War

Iconic 80s record from an iconic 80s band. 100k/5

El disco que hizo grandes a U2 (el que los haría inmortales es The Josua Tree, y el que los haría imprescindibles Acthung baby). No se pudo despedir mejor Steve Lillywhite. El comienzo justifica una carrera: la batería de Larry, dispara baquetazos por doquier con Sunday Bloody Sunday. U2 en su mejor expresión: guitarra, batería, bajo, voz y sobre todo inspiración. Seconds era otro temazo (gracias Adam )entonces y ahora. New Year's Day , poco se puede decir que no se haya escrito (no recordaba ese vídeo) . Que lo haga Chris Martin. Like A Song... sube revoluciones pero no descarrila. The Refugee claramente influida por Echo and Bunnymen. Drowning Man anticipa The Unforgetable fire y Josua Tree, Red Light es como The Electric Co en Boy, un ejemplo del buen hacer de The Edge, pero con unos coros que enriquecen el tema y le dan más profundidad (lleva incluso una trompeta!!) Surrender (con ese cencerro y esa atmosfera) y 40 son otros clásicos. Un perfecto final para un disco que nunca decepciona porque carece de las pretensiones de los U2 más conocidos. Yo creo que es uno de los discos que sigue sonando como el primer dia. Fuerza, post-punk, inspiración... lo mejor de los primeros U2. Boy era un buen disco, pero con War adelantan a Joy Division y Echo & the Bunnymen... De aquí a la cima.

Back when U2 was still on the rise. Still cool. It’s all very earnest and heartfelt. That made it exciting and powerful to listen to as a teenager. The band are really tight and propulsive. The Edge hasn’t fully got into his effects heavy period yet. It’s still great guitar work and full on early 80s post punk flavour. Similarly the bass is strong and sounds to me like Eno worked on the sound

The sound of a band finding themselves. Political and noisy and still new wave. Every instrument has a place in this racket and it's good. Some of the filler is filler but the singles are edgy and great. Imagine writing Sunday bloody Sunday and getting away with it! 40 shows what they're building towards, and my favourite album unforgettable fire comes next.

Way better than I was expecting. Really enjoyed it

Excellent

bono me beija na boca seu delicia, o the edge pode vir dps

Protesto e musicalidade se encontram perfeitamente. Simplesmente, o exemplo perfeito de como se misturar musicalidade tradicional, atitude revolucionária, letras criticas e líricas sem soar cafona ou chato. São músicas que tem estruturas, sonoridade e estéticas únicas Pessoalmente, adoro as guitarras e os vocais extremamente altos e surpreendentes deste álbum. Porém, em certos momentos o álbum se torna levemente monótono e repetitivo. Salvo isso, um ótimo álbum

stone cold classic

Extra for old times sake

segundo álbum que escucho de U2 y segunda vez que me sorprende para bien la verdad increíble banda 10 de 10

Very Very good album, 8.5/10. The sound is very good Stand out songs: Sunday bloody sunday The refugee Surrender

fuck yeah

I LOVETWO HEARTS BEAT AS ONE THIS SOMG IS SOOOOOOOJVGGOOOODDDDD the rest of the album is also good I also like the refugee VERY CERY VERY GOOD ALBUM I like how it’s a bit faster paced compared to a lot of their other music

This is a truly great album. There’s early signs of the evolution of their sound that was to follow, but the individual musicianship of Larry, Adam and The Edge really shines through. Especially Adam’s bass playing that makes this an unexpected dance album too!

This was the first album I ever bought. So I’m a bit biased, but I still enjoyed listening to it again after many years.

433/1089 - Before this project I hated U2. I associated them with the whole "in these unprecedented times" corporate commercial background music because of the Edge-like delay guitar and safe harmonies and textures. After giving this album a fair shake, it became one of my favorite albums. I like U2 more than I thought I did and really enjoy the first couple of albums especially when they were more "punk" oriented. Really creative guitar textures on this one, great drum sound, strong vocal performances, and amazing songs throughout. "Drowning Man" is such a cool deep cut especially with everyone playing in their own meter creating all these ambiguous rhythmic displacements. I love the contrast of the high-octane energy of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" "New Years Day" and "Refugee" paired with the more meditative and spacey "Seconds" "Surrender" and "40." I like this quote from Bono about 40: "We wrote this song in about ten minutes, we recorded it in about ten minutes, we mixed it in about ten minutes and we played it, then, for another ten minutes and that's nothing to do with why it's called 40."

A solidly great album; this has it all: interesting instrumentation, good lyrics, beautiful melodies. One of my favorites back in the day and it has aged well. Personal note: New Year’s Day, along with heard it through the grapevine, is one of the songs that I was willing to damage my hearing for. I’m glad I did not actually damage my hearing too badly, but it almost would have been worth it.

Fantastic then, and also now. Great all time hits, but the the album tracks - Red Light, Surrender, 40 - are highlights for me.

Great. A 5. Wha a classic.

To me this is the U2 sweet spot, pretty much everything sits there for me before Joshua Tree.

This one and Joshua Tree are the best U2 albums in my opinion. War has a bleak, sparse production that sounds like a very early 80s band with just a touch of New Wave influence, which is exactly what they were. Paired with lyrics addressing political themes and describing the effects of war and strife. It's a good record to listen to driving at night. The singles New Years Day, Two Hearts Beat As One, and Sunday Bloody Sunday are rousing and anthem-like and Bono's voice conveys desperation and yearning. Sunday Bloody Sunday's drums resemble a martial cadence while the violin and guitar solos pierce through. Seconds is a short almost hopeless song about the cold war and the possibility of insane world leaders causing world-wide nuclear destruction at the push of a button. New Years Day is a haunting lament about how war never hurts the people that start wars, only those who are forced to fight them and the innocent civilians who become statistics in casualty counts.

allez vraiment cool

I haven't listened to this in decades. When I was younger, I went through a U2 phase, so I tend to really like their older stuff. This is great. Full of really good songs. Current day U2 is...yikes! I don't even know how I want to describe them. Embarrassing. Overly serious. Pretentious. Not very good. But old U2? It just hits different, and War is pretty fantastic.

Great record- great stuff back when they were still hungry and not nearly as sanctimonious as they are now. A classic!

Cool work. One of the best U2 albums. Every song is solid.

Brilliant

Easily my favorite U2 record. It holds up, too. Even though I've heard it a LOT of times, I enjoy every time I listen to this record. Some real bangers on here and it's not loaded with pretentious indulgent songs. It's a great rock record with poignant lyrics. Yes, it's their first "overtly political" record, but it is a damned good one.

Favorite Track: New Year's Day

U2 is my favorite band so there is that. I don't think this is quite the every-song-is-a-masterpiece album in the same way as I think of The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, and Achtung Baby, but damn it's pretty good, and soars on the heights of Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, and 40 alone. Side note, I played 40 with no rehearsal on guitar with a band at a church lock in when I was maybe 15 or 16, and someone declared me the best guitar player in the world. Which was not even close to being true, but I wish I could still play guitar with that same attitude as I did then.

Sure ain’t as good as the first album.

100

Otimo album, ouviria mais de uma vez

It’s so good, such a beautiful and great and unique album

TS CRAZY OML. IT IS HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

Anthems, political Sunday bloody sunday New year's day Two hearts beat as one

Fine, whatever, take it.

It is unbelievable how young they were when they made this incredible album that still holds up.

Love this. First 4 songs are fantastic and continues strong

so very bright and emotional i very like it!!!

I got into Joshua Tree first, as a 9 or 10yo. This one quickly followed, and the tape stayed in my boom box for months. It's a straightforward rock album out to save the world, and it STILL feels good to listen to 40 years later. The guitar hooks are juicy (the pre-chorus riff on New Years Day--christ almighty what a wonderful sound), the drums righteous, the singer sing-y. I went on to be (and still am) obsessed with The Velvets, Can, Faust, Neu!, and Eno. U2 helped me get there.

Strong songs through first 5 tracks Sunday Bloody Sunday is iconic. Seconds a favorite U2 song of mine. Drowning man is not my thing but I like the instrumentation on it. Energy picks back up with the Refugee and a nice driving drum beat.

Aunque el mix no me gusta mucho, no quita que el álbum sea muy bueno.

great album

A fantastic album that captures angst and political tension in a very mature and refined way. Zero weak spots and an absolute blast from start to finish. U2's best and an ever-relevant album

Definitely sounds like U2 in the mid-80's. A very political album. Sunday, Bloody Sunday is definitely my favorite song on the album. Very good album.

Das 1983 erschienene Album War von U2 entstand in den Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin und zeigt die irische Band in einer Phase, in der sie politische Aussagen und direkte Themen zentral stellte. Titel wie Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year’s Day und Two Hearts Beat as One gehören zu den prägnantesten Stücken dieses Albums und vermitteln eine Mischung aus engagierten Texten und klar strukturierten Rock‑Arrangements. Der Klang ist auf rhythmische Klarheit und Gitarrenarbeit ausgerichtet, ohne auf Effekthascherei zu setzen, wodurch die Aussagen der Songs im Vordergrund bleiben. War markiert einen entscheidenden Schritt in der Entwicklung von U2 und kombiniert gesellschaftliche Themen mit einem zugänglichen Rocksound. Meine Bewertung: Ein sachlich aufgebautes, thematisch klar ausgerichtetes Rockalbum, das den frühen 80er‑Jahre‑Sound von U2 prägt.

I remember when I was a little kid and first heard New Year’s Day on the New Year’s Day and was instantly mesmerized by that piano part…. And Still like it

After hearing the first note of the first song i new this is a 5 album. Absolute masterpiece. !!!!

Well, this is a great excuse to start the day with some U2.

One of my favourite albums. New Year’s Day is one of my favourite all time songs and Sunday Bloody Sunday is pretty good too. I saw the band in Melbourne when they toured this album and they were electric. More like this one please!

Over the decades of original music, U2 ended up becoming a very popular parody. This is the album I started the music journey with them. And there were a few albums I liked better when they were popular. But, in the end, I come back to where I started. Sharp, edgy, social, powerful. This is the U2 I love. 5/5

I was told these coats were supposed to be annoying and shit. Yet I’m sat here jamming the fuck out. Like A Song slaps.

It helps when an album has your favourite song by the group on it, but this is U2 at the rawest and most interesting.

banger omg

i really liked this album, again very new genre to me but at the same time very listenable and beautiful

Probably the best U2 album on this list actually. This album sounds much more raw than any of the other U2 albums I've heard, which is probably entirely due to the guitar tone now that I think of it. Bono is also way more energetic. Crazy strong first cd with 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' as opening and then 'New Year's Day' which is probably the best song of the whole album. Second half is weaker with no singular track living up to first half hit ones. 'Two Hearts Beat As One' is pretty good, and After first hear-through I was determined on a 4, mostly due to the 2nd half being a bit disappointing. But skimming through it again I realize it's not as bad as I remember it. It'll have to be a weak 5 for me!

A lot of U2's stuf falls flat for ne, but this disc has at least 5 really good songs on it. I think they peaked here.

Generally not the biggest fan of U2 but this was very good

Own this on CD and love it, 5 stars

Kult

Never really took the time to listen to any U2 albums even though I’ve always quite liked a few of their bigger hits. So I wasn’t sure what to expect with this album. I certainly wasn’t expecting to find myself enjoying the album as much as I did. I think I found something listenable in every song on the album which is quite rare. This really is a great album. I still think later U2 isn’t great but maybe there’s something more I should start exploring in the early albums after this.

The culmination of U2s trajectory toward anthemic rock, War is the albums where U2's ridiculousness fades into the background, overwhelmed by terrific songwriting, assured performance, and lyrics by Bono that have not yet tipped over into pedantry. They would go on to hit an even higher note with "Achtung Baby", but this is the high point of early U2.

My husband's favorite band, and I think my introduction to U2 when I was in jr high. I remember sitting on the wall near the student store on lunch talking to friends about music and someone mentioned how much they loved U2 but my reggae and ska-loving mind turned it into UB40 and I agreed, then we realized we were talking about two different groups.

This is such a solidly good album. I haven’t listened to the whole thing in a while. It was nice to re-listen and see how well it still stands up so much later.

Solid album end to end. Back when this was released Iwas much more into the metal scene. I didnt add a copy of this into my collection until years later but remember hearing Sunday Bloody Sunday on MTV, I hit up some friends for a full listen and liked it way back when. This is the first time in many years I have listened to this release from begining to end, and it still holds up. Excellent socially charged groove, good stuff.

How did I miss U2 at Red Rocks? Oh right, I was 3. This album would be a five even if it had just one song. That’s how Incredible “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is.

Fucking great album. 5 stars alone for Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day alone.

U2 before they sold out to become a stadium band. Some absolute classics on here.

Fühlt sich irgendwie falsch an, hier die 5 zu zücken, weil die Platte nach den ersten 4 Ober-Bangern schon etwas abfällt (hilft natürlich auch nicht, dass 2 davon zu den besten Songs aller Zeiten gehören). Aber irgendwie machen auch die anderen Songs viel Spaß und schon damals zeigte sich der Experimentierwille der Band und es ist spannend, die Band in diesem Post-Punk-Setting zu hören, was sie später ja ziemlich abgelegt haben. Sehr gute Platte, schöner Revisit.

Das ist doch einfach ein Album mit Klasse. Abwechslungsreich ohne zu drüber oder zu viel zu wollen. Kurzweilig, aber nicht langweilig. Guten Gewissens 5 Sterne. Letztlich aber doch zu weit von meinem Geschmack weg, sodass ich es wohl nicht mehr allzu häufig hören werde.

Great!

Awesome, full of Clash influences but also looking ahead to their anthemic sound of the future

Pretty solid. Always loved new teas day and Sunday Bloody Sunday. Also love the mix with the staccato guitars and electric violin throughout.

In 1983 I likely burned out my cassette of War. I listened to it all the time and never tired of it, finding new songs to love each play. This was my introduction to the band, and I was hooked from the first notes. It is still my favorite album of theirs, and that's saying quite a bit given the run they went on after this. I was very excited to see this come up today. I knew there'd be a few U2 albums on the list, but I wasn't certain if War would be one of them. What a very pleasant surprise. I wanted to give this a listen with fresh ears, at least as much as is possible with a record I've played hundreds and hundreds of times. I still feel there isn't a bad song on the album, and I still feel that Larry Mullen Jr. is the star of the show, even though everyone gets more than their share of moments. While everyone will talk about Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day (as well they should), songs like Seconds, Like A Song..., Drowning Man, Two Hearts Beat As One, and 40 still blow me away. I will be humming and singing songs from this all of the rest of the day.

Listened to before, lots of times.

One of the best ever

a classic

Very appropriate album title for Election Day. I’ve only heard a few of these songs before and enjoyed this. Bono’s voice does get tiring for me sometimes but the band sounds great and I have to imagine that it wowed people at the time of its release. Not my personal favorite band but I have to respect this for its execution and go 5.

I complained in my review of Achtung Baby that U2 were missing a certain spark... The music was generally a bit flat, and I much prefer when they're giving it everything. War is that. This album goes hard and really doesn't let up. The Edge is kind of at his best here (and in some ways his least "edgy"), Larry Mullen Jr. Kills it throughout the album, Adam Clayton holds everything together and Bono is the most passionate and intense he has ever been. This is the sound that U2 is best as - 80s U2. This and Joshua Tree are classic albums for a reason, and whilst I have a personal soft spot for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, I think objectively speaking this is a better album.

I'll always have a soft spot for Joshua Tree because it's the first album that I listened to on repeat over and over and over on my little yellow Sony boombox, but I'm pretty sure this is U2's best album. The raw energy that comes through in this record is so palpable. Bono is so intense and the band sounds so much more mature and purposeful than they do in their first couple of recordings. This is the sound of a band that has something important to say and is still hungry for an audience. Listening to it after all these years is still fun. There might be a weak track or two, but I don't see the point of naming them. This album is solid, SBS is an epic opener and 40 is an epic closer. If I could choose to be one of these dudes for one week in the 80s, it would definitely be Adam.

For part of my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I rode to school with a guy who was a year older. This was one of a handful of albums he played on repeat (at ear-splitting volume). It speaks to the quality of the songs that I still like them. Obviously "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" are classics, but I'd forgotten how great "Like a Song..." is. There's a lot to like on this, and I'll take it over anything they've released since, oh, 1991.

Standard bearer.

Really good

I’ve never sat down and listened to U2 and I’m not entirely sure why because that was excellent

New Year's Day

Stunning!

Classic!!!

Records

Bom pra kct

Actually very good. Huh. I was expecting Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day to be the only standout tracks here but this rocked Take it with a grain of salt, my taste isn't very "cool", I LOVE the Police and early Coldplay. But as far as very polished and atmospheric post-punk? This is wonderful. I get it, I really do. Shame U2 became as lame as they did, this is really something excellent.

Great early U2. Another band that came out of the gate fully formed.

U2 - War 5 STARS This is a harder album than the previous two and includes one of my favorite songs of theirs "New Years Day". This is when they were young and raw and their first three albums will always be my favorites. Undeniably good.

Très cool, des tubes connus (new year's day, sunday bloody sunday) et d'autres que j'ai découvert, c'est varié, les percussions sont au top, vraiment sympa

J'aime U2 de Boy à Zooropa. Ensuite j'ai perdu foi.

Tellement une agréable surprise! Je suis tombé sous le charme de la guitare de Edge et de la voix puissante de Bono, à ma grande surprise. J'avais un a priori négatif, j'aime pas la persona politique de Bono. Il y a quelque chose de vraiment fort dans les textes, avec des emprunts fréquents à la littérature de la Bible et les messages d'amour universel. Ça me fait penser à Dylan, apparemment ils se sont même plutôt liés d'amitié dans les 80s (j'ai lu hier avec grand intérêt une entrevue accordée à Dylan par Bono en 1985). Le son est résolument 80s mais avec quelque chose qui traverse les époques (je m'attendais pas au côté New Wave/Rock d'un The Cure ou Tears for Fears). J'avais écouté le Vertigo Tour en version IMAX au secondaire en voyage à Boston et ça m'avait endormi. Je trouvais ça trop léché / épate-galerie, mais en vieillissant les goûts changenr faut croire.

Still sounds ground- breaking even after hearing Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day a million times. Several album tracks I didn’t know, all of high quality foretelling of U2 glories to come.

This is my favorite U2 album.

War marked the closing of one door and the opening of another. Having wandered through doubt, rumination and realization U2 transformed from boys to men as they navigated through real world happenings and how it changes mindsets and worldviews of the people around them. The transformation extended to the music, as the band formally gathered the tools necessary to craft together what would soon become their signature sound, even if that meant taking detours down a new wave/dance vibe that wound up becoming a one-off or something to be explored with more maturity somewhere down the line. War, with the bookend of a rallying cry and a solemn hymn, is the beginning of U2 as the world will soon know them, for better and for worse. This is a better time, no matter how harrowing the topics and circumstances. Wipe the tears from your eyes, wipe the tears away.

Love this classic U2 album!!

Brilliant and timeless

Enjoyed it.

After making a name, U2 makes a point with War. This is their most confrontational album. A slap in the face of the audience, and a kick in the butt of the band that propelled it further. Plus, it sounds amazing.

Best Song Sunday Bloody Sunday

Rock, Pop. Tight, complex, driven. Almost perfect.

5/5

Such great raw energy! Great stuff.

I grew up too late to really appreciate the growth of U2, but the legacy they’ve left behind is incredible. War is a masterpiece

In my life and in general this album was a game changer-everything was different after this, their 3rd album - not a note out of place from start to finish, a fantastic journey that begins fiery and rebellious but ends with the soothing and reassuring 40. For me I will follow & New yrs Day are old favorites I lovelovelove this album!

I haven’t gone back to listen to this album for a very long time. I was stunned how good this is from top to bottom. Not a skippable track to be found. This album rocks hard. Bono‘s vocals are in peak form and remind me what an absolute force he was, as is the Edge and his original shredding sound. His haunting solos on Surrender are awesome. Energy is off the charts.

irish folks r badass

Outstanding from start to finish. Exemplary rock album but one of the best political bands of all times. The drumming is intense and places you in the War zone. Nothing beats the opening number Sunday Bloody Sunday with a wind down that occurs on Surrender the second to last song. Amazing journey with a premier band from start to finish.

Brought me back. Fun album.

"You may hear me say U2 are overrated... but, that is from a few years after this record... this record is what U2 were all about... it's what made them popular around the world... i was lucky enough to see them, even before this album came out... and i witnessed their phenomenal rise to popularity in the USA, and the world... these Irish guys had passion... and commitment... and energy... and... GOOD SONGS... whether it was in the small venue i saw them in, or the next time they came (this album) to a regular concert hall... the time i saw them after that was in the Sun Dome... a 10,000 seater, and the time i saw them after that was in Tampa freakin' Stadium... but, that's another lifetime from this album... every song on this album is great in its own way... "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" opens it up... "Seconds" is so intense... then "New Year's Day"... whoa... "The Refugee", "Two Hearts Beat As One" are a couple other highlights... the album ends with the epic "40"... Five Stars..."

"War" is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. Post-punk is the Wiki-listed genre. Yeah, and their last one. It was U2's first overtly political album as lead singer Bono said "war seemed to be everywhere in 1982." The band wanted to address not only the physical aspects of war but the emotional ones as well; with crimes dramas on TV and news reporting of deaths everyday, what was fact and what was fiction? Besides Bono, U2 was and is the Edge (guitars, bass, piano, lead and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullin Jr. (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album hit #1 in the UK knocking Michael Jackson's "Thriller" off the top and #12 in the US. There were generally positive reviews in the US but some British journalists criticized it. Hmmm. The militaristic-sounding drum beat and a melodic guitar open "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Along with the bass, those drums create the hook. Steve Wickham enters on the electric violin giving this a very unique sound. Bono on lead vocals in this protest song of an observer of the troubles in Northern Ireland and in particular "Bloody Sunday" where, in 1972, British soldiers shot on 26 unarmed civilians. Great echoing backing vocals and exceptional guitar playing mimicking gun shots by the Edge. The Edge takes over co-lead vocals in "Seconds." Pounding drums, acoustic guitar and a deep bass in a song about nuclear proliferation where an Armageddon could be caused by an accident. Drum ticking, a piano-led melody, rolling bass and Bono screaming "Yeah" begin "New Year's Day." The churning, echoing guitar comes in slowly and beautifully. A great intro to a song. That crunch of the Edge's guitar. Bono originally wrote this as a love song to his wife but rewrote it inspired by the Polish solidarity movement. Guitar-piano interplay leads to a few guitar solos. The song climaxes as Bono yells "Maybe tonight." A song suddenly optimistic turns as Bono realizes nothing changes on New Year's Day at the end of the song. Not all songs are serious; one of the best songs on the album is "Two Hearts Beat as One," a simple love song. Guitar slashes. The bass and drums giving a dance beat. Definitely, the best groove on the album. The Edge gets his steel pedal guitar going in "Surrender." Kid Creole and the Coconuts on backing vocals at the end. Bono singing about Sadie as she goes up to the 48th floor to.... Is it suicide? Is it prostitution? Is it just a business job? Maybe any of the three but having a strong sense of faith in God seems to be the theme of what she needs to have. And of course, they needed a song to end the album and they quickly came up with "40." Clayton had left so the Edge plays bass. Bono came up with the lyrics from "Psalm 40." And, yes, this song ended the set of their last concert (in Las Vegas). I checked. "War" was U2's first album where all the Chicago rock radio stations started to play their music. I remember first hearing "New Year's Day" and being immediately drawn to that echoing guitar sound. There's something to like in each song on this album whether it's a steel pedal guitar, the dance beat, the trumpet, the backing vocals, the vocals or the hard guitar. Their previous album, "October" had serious religious and spiritual overtones. This one does but not quite as much. That's one thing I noticed today. The other thing was the significant leap from "October" in the level of drum and bass playing from Mullins and Clayton. It's forward in the mix too. This is the last of their Lillywhite-produced post-punk albums. Looking back, they were at a fork in the road musically. They obviously went with Brian Eno as their next producer into more atmospheric areas. I've always wondered what they would have sounded like taking the other direction into more of a hard rock direction. Maybe they burn out. Maybe not. Anyway, this is a great album and one of their best.

Songs: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, Two Hearts Beat As One, 40

SUCH A GOOD ALBUM! Start to finish all tracks resonate with me and suddenly my brain is on a road trip to the big city with a car full of friends in the late 80's listening to Boy and War and October and wondering why it took us all so long to twig to U2 in the U.S. This is a freedom song. Or rather, this is the soundtrack of freedom, racing towards adventure under hot blue skies.

In terms of song writing, arrangement, performance, and production, “War” is a significant improvement over its predecessor, “October”, which was a somewhat uneven album. “War” contains several outstanding tracks, with “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” standing out as classics that have surpassed the album itself in recognition. That said, it is an album that is still a little rough around the edges in places, lending it a certain charm. Overall, “War” remains a strong album albeit now overshadowed by what followed. As an album it still holds up, and flows nicely. It deserves a rating between four and five stars. Focusing on its strengths, I rate it five stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? I did. 1 "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - A real statement of intent for the rest of the album. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is instantly recognisable by its martial drumbeat and jagged violin, setting a sombre and confrontational tone. Bono is earnest and raw. Great guitar solo. - 5 2 "Seconds" - “Seconds” is a short, punchy track. It addresses the threat of nuclear war. I have always loved this song. - 5 3 "New Year's Day" - Arguably one of U2’s most iconic songs, “New Year’s Day” is built around The Edge’s stark piano and Adam Clayton’s driving bassline. Explosive and dynamic. - 5 4 "Like a Song..." - Loud, brash and punky in its delivery. - 5 5 "Drowning Man" - A quieter, more introspective song. Atmospheric and delicate. - 4 6 "The Refugee" - “The Refugee” picks up the tempo again, blending urgent percussion with a slightly chaotic arrangement. Experimental. - 4 7 "Two Hearts Beat as One" - “Two Hearts Beat as One” provides a touch of 'pop' optimism amid the album’s darker themes, and its catchy chorus makes it a standout. - 5 8 "Red Light" - 4 9 "Surrender" - 4 10 "40" - The album closes with “40,” a song adapted from Psalm 40.A simple, spiritual song featuring The Edge on bass and Bono on vocals, with the band members gradually departing the stage as the song fades out. a gentle, uplifting way to end the record. - 5 Total - 46 Average - 4.6

Classic

One of my favorite U2 albums, hauntingly beautiful rock in equal measure.

War is U2 at their most urgent and defiant, an album that takes the raw passion of their early work and gives it sharper focus. From the opening drumbeats of “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” it is clear this is not just another rock record — it is a statement. The band channels political unrest, personal conviction, and a sense of moral urgency into songs that still sound fierce decades later. “New Year’s Day” blends icy piano lines with one of The Edge’s most memorable riffs, and Bono delivers every lyric like it is a call to action. What makes War so powerful is how it balances intensity with melody. Tracks like “Two Hearts Beat as One” and “Seconds” have a propulsive energy, while “Drowning Man” offers a haunting, slower moment that deepens the album’s emotional range. There is no filler here; every song feels like it belongs. War stands as one of the definitive rock albums of the 1980s, capturing a young band at the height of their conviction and creativity.

This is just superb. Rocking from the start with Sunday Bloody Sunday, and New Years Day the standouts.

Some of their best songs are from this album.

Scathing soundtrack to the violence of the time. Fear, unfairness, uncertainty and at the end, hope.

how long to sing this song?

I had forgotten how good an album this was

Amazing

U2 was actually really good before they loaded that annoying album on everyone’s phone. Bono has a great voice

I'm glad this album was suggested because it made me change my opinion of U2. I thought they were douchier than what I heard on this album.

Fantastic album that got a 1,000 college radio stations to spin up 1,000,000 new U2 fans. Great album

really liked quite every song solid 9/10

Where the really made their mark. Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, Two Hearts Beat As One, all epic. Then close it out with 40 as they’ve done at so many concerts over the years, what an album!!

This is a banger, peak U2 for me before they got swallowed in the hype.

this one is on my top 10 of my life! 😍

A classic. One of their best. The music overcomes the crap recording.

Horrendous. Even the singles aren't good. This is 1 of maybe 3 albums now that I couldn't finish. U2 SUCKS

As I write this, a significant portion of the planet is attempting to decipher social media messages from the "leadership" (scare quotes intentional) of Israel, Iran, and the United States to try and determine whether we're going to have World War III or not. Alongside that endeavor are various attempts to propagate, detect, and/or guard against misinformation, scams, bullshit, slop, and flat-out stupidity of various kinds, any of which could conceivably push humanity materially further towards midnight on the doomsday clock. Mistrust is a reflex at this point. The trenches dug within our hearts, indeed. (I got bad news for the refugee being sung about on track 6 - the war may be slightly colder here in America but it isn't any less warlike.) Everybody who thinks Bono & Co. are just such damn pretentious blowhards for making rock music about the Big Issues of Life needs to explain why, when the Big Issues of Life are really weighing down, a 1983 album from the damn pretentious blowhards is a better and more honest listen than pretty much anything else out there. There are, after all, no atheists in foxholes, whether those foxholes be literal or spiritual or both.

Literally the coolest altruism has ever sounded

Great album! War is an album that I've always enjoyed. Listening to this one was fantastic!

Overall, a really strong album. It makes me wish I had gotten into U2 earlier. I love Bono's voice, and the guitar tone used on this album. I also think that the drums and bass are strong on this album, particularly on songs like New Years Day and Surrender. It is a very good listen. Best Song: New Year's Day Worst Song: The Refugee

Though I wasn't there as a fan at the beginning, I'm definitely a fan now. And I appreciate what they did at the beginning. Some amazing songs here.

New Years Day, Seconds, alot of great songs

Brilliant.

What a grand album, loved every song. The lead vocalist has an amazing voice and knows how to use it. Really glad that this was my introduction to U2.

• 5/5 • U2’s best album and the height of their post-punk phase - loaded with great tracks, especially New Years Day, Sunday, Two Hearts and 40

Great band. Great music. Not afraid to sing about what concerns them. Refreshing.

Masterpiece

Great album from one of my favorite bands. Enjoyed being reminded of this album as it's been awhile since I listened to it!

Absolute banger. One of the best from a hungry young band on the cusp of greatness.

I was a serious U2 fan in the 90s and have had them mostly on the shelf the last 20 years - for reasons both deserved and not. This was a great reminder of why I loved them so much.

I grew up on U2 thanks to my Dad and I still love them very much even though I know that’s not like cool now and I still really want to see them live one day. Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of the world’s great songs to me and there’s heaps more on this album to admire. I always hesitate to give a 5 for some reason but I’m just gonna go for it again here because at the end of the day I just love this and if that’s tinged by nostalgia so be it.

The modern version of classic rock. More rocking than vibing, but great sound and riffs

I normally dog on U2 (even though I think they have some great songs). But this album is different. I personally think of this record as their masterpiece. To me this is the band in their full force, even Bono.

Incredible album. I love Bono's style of singing on this; it feels very passionate and grandiose. The guitar work is also great. It has a particular and identifiable style but I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. I didn't delve into the lyrics but it seems like they're really trying to say something. Favorites: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Like a Song

a classic

I think you can make a case for this being among the greatest punk albums of all time - if you define punk by spirit (urgency, honesty, community) rather than sound (overdriven guitars, three chords, machine gun bass drum, etc.) The Edge is starting to really deliver on the promise he started making with the opening of I Will Follow. And Bono … as kids we would’ve followed him into battle, but he was insisting that we find love. Like Prince, these guys have had so many chapters that everyone can fairly defend their favorite. Mine is their next studio album - The Unforgettable Fire. For me thats when the sound matures but the urgency and emotion are still driving the project.

Classic

Great album

Awesome!

The snare cracks a march and a shimmery guitar arpeggiates. Yeah, mmm. How long must we sing this song? Had this on tape, still have it on vinyl and CD. My 6th grade teacher —easily the coolest in the school — introduced the whole class to U2. If the opening three songs don't hook you like it did me, there isn't a reason for you to continue. War isn’t a flawless record, but its potent mix of The Edge's post-punk guitar innovations, Larry Mullen Jr.'s martial inflected drums, Adam Clayton's deceptively perfect bass and Bono's raw emotion hits me every time. Year's later, it’s still an album I want to hear from start to finish.

Probably my 3rd favorite U2 album. The Edge's guitar is amazing and the drums really drive the music. Love it. Favorites: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Like a Song, Surrender Would I listen to it again: Yes

They're so good at building tension, letting an atmosphere develop, creating an enveloping mood and then doing that dew point drop thing where it all releases, shifting on a single beat. The heavy new-wave post-punk influence on the bass and drums gives them a hard edged tone and a driving beat. The soaring guitars are a thrill - glassy crunchy and direct - simple parts crafted perflectly to echo and bounce and create a huge space for the vocals to fill. It's so big and bombastic and ambitiously produced it's really an achievement, and not even they're best.There are three of the best songs of the 80s on here that still hold up however overplayed they are. The rest isn't as good, but never drops to being mere filler, they're probably both a Greatest Hits and an albums band. This is probably the first album I was ever really into even before I had my own music, I remember the CD and asking to always put it on in the car as a like 9 or 10 year old, so 0 bias here...

Wow, this might be their best album. I’ve always been ride-or-die for The Unforgettable Fire (and yeah, I’ll still give that one 5 stars when I get to it) but this one is just so consistently high quality throughout. The Edge’s jagged, almost funk guitar technique (though the music is far from funk) just propels you across the entire runtime. Wow, great listen. Must-listen #99.

IMO, U2s first legit album and their best work until Joshua Tree Ive mentioned U Talkin’ U2 TO Me before in these comments. The Scotts pushed me to listen to the U2 catalog in the early 2020s. I didnt become a super fan, but if anyone is looking for an excuse to laugh their way through the discography, check it out Lots of hits here, but there are 2 or 3 tracks that go under the radar. Seconds, Two Hearts and Surrender are phenomenal. Love U2s punky sound that they pretty much abandoned by JT

This is amazing still. Listened on vinyl

Clowning on U2 is a popular thing to do, but they are incredible musicians.

Loved this!!

Well this album remember me of my childhood as my father is a huge U2 fan he used to listen to this album all the time and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" has a special place in my heart and also because of the meaning behind the lyrics which is a really sad story but I also remember "New Year's Day" at every New Year Eve which is also a really good memory so for me this album is incredibleeeee.

Havent listened to it in a while. Still awesome. Standouts songs: The Refugee Two Hearts Beat as One Surrender

10 завораживающих историй про ужасы войны, которые вам стоит услышать. Третий студийный альбом U2 - лучшее что я слышал за последний месяц. С первых киков и до последнего рифа слушателя погружают в военный сеттинг: песни начинаются с барабанов, напоминающих марширующих солдат, дилэй на гитаре создает звуви, похожие на сирену, а голос фронтмена группы пробирает до мурашек своей молодой энергией и харизмой, но в первую очередь лирикой и историей. Каждая песня рассказывает про человека в военное время: про ошеломляющие новости в Sunday Bloody Sunday, про расставание в New Year’s Day, про обращение к богу в прекрасной 40 и т.д. Примечателен этот альбом тем, что каждый найдет себе в нем любимую песню, которая надолго запомнится в плейлисте. Альбом затрагивает до ужаса знакомые постсоветскому человеку темы, и даже по сей день, спустя почти 42 года с момента выхода, песни не устарели, а лишь приобрели новые краски, новую аудиторию и новые реалии, в которых протест стал еще более яркой силой народного духа. Мирные и добрые 5/5.

U2 were my absolute favourite band when I was in high school (in the 80s, when it was still cool to like U2). All their early albums are classics to me.

Just a great album. Anger, sound, and the swagger of youth. They made few better albums and this was the last of their raw, unproduced sound. I listened to this about 8 times yesterday for old time's sake. As an aside, there are actual bass lines on early U2 rather than du du du du root notes.

I remember going to my brother’s bedroom and listening to this and Boy on his record player. Great memories for great music. U2 was able to develop as a group - which is something that does not happen these days. This album has great socially conscious lyrics (which I did not totally get at the time), great music, and an incredibly tight band that can play the hell out of their instruments. This is still a fantastic album that gave us a glimpse of the great music that was yet to come. New Year’s Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are 4 stars alone and with the addition of Seconds and Two Hearts Bear As One you have a phenomenal album.

The first U2 album I got into.

Classic. Lot of good songs

My favorite U2 album. Liked original mor raw sound

I’m not sure if I previously listened to the whole. It contains some of their most famous songs. U2 always delivered a great balance between pop and rock, political and personal. Some of the less popular songs that I enjoyed were seconds, 40 (fairly popular) and refugee

I forgot how many great songs existed on this album. 40 has always been one of my favorites from U2 and such a nice take on a psalm. Felt like this was the beginning on Edge coming into his own with the guitar.

Such a classic album that is up there for best album of all time

I think this was the first legit U2 album I've listened to before. It was incredible. Loved the overall feel of this album. Goes from very much in your face, pounding, antagonistic in the beginning to a more hopeful, mellow sounding in the second half. The drums really carry this album and drive it forward. Edge's guitar is a great layer on top to add spice along with Bono's vocals. Clayton on bass helped add to the march-like feeling. Lyrics were poignant and powerful. Really, really good body of work, especially for only a third album from a band.

I don't think this is U2's best album but I do think this album is what began setting them apart from other groups. Drowning Man, Seconds, Like a Song, and 40 are excellent. Love the way they begin weaving in their own stories and backgrounds into their music-with lyrics and music. I didn't discover this album until a few years after its release but it made an impression on me then & has remained

A banger. Brought right back to senior year of HS

- Another masterpiece. This album punches you in the face from the jump and never really lets up. This is the good U2. -

I told my son that my recollection was that this wasn't one of U2's best albums. It had been years since I'd listened to "War." I may have been right that this is a middle-of-the-pack U2 album, at most. But it's still spectacular. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" starts the disc with a wallop, and it introduced U2 to the wider American rock/pop audience. And "40" is as good a concert-ending totemic anthem as their is. "War" signified the last time that U2 could be regarded as largely an under-the-radar, post-punk alternative rock band.

Give this more than a few Seconds of your time.

This is old U2. I like old U2. "War" is their best album. This is my review.

Only really know their big hits, but this album is a doozy

Kanske deras bästa album.

Have been listening to this for more than half my life; therefore, hard to be objective. Regardless, it's five stars from me.

Excellent record, there's a great balance throughout, definitely an album to listen to front to back

They are good

See, kids? I told you U2 used to make great music about important things!

Peak U2. All killer, no filler.

Hello 1983!

Two notable things about U2's *War*: first you have its couple of absolutely iconic "political" hits "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", plus a couple of other great bangers after them. And secondly, people have now forgotten about that, but U2 were still kind of considered as a post-punk band at the time, and *War*, coming off at the tail end of said early post-punk period in the Irish band's career, definitely has a distinctive sort of energy and freshness going on for itself. One that would soon disappear for more grandiose or less spontaneous endeavors. And this for better of for worse. Guess I have a question in my mind here. And that question is: what if *War* was U2's best album after all? I can already hear cries of protest, but if you think of it, the more you're away from the punk explosion in the timeline of rock music, the more U2 albums gave lots of munitions to the band's haters. "Pompous", "Stilted", "Unnecessarily sentimental" were the words written on those bullets. Maybe the real "war" had not truly started by 1983. And this is coming from someone who really likes *Achtung Baby*, for instance. Was the band playing on *War* still immune to those sorts of bullets. Your guess is as good as mine. But I'd tend to say it was. Also, let's be honest for one second here. What was offered to fans of glorious rock in 1983, apart from REM's *Murmur*? Violent Femmes were great but were all about acoustic guitars. New Order were already exploring a more synthetic approach. Wipers were virtually unknown and far too punk and abrasive for broad tastes anyway. And Echo And The Bunny men were deep into their *Porcupine* transitory period, and not yet winning the hearts they would win with *Ocean Rain*. So who was left standing among the rubble (at least in the British Isles)? Yep, you get it now. F*cking U2. All of this explains my near-perfect grade, I imagine... 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 443 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 262 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 321

Amazing, loved it.

I think that LCD Soundsystem pulled a lot of inspiration from U2 because I just kept thinking "this sounds like LCD Soundsystem" throughout the whole album. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day are such classics and the rest of the album is just solid. I really enjoy this album. I've been diving into post-punk a lot this year so it's fun giving this album another listen and recognizing the influence it has had. This is one of the albums that I feel like really deserves a place on this list.

This is such a fantastic album. I think what's probably overstated and generally recognized by everyone is Bono's voice and lyrics. They're perfectly matched for the deep level and importance of these songs. Also, The Edge's guitar style. That palm muted progression sound on the high strings is so cool and unique. Those 2 factors together really make the sound of this record so unique. What is understated is how deep and moving the bass lines are. They're really moving kind of all over the place and keep everything grounded. It's a perfect marriage for Bono's style of playing. What really blew me away though are the drums on this record, they honestly sound similar to Grateful Dead in some songs. Very deep and heavy. I was really vibing with those. The lyrics and meaning in each song are probably what push this to the next level for me. I love that it starts with Sunday Bloody Sunday and ends with "40," which is a really cool reprise and call for peace. Having lived in Northern Ireland and known people who were directly affected by the Omagh Bombings and the Troubles as a whole, really give this record a lot of meaning for me personally. This is a great record and one worth revisiting often.

Two five-star albums in a row on this project. What have I done to be so blessed to have Metallica and U2 back-to-back, and no Brit-pop or disco anywhere in sight (for two days)? Anyway, I loved this album when I first really listened to it about a decade after it's release (even though I kind of grew up on it because I was born in '80 and my parents loved this one). I still love it the more I know about the state of Ireland in 1980. Great lyrics, amazing hooks, and great drums. It's a great album.

As excellent as I expected it to be. Five stars and it's going in my Tidal library.

It’s easily the best thing they ever did. 10/10 bangers front to back.

I’m not a huge U2 fan, but I have to admit that parts of this album are sick. An album like this could easily sound dated, but it doesn’t. The politics are woven in seamlessly in a way that makes the songs sound like songs and not like musical manifestos. I dig it.

Listened through twice. Favorites were "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "New Year's Day", "Drowning Man", and "40"

It feels raw, like the energy of early Clash records but steadier. U2 kinda does their own thing; this being from '83 blows my mind. There’s a driving rhythm, and the vocals balance on the edge (see what I did there) of defiance and vulnerability. It's music that holds tension. Excellent listen.

“Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” are pretty much as good as it gets. “Seconds” is a pretty close second. Well, third. But it's the second track, sandwiched between those icons. So an incredibly dynamic, powerful, and emotional three-track start to “War.” Kind of an early U2 staple (see “The Joshua Tree”). Like “Joshua Tree,” “War” never quite hits those heights again. Unlike “Joshua Tree,” the rest is more consistent, and still often packs that emotional punch that makes the start stand out so much.

„New Year‘s Day“ ist ein genialer Song der Epos und Wave verbindet. „Sunday Bloody Sunday“ ist ein Song für die Ewigkeit und zeigt, dass sich Freiheit niemals auf ewig unterdrücken lässt. „40“ mit I will Sing, Sing a new Song ist eine unvergessliche Zeile. Insgesamt ist das Album musikalisch, textlich und stilistisch ein Juwel und ein Meilenstein der 80er 😊.

Maybe the cornerstone album of an incredible 5 album run in the 1980s. SBS & NYD launched U2 into a different realm in the music world at the time. Probably deserves a 4.75 based on some of my prior rankings, but due to its significance in my teen years, I’ll give it the extra .25.

This is a beautiful album and U2 is a beautiful band. Bono is such an amazing song writer and Edge is a great guitarist. They work so well together to create beautiful, thought provoking and important music. This album brings to light so much sadness and tragedy, and they don't shy away from events that happened. Yet they advocate for change and being better humans in a way that makes the music uplifting and hopeful. They are also unique and focus on their strengths and don't try to emulate anyone else or be anything they aren't.

U2 has a sound that's all their own. This doesn't feel like it came out of the 80s. Really loved it...deep, impactful lyrics, emotional vocals, rockin' instruments. It hit me in my feels. Enjoyed every song.

Man, it’s a shame that they’ll never be able to make music with this type of energy and fire, rooted in struggle, anger, and hope for the future. Got too big, and that fire dies.

I love this album. It came out during formative years of my own life and I have fond memories of listening to each track, slowly digesting the lyrics. The whole album has a way of making protest music that sneaks past your defenses and pulls you into re-imagining the world around you with hope. It is hard to believe it is 40 years old because the music and themes are still so relevant. And I am always amazed at how hook-filled guitars and great vocals are so elevated by a totally locked in rhythm section. A real gem.

Still great. So much energy. And the Edge’s guitar still sounds unique, remarkable.

I knew some of these songs already, but this was my first time hearing the album. It's fantastic. I love how angular it is, and how weird it gets at times. Interesting to hear which sounds they continued to develop and which ones they left behind. Brilliant.

ill be with you agaaaaain

First and best!

Iconic. Wonderful

Man I missed out a lot by not listening to the earlier albums of U2. This is a great album with Seconds or New Year's Day as my favourite tracks. The rhythm group are the heart of U2 as you can hear here pretty well. I think it's even better than The Joshua Tree at some points.

How weird that this is the first album suggested for me. Brings back memories of my 13-year-old self, sitting in the back seat of the family car on long road trips staring out the window and listening to this cassette, flipping it over and over again on my Walkman. Excellent album!

Yes, please. Take me straight back to high school. Every song still hits, but \"I threw a Brick through a Window\" feels different. I remember skipping it due to the no hook, no catchy lyrics, no direction of the melody nature. But listening now, it feels like a joyful track of boys musically discovering who they are. Nice to revisit.

Cool album.

own

It’s been one of my favorites for years 🤍

I’m not a fan of U2, but it’s difficult to deny how great their early records are. I’d not heard this for a long time, but it still sounds great and doesn’t suffer from the usual production that dates so many 80s albums. Anyroad, great stuff.

There is no weak song here. All of them are excellent to great to all-time classic.

An album that was part of my Jr High soundtrack

Some real classics. This album starts out with the familiar sounds of Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day which anyone who has listened to the radio in the last 40 years will recognize instantly. But the Deep tracks on the B side are where the real brilliance shines through.

amazing album

What a perfect album! It contains only hits and is still deeply rooted in post punk. I love it!

Descubrir a U2 marcha atrás a partir de Unforgettable Fire fue todo un viaje. Puede que este sea el más completo de esos tres (Boy, October y War) aunque tenga mejor recuerdo de canciones sueltas de los otros dos. Casi "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "New Year's Day", "Like a Song...", "The Refugee", "Two Hearts Beat as One", "Red Light", "Surrender" y "40". Espectacular.

Had a really good time with this album Would definitely buy it!

No wonder U2 got so popular. This album is amazing. I love the production, especially how demanding those drums sound, like I'm right next to the drummer

I like really don't wanna be one of those people that like U2 but you can't ignore their power. This album rules. Start to finish. Super post punk, angry at the world, cool guitars and drums.

Amazing album, no filler - every track is timeless

ok i’m glad I wasn’t just hallucinating that they had at least one good album in their discography

Love it

A classic favorite

Great listen. "New Year's Day" is awesome, and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is also great.

Joshua Tree is great but this is the moment they became U2.

that was awesome

bonkers for Bono 🙌🏻 a lot of these are classics and the whole deal is a major throwback to my middle school boombox

Old School sur U2

Spectacular album; yes, even outside of the huge hits of "New Years Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Crazy to think that this album doesn't crack in the top 3 (IMO) of their best releases. People will generally hate on U2 but don't realize how deep their work is and this album proves it. 9/10.

This is U2’s best album, and not just because “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” are on it. There’s an immediacy of emotion here that’s not present on much of their later work.

Yuh

In my opinion, WAR was the most complete U2 album prior to the release of THE JOSHUA TREE. Favorite songs "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "Seconds", "New Year's Day", "Drowning Man", "The Refugee" , and "Two Hearts Beat As One". The music is not only interesting sounding for the time, but manages to increase audio production quality without losing any urgency or vitality. A more interesting album to me than The Clash's LONDON CALLING.

I've never been a big fan of U2, but I've always dug their hits. This is a fantastic album and the Edge has some pretty fantastic guitar work. Would love to hear him play some disco.

Tremendous

One of my favorites of all time.

Ich habe das Album noch nie komplett gehört. Wie kommt das. Ein Meisterwerk. Der Beginn für weitere Meisterwerke.

OK, I give this 5 stars, as the album made such a big impression at the time, and moreover, the three hit singles still sound just as good as ever, and I still much Iike the sound, especially the drums.

Por Sunday Bloody Sunday un 5. no conocía más canciones.

Such a great album

Looks like I've still got one more U2 album to catch up on from this list but so far I think this is one of my favourites. Faves: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, The Refugee, Two Hearts Beat As One.

Anthemic and passionate. It's an iconic album whatever you think of Bono.

Não sou tão fan da banda mas o disco é bom

great classic u2 album, can see why they had great success. and has some powerful lyrics especially sunday bloody sunday

9/10 New years Day is one of the best post punk songs I've heard. I like U2 and this album has a few just awesome songs. 6-20-2024

Excellent album

I LOVED this album, but I didn’t expect to. I’ve heard a handful of the most popular U2 songs, and those never piqued my curiosity to search out more. But this album is different. The only song I didn’t love was 40, but I get it and I get why it’s there. Now I’m wondering if I should listen to more of their albums in their entirety.

Some all time classics on this album. Not much can be added to the greatness of early U2. Banger. Easy 5 stars.

War is the third full-length album from U2, and it is the work that pushed them to international stardom. Their songs are clear, energetic rock songs with the pace and feel of punk songs. Bono's strong voice makes the melodic songs into anthems that appealed to world-wide audiences. War includes some of the band's early hits like "New Year's Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," both great examples of the politically-motivated statements the band had made through their music.

Hymne of my youth

This was my favorite U2 album since Boy, and stayed that way until Actung Baby was released.

cool

Know this album well so no need to listen. A big favourite of mine. When released was never off my turntable and I thought it was the best thing ever. Brilliant music and edgy political lyrics. Intro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is for me one of the greatest guitar moments and instantly recognisable before a word is sung. And I love Bono’s live introduction “This is not a rebel song. This is Sunday Bloody Sunday” Song he later gave tribute to EnnisKillen pensioners who were killed in a bombing attack on Remembrance Sunday in a mid song speech “Fuck the revolution”- hair standing on back of head stuff. I have hardly listened recently but it will always be a record I have high regard of even when future U2 releases superseded this one. 5/5 17/5/24

i've only really listened to u2's stuff that came out in the late 90s and 2000s, so this was very new to me. this album is fantastic. very lovely dance punk with strong meaning and merit. something about the almost... echoey ghastly... REALLY punchy mastering makes it for me i feel. great listen. really relatable tracks too, some about the unfortunate reality of the world.

A great album showcasing U2's typical "rattle and hum" sound.

Classic 4.5

Powerful stuff with messages still very relevant today

One of their very best. Superb, just filled with bangers.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Highlighted by hits such as Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day.

Might not have the strongest u2 singles but a much better overall album than anything I've heard of them. So wildly different than their later stuff. Not that either is better, but it seems like they weren't just writing for the singles here.

great classic u2 album, can see why they had great success. and has some powerful lyrics especially sunday bloody sunday

Good U2 album

surprised me, literally had no skips, i enjoyed it throughout which was surprising because i listened to the joshua tree recently and it wasn’t the best, imma have to relisten. 8/10

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Really got me hooked on U2 when it came out in the 80's. Well-written songs from start to finish

Early U2 is great. This is arguably one of the best next to Joshua Tree.

Wonderful album. Loved the evolution of this album. Can hear some of the riffs and styles that are on Unforgettable Fire. Highly recommend.

It's easy to criticise later U2, rightly or wrongly, but War is the high point of a much more acerbic and powerful group, punk with fancy instrumentation. A career highlight.

still pretty boring but easily the best u2 album ive ever had to listen to. the 5 stars is for the album cover not the music

every song is flawless. Not a single skip.

Listened to this a lot in my teen years, and still one of my favorites from U2.

Sometimes I hear the lead singles off an album and think, “This is awesome! I hope every song on the album is like this!” That’s often not the case and I guess that’s reasonable. But then I appreciate all the more when I hear an album like U2’s “War” that absolutely delivers on the promise of the singles. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Years Day” are massively catchy rock songs that still sound great even after hearing them countless times on the radio. And the rest of the album follows suit with a bunch more high energy songs in the same style. “Seconds” is just as catchy as the singles that come directly before and after it and “Like a Song” is a killer hard rock jam, especially at the end. “The Refugee” and “Two Hearts Beat as One” are also great. This album is strong front to back. This makes me wish I could see U2 perform live in their early days. Bono’s wail on this album is killer and the whole band rocks.

I'm a sucker for an underdog and the reason why I love U2 is because they were disliked and unnecessarily hated on for years and during all of this I was like "wait hold on maybe that means I would like them". I didn't grow up listening to them and I always thought Bono was a corndog but man do i LOVE some U2 these days, and this is probably my favorite album of theirs (close second would be The Joshua Tree perhaps?). It's funny to look back at when I disliked this band along with the rest of teenagers and people around me. South Park was making fun of Bono and they were the butt of a lot of jokes about cringey dad rock music. But since flipping that switch I feel like every time I listen I question how stupid my thinking was. An Irish rock band who don't have some fake tough guy personas but rather use their compositional chops and fame / presence to bring awareness to the travesties of the world around them and protest the things (people) that are causing them? What's not to like there from that idea without even hearing the music? Oh and the music fucking rips? U2 is definitely pop-rock. Maybe better defined as stadium pop-rock. But this album is more scathing than the previous ones. It has more edge to it (heh), and that's what personally draws me in. Despite this more scathing sound, it still bops. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" finds Bono singing about the state of the world around him: "Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across the dead end street But I won't heed the battle call It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall." And yet the song has this bop beat to it that if you turn your brain off for a minute you can dance up and down to. What a clash of ideas right? But it works and it works so well. It also such pretty moments in it (the beautiful pre-chorus "How long, how long must we sing this song"), that it makes the song stretch out further than just a regular old protest song. It seemingly does a better job at raising awareness because it's simply listenable and not just someone on a mic saying that everything around them is bad. It sounds like such a simple concept, but the execution is genius. It's like "hey listen to this nice piece of music. And by the way, now that I got you in the door, listen to some of these lyrics". The production on this record is stellar. Everything is raw, and yet everything fits and gels with itself. There's stand out moments, but every instrument shines at different times and there's never a competition. There's no unnecessary triple tracked guitars or overly compressed drums. There's added interesting producer bits and bobs; like the synthetic sounding reverbed strings in the intro of "Sunday Bloody Sunday". How jarring, yet beautiful are these? How jarring yet beautiful are Bono's wails? "New Years Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" are either top 50 or top 100 songs for me of all time. Amazing tracks that I get the chills when I listen to. One of the best album covers of all time. Cute kid with a fat lip putting his hands up like a prisoner. The U2 | WAR text is perfect.

I loved U2 in the 80's

Me encanto

I've forgotten what's it's like to listen to a truly outstanding album after all the mediocrity I've been getting. Obviously U2 is a household name by now, and I've always liked their music well enough though I don't ever listen to it. But sitting down with this album really drives home why U2 is the phenomenon they are. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a masterpiece. Seconds is new to me, which is unfortunate because the drumming just blows me away with its insistence and power. I think for me that's the real album takeaway - not Bono himself but The Edge. Across the album the drumming is just so raw, palpable, and deeply emotional.

The one that created the U2 sound. Strong songs from start to finish.

Excellent

I'm tossing up whether this is a 4 star, or a 5 star album. 5 stars should be the cream of my personal list of albums. 4 merely the excellent that I also enjoy. 5 should have enduring wonder and depths to unpack. 4 be a returnable joys but not necessarily one that requires work to unpack. It's consumable. Digestible. Done. There is a lot to unpack in U2 War, the development of the artists, the development of their message at that time and place, how the album meant so much in so many ways, and how the album resonates with me, in the past, present and through to the future. I'm not a huge Bono fan, he doesn't offend, but he does not greatly inspire either. Maybe his status as a personality has overshown his status as a musician in my current view. Maybe he could, with more work from me. I think U2 has huge historic impact on how my music appreciation developed, but I didn't focus on U2 for that. It was there, just not central. I find on re-listenings, it does have that depth and that interest, possibly that joy of a message well crafted and well delivered. It's anti-war message is still so intensely valid now. Everything has changed, and nothing has changed. It is a good blend of music and intent, vocals and message. I can engage more with this than with many other artists and their seminal works. I think I've convinced myself to give the album 5 stars. I will re-listen, I will dig more into this and I will continue to appreciate it craft of this album. Yes. Ok. I'm doing it. Worthy 5 stars.

One of their best! Powerful music and lyrics.

I love the music of early U2. I think the War album was a classic. Not only the big hits like Sunday Bloody Sunday, some of the less known ones such as Seconds as well.

Por Sunday Bloody Sunday un 5. no conocía más canciones.

U2 - War

Loved.

One of my favorite albums from when I was a kid. U2 was one of my favorites. Very good listen.

great album - one of the best albums from U2

I've always wavered from kinda-ok-to-meh-to-dislike on U2 but this is one of those rare "all killer no filler" albums for anyone. As a kid I think this was probably my first introduction to the band - the "New Year's Day" video and classic Red Rocks concert clips... Early raw sound, band churning aggressively, love The Edge's unique style, Bono belting out emotional vocal lines - and best for me: the vocals are mixed nice and low with everyone else in the band (as opposed to the up front mix/mic technique from the 90s on). The band sounds live on just about every cut. A great throwback that both invokes nostalgia yet still more than holds up and I'll choose to remember this era when thinking of U2. Also made me dig this vinyl out of the collection; has been collecting dust for too long... They have a few other early albums I enjoy, but this was and is quite easily the best album the band ever made - just about flawless. 9/10 5 stars.

Classic 1983 Standouts: New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Seconds, The Refugee, Two Hearts Beat as One, Surrender, "40" 4.5/5

Phenomenal album. Early U2 classic.