Rank the 1980s Album Studio Tracks 1-61

[the tourist]

To complete the trilogy....

Notes: I combined An Cat Dubh with Into The Heart. I removed all live material from Rattle & Hum.

My top 10 here is very close to my top 10 U2 songs.

01. New Year's Day
02. With Or Without You
03. Pride
04. Bad
05. Where The Streets Have No Name
06. Like A Song
07. A Sort Of Homecoming
08. All I Want Is You
09. The Unforgettable Fire
10. Heartland
11. Gloria
12. I Will Follow
13. An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart
14. Promenade
15. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday
17. Exit
18. The Electric Co
19. Is That All
20. Running To Stand Still
21. October
22. Out Of Control
23. Drowning Man
24. Desire
25. Fire
26. Angel Of Harlem
27. Rejoice
28. Wire
29. Two Hearts Beat As One
30. Bullet The Blue Sky
31. God Part 2
32. Tomorrow
33. In God's Country
34. Stories For Boys
35. One Tree Hill
36. Hawkmoon 269
37. Another Time Another Place
38. I Threw A Brick Through A Window
39. Surrender
40. Twilight
41. Elvis Presley And America
42. Scarlett
43. Mothers Of The Disappeared
44. Van Diemen's Land
45. Seconds
46. Red Hill Mining Town
47. The Refugee
48. A Day Without Me
49. Indian Summer Sky
50. I Fall Down
51. The Ocean
52. With A Shout
53. Shadows And Tall Trees
54. Stranger In A Strange Land
55. Trip Through Your Wires
56. 40
57. MLK
58. 4th Of July
59. When Love Comes To Town
60. Red Light
61. Love Rescue Me

 

[Wide Awake n AZ]

• The Unforgettable Fire
• One Tree Hill
• Red Hill Mining Town
• Like a Song
• A Sort of Homecoming
• Electric Co
• Exit (live…it has to be live)
• Bad
• Wire
• God Pt 2
• Running To Stand Still
• Sunday Bloody Sunday
• Out of Control
• All I Want Is You
• AN Cat Dubh/Into the Heart
• With or Without You
• Seconds
• Van Diemen’s Land
• Angel of Harlem
• Where the Streets Have No Name
• Heartland
• I Will Follow
• Drowning Man
• Trip Through Your Wires
• Hawkmoon 269
• Surrender
• New Year’s Day
• Promenade
• October
• Two Hearts Beat As One
• Pride
• In God’s Country
• The Refugee
• A Day Without Me
• Bullet the Blue Sky
• Stories For Boys
• Mothers of the Disappeared
• I Threw a Brick…
• Love Rescue Me
• Gloria
• Desire
• I Still Haven’t Found What…
• 40
• The Ocean
• I Fall Down
• Another Time Another Place
• When Love Comes To Town
• Rejoice
• Is That All
• Twilight
• Stranger in a Strange Land
• Shadows and Tall Trees
• MLK
• Fire
• Tomorrow
• Twilight
• Red Light
• 4th of July
• Scarlett
• With a Shout
• Elvis Presley and America

 

[kabigon]

*Tier 1*
Where The Streets Have No Name
All I Want Is You
Bad
New Year's Day
Running To Stand Still
With Or Without You
The Electric Co
An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart
Pride
One Tree Hill
I Will Follow
Bullet The Blue Sky
A Sort Of Homecoming

*Tier 2*
Wire
Promenade
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Red Hill Mining Town
Hawkmoon 269
The Unforgettable Fire
Tomorrow
Like A Song
Exit
Heartland
God Part II

*Tier 3*
Rejoice
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Mothers Of The Disappeared
In God's Country
Trip Through Your Wires
Desire
Angel Of Harlem
Drowning Man
Out Of Control
40
The Ocean
Twilight
Two Hearts Beat As One

*Tier 4*
Another Time Another Place
Stories For Boys
A Day Without Me
Indian Summer Sky
Gloria
Surrender
Seconds
Fire
Stranger In A Strange Land
With A Shout
I Fall Down
I Threw A Brick Through A Window
Elvis Presley And America
When Love Comes To Town
Shadows And Tall Trees

*Tier 5*
October
Scarlet
Red Light
4th Of July
Love Rescue Me
The Refugee
MLK
Van Diemen's Land
Is That All

 

[Axver]

I'm taking live versions into some account. Not full account, because then it just gets messy - which tour's version of Bullet? - but some. Basically I'm giving a reward to songs where I might not rate them so highly in studio but where I mainly just listen to the live version anyway. It gives Hawkmoon quite a boost, that's for sure.

And this was fucking difficult. Apart from the top six - which is my actual U2 top six - this could be ranked quite differently if you asked me tomorrow. The entire top forty is absolute top class. Being in the thirties should be a mark of distinction. God U2 were so fucking good way back when.

1. A Sort of Homecoming
2. One Tree Hill
3. Heartland
4. New Year's Day
5. Bad
6. The Unforgettable Fire
7. The Electric Co.
8. Exit
9. Gloria
10. With or Without You
11. Hawkmoon 269
12. Twilight
13. Where the Streets Have No Name
14. An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart
15. Pride
16. I Will Follow
17. Bullet the Blue Sky
18. God Part II
19. Indian Summer Sky
20. Another Time, Another Place
21. Out of Control
22. Wire
23. All I Want Is You
24. Running to Stand Still
25. Red Hill Mining Town
26. In God's Country
27. Rejoice
28. Sunday Bloody Sunday
29. Promenade
30. Mothers of the Disappeared
31. Fire
32. Like a Song
33. Tomorrow
34. Stories for Boys
35. A Day Without Me
36. Drowning Man
37. Surrender
38. Seconds
39. I Threw a Brick
40. October
41. When Love Comes to Town
42. Van Diemen's Land
43. Shadows and Tall Trees
44. Desire
45. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
46. With a Shout
47. Elvis Presley and America
48. Scarlet
49. The Ocean
50. Angel of Harlem
51. 40
52. Two Hearts Beat As One
53. Is That All?
54. 4th of July
55. MLK
56. The Refugee
57. Trip Through Your Wires
58. Stranger in a Strange Land
59. Love Rescue Me
60. I Fall Down
61. Red Light

 

[Stereotype]

01. Where The Streets Have No Name
02. The Unforgettable Fire
03. Out Of Control
04. Running To Stand Still
05. An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart
06. Red Hill Mining Town
07. One Tree Hill
08. The Electric Co.
09. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
10. Bad
11. Angel Of Harlem
12. With Or Without You
13. New Year's Day
14. Trip Through Your Wires
15. A Sort Of Homecoming
16. Mothers Of The Disappeared
17. Two Hearts Beat As One
18. Tomorrow
19. In God's Country
20. Seconds
21. October
22. Wire
23. Like A Song
24. Desire
25. Gloria
26. Pride
27. Sunday Bloody Sunday
28. Van Diemen's Land
29. Bullet The Blue Sky
30. Exit
31. I Will Follow
32. All I Want Is You
33. Surrender
34. I Fall Down
35. Stories For Boys
36. Drowning Man
37. When Love Comes To Town
38. Another Time Another Place
39. Heartland
40. God Part 2
41. Scarlett
42. Promenade
43. 40
44. MLK
45. Is That All
46. Fire
47. Rejoice
48. The Refugee
49. Indian Summer Sky
50. Hawkmoon 269
51. The Ocean
52. Shadows And Tall Trees
53. I Threw A Brick Through A Window
54. Stranger In A Strange Land
55. Twilight
56. Red Light
57. A Day Without Me
58. 4th Of July
59. Elvis Presley And America
60. Love Rescue Me
61. With A Shout (Jerusalem)

October and R&H will never be my favorite albums

 

[Jarvio]

I think this one will be the hardest of all. I will make my list in due course.

 

[Jarvio]

My list is a song longer, because I feel that "Into The Heart" and "An Cat Dubh" should be counted separate.

1 - The Unforgettable Fire
2 - Red Hill Mining Town
3 - A Sort Of Homecoming
4 - With Or Without You
5 - New Year's Day
6 - In God's Country
7 - Into The Heart
8 - Heartland
9 - Surrender
10 - Angel Of Harlem
11 - One Tree Hill
12 - All I Want Is You
13 - Wire
14 - 40
15 - Where The Streets Have No Name
16 - Trip Through Your Wires
17 - October
18 - Running To Stand Still
19 - Exit
20 - Two Hearts Beat As One
21 - The Electric Co
22 - Bad
23 - The Ocean
24 - With A Shout
25 - Pride (In The Name Of Love)
26 - Shadows And Tall Trees
27 - I Will Follow
28 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
29 - Drowning Man
30 - Indian Summer Sky
31 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
32 - Bullet The Blue Sky
33 - Mothers Of The Disappeared
34 - Another Time, Another Place
35 - Scarlet
36 - A Day Without Me
37 - An Cat Dubh
38 - 4th Of July
39 - Seconds
40 - Like A Song
41 - Promenade
42 - Fire
43 - Gloria
44 - Red Light
45 - Stranger In A Strange Land
46 - Tomorrow
47 - Van Diemen's Land
48 - Twilight
49 - Elvis Presley And America
50 - Hawkmoon 269
51 - God Part II
52 - Desire
53 - Is That All?
54 - I Fall Down
55 - Stories For Boys
56 - When Love Comes To Town
57 - Rejoice
58 - I Threw A Brick Through A Window
59 - MLK
60 - Love Rescue Me
61 - The Refugee
62 - Out Of Control

 

[digitize]

This is intense. I can’t imagine making a ranking up to 61 for anything. Props to anyone who can.

That’s why I used to run series to get at these ranking without making people do huge lists.

Maybe we should run a conjoint at some point to rank every U2 song. A new form of analysis. Could be fun.

 

[the tourist]

This is intense. I can’t imagine making a ranking up to 61 for anything. Props to anyone who can.

That’s why I used to run series to get at these ranking without making people do huge lists.

Maybe we should run a conjoint at some point to rank every U2 song. A new form of analysis. Could be fun.

Something like if there were 165 songs, give a 10 to 15 songs, a 9 to 15 songs, etc. all the way down to giving 0 for 15 songs?

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

Very hard.... mostly in the middle. Well i give it a try....

1. Like a song
2. Exit
3. The Unforgettable fire
4. The electric co
5. Bad
6. God part 2
7. Another time another place
8. Wire
9. Gloria
10. With a shout
11. Heartland
12. Bullet the blue sky
13. Where the streets have no name
14. One tree hill
15. New year s day
16. Sunday bloody sunday
17. A sort of homecoming
18. Running to stand still
19. Twilight
20. Stories for boys
21. Rejoice
22. Desire
23. Tomorrow
24. Out of control
25. With or without you
26. I Will follow
27. In God s country
28. Indian summer sky
29. Pride
30. I fall down
31. Red hill mining town
32. All i want is you
33. October
34. Hawkmoon 269
35. Promenade
36. MLK
37. A day without me
38. Fire
39. An cat dubh/ Into the heart
40. Drowning man
41. Seconds
42. Van Diemand s land
43. 2 hearts beat as 1
44. Surrender
45. I still haven t found what i am looping for
46. Shadows and tall trees
47. Angel of Harlem
48. 40
49. Mothers of the disappeared
50. Trip through your wires
51. The Ocean
52. Scarlet
53. Is that all?
54. Stranger in a stange land
55. I threw a brick through a window
56. The Rufugee
57. When love comes to town
58. Red light
59. Love rescue me
60. Elvis Presley and america
61. 4th of July

Very hard.... I love them all besides the last 6 maybe. My top 20 is pretty much in stone forever.

 

[Airseven]

TIER 1:
1. Bad
2. Running To Stand Still
3. With Or Without You
4. Where The Streets Have No Name
5. Bullet The Blue Sky

TIER 2:
6. Heartland
7. Promenade
8. Hawkmoon 269
9. Drowning Man
10. All I Want Is You
11. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
12. Like A Song
13. Stories For Boys
14. Wire
15. A Sort Of Homecoming
16. Exit
17. Van Dieman's Land
18. Red Hill Mining Town
19. Desire
20. New Year's Day

TIER 3:
21. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
22. God Part II
23. One Tree Hill
24. Another Time Another Place
25. Sunday Bloody Sunday
26. 40
27. October
28. Rejoice
29. I Will Follow
30. The Unforgettable Fire
31. Two Hearts Beat As One
32. Angel Of Harlem
33. The Electric Co.
34. Gloria

TIER 4:
35. Stranger In A Strange Land
36. Mothers Of The Disappeared
37. I Threw A Brick Through A Window
38. Tomorrow
39. Is That All?
40. Seconds
41. MLK
42. Elvis Presley And America
43. Indian Summer Sky
44. Out Of Control
45. An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart
46. When Love Comes To Town
47. Trip Through Your Wires
48. Scarlet
49. I Fall Down
50. Twilight
51. Surrender
52. With A Shout

TIER 5:
53. In God's Country
54. The Ocean
55. Fire
56. Shadows And Tall Trees
57. A Day Without Me
58. Love Rescue Me
59. Red Light
60. The Refugee
61. 4th Of July

 

[Axver]

62 - Out Of Control

What.

 

[Jarvio]

What.

I knew someone would comment on this placing eventually.

This song just doesn't do anything for me. I don't even hate it, I just... feel nothing when it's on.

 

[An Cat Gav]

If this included live versions, Bad (WAIA) would be number 1.

It’s pretty amazing that after all these years( I got into U2 around 1984) there still isn’t a song in this list that I don’t like.

01. Where The Streets Have No Name
02. One Tree Hill
03. The Unforgettable Fire
04. Red Hill Mining Town
05. Tomorrow
06. All I Want Is You
07. Gloria
08. An Cat Dubh
09. New Years Day
10. Promenade

11. Running To Stand Still
12. Scarlet
13. Pride
14. A Sort Of Homecoming
15. Desire
16. Bad
17. Out Of Control
18. With Or Without You
19. I Still Haven’t Found
20. Electric Co
21. Seconds
22. Bullet The Blue Sky
23. Shadows and Tall Trees
24. Drowning Man
25. Heartland
26. God Part 2
27. Another Time Another Place
28. Mothers Of The Disappeared
29. Indian Summer Sky
30. Angel Of Harlem
31. I Threw A Brick
32. October
33. The Refugee
34. MLK
35. A Day Without Me
36. Sunday Bloody Sunday
37. Elvis Presley and America
38. Surrender
39. I Will Follow
40. Trip Through Your Wires
41. Hawkmoon 269
42. The Ocean
43. Exit
44. Wire
45. Van Diemen’s Land
46. Twilight
47. I Fall Down
48. Stranger In A Strange Land
49. 4th of July
50. Rejoice
51. 40
52. Stories For Boys
53. With A Shout
54. Like A Song
55. Fire
56. In God’s Country
57. Two Hearts
58. Is That All?
59. When Love Comes To Town
60. Red Light
61. Love Rescue Me

 

[Axver]

I knew you were good people, Gav.

 

[thefly418]

1. With or Without You
2. Where the Streets Have No Name
3. Bad
4. Running to Stand Still
5. New Year's Day
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7. One Tree Hill
8. All I Want Is You
9. A Sort of Homecoming
10. The Unforgettable Fire
11. Sunday Bloody Sunday
12. I Will Follow
13. Gloria
14. Red Hill Mining Town
15. Bullet the Blue Sky
16. Pride
17. The Electric Co.
18. In God's Country
19. Out of Control
20. Drowning Man
21. Exit
22. Desire
23. Heartland
24. Seconds
25. Hawkmoon 269
26. God Part II
27. An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart
28. Twilight
29. October
30. Mothers of the Disappeared
31. Angel of Harlem
32. Wire
33. Two Hearts Beat As One
34. Surrender
35. Another Time, Another Place
36. 40
37. Like a Song
38. Rejoice
39. Tomorrow
40. Fire
41. Trip Through Your Wires
42. Promenade
43. Love Rescue Me
44. Shadows and Tall Trees
45. Scarlet
46. I Threw a Brick
47. Van Diemen's Land
48. A Day Without Me
49. Indian Summer Sky
50. MLK
51. The Ocean
52. Stories for Boys
53. When Love Comes to Town
54. With a Shout
55. Stranger in a Strange Land
56. I Fall Down
57. Is That All?
58. The Refugee
59. Red Light
60. Elvis Presley and America
61. 4th of July