Ranking U2's Albums from Worst to First, #10 Songs of Experience

 In the last 18th Century, English poet and artist William Blake published his joint book of poems and illustrations titled "Songs of Innocence and Experience".  In 2014, U2 released their 13th studio album, "Songs of Innocence".  And then in 2017, they released the follow up album, titled "Songs of Experience."  It is this album, U2's last of original material (the album "Songs of Surrender" in 2023 contained reworked, reimagined, and re-recorded tracks from their previous albums) that comes in at #10 on this unofficial countdown of the band's catalogue.

The 2014, "Songs of Innocence" had echoed some of the stripped down, early 1980s songs, both sonically and thematically.  "Songs of Experience" echoed some of the material from 2014, but took it in new directions, much like U2 pushed their sound into new territory in the 1990s.  On repeated listens to this album, what stands out are the melodies.  Bono has always been a fantastic singer and an excellent creator of melodic atmospheres, and where "Songs of Experience" might suffer a bit from over-production, it is full of rich and catchy melodies.  

U2, Songs of Experience - Released, December 1, 2017

Album Charts - #1 Ireland, #5 UK, #1 US.

Worldwide Sales to Date - 1.3 Million 

Singles - You're the Best Thing About Me, #66 Ireland, #92 UK, #1 US Adult Alternative Chart; Get Out of Your Own Way, #3 US Adult Alternative Chart; Love is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way, #25 US Hit Rock and Alternative Chart, Summer of Love (did not chart), Landlady (did not chart).

Standout Songs - Lights of Home, You're the Best Thing About Me, Get Out of Your Own Way, American Soul, 13 (There is a Light).

Weakest Track - The Blackout

Hidden Gem - 13 (There is a Light)

By the late 2010s, U2 had honed their craft so much that they could write and record very "professional sounding" tracks in their sleep.  That is a positive but can also be a negative.  Here's to hoping that U2 might rediscover some of their innocent naivete to combine with their experienced song-craft on their next album. - Shay