a U2 fan, no matter how many albums I have to listen to. Joshua Tree is their best. Absolutely nothing jumped out at me, however I didn't find it irritating. Mildly inconvenient as an album.

Better than all you can't leave behind, not as good as achtung baby or the Joshua tree. Still not a U2 fan though, and don't think I will be, no matter how many albums this list makes me listen to. I'm obviously missing something that a huge amount of people see in them though.... This album isn't bad, just don't find it very interesting at all 1.5

Starts off hot but I got bored by it fast. I think I like U2 in small doses but not album length.

fine

New Year’s Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are good. The rest is blah and I don’t get the attraction of u2

miten 80-luku ei olisi maailmanhistorian paras vuosikymmen??? u2, pac man, koka kola... ja lisäksi muita massa konsuptioon tarkoitettuja asioita + olin lapsi..... tähän aikaan u2 tuli ja uudestaan innovoi koko saatanan teollisuuden. sen sijaan että tehdään hyvää musiikkia, mitä jos tehtäisiinkin huonoa sellaista!! täysin mitäänsanomatonta... sanoja tulee ulos mutta ei sano mitään, miten on mahdollista semmoinen jekku. ahead of the game... barista-bartender selling beat-up car, needs a ticket for a bus or a plane, singer-songwriter heading for home... staying just ahead of the game... ahead of the game... seconds

The live album is better with these songs

Not a huge U2 fan and this isn’t their best. Also. Politics.

honk mi mi mi

'Sunday Bloody Sunday'. What a great song. It really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday, doesn't it? You wake up in the morning, you've got to read all the Sunday papers, the kids are running round, you've got to mow the lawn, wash the car, and you think "Sunday, bloody Sunday!".

U2 is not my thing. I admit they are gifted song makers but not my cup of tea. This is a huge record in their development both musically and politically.

This is by no means a technical review of the albums, it's just purely my opinion. That said, there's interesting sounds in this album and wether it's because I've never liked U2 or because I truly don't connect with their music I don't know, I just know I don't like this 2/5

40/100 I am Gen Z, therefore I must hate U2. No but seriously this provides little to nothing that is memorable and the songs sound washed out most of the time

🥱

Sunday Bloody Sunday and Drowning Man are great songs. The rest of this album is generic U2 junk, not interested.

War is the best U2 album, which doesn’t mean much since it’s not very good. there are some cool percussion choices and the song topics are admirable and worthy of talking about, but they go nowhere with it. like they build a great vibe and atmosphere on each track but they have no sauce at all. like 90’s Cure and Pet Shop Boys do this sound a whole lot more justice. this album’s greatest crime is being just listenable. 2/5

War is the third album by Irish rock band U2. It was their first political album and a record of pacifism since it contained themes of anti-war. Although reviews were mixed, this fully fleshed post-punk album was a commercial success and has been certified gold in Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, & Switzerland, and platinum or multi-platinum in Australia (2x), Belgium, Canada (3x), France (2x), New Zealand, UK (2x), & USA (4x). I enjoyed this post-punk U2 album more than I thought I would, but the two singles were the best part. It was nice for the album to have the overarching theme on war as it made the band sound sophisticated and worldly. U2 would go on to be popular rock/pop band after these first few interesting albums.

Softened pop-rock with occasional political undertone, but also one that conveniently abandons all of its genuine edge for the sake of simplistic appeal. The few hits and a deep cut here or there hit hard, but otherwise the album drags and has the crisis of song-writing; a noticeable issue with all U2 deep cuts.

I had medium-high expectations for this album and was completely underwhelmed. Generic alternative rock with a few notable hits - like the imagine dragons of their time. 2/5.

Don't love U2, not sure if it's because they've been overplayed most of my life but listening to the full album didn't change my perspective.

I was sorta into it, but then it just felt like the same song and same sound all the way through, which pushed it into boring territory pretty fast.

Liked how the backing vocals were produced. Left feeled overall overwholmed and like it didn't evolve or change enough

1,5

Sunday Bloody Sunday

this is a moderately okay u2 album

fy fan vad dåligt det här är. vill egentligen ge det en etta men det finns trots allt sämre musik än det här. det här är själlös jävla vaniljrock framförda av dom största töntarna i musikhistorien (och detta baserar jag enbart på mina förutfattade meningar).

I've never liked U2 and this did nothing to change that opinion. It's not the worst of the worst or anything, but just feels so bland and uninspiring.

Lags

OK, not bad. Not really into Bono.

Never massively rated U2 coming into this, but did enjoy some of their bangers (namely With Or Without You and Beautiful Day). Some heavy topics covered, such as the impacts of Bloody Sunday, which they covered in an impactful way. I do just find the U2 sound pretty dull though honestly, and don’t see many standout moments from a musical perspective, besides maybe the guitar solo on New Years Day. Vanilla ice cream for the ears, especially the vocals here. Maybe biased as I never fully forgave Bono for forcing his album onto everyone’s iPod around 2012 😂 Favourite track: New Year’s Day

bleh, peaked on first song

Some classic songs like Sunday bloody Sunday. I get the history and significance of the album but couldn't really get into it.

This is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It's like if The National (no offense to the National) had grown up in Ireland during the Troubles. Or if the Smiths (every offense to the Smiths) had a different, yet equally similarly singer. This is before Bono "started believing in his own myth" as my brother put it. I still don't care for U2, but as far as supposedly classic albums on this list that I've gotten so far, it's close to the middle between "yeah this deserves its reputation" and "we really need to reassess why this is considered great". That said, this is a very front-loaded album. The second half is quite uninteresting, teetering on irritating. I'm not going to come back to this ever, but Sunday Bloody Sunday is actually a decent listen still.

I went into this project with the preconcetion that U2 is the most overrated band in the world, only by hearing their biggest hits. This is the first full album I've ever listened to by the band, and I listened twice, looking for songs and things to like. And it starts out adequately. Sunday Bloody Sunday is an okay, almost good opener. I like the use of viloin, and it's rather catchy. Still, I got bored by the time the last verse kicked in, when the song by all means should be done. Tracks 3 and 4 are the best songs I've heard from the band. New Year's Day has a cool intro akin to Him's Love Me in Death, but it goes on for too long. Like a Song is potentially their best track, but it should be better structured. The only other song that's decent, is Two Hearts Beat as One, but even that one's too long. The rest is just boring, except for Drowning Man, which is awful. U2 is still the world's most overrated band.

Don't feel any substance here. Favorite Track - Seconds

Anstrengender Post-Punk.

Overrated drivel.

Bono makes this album unbearable.

3/10 suuuper mid

Not overly impressed. I could take it or leave it. 2.5 stars.

Lyrics ok. Musikalisch finde ich nichts, was das Album zu einem meiner Favoriten machen könnte. (2/5)

Never listened to this one all the way through but was familiar with several of the songs. It's an OK album but not their best effort.

Remember when Bono had something to be angry about? For one song?

Credit where credit is due, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is an awesome song. Everything about it is on point: the vocals, the lyrics, the guitars, the percussion. This is U2 at their very best. Timeless tune. In fact, the first three tracks on this album are pretty good. But after this, "War" falls off a fucking cliff. The final seven songs are sewer sludge. It's incredible that the same four guys who wrote "Sunday Bloody Sunday" could also produce these turds. Surely, these awful tracks only exist to elevate "War" from an EP to a proper album release. Unlistenable. By the time you've finished the final song on this album, the brilliance of opening track is a distant memory. U2 have left their audience wanting less, not more. Plus, Bono is an insufferable twat. ✌️❤️

Was ok, but Bono just comes off as such a tool. Nothing incredible about this one. 2.5/5

It starts off Ok but peters out a bit. Nothing special. Background music

Hmm. Well, my two favorite U2 songs are on this album. But honestly I didn’t much enjoy the rest of it at all. Gotta go with my gut.

I kind of tuned it out so it was not pulling me in

Rough. Not a fan of U2, or Bono's singing. I never realised how boring their songs are - simple beat and howling. I'm exaggerating, but I just really don't like their style. I'll simply move on now.

What can I say, it's a u2 record with two songs I like.

Never been a fan of U2, but this album was even worse than I thought it would be.

so soft for me. please advise me something harder, something more metal. ugh damn

Boring, repetitive, and bono sings like he wants to cry

I see why people like it, but it's not my thing. I quite liked the refugees song though

Один трек из альбома понравился. Из 3 трека Scooter своровали себе сэмпл.

Generic soft rock. Strained vocals

Never been a fan of U2. Let’s see if that changes… Nope. This album is from when they were fine. As far as I’m concerned they’re just another pop-rock band from the ‘80s. Like Duran Duran or Echo & the Bunnymen. If they quit after this album they woulda been good. But then Bono had to Bono and make them all pretentious. Songs added to Spotify: 0

It for me.

Had a friend in High School, Slater who's girlfriend played this album over and over and over. There are 2 songs off this album I hope I never hear again in Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day. I'm going to sound like a hater, but these guy's did nothing for me in High School and still don't move the needle much current day. I have a few songs I do really enjoy, but unfortunately none of them are off this album. The album was OK. I was hoping maybe I would be surprised with this album, but it turns out my initial feelings 30 years ago remains the same. Just OK. I'm going to have to go with a 2.5 and not rounding up. 2.5

2.5 Not going to lie, it wasn’t until just now that I learned there are two different U2 albums that feature a boy with his arms crossed behind his head on the cover, and I was pretty disappointed to see this is not the one with I Will Follow on it. Anyway, these guys have a handful of good songs (like I Will Follow), but as a whole, one of the most overrated and annoying bands of all-time, and I guess the political shift with this album marks when they became that way. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good politically-charged album if done right, but this epitomizes what I can’t stand about U2 (and especially Bono) - it’s just a lot of buzzwords flying around that don’t really say anything, coming from a band that pats themselves on the back like they’re some kind of disruptors. Look, I definitely have a sense of respect for Bono’s activism, but the dude is so dramatic and showy about it that I can’t help but find him gratuitously self-righteous and nowhere as deep as he seems to think he is. Referring to the title of the album, The Edge is even quoted as saying, "It's a heavy title. It's blunt. It's not something that's safe, so it could backfire. It's the sort of subject matter that people can really take a dislike to. But we wanted to take a more dangerous course, fly a bit closer to the wind, so I think the title is appropriate." Like, my guy, it’s just called “War” - who the hell would be provoked by that? The Clash (a band with similar ideals but superior in every way) went and named an album “Sandinista!” two years prior as a show of support for a left-wing resistance movement in Nicaragua - now that’s a bold political statement. And speaking of The Edge, that’s such an awesome nickname for a musician that it’s a shame it’s associated with a mediocre guitarist for a mediocre band - the dude just goes ham with effects units for his guitars and it’s somehow made him iconic. Okay, rant over (for now) - This album was, appropriately, mediocre as well. New Year’s Day is a decent song, Sunday Bloody Sunday is highly overrated, and the rest of the album just sounds like more of the same thing as those but not quite as good or as memorable. Like I said, the group definitely has a handful of songs across their catalog that I do enjoy, but none of them are here, and certainly none of them are joining that short list after giving this a listen. Not a bad group, but quite possibly second only to The Beatles as the most overrated.

Any band with a middle-aged man unironically calling themselves "The Edge" has their mark capped. 2 out of 4 stars.

Yucky

Sunday Bloody Sunday was played often through my childhood and has a distinct sound that I never heard elsewhere...except in the rest of this album. I would usually play famous artists greatest hits because i assumed that was the best way to hear their best music. I would later find that greatest hits didnt always translate to my musical tastes. In a way listening to these albums allows me to discover new music. Drowning man provided an interesting feeling, but it didnt last long.

This album sucks

Klassisk rock, men mangler sgu et eller andet

Have listened to this plenty of times. Actually owned this one on CD. As soon as I saw the cover thought of “Refugee”. Great album. Think “October” was the clunker in the first 3 CD run by U2.

Bleh, our fourth album of the intensely overrated u2. Sunday Bloody Sunday is legitimately a very good song and New Years Day certainly has its merits as well. But then again, tracks like The Refugee and Drowning Man are pretty much trash. u2 is basically an outsized garage rock band that would sound impressive (but pretentious) for an amateur band playing at the local pub, but that's it. I was thinking of rounding this up to 3 stars just for the strength of Sunday Bloody Sunday (which really is a 4.5 star song). But nah.

The hits are the hits for the reason. Early U2 was never my jam, and this is no exception. The non-hits are imminently skippable. I made it through, but probably wouldn't listen again, so 2 stars.

I like a lot of U2 songs. Unfortunately and surprisingly, I did not enjoy this album.

I didn’t hate it (but I still hate Bono because he’s a twat)

I feel like Bono is the weak link in the U2 chain for me; they don't sound so bad without him singing. The two hits off this are decent songs but everything else feels like filler. I especially disliked "Like A Song".

not a U2 fan, I will admit Sunday Bloody Sunday is one their best songs

The instrumentation would be a 4. However, everytime I have to listen to Bono monolog about some ill of the world in the most tired and selfagrandizing way or offer the most look at me sacrine love song possible I feel my eyes roll almost out of my skull.

The opposite I think of when I hear an album titled "war" mostly boring

There are two great songs on this album (Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day), but I don't like the other eight songs. They are very annoying!

1983, рок??? Всё, это последний раз когда я пишу жанры я думал U2 несколько чуть-чуть моложе? В любом случае, я прослушал половину альбома и мне... почти нечего сказать. То есть это неплохо, но оно не заставляет меня двигаться. Мне так легко от этой музыки отвлечься, её игнорировать. Вики говорит, что это их первый ультраполитический альбом, ну окэй? Я не почувствовал. Может, я не в настроении сегодня, но для меня это два.

Another two songs and then meh album for me

meh

Mega gemiddeld, u2 nooit echt wat gevonden

Other than the 2 songs that get radio play I found this record underwhelming. I've never been a big U2 fan and this album didn't really change my opinion.

On many occasions I have tried to like U2. Sure, they have a few bangers, but when all is said and done it just never really worked for me.

It’s not that it’s horrible but I don’t think I there’s anything remarkable. It sounds like shitty Kareoke

Not for me. Maybe it’s for someone, but not me. Nope not this guy

It was fine, I think this shows that I don't really care for U2 outside of their big hits. Best song - Sunday bloody Sunday

Dont care for U2

Not a big fan of U2 anyways.