What's your favorite U2 album cover and name?

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Zooropa.

Such a weird little name, and one awesome cover. A culmination of all the crazyness of the Zoo TV-era.
 
Name: The Joshua Tree
Cover: the Joshua Tree
CD art: POP followed by ATYCLB


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Good thread. Here's how I'd rate the covers.

1) TJT-Brilliant. One of the most iconic rock album covers of all time, IMO. Captures the record, and the lads at this point, perfectly. This is the shot most people associate with U2. TUF is my favourite U2 record, but nothing beats JT's defining cover.
2) TUF-This ethereal, out of focus cover perfectly captures the tone and feeling of the impressionistic masterpiece that is the music therein. I love it.
3) War-Another iconic cover, but a little too reminiscent of Boy, I think they missed an opportunity in not going with Rowan in the helmet. But I still like this hating close up more than the Boy shot. Pure U2 of the time. Enough said.
4) Boy-Ditto War
5) Achtung Baby
6) Zooropa
7) SOI-A good fit thematically for the record, and by far the most bold U2 record cover.
8) R&H-There’s not much to it, but I just always loved this shot.
9) NLOTH-The most un-U2 of U2 album covers, picked from the pre-existing work of an artist that wasn’t even specifically created for the record. I appreciate the photograph, and I think it captures the mood of the record pretty nicely. But let’s face it, it’s not that interesting.
10) ATYCLB-Someone should have told U2 there’s nothing intresting about standing around in an airport. In B&W.
11) October-Despite my personal history in being involved peripherally in the photo shoot for this record, this cover…well, Adam’s hair (sorry, CK). It is interesting, however, as a reminder that these icons used to be sort of awkward kids in what as then just another rock band.
12) Pop-Adding some colour to what essentially is just face shots of the lads really doesn’t make this one any more interesting.
13) Bomb-Ugh.

Favourite name would probably again, be a tie between The Joshua Tree and The Unforgettable Fire.
 
Joshua Tree, closely followed by Achtung Baby and a very honourable mention to NLOTH.
 
Zooropa has a brilliant cover. :D

For name I'd have to go with Achtung Baby. It makes no sense, but it's there, in your face. Just like the album was.
 
Galeongirl said:
Zooropa has a brilliant cover. :D

For name I'd have to go with Achtung Baby. It makes no sense, but it's there, in your face. Just like the album was.
Click to expand...

I would say that Achtung Baby meant everything at that time. ATTENTION! Remember the JT, and R&H? HA! Look at us NOW!!

Anyway,

My favorite album name is - How to Disman... LOL. Just kidding.
It's Achtung Baby

And favorite cover is Joshua Tree. So completely iconic and correct in every way. Even the inside sleeve pics were amazing and single covers.
 
Nick66 said:
Good thread. Here's how I'd rate the covers.


9) NLOTH-The most un-U2 of U2 album covers, picked from the pre-existing work of an artist that wasn’t even specifically created for the record. I appreciate the photograph, and I think it captures the mood of the record pretty nicely. But let’s face it, it’s not that interesting.
10) ATYCLB-Someone should have told U2 there’s nothing intresting about standing around in an airport. In B&W.
Click to expand...


While the ATYCLB cover isn't great, it's very....calming and fits the album. I also would say its much more interesting than NLOTH, which I get is "art" but its bland and boring.

You need to have a re-vote with yourself and fix this!


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference
 
I've always liked how elegant the All That You Can't Leave Behind Cover is. As for name it's a tie between Achtung Baby and The Unforgettable Fire
 
If I allow my musical bias to interfere, it's AB.

If I go on pure strong design, it's Zooropa or Rattle and Hum (that's a kick-ass photo that captures the tour).

One pet peeve with ATYCLB, etc., is I'm getting awfully tired of the cliched band shots where three are staring at the camera and one is looking in a different direction. Enough already.
 
I'd rate the covers:
1. Zooropa
2. Achtung Baby
3. All That You Can't Leave Behind (it just looks good, and its a nice band shot. Also uses the grayscale well)
4. The Joshua Tree
5. War
6. The Unforgettable Fire
7. No Line On The Horizon
8. Rattle & Hum
9. Songs of Innocence
10. Pop
11. Boy
12. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
13. October

Name: Zooropa.
 
Very difficult question.

I like the "Achtung Baby" cover. Because of all those images used on it. It says to
me this is a party record. Expect something different and wild in the music.
"Pop" had the same visual effect. Its a party album of some sort.

The "Joshua Tree" cover was also very nice. It has an American Western fell to it.
The Old West, cowboys and the vast American plains.
 
Favorite titles:
1) No Line On The Horizon
2) All That You Can't Leave Behind
3) The Unforgettable Fire

Favorite covers:
1) All That You Can't Leave Behind
2) Pop
3) What the heck, I'll give some love to War
 
Songs of Innocence's cover deserves props for two things.

1) Some people calling the album "Songs of Incest" - a term I coined weeks ago around here to describe the album. It's a fitting image.

2) Awful attempt at artistry - just like the album.
 
I'm a creative director so my opinion counts more. ;-)

1. War - The bloodied lip of the child. And those eyes!
2. SOI - The most moving photo U2's ever put on an album
3. TUF - Gorgeous, impressionist shot of the band that matches the tone of the music
 
Achtung Baby for best cover that captures the chaotic mood of the time in Germany and the chaotic music contained within (no contest! ) and Zooropa for best album name.

Sent from my GT-I9060 using U2 Interference mobile app
 
Didn't The Unforgettable Fire get its title from a museum exhibit? Can't really give them credit for appropriating the name. Achtung Baby draws from the location where the recording sessions began as well as the camp humor from Mel Brooks' film, but the title is still original. And my favorite.

Cover would probably be War.

Inside artwork is AB again, really love all the photos and design there. Pop a close second.
 
lazarus said:
Didn't The Unforgettable Fire get its title from a museum exhibit? Can't really give them credit for appropriating the name.
Click to expand...

Well I'm not sure that matters so much. The Joshua Tree is the name of a tree. U2 was the name of a spy plane. Arcade Fire got their name from a newspaper article I believe. And yes, TUF is from an art exhibit on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Remember, good artists borrow, great artists steal. ;)
 
Well the difference would be that TUF is another creative endeavor that appeared around the same time. Not a government spy plane, or the name of a tree.

It would be like calling their new album Breaking Bad.
 
lazarus said:
Well the difference would be that TUF is another creative endeavor that appeared around the same time. Not a government spy plane, or the name of a tree.

It would be like calling their new album Breaking Bad.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Though to be equally fair, relatively few people would have heard about that art exhibit, and everyone knows about Breaking Bad, so it's sort of apple's & oranges. One creates an association with another creative work, the other doesn't. True enough, U2 stole it, but you know what they say about every artist and poet.

In any event, Songs of Innocence & Experience were stolen from William Blake, which everyone HAS heard of, so there's that...
 
Wow great question.... four covers come to mind right away.

ATYCLB - the transient feel of the airport. Personally I was traveling even more than I do know so that's why I like that one.

TUF- we had all if the prior albums but this is the album that sealed my love for this band.

AB - the cover art and music was so different than what I ever heard from this band, loved all the different pics

But in the end it has to be TJT - iconic in it's imagery and goes up there with the likes of Dark Side of The Moon, Zep4, Who's Next, Moving Pictures (that was for Nick) and so on.
 
1. War - For both name and art, this is perfect, perhaps my favorite of any artist. The black and white with the red letters is very striking, as is of course Peter Rowen. To see a child in that way next to "War" is pretty fantastic and goes along very well with the music. The tie in to the "Boy" cover is mega bonus points.

2. Achtung Baby - Any of those covers would have been pretty nice. But that they're all together, it's just awesome. Totally fits the mood of the album. Title is pretty good, essentially a clever way of saying "this is strange pop/rock music." I like it because it's unique.

3. The Unforgettable Fire - As others have mentioned, the cover and name convey the album's ethereal quality. Not much more needs to be said, great stuff.

4. The Joshua Tree - I feel like I would rank this higher, but I'm very much use to the Island CD cover because that's what I have and it's the art in my iTunes library (maybe I should change it). Problem is, I'm kind of meh on that one. The LP cover is amazing, though. Great name too of course.

5. Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1 - Yep, this counts. Why is this their only album art with, you know, art? Also it looks really cool. Name fits the album perfectly (obviously). Deserves more recognition.

6. Boy - Name and art are straightforward, but, hey, it fits the album (which is great, by the way). So this is great.

7. Rattle and Hum - Name and art fits the album very well. But the OCD in me points out that the "Rattle and Hum" from Bullet the Blue Sky isn't really the same as the rattle and hum of a rock and roll band. And BTBS was a TJT song. This album has a lot of BS on it too. But I won't go there.

8. Songs of Innocence - Name is perfect. Cover? Eh, not so much. I've already said my thoughts, but basically this is a pretty good picture with a meaning that I think is fantastic. But I do not think it was conveyed as well as it could have been. Still, good.

9. Zooropa - The weird for the sake of weird name and artwork put me off at first, but it has grown on me. But I flip flop. Sometimes I think, "hey that looks kind of nice." But usually I just think, "seriously what the fuck is that shit." Which is not necessarily a bad thing. My only real issue is that it looks obviously dated. But whatever.

10. No Line On the Horizon - This is coming dangerously close to crossing the, um, line of blandness. But it looks nice. Does it have anything to do with the music? Maybe? What is this album about again?

14. All That You Can't Leave Behind - I guess. I'm not crazy about these from now on. Name is nice, maybe? Nah. Cover is definitely one of the better band shots I've seen. Oh shit, I just looked at it and remembered I hate it. Or do I? I don't know, all I can think is that these guys are about to ride first class. Makes me think little of the album, like they're making it to get some hits so that people will see them on tour.
14. Pop - This kind of sucks too. Yep, all I have to say about that.
14. October - Name gives you a mood that almost fits the album. Picture is boring.
14. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - I actually like the name. But does it fit the album? Eh, not really. I like the font/color-scheme/set up of the cover, but the picture? Super boring. And dumb.
 
The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree's titles and covers feel timeless to me. I also think ATYCLB has a great title and cover that suits the music. SOI is up there too.

HTDAAB is at the bottom.
 
The Joshua Tree has it all. Best record, best cover and best name. Under A Blood Red Sky and The Unforgettable Fire are excellent names too. Achtung Baby has colourful, messy and fitting images.
 
Favorite titles:

1. October (it's a great month and the album was also released in October)
2. The Unforgettable Fire
3. Songs of Innocence

Favorite covers:

1. The Joshua Tree
2. Rattle & Hum
3. The Unforgettable Fire
 
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