Editing U2 (section)

== Musical style ==
Bono's songwriting exhibits a penchant for social, political, and personal subject matter, while maintaining a grandiosity. The Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.<ref name="edge-musician86">{{cite magazine|title=U2's Leading Edge|magazine=[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]|first=John|last=Hutchinson|date=September 1986|issue=95|pages=32+}}</ref> U2's early sound was [[punk rock|punk]]-influenced [[alternative rock]],<ref>{{cite book|page=1104|editor-last=Hochman|editor-first=Steve|year=1999|title=Popular Musicians: Sonny and Cher-ZZ Top|publisher=Salem Press|isbn=9780893569907}}</ref> and the group were associated with the [[post-punk]] movement.<ref>{{cite book|page=30|last=Kootnikoff|first=David|year=2010|title=U2: A Musical Biography|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=9780313365232}}</ref> Their influences included acts such as [[Television (band)|Television]], [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]],<ref>Morley, Paul. ''Boy'' remastered 2008 Liner Notes, Mercury Records Ltd (London), ASIN: B0013LPS6Q</ref> and [[Joy Division]], and their resulting sound was described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from the Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".<ref>Reynolds (2006), p. 368</ref> According to [[Bob Stanley (musician)|Bob Stanley]], "U2 rejected post-punk's own rejection of pop as [[lingua franca]], its hunkering down in regional particularity, and its raised finger to [[populist]] communication."<ref>{{cite book|last=Stanley|first=Bob|author-link=Bob Stanley (musician)|year=2014|title=Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!: The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé|publisher=W. W. Norton|isbn=9780393242706|page=365}}</ref> U2 developed a melodic sound under the early influence of record producer [[Steve Lillywhite]] at a time when they were not known for musical proficiency.<ref name="u2dropsbomb"/> Their songs began as minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on ''Boy'' and ''October'', before evolving with ''War'' to include aspects of rock anthem, [[funk]], and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Review: War|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=J.D.|last=Considine|date=20 January 1983| issue=387}}</ref> ''Boy'' and ''War'' were labelled "muscular and assertive" by ''Rolling Stone'',<ref name="RS_JT"/> influenced in large part by Lillywhite's production. ''The Unforgettable Fire'', which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up ''The Joshua Tree'', were produced by [[Brian Eno]] and [[Daniel Lanois]]. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture".<ref name="RS_JT"/> The songs from ''The Joshua Tree'' and ''Rattle and Hum'' placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's fascination with America.

In the 1990s, U2 began using synthesisers, [[distortion (guitar)|distortion]], and [[electronica|electronic]] beats derived from [[noise music]], [[electronic dance music|dance]], and [[Hip hop|hip-hop]] on ''Achtung Baby'',<ref name="rs-achtung-review"/> ''Zooropa'', and ''Pop''.<ref name="NYT_POP">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/28/arts/under-a-golden-arch-sincerely-u2.html|title=Under A Golden Arch, Sincerely U2|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=Jon|last=Pareles|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=28 April 1997|at=sec. C, p. 13|edition=National|access-date=18 June 2010}}</ref> According to [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]], "U2 was able to sustain their popularity in the '90s by reinventing themselves as a [[post-modern]], self-consciously ironic dance-inflected [[pop-rock]] act, owing equally to the experimentalism of late '70s [[David Bowie|Bowie]] and '90s [[electronic dance music|electronic dance]] and [[techno]]".<ref>{{cite book|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|chapter=U2|title=All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul|editor1-last=Bogdanov|editor1-first=Vladimir|editor2-last=Woodstra|editor2-first=Chris|editor3-last=Erlewine|editor3-first=Stephen Thomas|page=1169|year=2002|publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation]]|isbn=087930653X}}</ref> They have also been called a pop-rock band by biographer [[Michael Heatley]]<ref>{{cite book|page=101|last=Heatley|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Heatley|year=1996|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Rock: The World's Most Comprehensive Illustrated Rock Reference|publisher=Virgin|isbn=9781852276669}}</ref> and musicologist [[Gerry Smyth]].<ref>{{cite book|page=100|last=Smyth|first=Gerry|author-link=Gerry Smyth|year=2005|title=Noisey Island: A Short History of Irish Popular Music|publisher=[[Cork University Press]]|isbn=9781859183878}}</ref> The band's 1990s output has been regarded as an [[art rock]] phase in commentaries by biographer John Jobling,<ref>Jobling (2014), p. 300.</ref> ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'' journalist Nico Lang,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lang|first=Nico|date=18 September 2014|url=https://www.salon.com/2014/09/18/how_u2_became_the_most_hated_band_in_america_partner/|title=How U2 became the most hated band in America|magazine=[[Salon.com|Salon]]|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref> and music critic [[Jim DeRogatis]],<ref>{{cite news|date=23 February 2009|last=DeRogatis|first=Jim|author-link=Jim DeRogatis|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2009/2/23/18538441/u2-no-line-on-the-horizon-universal-3-5-stars|title=U2, "No Line on the Horizon" (Universal)|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref> as well as in an interview by Bono.<ref>{{cite web|last=Leas|first=Ryan|date=3 July 2013|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1398731/zooropa-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/|title=Zooropa Turns 20|website=[[Stereogum]]|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's [[Josh Tyrangiel]] went further in saying that, "In the towering period that spanned ''The Joshua Tree'' to ''Zooropa'', U2 made stadium-size art rock with huge melodies that allowed Bono to throw his arms around the world while bending its ear about social justice."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tyrangiel|first=Josh|author-link=Josh Tyrangiel|date=26 February 2009|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1881980,00.html|title=U2's Unsatisfied — and Unsatisfying — New Album|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref>

In the 2000s, U2 returned to more stripped-down rock and pop sounds,<ref>{{cite book|last=Fast|first=Susan|chapter=Music, Contexts, and Meaning in U2|editor1-last=Everett|editor1-first=Walter|editor-link=Walter Everett (musicologist)|year=2008|title=Expression in Pop-rock Music: Critical and Analytical Essays|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415979597|page=176}}</ref> with more conventional rhythms and reduced usage of synthesisers and effects,<ref name="mcc289">McCormick (2006), p. 289</ref> "reinvent[ing] themselves as a quality pop band", according to music journalist [[Chris Charlesworth]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Charlesworth|first=Chris|author-link=Chris Charlesworth|year=2008|title=25 Albums That Rocked the World!|publisher=Omnibus|page=231|isbn=978-1-84772-626-1}}</ref> U2's music has been regarded as pop in analyses by writers [[David Hawke]],<ref>{{cite book|page=501|editor-last=Hawke|editor-first=David|year=1994|title=Proceedings, Inaugural Joint Conference, New Zealand Geographical Society and Institute of Australian Geographers, Auckland, January 1992|publisher=The Society}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]],<ref name="CG">{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=n.d.|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=U2|title=CG: U2|website=robertchristgau.com|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref> and [[Niall Stokes]].<ref name="Stokes">{{cite magazine|last=Stokes|first=Niall|author-link=Niall Stokes|year=1997|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/the-history-of-pop-392675|title=The History of Pop|magazine=[[Hot Press]]|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref> In an interview with Stokes for ''[[Hot Press]]'', Bono explained the band's struggles in the 1980s among highbrow circles who patronised them for being a successful pop group, leading to their embrace of the term "pop" by the 1990s.<ref name="Stokes"/> Reviewing their 2000 album ''All That You Can't Leave Behind'', Christgau remarked that, "since they'd been calling themselves pop for half of their two-decade run, maybe they'd better sit down and write some catchy songs. So they did."<ref name="CG"/> Summing up U2's stylistic evolution since ''Boy'', ''Guitar'' journalist Owen Bailey said that they "have gone on to conquer the world's airwaves and arenas in a number of different incarnations, ranging from earnest, politically charged new-wave flagbearers to wide-eyed art-rock musicologists to purveyors of irony-laden alt-rock and ever onward", with the Edge remaining "at the heart of their sound".<ref>{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Owen|date=19 January 2021|url=https://guitar.com/guides/essential-guide/the-edges-20-greatest-guitar-moments-ranked/|title=The Edge's 20 Greatest Guitar Moments, Ranked|website=Guitar|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref>

===Vocals===
[[File:U2 in Tokyo (49182846331).jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Bono performing in Amsterdam in July 2017]]
Bono is known for his impassioned vocal style, often delivered in a high [[vocal register|register]] through open-throated [[Belting (music)|belting]].<ref name="latimes-joshua"/><ref>Fast (2000), pp. 33–53</ref><ref name="nzherald">{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10411209|title=Album review: The Joshua Tree|newspaper=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=20 March 1987|first=Colin|last=Hogg|access-date=15 October 2010}}</ref><ref>Rooksby (2001), pp. 122–123</ref> He has been classified as a [[tenor]],<ref name="nyt-achtung">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/17/arts/recordings-view-u2-takes-a-turn-from-the-universal-to-the-domestic.html?scp=2 |title=U2 Takes a Turn From the Universal To the Domestic |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Jon |last=Pareles |author-link=Jon Pareles |date=17 November 1991|edition=National|at=sec. Arts and Leisure, p. 29|access-date=13 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928170832/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/17/arts/recordings-view-u2-takes-a-turn-from-the-universal-to-the-domestic.html?scp=2 |archive-date=28 September 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/music/article/On-Music-U2-s-latest-CD-takes-time-to-settle-in-1301425.php| title = On Music: U2's latest CD takes time to settle in| work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |date=2 March 2009|access-date=12 May 2018| first=Gene| last=Stout}}</ref> and according to him has a three-[[octave]] [[Voice classification in non-classical music|vocal range]];<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/even-better-than-the-surreal-thing-2613082|title=Even Better Than the Surreal Thing|magazine=[[Hot Press]]|first=Joe|last=Jackson|date=16 June 1993|volume=17|issue=11}}</ref> one analysis found it to span from C{{music|sharp}}{{sub|2}} to G{{music|sharp}}{{sub|5}} on studio recordings over the course of his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.concerthotels.com/worlds-greatest-vocal-ranges|title=The Vocal Ranges of the World's Greatest Singers|website=ConcertHotels.com|access-date=2 September 2019}}</ref> He frequently employs "[[Non-lexical vocables in music|whoa-oh-oh]]" vocalisations in his singing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-20286274.html|title=U2's Songs of Innocence Forget the hype: what about the music?|website=[[Irish Examiner]]|first=Ed|last=Power|date=15 September 2014|access-date=3 September 2020}}</ref> Rock musician [[Billie Joe Armstrong]] of Green Day said: "He's a physical singer, like the leader of a gospel choir, and he gets lost in the melodic moment. He goes to a place outside himself, especially in front of an audience, when he hits those high notes." He added that Bono is "not afraid to go beyond what he's capable of".<ref name="Lethem 67–108">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-147019/bono-8-222931/|title=The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Jonathan|last=Lethem|date=27 November 2008|issue=1066|pages=67–108|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref>

In the early days of U2, Bono unintentionally developed an English vocal accent as a result of him mimicking his musical influences such as Siouxsie and the Banshees.<ref>McCormick (2006), p. 58</ref> He said that he found his own singing voice after attending a [[Ramones]] concert and hearing [[Joey Ramone]] sing.<ref>{{cite web|first=Bjørn |last=Hammershaug|url=https://tidal.com/magazine/article/age-of-innocence-u2s-dublin-beginnings/1-9360|title=Age of Innocence: U2's Dublin Beginnings|website=[[Tidal (service)|Tidal]]|date=23 October 2014 |access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref> Bono's vocal style evolved during the band's exploration of roots music for ''The Joshua Tree''; ''Spin'' said that he learned to command "the full whisper-to-shout range of blues mannerisms".<ref name="spin">{{cite magazine|title=Spins: U2&nbsp;– The Joshua Tree|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|first=John|last=Piccarella|date=June 1987|issue=3|volume=3|pages=32–33}}</ref> Bono attributed this maturation to "loosening up", "discover[ing] other voices", and employing more restraint in his singing.<ref name="worldabout">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.hotpress.com/archive/551797.html |title=The World About Us |magazine=[[Hot Press]] |first=Niall |last=Stokes |author-link=Niall Stokes |author2=Graham, Bill |date=26 March 1987 |access-date=27 April 2011 |volume=11 |issue=5 |archive-date= 16 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016162124/http://www.hotpress.com/archive/551797.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> For "Where the Streets Have No Name", he varied the [[timbre]] of his voice extensively and used [[tempo rubato|rubato]] to vary its timing,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Butler |first=Mark |title=Taking it seriously: intertextuality and authenticity in two covers by the Pet Shop Boys |magazine=Popular Music |volume=22 |issue=1 |date=January 2003 |pages=1–19 |doi=10.1017/S0261143003003015 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |jstor=853553}}</ref> while author Susan Fast found "With or Without You" to be the first track on which he "extended his vocal range downward in an appreciable way".<ref>Fast (2000), p. 48</ref>

Bono continued to explore a lower range in the 1990s, using what Fast described as "breathy and subdued colors" for ''Achtung Baby''.<ref name="exp">Fast (2000), pp. 45–48</ref> One technique used on the album is [[octave doubling]], in which his vocals are sung in two different octaves, either simultaneously or alternating between verses and choruses. According to Fast, this technique introduces "a contrasting lyrical idea and vocal character to deliver it", leading to both literal and ironic interpretations of Bono's vocals.<ref>Fast (2000), pp. 49–50</ref> On tracks such as "[[Zoo Station (song)|Zoo Station]]" and "The Fly", his vocals were highly [[Audio signal processing|processed]],<ref name="nyt-achtung"/><ref name="globe">{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/ae/music/packages/U2Fleetcenter/album_review_achtung_baby |title=U2 bounces back |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |first=Steve |last=Morse |date=15 November 1991 |access-date=13 October 2009 |pages=53–54|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212124705/http://www.boston.com/ae/music/packages/U2Fleetcenter/album_review_achtung_baby/ |archive-date=12 December 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref name="ew">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/1991/11/29/achtung-baby |title=Burn, Bono, Burn|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|issue=94 |first=Bill |last=Wyman |date=29 November 1991|page=90|access-date=6 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220184857/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C316330%2C00.html |archive-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> giving them a different emotional feel from his previous work.<ref name="stokes96">Stokes (2005), p. 96</ref> Bono said that lowering his voice helped him find a new vocal vocabulary, which he felt was limited to "certain words and tones" by his tenor voice.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-aug-08-ca-hilburn8-story.html|title='Where craft ends and spirit begins'|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|first=Robert|last=Hilburn|author-link=Robert Hilburn|date=8 August 2004|pages=E1, E40–E41|access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref> His singing on ''Zooropa'' was an even further departure from U2's previous style; throughout the record, Bono "underplay[ed] his lung power", according to [[Jon Pareles]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/04/arts/recordings-view-a-raucous-u2-moves-farther-out-on-a-limb.html?pagewanted=all|title=A Raucous U2 Moves Farther Out on a Limb|last=Pareles|first=Jon|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=4 July 1993|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=8 October 2009|at=sec. Arts and Leisure, p. 22}}</ref> and he also used an operatic [[falsetto]] he calls the "Fat Lady" voice on the tracks "[[Lemon (U2 song)|Lemon]]" and "[[Numb (U2 song)|Numb]]".<ref name="u2byu2-248"/><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Bono vs. The Beast|magazine=[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]]|first=Joe|last=Jackson|date=August 1993}}</ref> As he has aged, Bono has continued to evolve his singing, relying more on "the [[Crooner|croon]] than the belt", according to ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Joe Gross.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/u2-songs-of-surrender-1234693586/|title=U2 Go Back to Basics and Revisit Their Epic Career on 'Songs of Surrender'|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Joe|last=Gross|date=14 March 2023|access-date=14 March 2023}}</ref>

=== Guitar ===
[[File:U2 performing in Belfast 10-27-18 (45611776892).jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|The Edge playing his signature guitar, the [[Gibson Explorer]]]]
The Edge's style of playing guitar is distinguished by his chiming [[timbre]]s,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newsweek.com/stop-name-love-329516|title=Stop in the Name of Love|magazine=[[Newsweek]]|first=Jim|last=Miller|date=31 December 1984|access-date=26 October 2019}}</ref><ref name="guitargods">Gulla (2009), pp. 57–65</ref> echoing notes,<ref name="edgeofu2">{{cite magazine|title=The Edge of U2|magazine=[[Guitar Player]]|first1=Tom|last1=Nolan|first2=Jas|last2=Obrecht|date=June 1985|volume=19|pages=54+}}</ref> sparse [[Voicing (music)|voicings]],<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Basic Instincts: The Edge Brings the U2 Sound Full Circle|magazine=[[Guitar Player]]|first=Darrin|last=Fox|date=January 2001|volume=35|issue=1|pages=100–108}}</ref> and extensive use of [[effects unit]]s.<ref name="10things-edge">{{cite magazine|title=10 Things You Gotta Do to Play Like The Edge|magazine=[[Guitar Player]]|first=Vincent|last=DeMasi|date=November 2008|volume=42|issue=11|pages=117–124}}</ref> He favours the [[perfect fifth]] [[Interval (music)|interval]] and often plays [[power chord]]s, which are [[Guitar chord|chord]]s consisting of just the [[fifth (chord)|fifth]] and [[root (chord)|root]] notes without the [[third (chord)|third]].<ref name="edgestyle-u2byu2">McCormick (2006), pp. 72–75</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=U2 Takes the Fifth|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|first=Jon|last=Pareles|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=11 March 1981}}</ref> This style is not explicitly in a minor or major [[key (music)|key]], but implies both, creating a musical ambiguity.<ref name="edgestyle-u2byu2"/><ref name="edgeofu2"/> For these chords, he often plays the same notes on multiple strings, some of which are left [[Open string (music)|open]], creating an Irish-influenced [[drone (music)|drone]].<ref name="edge-musician86"/><ref name="guitargods"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/u2-0722.aspx|title=Gibson Guitars and U2's The Edge: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Boy|work=[[Gibson (guitar company)|Gibson]]|first=Ted|last=Drozdowski|date=22 July 2010|access-date=19 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630070528/http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/u2-0722.aspx|archive-date=30 June 2017}}</ref> Against this drone, he changes other notes to imply a [[harmony]].<ref name="playlikeedge">{{cite magazine|title=How to Play Like .... The Edge|magazine=[[Guitar Player]]|first=Andy|last=Ellis|date=February 2005|volume=39|issue=2|page=122}}</ref><ref>Calhoun (2018), p. 17</ref> Among the Edge's signature techniques are playing [[arpeggio]]s,<ref name="pluckirish"/><ref name="playlikeedge"/> [[sixteenth note]] percussive strumming,<ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-04-20-ca-1124-story.html|title=A Subdued U2 Rebounds for the '80s|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=Chris|last=Willman|date=20 April 1987|access-date=26 October 2019|at=sec. Calendar, pp. 1, 5}}|{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/150899-u2-achtung-baby-20th-anniversary-edition-2495921552.html|title=U2: Achtung Baby (20th Anniversary Edition)|website=[[Popmatters]]|first=AJ|last=Ramirez|date=10 November 2011|access-date=26 October 2019}}|{{cite news|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2001-12-04-0112030462-story.html|title=U2 closes tour on consoling note|newspaper=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]|first=Sean|last=Piccoli|date=4 December 2001|access-date=26 October 2019|page=3E}}|{{cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guitars/how-to-play-guitar-like-the-edge-617919|title=How to play guitar like The Edge|website=[[MusicRadar]]|first=Steve|last=Allsworth|date=17 March 2015|access-date=26 October 2019}}}}</ref> and [[String harmonic|harmonics]],<ref name="edgestyle-u2byu2"/> the latter of which he described as "so pure and finely-focused that [they have] the incredible ability to pierce through [their] environment of sound, just like lightning".<ref name="edge-musician86"/> His approach to guitar playing is relatively understated and eschews [[Virtuoso|virtuosity]] in favour of "atmospherics, subtlety, minimalism, and clever [[Audio signal flow|signal processing]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Shaking the Tree: Exploring the Edge's Sonic Innovations on the 30th Anniversary of U2's ''The Joshua Tree''|magazine=[[Guitar Player]]|first=Vinnie|last=DeMasi|date=September 2017|volume=51|issue=9|pages=62–64}}</ref> Rather than emulate common playing styles, the Edge is interested in "tearing up the rule book" and finding new ways to approach the instrument.<ref name="edgeofu2"/> He cited guitarists such as [[Tom Verlaine]] of Television, [[John McGeoch]],<ref name="worldabout"/> [[Rory Gallagher]], and [[Patti Smith]] as some of his strongest influences.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/edge-pays-tribute-to-legendary-bluesman-who-laid-road-for-u2-26380018.html|title=Edge pays tribute to legendary bluesman who 'laid road' for U2|work=[[Irish Independent]]|first=Treacy|last=Hogan|date=17 June 2006|access-date=10 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="edge-musician86"/>

The Edge's guitar sound is frequently modulated with a [[delay (audio effect)|delay]] set to a [[dotted note|dotted]] [[eighth note]] for rhythmic effect.<ref name="guitargods"/><ref name="bosso">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/edge-u2-interview-memory-man|title=Memory Man|magazine=[[Guitar World]]|first=Joe|last=Bosso|date=September 2005|volume=26|issue=9|access-date=21 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite web|url=https://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/the-edge-classic-u2-guitar-sound-0924-2012.aspx|title=How The Edge Created a Classic Guitar Sound|website=Gibson|first=Daniel|last=Eriksson|date=24 September 2012|access-date=7 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109045926/https://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/the-edge-classic-u2-guitar-sound-0924-2012.aspx|archive-date=9 January 2017}}|{{cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/creating-using-custom-delay-effects|title=Creating & Using Custom Delay Effects|website=[[Sound on Sound]]|first=Geoff|last=Smith|date=May 2012|access-date=7 April 2019}}}}</ref> After acquiring his first delay pedal, the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man,<ref name="mcg29"/> he became fascinated with how to use its return echo to "fill in notes that [he's] not playing, like two guitar players rather than one".<ref name="imgl">{{cite video|people=The Edge, [[Davis Guggenheim]] (director)|title=[[It Might Get Loud]]|medium=film|publisher=[[Sony Pictures Classics]]|date=2008}}</ref> The effect unit became a mainstay in his guitar rig and had a significant impact on the band's creative output.<ref name="mcg29"/> The Edge became known for his extensive use of effects units, and for his meticulous nature in crafting specific sounds and guitar tones from his equipment choices.<ref name="10things-edge"/><ref name="musicradar-360">{{cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/u2-exclusive-the-edges-stage-setup-revealed-223342|title=U2 Exclusive: The Edge's stage setup revealed|website=[[MusicRadar]]|first=Joe|last=Bosso|date=14 October 2009|access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> [[Led Zeppelin]] guitarist [[Jimmy Page]] called him a "sonic architect",<ref name="imgl"/> while [[Neil McCormick]] described him as an "effects maestro".<ref>{{cite news|title=Has the axeman lost his mojo?|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|first=Neil|last=McCormick|author-link=Neil McCormick|date=20 August 2009|page=25}}</ref> Critics have variously referred to the Edge's guitar sounds as evoking the image of fighter planes on "[[Bullet the Blue Sky]]",<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/u2-the-joshua-tree-re-mastered-r1987|title=U2&nbsp;– The Joshua Tree Re-Mastered (R1987)|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|first=Andrew|last=Mueller|author-link=Andrew Mueller|access-date=20 March 2017|archive-date=23 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123222141/http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/u2-the-joshua-tree-re-mastered-r1987|url-status=dead}}</ref> resembling a "dentist's drill" on "[[Love Is Blindness]]",<ref name="ew"/> and resembling an "airplane turbine" on "[[Mofo (song)|Mofo]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2009/05/guilty-pleasure-u2-pop/|title=Guilty Pleasure: U2 – Pop|website=[[Consequence of Sound]]|first=Joe|last=Marvilli|date=9 May 2009|access-date=21 December 2018}}</ref> The Edge said that rather than using effects merely to modify his sound, he uses them to spark ideas during his songwriting process.<ref name="bosso"/>

The Edge developed his playing style during his teenage years, partially as a result of him and Mullen trying to accommodate the "eccentric" bass playing of Clayton by being the timekeepers of the band.<ref name="edgestyle-u2byu2"/> In their early days, the Edge's only guitar was his 1976 [[Gibson Explorer]] Limited Edition,<ref name="bosso"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/10-things-about-the-edge-and-his-guitars.aspx|title=10 Things About The Edge and His Guitars|website=Gibson|first=Daniel|last=Eriksson|
date=21 July 2013|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418063845/https://www.gibson.com/news-lifestyle/features/en-us/10-things-about-the-edge-and-his-guitars.aspx|archive-date=18 April 2018}}</ref> which became a signature of the group.<ref>McGee (2008), p. 18</ref> He found the sound of the Explorer's bass strings unsatisfactory and avoided them in his playing early on, resulting in a [[Treble (sound)|trebly]] sound. He said by focusing "on one area of the [[Fingerboard|fretboard]] [he] was developing a very stylized way of doing something that someone else would play in a normal way".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=On the Edge of Success |magazine=U2 Magazine|first=Tom|last=Nolan |number=3 |date=May 1982}}</ref> His 1964 [[Vox AC30]] "Top Boost" amplifier (housed in a 1970s cabinet) is favoured for its "sparkle" tone, and is the basis for his sound both in the studio and live.<ref name="musicradar-360"/> Rather than hold his [[Guitar pick|plectrum]] with a standard grip, the Edge turns it sideways or upside down to use the dimpled edge against the strings, producing a "rasping top end" to his tone.<ref name="edgeofu2"/>

===Rhythm section===
As a rhythm section, Mullen and Clayton often play the same patterns, giving U2's music a driving,<ref>{{cite news|title=U2 conquers Toronto!|newspaper=[[The Windsor Star]]|first=Owen|last=Jones|date=27 March 1992|page=C1}}</ref><ref name="jan84-mod-drum">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/md51cs-1.pdf|title=Style and Analysis: U2's Larry Mullen|magazine=[[Modern Drummer]]|first=Michael|last=Bettine|date=January 1984|volume=8|issue=1|pages=32–33|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> pulsating beat<ref>{{cite news|title=U2 'tore down the walls' in dynamic Atlanta show|newspaper=[[The Greenville News]]|first=Lynne|last=Lucas|date=11 December 1987|at=Motions magazine, p. 2}}</ref> that serves as a foundation for the Edge's guitar work.<ref name="jan84-mod-drum"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/12/12/19/concert-review-u2-lights-the-way-for-manila-fans|title=Concert review: U2 lights the way for Manila fans|website=[[ABS-CBNnews.com]]|first=Alcuin|last=Papa|date=12 December 2019|access-date=26 August 2020}}</ref> For his drumming, Mullen locks into the Edge's guitar playing, while Clayton locks his bass playing into Mullen's drumming.<ref name="bp-groundcontrol"/> Author [[Bill Flanagan]] said that their playing styles perfectly reflected their personalities: "Larry is right on top of the beat, a bit ahead—as you'd expect from a man who's so ordered and punctual in his life. Adam plays a little behind the beat, waiting till the last moment to slip in, which fits Adam's casual, don't-sweat-it personality."<ref name="flan208"/>

[[File:U2 in Melbourne (49094332793).jpg|thumb|left|Mullen in November 2019]]
Mullen's drumming style is influenced by his experience in marching bands during his adolescence,<ref name="larry-prop22-int">{{cite magazine|title=The Larry Mullen Jr. Interview|magazine=Propaganda|publisher=U2 World Service|last=Cunningham|first=Mark|date=Spring–Summer 1995|issue=22}}</ref><ref name="larry85-mod-drum">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/august-1985-u2s-larry-mullen-jr-2/|title=Larry Mullen, Jr.|magazine=[[Modern Drummer]]|first=Connie|last=Fisher|date=August 1985|volume=9|issue=8|pages=8–13, 38, 42, 44, 48, 50–52|access-date=17 June 2020|url-access=subscription}}</ref> which helped contribute to the militaristic beats of songs such as "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]".<ref name="mcc135"/> Flanagan said that he plays "with a martial rigidity but uses his kit in a way a properly trained drummer would not"; he tends to transition from the [[snare drum]] onto [[tom-tom drum|tom-toms]] positioned on either side of him, contrasting with how they are traditionally used.<ref name="flan208">Flanagan (1996), pp. 208–209</ref> Mullen occasionally rides a tom-tom the way other drummers would play a cymbal, or rides the [[hi-hat]] how others would play a snare.<ref name="larry85-mod-drum"/> He admitted his [[bass drum]] technique is not a strength, as he mostly played the snare in marching bands and did not learn to properly combine the separate drumming elements together on a full [[drum kit|kit]]. As a result, he uses a [[floor tom]] to his left to create the effect of a bass drum. He said, "I couldn't do what most people would consider a normal beat for the song, so I chose alternatives." He was heavily influenced by [[glam rock]] acts of the 1970s when first learning to play.<ref name="larry-prop22-int" /> In the early days of U2, Mullen had what Bono called a "florid" drumming style, before he pared down his rhythms.<ref name="larry85-mod-drum"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://usa.yamaha.com/artists/l/larry-mullen-jr.html|title=Larry Mullen Jr.|website=[[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]]|access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref> His drumming leaves open space, owing to what ''[[Modern Drummer]]'' described as his understanding of "when to hit and when not to hit".<ref name="larry85-mod-drum"/> As he matured as a timekeeper, he developed an excellent sense of rhythm; Eno recounted one occasion when Mullen noticed that his [[click track]] had been set incorrectly by six milliseconds.<ref name="eno">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/04/25/the-possibilian|title=The Possibilian|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|first=Burkhard|last=Bilger|date=25 April 2011|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref> Under the tutelage of Lanois, Mullen learned more about his musical role as the drummer in filling out the band's sound, while Flood helped him learn to play along with electronic elements such as [[drum machine]]s and [[sampling (music)|samples]].<ref name="larry-prop22-int"/> His kit has a tambourine mounted on a cymbal stand,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theblackpage.net/articles/the-almighty-tambourine|title=The Almighty Tambourine|website=TheBlackPage.net|first=Jayson|last=Brinkworth|date=2 March 2010|access-date=24 June 2020|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626222702/https://www.theblackpage.net/articles/the-almighty-tambourine|url-status=dead}}</ref> which he uses as an accent on certain beats for songs such as "With or Without You".<ref name="larry85-mod-drum"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://reverb.com/news/spicing-up-songs-with-hand-percussion|title=Spicing Up Songs with Hand Percussion|website=[[Reverb.com]]|first=Sam|last=Hill|date=3 March 2016|access-date=24 June 2020}}</ref>

[[File:U2 performing in Belfast 10-27-18 (31789918068).jpg|thumb|Clayton in October 2018]]
Clayton's style of bass guitar playing is noted for what instructor Patrick Pfeiffer called "harmonic [[syncopation]]". With this technique, Clayton plays a consistent rhythm that stresses the [[eighth note]] of each [[bar (music)|bar]], but he "anticipates the harmony by shifting the [[tonality]]" before the guitar chords do. This gives the music a feeling of "forward motion".<ref>Jobling (2014), p. 243</ref> In the band's early years, Clayton had no formal musical training,<ref>McCormick (2006), pp. 30, 34</ref> and he generally played simple bass parts in [[4/4 time|{{music|time|4|4}} time]] consisting of steady eighth notes emphasising the roots of chords.<ref name="bassplayer-dec00">{{cite magazine|title=Reluctant Rock Star: How U2's Adam Clayton Learned to Play – and Conquer the World Onstage |magazine=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]|first=Gregory|last=Isola|date=December 2000 |volume=11|issue=12|pages=54+}}</ref> Over time, he incorporated influences from [[Motown#Motown sound|Motown]] and [[reggae]] into his playing style, and as he became a better timekeeper, his playing became more melodic.<ref name="bassplayer-dec00"/> Flanagan said that he "often plays with the swollen, vibrating bottom sound of a Jamaican [[Dub music|dub]] bassist, covering the most sonic space with the smallest number of notes".<ref name="flan208"/> Clayton relies on his own instincts when developing [[bassline]]s, deciding whether to follow the chord progressions of the guitars or play a [[counter-melody]], and when to play an octave higher or lower.<ref name="bp-groundcontrol">{{cite magazine|title=U2's Ground Control|magazine=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]|first=Brian|last=Fox|date=January 2006|volume=17|issue=1|pages=34–41, 43}}</ref> He cites bassists such as [[Paul Simonon]], [[Bruce Foxton]], [[Peter Hook]], [[Jean-Jacques Burnel]],<ref name="bassplayer-dec00"/> and [[James Jamerson]] as major influences on him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/22/adam-clayton-u2-soundtrack-of-my-life|title=Adam Clayton: Soundtrack of my life|website=[[The Guardian]]|last=Grundy |first=Gareth |date=22 May 2011|access-date=26 October 2018}}</ref> Describing his role in the rhythm section, Clayton said, "Larry's drums have always told me what to play, and then the chords tell me where to go".<ref name="bassplayer-dec00"/>

=== Lyrics and themes ===
[[File:Desaparecidosu2.jpg|thumb|alt=A light-skinned man with brown hair singing into a microphone on a stand, which has a flag draped over it. His shirt and trousers are both grey and feature a design of many overlapping circles. He faces to the right. A line of women stand behind him, each one holding up a sign that says "Donde Estan" or "Justcia". Every sign has an image of a different person below the text.|U2 performing "[[Mothers of the Disappeared]]" in Chile in 1998 with the families of ''[[Detenido desaparecido|Detenidos Desaparecidos]]''. The song was written as a tribute to the women whose children were killed or [[Forced disappearance|forcibly disappeared]] at the hands of the Pinochet dictatorship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.desaparecidos.org/chile/eng.html|title = Project Disappeared: Chile}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augusto-Pinochet|title = Augusto Pinochet &#124; Biography, General, Dictatorship, & Facts| newspaper=Encyclopedia Britannica }}</ref>]]
U2's lyrics are known for their social and political themes, and often contain Christian and spiritual imagery.<ref name="lyrics">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/arts/music/u2-the-catharsis-in-the-cathedral.html|title=The Catharsis in the Cathedral|first=Jon|last=Pareles|author-link=Jon Pareles|date=14 November 2004|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|at=sec. 2, p. 29|edition=National|access-date=17 August 2007}}</ref> Songs such as "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]", "Silver and Gold", and "[[Mothers of the Disappeared]]" were motivated by current events. The first was written about [[the Troubles]] in Northern Ireland,<ref>McCormick (2006), pp. 135, 139</ref> while the last was a tribute to [[COMADRES]], the women whose children were killed or [[Forced disappearance|forcibly disappeared]] at the hands of the Salvadoran government during the [[Salvadoran Civil War|country's civil war]].<ref>McGee (2008), p. 98</ref> The song "[[Running to Stand Still]]" from ''The Joshua Tree'' was inspired by the heroin addiction that was sweeping through Dublin—the lyric "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out" references the [[Ballymun Flats|Ballymun Towers]] of Dublin's Northside and the imagery throughout the song personifies the struggles of addiction.<ref>Stokes (1995), pp. 62–77</ref>

Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil inspired songs like "[[Mofo (song)|Mofo]]", "[[Tomorrow (U2 song)|Tomorrow]]" and "[[Kite (U2 song)|Kite]]". An emotional yearning or pleading frequently appears as a lyrical theme,<ref name="ABOUT_TOP10">{{cite web|url=http://80music.about.com/od/artistsqu/tp/topu2songs.htm|first=Steve|last=Peake|title=Top 10 U2 Songs of the '80s|website=[[About.com]]|access-date=17 August 2010|archive-date=25 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525055736/http://80music.about.com/od/artistsqu/tp/topu2songs.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> in tracks such as "[[Yahweh (song)|Yahweh]]",<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/u2-how-to-dismantle-an-atomic-bomb|title=U2&nbsp;– How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Review|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|date=December 2004|page=136|issue=91|access-date=23 March 2016|archive-date=12 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412001955/http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/u2-how-to-dismantle-an-atomic-bomb|url-status=dead}}</ref> "[[Peace on Earth (U2 song)|Peace on Earth]]", and "[[Please (U2 song)|Please]]". Much of U2's songwriting and music is motivated by contemplations of loss and anguish, along with hopefulness and resilience, themes that are central to ''The Joshua Tree''.<ref name="RS_JT"/> Some of these lyrical ideas have been amplified by Bono and the band's personal experiences during their youth in Ireland, as well as Bono's campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as [[Zoo TV Tour|Zoo TV]] and [[PopMart Tour|PopMart]] to caricature social trends, such as media overload and consumerism, respectively.<ref name="NYT_POP"/>

While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of their songs, U2's lyrics and music were criticised as apolitical by ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' in 2002 for their perceived vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a lack of any specific references to people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/assessment/2002/01/u2.html|title=The soaring nothingness of U2|first=David|last=Plotz|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=25 January 2002|access-date=27 February 2013}}</ref>

=== Influences ===
<!--This is not intended to be a comprehensive list; no more artists need to be added-->
The band cite [[the Who]],<ref>McCormick (2006), p. 113</ref> [[the Clash]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2600669.stm|title=Clash Star Strummer Dies|website=BBC News  |date=27 December 2002|access-date=18 June 2010}}</ref> Television,<ref name="RStone397"/> [[Ramones]],<ref name="Walker">{{cite news|url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,107223,00.html?internalid=ACA|title=Eulogy: Bono Remembers Joey Ramone|author=Bono|magazine=Time|date=April 2001|access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> [[the Beatles]],<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/24/1058853193517.html | date = 26 July 2003| title = Saint Bono | website=The Age | access-date =7 January 2008 | location=Melbourne}}</ref> Joy Division,<ref>''NewOrderStory'' [DVD]. Warner Bros., 2005.</ref> Siouxsie and the Banshees,<ref>McCormick (2006), p. 56, 58, 96</ref> [[Elvis Presley]],<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Immortals&nbsp;– The Greatest Artists of All Time: Elvis Presley |author=Bono |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=15 April 2004}}</ref> [[Patti Smith]],<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Bono&nbsp;– The Rolling Stone Interview |magazine=Rolling Stone |first=Jann |last=Wenner |date=3 November 2005}}</ref> and [[Kraftwerk]]<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/9-biggest-revelations-in-bonos-bbc-interview-about-u2-172174/|title=9 Biggest Revelations in Bono's 'BBC' Interview About U2|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Jason|last=Newman|date=3 February 2014|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> as influences. [[Van Morrison]] has been cited by Bono as an influence,<ref>Bayles (1994), p. 321</ref> and the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] mentioned his influence on U2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/van-morrison/|title=Van Morrison: Induction year 1993|website=[[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|rockhall.com]]|access-date=18 June 2010|archive-date=11 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611012301/http://rockhall.com/inductees/van-morrison|url-status=dead}}</ref> U2 have also worked with or had influential relationships with artists including [[Johnny Cash]], [[Green Day]], [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[B.B. King]], [[Lou Reed]], [[Bob Dylan]] and [[Luciano Pavarotti]].<ref>McCormick (2006), pp. 39, 113, 343</ref> Bono said that [[David Bowie]] helped him discover the works of [[Bertolt Brecht]], [[William Burroughs]], Springsteen, and Brian Eno.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/bono-remembers-david-bowie-he-is-my-idea-of-a-rock-star-225955/|title=Bono Remembers David Bowie: 'He Is My Idea of a Rock Star'|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=27 January 2016|access-date=18 March 2019}}</ref> Fellow Irish rock band [[the Script]] have also been influenced by U2.<ref name="TheScript">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-script-mn0001013375|title=The Script – Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic|work=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=15 July 2013}}</ref>