I have been a fan of U2 since I was 10, though their music has been a staple in my household since I was born. Bono’s strong, yet vulnerable way of singing, along with The Edge’s signature style of playing guitar, makes U2 one of the most powerful bands I have ever had the pleasure of seeing live.
U2 invaded everyone’s privacy and put their album Songs of Innocence (which is actually a good album, especially when you pair it with their newest release, Songs of Experience) onto everyone’s Apple device, which was a bad move. However, that little bloop aside, U2 is one of the least problematic and most important bands in music currently.
U2, originating in war-torn Dublin, Ireland, has always been a band that promoted political resistance, and two of their most political albums, War and The Joshua Tree, have inspired countless people like me to be political activists, constantly pushing for a better, brighter tomorrow — not only for the people whose struggles are similar to our own, but for those less privileged than us. Becoming politically awoken has truly changed my life and has given me a purpose — and I owe a lot of that to U2’s influence.
As an artist, U2’s ever-evolving approach to making and writing music is both refreshing and inspiring, even if I don’t particularly like what they do sometimes. U2 defines artistry and authenticity, which sometimes seems to be a lost art form.
And, as ever, Bono is still political, stating during his performance on the 60th Grammy Awards, “Blessed are the sh*thole countries, for they gave us the American Dream,” exemplifying that those of us who are privileged, whether it is our skin color, gender, or public platform, should be using that privilege to spread a message of positivity and acceptance, which is one of the most important things to promote in this current, tumultuous political climate.
