It’s time once again for my Back to the 80s challenge and now that we’re getting closer to the end, we’re reaching the letters of the alphabet that really will be a challenge!
This time around is a band that became a huge success in the 1980s and another band that I was fortunate to see live. Back in the day, they were one of my favourites, but personally, they reached a point where musically, I eventually lost all interest (hey, it happens sometimes).
U2 were formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1976 and released their first album Boy in 1980. The album received positive reviews and they released the album October a year later. The album War was released in 1983 and the single ‘New Year’s Day’ was to become the band’s first hit outside of the U.K. They toured Europe and the U.S, which resulted in their live album Under a Blood Red Sky. The album Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984, which was successful in the U.S and became No.1 in the U.K. The single ‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’, became their biggest hit and the band performed at the Live Aid concert in 1985, with a television audience estimated of 2 billion people. It would help establish what Rolling Stone magazine labelled as ‘the band of the 80s’ that same year.
Their fifth album, The Joshua Tree, was released in 1987 and was critically acclaimed. It went to No.1 in over twenty countries and won two Grammy Awards. A year later, the album Rattle and Hum was released and reached No.1 world wide. Over the years, U2 would go on to release eight more albums, tour extensively, become one of the most best-selling artists in history and be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
This song was my favourite from their very early years and I recall a different clip. But oh dear, Bono’s hair in this one – so very 80s! 😉
Other bands formed or who had hits in the 1980s starting with the letter U include:- Ultravox, Uncanny X-Men, UB40, Underworld.
Have you ever lost interest in certain bands when they change musical direction? What were some of your favourite bands during the 1980s? What other bands of the 1980s that begin with the letter U can you think of?
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U2 reminds me of someone I would rather forget – it’s unfair how bad memories spoil music isn’t it.
Hi ateafan. That’s such a shame! Funny how music can spark a memory, either good or bad. I find it’s the same with certain smells.
Yes emotions +sounds and smells do tend to make indelible memories. Only V, W, X, Y, Z to go now … interesting posts btw.
Thanks ateafan and I’m glad you like them! Not long now until the end and then I can finally move on to something else. 😉
Hi Debbie, I could not resist answering the questions in your post! Regarding my favorite band of the 80’s and also a band I had stopped listening to, it was XTC. I lost interest in them in the late 80’s and it wasn’t until my daughter discovered them that I regained interest. She actually likes the later stuff that I lost interest in. Once I started listening again, I realized that she was right, I shouldn’t have stopped listening. Now I am re-discovering them and their later stuff. BTW, I also have a couple of Ultravox albums. I liked them a lot too, back in the day. Fun post… Thanks!
Hi Des. I love how your daughter started listening to XTC for you to rediscover them – that’s awesome. Thanks for the heads up on XTC and Ultravox; they’re two bands I remember from the early 80s. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy yourselves! 😉