U2's best album? Totally 'Unforgettable'

U2 has produced a ton of great work in its 33-year career. Songs we know by heart. Songs that raise the blood pressure to levels requiring yet another trip to the doctor's office. And when we see a video of Bono marching out on stage with that white flag during Sunday Bloody Sunday on the Under A Blood Red Sky video, we still get the chills.

But which album from U2 reigns supreme? (It's certainly not No Line On The Horizon, the latest offering, which hits store shelves today.) Stuck in the '80s co-host Sean Daly and I debate this question daily -- usually between bites of delicious burritos at lunch. And for all his spraying of refried beans and salsa verde, Daly has yet to get the answer right.

Quite simply, it's 1984's Unforgettable Fire, an aptly titled LP so brilliant that it had to be recorded in an Irish castle. I still have my concert shirt from their Tampa show on that tour. After a thousand or so washings, the bandmembers' faces now look like the statues on Easter Island -- and it fits me like a glove (a surgical glove) -- but I refuse to part with the decomposing shirt, the memories of that show or my feelings toward this incredible album.

Go read his case for Achtung Baby here, but bring a napkin, because his defense of that '90s schlock is messier than dollar taco day at our favorite Mexican cafe.

THREE REASONS 'UNFORGETTABLE FIRE' IS BEST:

1. THE TRIBUTES ROCK: Everyone remembers the band pouring out its admirations to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Pride (In the Name of Love) and MLK. But don't dismiss Bono's love letter to the other king in Elvis Presley and America, the lyrics of which were improvised in one take at the encouraging of producer Brian Eno.

2. IT NEARLY MADE ME A JUVENILE DELINQUENT: Oct. 1, 1984, is Unforgettable too, because I — and many more from the senior class at Countryside High that year — blew off school to stand in line to buy the record on its release date. Detentions awaited most of us the next day, but nobody had any regrets.

3. IT'S EVEN BETTER LIVE: On the momentum of the album, U2 took the stage for 1985’s Live Aid show in London. After an epic and dreamy 12-minute performance of Bad, U2's legacy -- and that of Unforgettable Fire -- was firmly secure: Simply the best.

(Pausing now while you rush to download the album again. Then please drop a comment declaring the winner.)

Comments

[Andrew]

1. Achtung Baby
2. War
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
5. The Joshua Tree

Having recently just listened to all of these back to back on vinyl. In my mind The Joshua Tree is surprisingly mediocre in comparison to these other disks I've listed. It's the only one on this list that has tracks I would actually SKIP (if it wasn't so much work to do with vinyl) because they are so incredibly boring and uninspired.

I understand, and agree that the first few tracks of Joshua are really really awesome. But the album dies so quickly and there isn't a latter track to break the utter musical boredom that ensues.

But then I compare this to a record like 'WAR' that is engaging, fluid, and raw at the same time. Unlike Joshua, where I'm ready to pull it off the turntable after the first 5 tracks.. I get to the end of WAR, or Achtung and just want to flip it right back over and listen a second time.

[Andrew]

1. Achtung Baby
2. War
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
5. The Joshua Tree

Having recently just listened to all of these back to back on vinyl. In my mind The Joshua Tree is surprisingly mediocre in comparison to these other disks I've listed. It's the only one on this list that has tracks I would actually SKIP (if it wasn't so much work to do with vinyl) because they are so incredibly boring and uninspired.

I understand, and agree that the first few tracks of Joshua are really really awesome. But the album dies so quickly and there isn't a latter track to break the utter musical boredom that ensues.

But then I compare this to a record like 'WAR' that is engaging, fluid, and raw at the same time. Unlike Joshua, where I'm ready to pull it off the turntable after the first 5 tracks.. I get to the end of WAR, or Achtung and just want to flip it right back over and listen a second time.

[I'mcoolcuziwasintoU2waybeforeu]

Everything after Achtung is crap. However the majesty that is that album makes them immune to all criticism. 'Acrobat' is their best song and if you're about to 'do it' Through it on. You and your 'significant other' (no judgments) will thank me later.

[shuturyap]

EXIT.

[prman007]

Joshua Tree & Achtung, Baby are tied at the top of the band's disography, as both proved to be game changers for the young Dubliners and teh music industry. Unforgettable Fire has some nice moments, but was more of a bridge between the group's 'earnest' rock and new wave-ish sound. In the recent era, 'No Line'--while it has some 'all time' moments in 'Magnificent' and 'Crazy,' probably ranks behind Atomic Bomb and All That You Can't Leave Behind.

[Spears]

"Under a Blood Red Sky" is damn near perfect, but it's a live album so Sean and I didn't consider that for our blog battle.

When you think of ultimate live albums of the '80s, it's tough to find something better than U2's contribution.

(Outside the 80s, I lean toward Kiss Alive II, Neil Diamond's Hot August Night and Frampton Comes Alive)

If "Under a Blood Red Sky" had been done AFTER "Unforgettable Fire," imagine how invincible it could have been.

[Dr. Dim]

As promised, I have just finished listening to 'The Unforgettable Fire'. I haven't heard in it twenty years or so. It is better than I remembered it being.

I was right about liking 'Wire' and 'Pride' is still as good as ever. 'Bad' is ok. And the album is filled with a lot of Edge-y goodness.

I'm still sticking with 'War' as the better album, though.

My wife and I talked about the album and U2 in general. We agreed that there is something like a "bonometer" when it comes to this band.

This is what I mean... The "bonometer" measures how much a person will like U2. A person's enjoyment of the band is directly related to how well one can tolerate Bono.

If you have a high Bono tolerance, you really like the band. If your Bono tolerance is low, then not so much.

My Bono tolerance varies. For their first three albums it was high. It began to come down with 'The Unforgettable Fire'. It absolutely plummeted with 'Joshua Tree'. (I can still see that doofus in the video for 'With or Without You', looking so damned serious with a guitar slung over his shoulder, which he doesn't play! He swings it around. Oooooh, rock 'n' roll!)

After 'Joshua Tree' my tolerance has gone up a little and down a little.

Anyway, I'm still saying give 'War' a chance.

[Blaine]

Who's with me on one of my faves, "October"?

[Okay, insert sound of crickets.]

I truly love Blood Red Sky, Boy, War, and Unforgettable Fire as well. Bad, particularly the live version, still does it for me...

[don in tulsa]

you're right there rebecca. i also think REM, def leppard and Bon Jovi fit the bill.

[shuturyap]

Exit.

[Mick in Sydney]

SInce achtung came out at the end of '91 I don't think you can even bookend this one into the 80's. Unforgetable fire was a great ablum and I really like wide awake in america. Still gives me a chill when i listen to it. I think Unfogetable was of the last "not overplayed" albums by them. Everything else since then has just been hammered on the radio.

[Rebecca]

Oh my, Don, that could be a very long list indeed! And if you added single artists, may I suggest Billy Joel at the top?

[don in tulsa]

between the two i'll go with "the unforgettable fire" any day over the slick commercial sounds of "we are rock stars adore us...i mean achtung baby."

personally i side with dr dim on this one. "war" is my favorite for the reasons he stated. it's before they became huge and changed their musical direction. while "joshua tree" almost made me stop caring about u2 "rattle and hum" sealed the deal.

i've been working on a story for my blog about bands that changed from album to album until they were very far away from what made me like them in the first place and u2 is one of the bands i am using as an example. maybe i'll get it done someday but it's a great idea.

[Mark in East Texas]

Fav U2 album: Under a Blood Red Sky
Fav U2 single: Pride

Gave up on U2 after the disaster of Rattle and Hum so I can't really speak to Achtung Baby. Advantage: Spears

BTW, I'm with you on Joshua Tree, Spearsy, overplayed and overhyped.

[Dr. Dim]

I have to say that Rebecca has got me thinking of doing the same thing. My wife says we have have a copy of 'The Unforgettable Fire', so I'll dig it out and give it another listen. See if my opinion has changed with age.

I looked at the track listing. If I'm remembering correctly, the song 'Wire' was pretty good. I don't remember 'Bad' at all. Sorry, Steve.

I'll listen to it again and report back.

[Neil]

I am in the "Under A Blood Red Sky" camp, it is just an amazing live album, maybe one of the best ever. That was my first U2 album, I borrowed it from my friend Bill and never returned it and to this day, I have not told him. I think he might of saw it in my record collection but he didn't want to say anything. I was usually pretty good about returning albums, but that one was too good to give back. I now have the CD, and maybe should give him back his vinyl. About the debate between "Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby" it is close but would lean more towards "Joshua Tree" because it has more sentimental value to me. I was graduating Highschool and when I moved into my dorm room my freshman year, I made my roommates listen to that album nonstop, and they eventually became big fans. So they probably hate the record but I shaped them into U2 fans.

[Spears]

Dr. Dim, you don't like "Bad"??? I'm stunned.

[Rebecca]

"War" came out when I was in college (so yeah, I think that makes me the senior citizen here!), and perhaps it's because I associate "War" with a very good time in my life, but it has always been one of my favorite U2 albums, too. The Unforgettable Fire felt like a letdown, and initially I didn't like The Joshua Tree, either. But when Achtung, Baby, was released, I felt like the old passion and energy of U2 had returned and it remains the U2 album I can listen to again and again from beginning to end.

But I did go back and buy The Joshua Tree after Achtung was released, and I think it's a beautiful album I overlooked the first time around. I listened to it a lot after 9/11, and I just found it very comforting.

So, maybe I should dig out The Unforgettable Fire, sitting quite forgettable in my husband's album collection, and see if my opinion of it has changed. That album collection alone is a testament to how our musical tastes have changed over the years!

[Dr. Dim]

For my part, I think you're all wrong. Their best album is 'War'. They were still young and making the album in relative obscurity, so they could make an album without considering how important it would be to the world. It was 'War' that put them on the map.

U2 had always been a serious band, but when 'War' broke them into the mainstream they began to take themselves too seriously. 'The Unforgettable Fire' reflects the change from the "we gotta save the world" mentality to the "only Bono can save the world" mentality.

When I bought 'The Unforgettable Fire' I was disappointed. I liked (and still do like) 'Pride', but the rest of the album bored me. And by the time 'Joshua Tree' came out, I pretty much loathed U2. I certainly couldn't stand most of what I heard off of that (in my opinion) exceedingly overrated album.

They didn't become interesting to me again until 'Achtung Baby', Sean's fave. But only mildly interesting.

I continue to like some of their songs here and there, but as far as liking an entire album? Put me down as a 'War' man.

[80sfan]

Ouch Steve that is rather harsh.

It was only a couple of years ago that I bought Joshua Tree and it probably one of my least favorite. The only thing I can really say about it is that as an "album" it just bores me.

I can't honestly weigh in on today's debate because Unforgettable Fire is one of the few U2 records that I do not own. But I will get as it soon as the remastered version is released.

[Spears]

Here's my problem with Joshua Tree: There are at least three tracks on there that I've never enjoyed: With or Without You, Bullet the Blue Sky and In God's Country. In fact, maybe 3 1/2 songs, because I could live the rest of my life without hearing "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."

When I listen to Unforgettable Fire, each time it's like hearing each song for the first time. When I listen to Joshua Tree, I just think I accidentally like on the oldies FM station in town.

[DerekT]

I like U2, but I have never thought that they were the best things since the Beatles, so many magazines and tv shows claim that every so often it is no longer a praise. I love the song Pride so I will have to go with Unforgettable Fire. And every time I hear Joshua Tree, I think of the Billy and the Boingers collection of Bloom county cartoons because the back of the album has Bill the cat and Opus standing like the back cover of that album.

[Jeff]

Love Unforgettable Fire and it may be the sentimental favorite, but it is raw and was a stepping stone to something greater. The Joshua Tree is an amazing record that needed The Unforgettable Fire.

The Unforgettable Fire was huge. U2 knew that the straight up guitar rock of War and Boy was a dead end (October was a bit different - moodier than either and akin to UF in some ways). The Unforgettable Fire set the stage for them to become the biggest band since the Stones and Beatles.

Can't wait for the rumored 25th Anniversary Remaster of Unforgettable Fire that may be out later this year. I do hope it gets the Joshua Tree treatment with a DVD of a concert from that tour (I know Dortmund exists as do others). Great album that helped them scale to new heights but what came after is superior.

[ian (in CT)]

Unforgettable Fire was the first record I owned, but Joshua Tree was my favorite record that I owned.

[CHAD]

in us circles

that would be in u2 circles

[CHAD]

ok, i'm a u2 fan, but not the fanatic kind of fan that salavates with the mere mention of the band. i like their music. while i admire them for their longevity and stamina, and the ability to survive after all these years, i only listen to them on ocassion. i have all the cd's. i'll pick up the new one tomorrow. but i'll have to side with neither of you. the joshua tree is their crowing masterpiece. i know that's kinda an easy way out, but the proof is in the songs. sure actung baby and the unforgettable fire have some great songs on them, but they aren't as consistent as joshua. in fact, i might like rattle and hum more than the two cd's in the battle. i know in us circles, that's a big no-no, but i can't help but feel that way. i do have to agree with sean though, one is a brilliant piece of pop. it's my favorite u2 song as well.

[Miguel]

The Joshua Tree is also my favorite U2 album.

But between Unforgettable Fire (their 2nd best album for me) and Atchung Baby,you definitely win Spearsy.

[Brad]

Steve, I'm sorry you're so bitter in your wrongness.

Your question was not "what great album opened up the opportunity for the followup album which happened to be even greater." It was "What album is the best."

Circumstances notwithstanding, The Joshua Tree is a better album.

Unforgettable Fire was good - Bad is a great track, both in the studio and live - but the reason so many people will tell you that Joshua Tree is a better album is because we are right! It is!

You can sit there in the Spears Lair and stew all you want - you know I'm right.

Still unsure? Running to Stand Still.

Still wavering? Red Hill Mining Town.

[Bassnote]

I completely agree with you Spearsy. This my all time favorite U2 album. "Live Under A Blood Red Sky" would be a close second place. I still can't hear "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" without wanting to sing along. I love the "Joshua Tree" album, but "Unforgettable Fire" takes me places emotionally that "Joshua Tree" can't touch.

[Dr. Incognito]

Brad is right -- The Joshua Tree, which ruled the summer after my senior year in high school.

It's probably true that fewer people would've cared about Joshua if Unforgettable hadn't existed (but it's not like their pre-Unforgettable albums were lousy -- hello, War!). But that doesn't make Unforgettable the better album.

In reality, Unforgettable, Joshua and Achtung all rule. It's hard to imagine my teens and early 20's without any of them...

[Spears]

Oh no, here come the "Joshua Tree People." Without "Unforgettable Fire," Joshua Tree would have been launched in the $2 bargain bin.

[Brad]

Steve.

You are wrong.

Joshua Tree.

That is all.