U2

Since the inception of U2, created and maintained an unmistakeable sound, with an emphasis on the more melodic, instrumental and expressive singing, partly as a result of the influence of producer Steve Lillywhite at a time when the group was still little known. Edge with the guitar uses equally echo, tone and size of delay, syncopations, inspired by Irish music drones, which gives a clear ambient and atmospheric sound. Bono developed his operatic falsetto, and showed a remarkable propensity for social, political and personal subject, while maintaining the highest skill of writing songs.

Despite this, with every new album U2 contributed something new to his music. Starting with punk and simple instrumental album Boy and October, their sound through the War has become a more versatile and aggressive with elements of rock psalms, funk and dance music. Two of the album by Rolling Stone were called "muscular and assertive»: The Unforgettable Fire, in which Edge has more on the keyboard than the guitar, and The Joshua Tree, which was greatly influenced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The songs from The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum there is a greater emphasis on unprompted Lanois rhythm, so they mixed the different styles of American gospel and blues. In the 90's U2 refreshed began in the Pop and Achtung Baby synthesizers, distortion, electronic rhythms derived from the alternative and dance music and even hip-hop. In 2000, U2's return to a simpler sound with less use of synthesizers and effects, and more traditional rhythm.

Social and political issues (often with religious and spiritual images) are the foundation of songs U2. Some songs, for example, Sunday Bloody Sunday («Bloody Sunday") and the Mothers of the Disappeared («Mother of missing"), based on real events. Moreover, personal conflicts Bono and the problems associated with the family, reflected in songs Mofo («Mofo»), Tomorrow («Tomorrow»), Kite («The Kite"). Longing, yearning, waiting for a miracle are also frequent themes of songs, such as in the songs of Yahweh («Yahweh") and Please («Please"). In the most general approach, a sense of loss, longing, and hope for the best prevailing in The Joshua Tree, was the basis of many works of U2.