Ranking U2's Albums from Worst to First, #11 Zooropa

In the middle of the European leg of the Zoo TV tour, in between concert dates, U2 traveled back and forth between Dublin and the tour locations to record their follow up to their smash hit album, Achtung Baby.  Initially these hastily recorded tracks were to form an EP rather than a full-length record, but as the creative juices continued to flow, the EP grew to an LP titled Zooropa and was released in early July 1993.  

If Achtung Baby had been experimental, Zooropa shot the experiment through with a big fat dose of steroids!  But if you were to strip away the tracks of their added electronic embellishments, you would be left with a batch of solid songs.  Adam's thundering bass mixed with a little less martial sounding drum beats from Larry create a powerful wall of rhythm and the dance beats and synthesizers just make the guitar tones a little more playful and edgy (pun intended).  Bono's melodious singing soars, especially on songs like Lemon and Stay (Faraway, So Close!).  Though the album loses a little momentum on the second half, it ends brilliantly with Johnny Cash bellowing over a space age riff on The Wanderer.  

U2 Zooropa - Released, July 5, 1993.

Album Charts - Ireland 1, UK 1, US 1.

Worldwide Sales to Date - 7 Million

Singles - Numb, #2 US Modern Rock Chart, Lemon, #3 US Modern Rock Chart, Zooropa, #13 US Modern Rock Chart, Stay (Faraway, So Close!), #15 US Modern Rock Chart.

Standout Songs - Zooropa, Babyface, Numb, Lemon, Stay (Faraway, So Close!), The Wanderer.

Weakest Track - Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car

Hidden Gem - The Wanderer 

We are not yet even in the top 10 on this list, but Zooropa is not so faraway, and oh so close to a classic record. - Shay 

Ranking U2's Albums from Worst to First: #12, Pop

 My freshman year in college, U2 released Pop, their 9th studio album and #12 on this less than scientific countdown of their best records.  When this very un-pop album came out, I could not wait to pick it up as it had been nearly four years since their last output.  In the early 1990s, U2 had begun to experiment with electronic synthesizers and dance beats.  With the Pop record, they had taken this experimentation to a new level, although in hindsight, it was a much more rocking record than it initially was given credit for.  In fact, compared to what is considered alternative rock in 2025, Pop was not only ahead of its time, it could have just as easily been given the name "Rock" instead of "Pop".

Although the record has sold over 5 million copies in its 28 years of existence, it was not well received critically after its release.  Yet, if one goes back and gives it a listen today, one is reminded that U2 has always been a step or two ahead of the pack.  I would venture to say that if Pop would have been released between 2010-2020 it would have gone down as a classic.  It was just a little too ahead of its time, at the time.  

U2, Pop - Released, March 3, 1997

Album Charts - #1, Irish.  #1, UK.  #1, US.

Worldwide Sales to Date - 5 Million

Singles - Discotheque #1, Ireland.  #1, UK.  #10, US.  Staring at the Sun #4, Ireland.  #3, UK.  #26, US.  Last Night on Earth #11, Ireland.  #10, UK.  #57, US.  Please #6, Ireland.  #7, UK.  If God Will Send His Angels #11, Ireland.  Mofo (did not chart).

Stand Out Songs - Discotheque, If God Will Send His Angels, Staring at the Sun, The Playboy Mansion, Wake Up Dead Man.

Weakest Track - Last Night on Earth

Hidden Gem - The Playboy Mansion

As good as these U2 albums are, they will only get better! - Shay