Released Date: November 22, 2004
Produced By: Produced by Steve Lillywhite.
Engineer: Recorded by Carl Glanville, Assisted by Chris Heaney
Label: Island Records
Recorded At: Recorded at HQ and South of France.
U2’s 11th studio album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, was released first in the UK by Island Records and a day later in the US by Interscope Records.
The first single, Vertigo, made its debut in time for the 2005 Grammy nomination in three categories and won in all three. The following year, the album was nominated in five categories. It took the award for Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Rock Album. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite, who took home his own Grammy that year for Producer (nonclassical) of the Year. Chris Thomas, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper, Flood, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, and Carl Glanville added to the production.
At the awards, Bono admitted that ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’ was an odd title for an album. He added, “Actually, I was talking about my father, Bob. He was the atomic bomb in question. I wanna thank my father, Bob, for giving me the voice and a bit of attitude to use it…”
Following the 2005 Grammy success of Vertigo, the band was inducted into the Rock’ n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Lead singer Bono described the album as the band’s first rock album – “It’s taken us twenty years or whatever it is, but this is our first rock album.”
‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’ reached No. 1 in 34 countries. It was the fourth highest-selling album of 2004, with almost 10 million copies sold. With its theme around life, death, love, war, faith and family, it produced a succession of hit singles, including Vertigo, City of Binding Lights, All Because of You, and Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own. According to Edna Gunderson in USA Today, it has the “wisdom, depth and complexity expected from the durable foursome.”
Songs included on ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’:
Vertigo, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own, Love And Peace Or Else, City Of Blinding Lights, All Because Of You, A Man and A Woman, Crumbs From Your Table, One Step Closer, Original Of The Species, Yahweh
Bonus Track: Fast Cars
