My Favorite U2 Studio Albums

1. Joshua Tree
Not an easy call. After falling in love with the group through the rawness of War and the ethereal soundscape of Unforgettable Fire, this (comparatively) stripped-down pastiche of American styles was an uncomfortable fit and took repeated listenings to even begin to accept beyond the singles. I now even have a fondness for cuts I once detested, like "Bullet the Blue Sky." I still think the second half is relentlessly dark and often repetitive. But the towering greatness of tracks like "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (which perfectly captures my spiritual journey), "With Or Without You," and "One Tree Hill" make it utterly indispensible.

2. War

3. Unforgettable Fire
This is as much producer Brian Eno's record as it is U2's. Expansive and deep, his electronic fingerprints are all over it. It has probably the most unified sound of any of their efforts. The meandering, mumbly moments lend it an air of mood music but the fierce clarity of legendary tunes like "Pride," "Wire," and "Bad" snap you right back into the album.

4. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

5. Achtung Baby
What? Achtung Baby all the way down at 5? Well, I just never got on board when Bono and Edge decided to radically depart from their 80s sounds and subject matter. Supposedly, it's innovative but they were clearly heavily influenced by European dance and industrial. The critics praised it as the second coming of Sergeant Pepper's but I couldn't go there with them.

6. October

7. All That You Can't Leave Behind
Sure, it was their return to radio-friendly rock after two gonzo experimental albums. Well, "rock" may be pushing it. Two thirds of it is lite adult contemporary. After the first three tracks, it bores me to tears with monotonous overlong verses and the residue of disco. "Beautiful Day" is celebratory rock at it's finest. The highlight for me is the majestic "Walk On," one of their greatest songs ever.

8. Boy

9. Pop

10. Zooropa