Top 10 Best U2 Songs

Consisting of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., this Irish rock band is arguably one of the greatest rock bands in the world. Over more than 40 years of success, U2 has sold over 150 million albums, had six #1 albums in the U.S., and nine in the U.K.

While it is hard to pick the top ten songs from a band that has earned 22 Grammy Awards, this list is an attempt to do just that.
The Top Ten
With or Without You

I love this song. The Joshua Tree was the first U2 album I bought, and it is still my favorite. In the Rattle and Hum footage, at about the 4:25 mark, you can see them all getting ready for the climactic "extra" verse, and then the camera pulls back to show Larry and The Edge getting into it. It sends chills down my spine every time.

I love the extra verse and don't think any other performance captures the essence of this song like that footage. I could never work out why this extra bit isn't part of the album version. Awesome.

One

If I had to pick one song to listen to for all of eternity, it would either be this or Born to Run. This song makes me want to cry every time I listen to it, and the message is absolutely beautiful.

Bono and his friends really outdid themselves.

Hey, I don't give a crap if With or Without You is number one, because I know One is their best song. Rolling Stone put this above With or Without You on their 500 best songs ever list. There's a reason for it. One is simply the best.

"You act like you never had love, and you want me to go without." This is such a profound line, and it may not even be the best line in this song. Good vocals, good guitar, rhythmic beat, and great lyrics.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Best U2 song. This is not a rebel song... When I'm a rockstar, I'm going to steal that line and see how the crowd reacts. The best song of the best band ever.

And today the millions cry, we eat and drink while tomorrow they die.

Takes everything great U2's done before and puts it into one song. It's free of a lot of the mistakes they've made before and has elements they've never had before, with an important message.

This has to be the best protest song I have ever heard. I love it to death! It's amazing, and I love the drums on all the songs on the War album. Larry Mullen Jr. must have been pretty happy during that period in time.

Beautiful Day

This was the first song I ever heard by U2, and it's my dad's favorite song, and I just love every little detail about this song.

I can't think of anything that would make this song more epic than it already is. It's perfect in every way and it never gets old. U2 forever.

It was a beautiful day when this song was released. You can't help but be happy when listening to it. It's such a sweet song.

Everything in this song just works. But this was a hard choice because they have so many amazing songs.

Brings back memories from primary school. I love this song. It brings up my spirits any time I listen to it, so I don't think I'll stop. Best U2 song by far!

Great meaning, great beat. What more do you ask for in a song?

Where the Streets Have No Name

This song is about judgment. He and his wife travel on a mission trip to Ethiopia every year. In this country, your class determines the street you live on. So just by knowing the name of your street, someone is already prejudging you. "Where the Streets Have No Name" is a place that Bono longs for where people are not prejudged in this manner.

I was born to the sound of U2 - no joke. And I've never turned back. This song may have been released years before I first entered the world, but it is by far the greatest thing I've ever heard.

This is not U2's best song. This is the world's greatest song. Fifth place is not good enough for this masterpiece!

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

For me, this is the best song ever. I can listen to this song for hours because it feels as if the song never really ends. It's about finding your destiny, about love, about religion, about who you are, about hope, about whatever you want.

Everyone can relate to this song, I think. And I will keep listening to this beautiful song because I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

I'm voting for this song because I think it deserves to be at least number three. With or Without You and One are perfectly situated on this list, but this song needs to move up a few more notches to number three in my opinion.

Beautiful song that's so well written, and the vocals are just amazing.

Pride (In the Name of Love)

Pride truly deserves to be number one. This song is really awe-inspiring! It takes you to another world. You will forget all your worries.

It's speechless. Guys, please do vote for it. It truly deserves to be at the top.

I've listened to all U2 songs, and this one stands alone. Bono is awe-inspiring, truly the greatest singer.

Beautiful Day is an incredibly boring song (unfortunately, U2 has been overall quite boring ever since their first four albums), and this song is incredible. How could it be all the way down here at 7?

New Year's Day

Some songs you like the first time you hear them, but then they get old. Some songs you don't like at first, but they grow on you. Then there are the rare gems like this song: great the first time and still great a million plays later. Great guitar, great vocals, great keyboard to add a melodic feel, great bass and drums for an incredible foundation. It does not get any better than this song.

Wow, what an intro! Can't be mistaken for any other song. Who sang this?

It doesn't happen often. It has a great air of mystery like all great songs, means all things to all people.

I crashed my car to this on an icy New Year's Day. Singing my lungs out, I lived to tell the tale unlike the car.

Vertigo

On the surface, it's about a girl enjoying a night out in a nightclub. But if you know your Bible, it also contains references to Jesus' temptation by the devil. The song conflates the 2nd and 3rd temptations, where the devil takes Jesus up to the top of the temple (hence the sensation of vertigo) and then offers to give Jesus the kingdoms of the world if Jesus just bows down and worships him (Jesus, of course, rejected Satan's offer). I wonder what temptations the girl in the nightclub should be rejecting. Great song!

Mysterious Ways

What kind of craziness is this? Scroll down, people, and vote for this song! The song is rocking! The only thing better than hearing this on a radio is hearing it live.

Still a sonically current song. Edge's guitar effects really stand out, and Bono's portrayal of putting women on a pedestal is an interesting theme.

The chorus can literally send such powerful emotions down one's spine!

The Newcomers

? XXX.

Can anyone tell me what U2 exactly did in this song?

? Ordinary Love

In a way it's sad, U2 has really only made 3 songs that have a nice beat, good guitars, and are more than bono and edge just playing guitars and basically talking to each other or the listener. Ordinary love is one of the 3 along with New Year's Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday, and ordinary love is the best of the 3.
1 ordinary love
2 New Year's Day
3 Sunday Bloody Sunday

God, is this song completely awesome or not!? Heard it's cover, by the very pretty and talented, Luciana Zogbi, the other day and then, checked out U2's original. Totally bowled over by both versions. Can't get it out of my head and I'll be damned if I want to either!

The Contenders
I Will Follow

Best of the bunch, and that is saying something. This song is one of my all-time favorites from any group. It's a step up from the others. Second would be Where the Streets Have No Name.

Classic! First big U2 hit! How could this song be out of the top 10? This one could replace Vertigo or City of Blinding Lights, which came very late in U2's career.

Definitely second to Sunday Bloody Sunday. I mean, have you heard the guitar riff on this? It's amazing.

All I Want is You

What the hell!? This should be on the first page. That's probably why it hasn't been pushed up because most people haven't noticed it. This song has the most incredible trance-like riff out of all of U2's songs and provides the greatest feeling out of any of their songs.

It is the only one of their songs which has the ability to make me cry of happiness. That's how powerful it is.

Agreed with the comments below... How the heck is this on the last page? EASILY one of the top 10 U2 songs. This song and Bad... I can't even put it into words how it makes my SOUL feel. Simply amazing... Beautiful and sung/played with such emotion and depth.

Even when I try to sing it, I can't make it through... The meaning and music take over every fiber of me, through and through.

Bad

I've been a huge fan of U2 since forever, and as much as I like many of their songs, I only love 2 beyond words: All I Want Is You and this one. Every time I hear Bad, I demand silence, and I do get very emotional listening to it. There's only another song in music history that makes me feel like that, and it's Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. That's how great this song is.

Definitely their best song live. It seems like they can drag the song out forever, and it just keeps coming at you. It doesn't fade away at all, if you'll pardon the pun. So many different versions as well. A very emotional song, obviously for Bono, losing his friend on his 21st Birthday to a heroin overdose, and I think that raw emotion comes out in the live performances.

City of Blinding Lights

I probably won't agree with U2 old school boys, but this song is full of emotions from the beginning till the end. The last of its kind till now.

Perfectly recorded in the studio as well as in a live concert, and definitely made to bring down any stadium. You have to listen to it!

Any day, this is the best song from U2. U2's live stage performance of this song is so amazing. Full of energy, gets you all pumped up and ready to rock and roll.

I don't understand why it isn't in the top five. It has everything a song needs to be in the top five.

Walk On

What the actual FRICK. This is one of U2's most moving and powerful songs. The message and passion just work together seamlessly. Bono's lyrics and vocals are amazing, the guitar riff is simple yet stands out as one of their best riffs made, and this song is killer live.

Not only is this one of their best songs, but it is THE best closer they have (other than With or Without You). How is this not in the top 5?

This is number 12? Should be in the top FIVE at least. It's my second favorite behind "Pride (In the Name of Love)," and I think the problem is nobody has heard it. This is such an amazing song. "You could have flown away... a singing bird in an open cage... that would only fly, only fly for freedom..." now those are some of the best lyrics ever.

Even Better Than the Real Thing

This is the best song from U2, in my opinion, because it epitomizes everything: beat, lyrics, crazy Edge guitar work, great bass line, and they play with the dynamics. Just perfect.

In my opinion, "Even Better Than the Real Thing" deserves to be in the top 5 of U2.

Gloria

First song I ever heard from U2, thanks to MTV. I thought, "Cool, who is this band?" Then a year later, heard "New Year's Day," and thought, "Ok, WHO is this band?"

Surprised this is so far down the list.

Elevation

This is U2's best song along with Beautiful Day and Vertigo. If you don't agree, you're a mole digging in a hole.

One of U2's heavier songs and a very, very catchy one. My personal favorite.

Great song, awesome beat. You cannot help but dance when Elevation is on!

Bullet the Blue Sky

Why in the world is this amazing song at number 37? The drums, bass, and Bono's voice tell a story about coming to America, one that will stand the test of time for those wishing to journey to America to seek a better life. The sounds and setting for this song make it my best and most favorite U2 song, followed by Mysterious Ways and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

It seems to have been inspired by the Hendrix style. The tones are all over the place, yet the piece is cohesive and emotional. Hendrix would have covered this piece.

Kite

Oh my word! It can't be possible for one band to make this much good music! This song is simply amazing. The words are meaningful, in true U2 style. But the music! Absolutely astonishing.

Inspirational and beautiful message. Incredible song and one of the greatest of their work.

"This song is about letting go of somebody you don't want to let go of. Could be a lover, could be a father, could be a friend, could be a child, this is Kite."

Bono is legendary!

Definitely, one of U2's most underrated songs! The emotion behind this song is just overwhelming.

Desire

I do not have a favorite U2 song, so I am voting for this one because it is the most deserving to be higher than it is right now.

So much energy and passion, to dance to this song is to do what everyone else in the world should be doing. Quality tune.

Classic song with an addictive sound that deserves to be much higher on the list.

My favorite of U2's songs! Love it! Always cheers me up!

Running to Stand Still

This is U2's greatest song because it is extremely evocative and forces the listener to listen to every lyric. I have never heard a song that more poetically tells a story than "Running to Stand Still." The mystery and enigma of this song are unlike anything I have ever experienced. The most emotional and breathtaking U2 songs are "Running to Stand Still" and "Where the Streets Have No Name."

The fact that this song is not in the top three shows that real U2 listeners did not make this list. I've heard them all. Here's the real list:

1. Where the Streets Have No Name
2. Running to Stand Still
3. One
4. Sunday Bloody Sunday
5. Bad
6. Mysterious Ways
7. Baby Please Come Home
8. Pride (In the Name of Love)
9. With or Without You
10. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
11. New Year's Day
12. Walk On
13. Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own
14. In a Little While
15. City of Blinding Lights
16. Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
17. One Tree Hill
18. Vertigo
19. Red Hill Mining Town
20. All I Want Is You
21. Every Breaking Wave
22. Desire
23. The Miracle
24. In God's Country
25. Elevation
Everything else is not worth listening to.

The Unforgettable Fire

Brian Eno pulled so much out of them to change their sound, and this song and album are so underrated. I can listen to this album side to side all day. Every song is a soul toucher. This song reminds me of falling in love back in the 80s with a very interesting girl. That is the thing about U2 - so many of their songs put you in a place and point of reference in your life. They are truly beyond belief.

This song evokes two kinds of emotions. First, there is the emotion of being at a party but going outside, a feeling not to explain, just to feel at parties or anything.

On the other hand, there is the emotion of pure feelings rising up, so intense they sometimes make me cry.

Ultraviolet (Light My Way)

I have been listening to U2 for a long time, and I always come back to this one. Achtung Baby gave us many great songs, and Ultraviolet, although not everyone's favorite, is a standout for me. It is great in all of its incarnations. I absolutely love the 360-degree DVD version and am stoked that it made it onto U22!

Great studio song, but the live version from the Zoo TV tour is even better. Personally, I favor the lower key they play it in live over the studio version, but they're both amazing. Bono does such a good job with the vocals.

Mothers of the Disappeared

I am so shocked that this song is not in the top ten! This is the best song by U2 ever. The lyrics and Bono's voice are so good! Bono just sings it with so much feeling, and it evokes such sadness in our hearts whenever we hear this song. This deserves to be the best song by U2.

8Load More
PSearch List