Mathematically Ranking U2's Albums...

[namkcuR]

Ok, so here is what you do: For each album, rank each song on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest, add all of your song rankings for the album together, and divide by the total number of songs on the album. This will give you an average. Do this for all eleven studio records. At the end, list the albums and their average rankings from highest to lowest, and see how that list compares to the album rankings you usually post in any given thread around here. For R&H, do the studio tracks only. For ATYCLB and HTDAAB, include GBHF and Fast Cars. Round your average for each album to the nearest tenth. If any of your album rankings tie, go by the nearest hundreth. If any of your album rankings are EXACTLY the same(meaning every digit is the same), just list it as a tie in your results. At the end, list the results, in order, of this whole thing, and then compare it to your normal rankings. Have fun!

BOY

I Will Follow 4/5
Twilight 3.5/5
An Cat Dubh 4/5
Into The Heart 5/5
Out Of Control 3/5
Stories For Boys 4/5
The Ocean 3.5/5
A Day Without Me 4/5
Another Time Another Place 4/5
The Electric Co 4/5
Shadows And Tall Trees 5/5

44/11 = 4

OCTOBER

Gloria 4.5/5
I Fall Down 4/5
I Threw A Brick 3.5/5
Fire 5/5
Rejoice 4/5
Tomorrow 4/5
October 5/5
With A Shout 4/5
Stranger In A Strange Land 3/5
Scarlet 4.5/5
Is That All 2.5/5

44/11 = 4

WAR

SBS 5/5
Seconds 4/5
NYD 5/5
Like A Song 4.5/5
Drowning Man 5/5
Refugee 4/5
Two Hearts 3/5
Red Light 2.5/5
Surrender 4/5
40 4.5/5

41.5/10 = 4.15

UF

A Sort Of Homecoming 4.5/5
Pride 4/5
Wire 4/5
UF 5/5
Promenade 4/5
4th Of July 2.5/5
Bad 5/5
Indian Summer Sky 5/5
Elvis 4.5/5
MLK 3.5/5

42/10 = 4.2

JT

Streets 5/5
Still Haven't Found 5/5
WOWY 5/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 5/5
Running To Stand Still 5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 5/5
In God's Country 4/5
Trip 3/5
OTH 4/5
Exit 5/5
MOTD 5/5

51/11 = 4.6

R&H

Van Dieman's Land 4.5/5
Desire 3/5
Hawkmoon 269 5/5
Angel Of Harlem 4.5/5
Love Rescue Me 3.5/5
When Love Comes To Town 3.5/5
Heartland 4.5/5
God Part II 4/5
All I Want Is You 5/5

37.5/9 = 4.17


AB

Zoo Station 5/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 5/5
One 5/5
Until The End Of The World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 5/5
So Cruel 5/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 4/5
Tryin' 4.5/5
UV 5/5
Acrobat 5/5
LIB 5/5

58.5/12 = 4.9

Zooropa

Zooropa 5/5
Babyface 4/5
Numb 5/5
Lemon 5/5
Stay(Faraway, So Close) 5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay 4/5
Some Days 3/5
First Time 4.5/5
Dirty Day 5/5
Wanderer 4.5/5

45/10 = 4.5

Pop

Discotheque 5/5
Do Yo Feel Loved 5/5
Mofo 5/5
If God Will Send His Angels 5/5
Staring At The Sun 5/5
Last Night On Earth 4/5
Gone 5/5
Miami 3.5/5
The Playboy Mansion 4/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 4.5/5
Please 5/5
Wake Up Dead Man 5/5

56/12 = 4.7

ATYCLB

Beautiful Day 4.5/5
Stuck In A Moment 4/5
Elevation 3/5
Walk On 4.5/5
Kite 5/5
In A Little While 5/5
Wild Honey 3/5
Peace On Earth 4/5
When I Look At The World 5/5
New York 4.5/5
Grace 4/5
Ground Beneath Her Feet 5/5

51.5/12 = 4.3

HTDAAB

Vertigo 3/5
Miracle Drug 3/5
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 3.5/5
Love And Peace Or Else 5/5
City Of Blinding Lights 3.5/5
All Because Of You 2/5
A Man And A Woman 4/5
Crumbs From Your Table 3.5/5
One Step Closer 4/5
Original Of The Species 4.5/5
Yahweh 1.5/5
Fast Cars 4/5

41/12 = 3.4

RESULTS:

AB 4.9
Pop 4.7
JT 4.6
Zooropa 4.5
ATYCLB 4.3
UF 4.2
R&H 4.17
War 4.15
Boy/October 4
HTDAAB 3.4

NORMAL RANKINGS:

AB
Pop
JT/Zooropa
UF/War
R&H
ATYCLB
Boy/October
HTDAAB

[bono_man2002]

BOY

I Will Follow 4/5
Twilight 4/5
An Cat Dubh 4/5
Into The Heart 3/5
Out Of Control 4/5
Stories For Boys 4/5
The Ocean 3/5
A Day Without Me 3/5
Another Time Another Place 3/5
The Electric Co 4/5
Shadows And Tall Trees 2/5

38/11 = 3.5

OCTOBER

Gloria 4/5
I Fall Down 3/5
I Threw A Brick 3/5
Fire 3/5
Rejoice 3/5
Tomorrow 5/5
October 4/5
With A Shout 3/5
Stranger In A Strange Land 3/5
Scarlet 3/5
Is That All 3/5

37/11 = 3.4

WAR

SBS 5/5
Seconds 3/5
NYD 4/5
Like A Song 3/5
Drowning Man 4/5
Refugee 3/5
Two Hearts 4/5
Red Light 2/5
Surrender 4/5
40 4/5

36/10 = 3.6

UF

A Sort Of Homecoming 4.5/5
Pride 4/5
Wire 3/5
UF 5/5
Promenade 3/5
4th Of July 2/5
Bad 5/5
Indian Summer Sky 4/5
Elvis 2/5
MLK 3/5

35.5/10 = 3.55

JT

Streets 5/5
Still Haven't Found 4/5
WOWY 5/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 5/5
Running To Stand Still 5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 3/5
In God's Country 4/5
Trip 2.5/5
OTH 5/5
Exit 5/5
MOTD 3/5

46.5/11 = 4.22

R&H

Van Dieman's Land 4/5
Desire 4/5
Hawkmoon 269 5/5
Angel Of Harlem 4.5/5
Love Rescue Me 4/5
When Love Comes To Town 4/5
Heartland 4/5
God Part II 5/5
All I Want Is You 5/5

39.5/9 = 4.38


AB

Zoo Station 5/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 3/5
One 5/5
Until The End Of The World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 4/5
So Cruel 4/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 5/5
Tryin' 3.5/5
UV 2.5/5
Acrobat 3.5/5
LIB 5/5

50.5/12 = 4.20

Zooropa

Zooropa 5/5
Babyface 2/5
Numb 3/5
Lemon 3/5
Stay(Faraway, So Close) 5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay 4/5
Some Days 2/5
First Time 3/5
Dirty Day 5/5
Wanderer 2/5

34/10 = 3.4

Pop

Discotheque 5/5
Do Yo Feel Loved 5/5
Mofo 4/5
If God Will Send His Angels 3/5
Staring At The Sun 5/5
Last Night On Earth 5/5
Gone 5/5
Miami 2.5/5
The Playboy Mansion 1/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 2.5/5
Please 4/5
Wake Up Dead Man 5/5

47/12 = 3.91

ATYCLB

Beautiful Day 4/5
Stuck In A Moment 4/5
Elevation 4/5
Walk On 4.5/5
Kite 4/5
In A Little While 4/5
Wild Honey 4/5
Peace On Earth 3/5
When I Look At The World 4/5
New York 4/5
Grace 4.5/5
Ground Beneath Her Feet 4/5

48/12 = 4

HTDAAB

Vertigo 4/5
Miracle Drug 4/5
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 4.5/5
Love And Peace Or Else 5/5
City Of Blinding Lights 5/5
All Because Of You 4/5
A Man And A Woman 4.5/5
Crumbs From Your Table 4.5/5
One Step Closer 3.5/5
Original Of The Species 5/5
Yahweh 4/5
Fast Cars 3/5

46/12 = 3.8

My Results:
Rattle & Hum - 4.38
Joshua Tree - 4.22
Achtung - 4.20
ATYCLB - 4
POP - 3.91
HTDAAB - 3.8
War - 3.6
Unforgetable Fire - 3.5
Boy - 3.5
Zooropa/October - 3.4

My Non Mathmatical Order:
HTTAB
Acthung
Joshua Tree
ATYCLB
Zooropa
Unforgetable Fire
Pop
War
Boy
Rattle And Hum
October

[00Kevin]

First off, my normal rankings would be...

Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
The Unforgettable Fire
War
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Pop
Zooropa
Rattle And Hum
All That You Can't Leave Behind
Boy
October.

Boy:3.2/5
I Will Follow 4.5/5
Twilight 4/5
An Cat Dubh 5/5
Into The Heart 5/5
Stories For Boys 3.5/5
The Ocean 1.5/5
A Day Without Me 2/5
Another Time Another Place 3/5
The Electric Co. 4.5/5
Shadows and Tall Trees 3/5

October:3.3/5
Gloria 5/5
I Fall Down 2.5/5
I Threw A Brick Through a Window 4/5
Rejoice 3.5/5
Fire 3/5
Tomorrow 2.5/5
October 4.5/5
With a Shout 3.5/5
Stranger in a strange land 3.5/5
Scarlet 2.5/5
Is That All? 2/5

War: 4/5
Sunday Bloody Sunday 5/5
Seconds 4/5
New Years Day 5/5
Like A Song... 5/5
Drowning Man 3.5/5
The Refugee 4.5/5
Two Hearts Beat as One 4.5/5
Red Light 1/5
Surrender 3.5/5
"40" 4/5

The Unforgettable Fire:3.9/5
A Sort Of Homecoming 4.5/5
Pride 5/5
Wire 4.5/5
The Unforgettable Fire 5/5
Promenade 3.5/5
4th of July 2.5/5
Bad 5/5
Indian Summer Sky 3/5
Elvis Presley And America 1/5
MLK 4.5/5

The Joshua Tree:4.3/5
Where The Streets Have No Name 5/5
I Still Haven't Found What I"m Looking For 4/5
With Or Without You 5/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 4.5/5
Running To a Stand Still 4.5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 4/5
In God's Country 5/5
Trip Through Your Wires 2.5/5
One Tree Hill 4.5/5
Exit 5/5
Mothers of the Disappeared 3.5/5

Rattle and Hum:3.9
Helter Skelter 4.5/5
Van Diemen's Land 3/5
Desire 4.5/5
Hawkmoon 269 4/5
All Along the Watchtower 3.5/5
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 3.5/5
Freedom For My People 3/5
Silver and Gold 4/5
Pride 4.5/5
Angel of Harlem 3.5/5
Love Rescue Me 3/5
When Love Comes To Town 4/5
Heartland 3/5
God Part II 3.5/5
The Star Spangled Banner 3/5
Bullet the Blue Sky 4/5
All I Want is You 5/5

Achtung Baby:4.1
Zoo Station 4/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 4.5/5
One 5/5
Until The End of the World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 4.5/5
So Cruel 2.5/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 5/5
Tryin' to throw your arms around the world 2.5/5
Ultra Violet Light My Way 4.5/5
Acrobat 3.5/5
Love is Blindness 3.5/5

Zooropa:3.8
Zooropa 5/5
Baby Face 2.5/5
Numb 3.5/5
Lemon 5/5
Stay(faraway so close) 5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car 3/5
Some Days are better than others 3/5
The First Time 3.5/5
Dirty Day 3.5/5
The Wanderer 3.5/5

Pop:3.9
Discotheque 5/5
Do You Feel Loved 3.5/5
Mofo 5/5
If God Will Send His Angels 3.5/5
Staring at the Sun 5/5
Last Night on Earth 4/5
Gone 4.5/5
Miami 2/5
The Playboy Mansion 2.5/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 2/5
Please 4.5/5
Wake Up Dead Man 5/5

All That You Can't Leave Behind:3.6/5
Beautiful Day 5/5
Stuck in a Moment 5/5
Elevation 4.5/5
Walk On 5/5
Kite 3/5
In a Little While 3.5/5
Wild Honey 3.5/5
Peace On Earth 2.5/5
When I Look at the World 3/5
New York 2.5/5
Grace 3/5
Ground Beneath Her Feat 2.5/5

How to Dismante an Atomic Bomb:3.6/5
Vetigo 4/5
Miracle Drug 4/5
Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own 4.5/5
Love and Peace Or Else 4.5/5
City of Blinding Lights 5/5
All Because You 3.5/5
Crumbs From Your Table 5/5
One Step Closer 3/5
Original of the Species 5/5
Yawheh 2.5/5
Fast Cars 2.5/5

So the new rankings are...
The Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
War
Pop/Rattle and Hum/The Unforgettable Fire
Zooropa
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb/AllThat You Can't Leave Behind
October
Boy

[Jack In The Box]

uh... let me see...

BOY

I Will Follow 4/5
Twilight 4/5
An Cat Dubh 3.5/5
Into The Heart 3/5
Out Of Control 4/5
Stories For Boys 4/5
The Ocean 4/5
A Day Without Me 4/5
Another Time Another Place 4/5
The Electric Co 4/5
Shadows And Tall Trees 3/5

41.5/11 = 3.8

OCTOBER

Gloria 4/5
I Fall Down 3.5/5
I Threw A Brick 3.5/5
Fire 4/5
Rejoice 3/5
Tomorrow 5/5
October 3.5/5
With A Shout 4/5
Stranger In A Strange Land 3/5
Scarlet 3/5
Is That All 2.5/5

39/11 = 3.5

WAR

SBS 4/5
Seconds 4/5
NYD 4.5/5
Like A Song 5/5
Drowning Man 4/5
Refugee 3.5/5
Two Hearts 4/5
Red Light 3/5
Surrender 3.5/5
40 4/5

39.5/10 = 3.95

UF

A Sort Of Homecoming 4/5
Pride 3/5
Wire 5/5
UF 4.5/5
Promenade 4/5
4th Of July 3/5
Bad 4/5
Indian Summer Sky 4/5
Elvis 4/5
MLK 4/5

39.5/10 = 3.95

JT

Streets 4/5
Still Haven't Found 3/5
WOWY 3/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 5/5
Running To Stand Still 4.5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 4/5
In God's Country 5/5
Trip 4/5
OTH 4/5
Exit 5/5
MOTD 3/5

44.5/11 = 4.05

R&H

Van Dieman's Land 4/5
Desire 4/5
Hawkmoon 269 3/5
Angel Of Harlem 3.5/5
Love Rescue Me 2/5
When Love Comes To Town 4/5
Heartland 5/5
God Part II 5/5
All I Want Is You 4/5

34.5/9 = 3.8


AB

Zoo Station 4/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 5/5
One 4/5
Until The End Of The World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 5/5
So Cruel 4/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 4/5
Tryin' 4/5
UV 5/5
Acrobat 5/5
LIB 5/5

55/12 = 4.58

Zooropa

Zooropa 5/5
Babyface 3.5/5
Numb 4/5
Lemon 5/5
Stay(Faraway, So Close) 4.5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay 4/5
Some Days 3.5/5
First Time 4/5
Dirty Day 4.5/5
Wanderer 4/5

42/10 = 4.2

Pop

Discotheque 5/5
Do Yo Feel Loved 5/5
Mofo 5/5
If God Will Send His Angels 4/5
Staring At The Sun 5/5
Last Night On Earth 5/5
Gone 5/5
Miami 4/5
The Playboy Mansion 3.5/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 5/5
Please 5/5
Wake Up Dead Man 4/5

55.5/12 = 4.625

ATYCLB

Beautiful Day 4/5
Stuck In A Moment 4/5
Elevation 3/5
Walk On 4.5/5
Kite 4.5/5
In A Little While 4.5/5
Wild Honey 4/5
Peace On Earth 3.5/5
When I Look At The World 4.5/5
New York 4.5/5
Grace 4/5
Ground Beneath Her Feet 5/5

50.5/12 = 4.2

HTDAAB

Vertigo 3.5/5
Miracle Drug 4/5
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 5/5
Love And Peace Or Else 4/5
City Of Blinding Lights 4/5
All Because Of You 4/5
A Man And A Woman 4/5
Crumbs From Your Table 3.5/5
One Step Closer 3/5
Original Of The Species 4/5
Yahweh 3.5/5
Fast Cars 5/5

47.5/12 = 3.95

rankings:
Pop
AB
Zoroopa/ATYCLB
JT
War/UF/HTDAAB
R&H/Boy
October

[Irishteen]

My sister pressed delete on me so am not writing out again

TUF:4.7
TJT:4.55
AB:4.54
War:4.5
ATYCLB/HTDAAB 4.45
R&H:4.28
Boy:4.25
Zooropa:4.2
October:4
Pop:3.92

Normal Ratings
TUF
TJT
AB
ATYCLB
War
HTDAAB
Boy
Zooropa
October
R&H
Pop

[Chizip]

way too much work

[MacPhistoPT]

Hey, I think that it's better to do like Irishteen did, put only the final result for each album instead of the rating of all songs, one by one...

Normal Ratings
Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
The Unforgettable Fire
Pop
War
Boy
All that you can't leave behind
Rattle&Hum
Zooropa
October

Mathematics
BOY: 4,2
OCTOBER: 3,7
WAR: 4
THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE: 4,2
THE JOSHUA TREE: 4,4
RATTLE&HUM: 3,6
ACHTUNG BABY: 4,4
ZOOROPA: 3,8
POP: 4
ATYCLB: 3,9
HTDAAB: 4,1

New Standings
Joshua Tree/Achtung Baby
The Unforgettable Fire
Boy
How to dismantle an atomic bomb
War/Pop
All that you can't leave behind
Zooropa
October
Rattle&Hum

[kosull]

I fear this doesn't look very good - 4.3 is the best I could muster and only four albums over the 4 mark. Hmmm. Perhaps the overall feel of an album is more important.

RESULTS:

AB 4.3
JT 4.2
Zooropa 4.1
Pop 4.0
UF 3.9
HTDAAB 3.8
ATYCLB 3.4
Boy 3.4
R&H 3.3
War 3.1
October 3.1

NORMAL RANKINGS:

AB
JT
POP
HTDAAB
UF
ZOOROPA
WAR
BOY
ATYCLB
OCTOBER
RH

[Exit thru Wire]

Normal Rankings

1. Achtung Baby
2. Joshua Tree
3. War
4. Unforgettable Fire
5. Zooropa
6. Boy
7. Pop
8. Rattle and Hum
9. October
10. All that you cant leave behind
11. How to dismantle an atomic bomb

Mathematical version

boy = 4.27
october = 4.32
war = 4.65
uf = 4.35
joshua tree = 4.68
R+H = 4.37
achtung baby = 4.75
zooropa = 4.25
pop = 4.13
atyclb = 3.92
htdaab = 3.92

new results:

1. ACHTUNG BABY = 4.75
2. JOSHUA TREE = 4.68
3. WAR =4.65
4. RATTLE AND HUM = 4.37
5. UNFORGETTABLE FIRE = 4.35
6. OCTOBER = 4.35
7. BOY = 4.27
8. ZOOROPA = 4.25
9. POP = 4.13
10=. ALL THAT YOU CANT LEAVE BEHIND = 3.92
10= HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB = 3.92

the most recent 4 place at the bottom mathematically, tho I love zooropa +pop. I guess it is because there are a few poor tracks on these albums that drag the scores down, whereas i like most of all the other albums.

[u2granny]

JT
Zooropa
Rattle and Hum
Achtung Baby
Unforgettable Fire
War
Boy
October
Pop
All That You Can't Leave Behind
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

I don't do math.

[Irishteen]

And just to add if people are wondering why my ratings are so hight, the only U2 song on an album i dislike is if you wear that velvet dress, the rest aregood-brillant with a few average

[rjhbonovox]

Originally posted by namkcuR

RESULTS:

AB 4.9
Pop 4.7
JT 4.6
Zooropa 4.5
ATYCLB 4.3
UF 4.2
R&H 4.17
War 4.15
Boy/October 4
HTDAAB 3.4

Damn your rankings are scarily close to what mine would be. I would only swop over UF and ATYCLB and then HTDAAB after that and they would be the same.

[doctorwho]

Originally posted by Chizip
way too much work

LOL! I have to agree. But I may try this later.

And wow... do I disagree with the original's poster's ranking of a lot of songs, especially the trashing he/she did on HTDAAB. But it's subjective... However, as albums, I find that ranking individual songs isn't always the best thing - sometimes it's the feeling of the album itself. If I were to rate JT songs, for example, it would probably rank near the bottom of the list (barring perhaps 3 or 4 songs on the album, I don't like most of them). However, JT as an entire album shines. It is definitely an album that works better as a whole than separate. I'd say the same is true for HTDAAB. In contrast, ATYCLB is really an album full of songs, so individually they shine more than the whole.

For now, here are my non-mathematical rankings:

UF
AB
HTDAAB
Zooropa
ATYCLB
Boy
War
Pop
R&H
JT
October

(yes, JT is really that low)

[Axver]

I'm going to use a system of 1-10 as I prefer using that than just five. Five can be too restrictive.

BOY
I Will Follow - 10
Twilight - 10
An Cat Dubh - 9
Into The Heart - 9
Out Of Control - 10
Stories For Boys - 9
The Ocean - 9
A Day Without Me - 9.5
Another Time, Another Place - 9
The Electric Co. - 10
Shadows And Tall Trees - 9

Total = 103.5/11 = 9.40909*
* = recurring

OCTOBER
Gloria - 10
I Fall Down - 8
I Threw A Brick Through A Window - 10
Rejoice - 10
Fire - 10
Tomorrow - 10
October - 9
With A Shout - 8
Stranger In A Strange Land - 7.5
Scarlet - 10
Is That All? - 7.5

Total = 100/11 = 9.0909*

WAR
Sunday Bloody Sunday - 10
Seconds - 9
New Year's Day - 10
Like A Song - 10
Drowning Man - 10
The Refugee - 9
Two Hearts Beat As One - 8
Red Light - 5
Surrender - 10
40 - 10

Total = 91/10 = 9.1

THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE
A Sort Of Homecoming - 10
Pride - 10
Wire - 10
The Unforgettable Fire - 10
Promenade - 10
4th Of July - 10
Bad - 10
Indian Summer Sky - 10
Elvis Presley And America - 9
MLK - 10

Total = 99/100 = 9.9

THE JOSHUA TREE
Where The Streets Have No Name - 10
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - 10
With Or Without You - 10
Bullet The Blue Sky - 10
Running To Stand Still - 10
Red Hill Mining Town - 10
In God's Country - 10
Trip Through Your Wires - 8
One Tree Hill - 10
Exit - 9.5
Mothers Of The Disappeared - 10

Total = 108.5/11 = 9.83636*

RATTLE AND HUM

Van Diemen's Land - 10
Desire - 9
Hawkmoon 269 - 9
Angel Of Harlem - 9
Love Rescue Me - 6.5
When Love Comes To Town - 10
Heartland - 10
God Part II - 10
All I Want Is You - 10

Total = 85/9 = 9.2777*

ACHTUNG BABY
Zoo Station - 8
Even Better Than The Real Thing - 7
One - 7
Until The End Of The World - 10
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 7
So Cruel - 7
The Fly - 10
Mysterious Ways - 9
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 2
Ultra Violet - 6.5
Acrobat - 10
Love Is Blindness - 10

Total = 93.5/12 = 7.791666*

ZOOROPA
Zooropa - 10
Babyface - 5
Numb - 10
Lemon - 10
Stay - 10
Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car - 7.5
Some Days Are Better Than Others - 7.5
The First Time - 9
Dirty Day - 7.5
The Wanderer - 10

Total = 86.5/10 = 8.65

POP
Discotheque - 5
Do You Feel Loved - 8
Mofo - 9
If God Will Send His Angels - 7.5
Staring At The Sun - 8
Last Night On Earth - 10
Gone - 10
Miami - 5
The Playboy Mansion - 5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress - 9
Please - 9
Wake Up Dead Man - 10

Total = 95.5/12 = 7.958333*

ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND
Beautiful Day - 9.5
Stuck In A Moment - 8.5
Elevation - 9
Walk On - 10
Kite - 10
In A Little While - 2
Wild Honey - 4
Peace On Earth - 9
When I Look At The World - 10
New York - 9
Grace - 10
The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 10

Total = 101/12 = 8.41666*

HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB
Vertigo - 9
Miracle Drug - 10
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - 10
Love And Peace Or Else - 10
City Of Blinding Lights - 10
All Because Of You - 9
A Man And A Woman - 9
Crumbs From Your Table - 10
One Step Closer - 10
Original Of The Species - 9.5
Yahweh - 10
Fast Cars - 9.5

Total = 116/12 = 9.666*

RESULTS
1. The Unforgettable Fire - 9.9
2. The Joshua Tree - 9.83636
3. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - 9.666*
4. Boy - 9.40909*
5. Rattle And Hum - 9.2777*
6. War - 9.1
7. October - 9.0909*
8. Zooropa - 8.65
9. All That You Can't Leave Behind - 8.41666*
10. Pop - 7.958333*
11. Achtung Baby - 7.791666*

NORMAL RANKINGS
1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
3. The Joshua Tree
4. Boy
5. War
6. October
7. Zooropa
8. Achtung Baby
9. Rattle And Hum
10. All That You Can't Leave Behind
11. Pop

It would appear I've been over-rating Achtung Baby ...

[blueyedpoet]

BOY

I Will Follow 4/5
Twilight 3.5/5
An Cat Dubh 3/5
Into The Heart 5/5
Out Of Control 4/5
Stories For Boys 4/5
The Ocean 3/5
A Day Without Me 4/5
Another Time Another Place 4/5
The Electric Co 4/5
Shadows And Tall Trees 4/5

42.5/11 = 3.86

OCTOBER

Gloria 4.5/5
I Fall Down 3.5/5
I Threw A Brick 3.5/5
Fire 4/5
Rejoice 4/5
Tomorrow 3.5/5
October 4/5
With A Shout 4/5
Stranger In A Strange Land 3/5
Scarlet 4.5/5
Is That All 2/5

40.5/11 = 3.68

WAR

SBS 4/5
Seconds 3/5
NYD 5/5
Like A Song 4/5
Drowning Man 2/5
Refugee 4/5
Two Hearts 3/5
Red Light 2/5
Surrender 3/5
40 4.5/5

34.5/10 = 3.45

UF

A Sort Of Homecoming 4/5
Pride 4/5
Wire 4/5
UF 3.5/5
Promenade 5/5
4th Of July 2/5
Bad 5/5
Indian Summer Sky 4/5
Elvis 3.5/5
MLK 4/5

39/10 = 3.9

JT

Streets 5/5
Still Haven't Found 5/5
WOWY 5/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 3/5
Running To Stand Still 5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 3/5
In God's Country 4/5
Trip 3/5
OTH 3/5
Exit 4/5
MOTD 4/5

44/11 = 4

R&H

Van Dieman's Land 3.5/5
Desire 3.5/5
Hawkmoon 269 4/5
Angel Of Harlem 4/5
Love Rescue Me 4/5
When Love Comes To Town 3.5/5
Heartland 4/5
God Part II 4/5
All I Want Is You 5/5

35.5/9 = 3.94


AB

Zoo Station 4/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 3/5
One 5/5
Until The End Of The World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 5/5
So Cruel 5/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 4/5
Tryin' 4/5
UV 5/5
Acrobat 5/5
LIB 5/5

55/12 = 4.58

Zooropa

Zooropa 4/5
Babyface 4/5
Numb 4/5
Lemon 4/5
Stay(Faraway, So Close) 5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay 4/5
Some Days 3/5
First Time 4/5
Dirty Day 4/5
Wanderer 4/5

39/10 = 3.9
Pop

Discotheque 4/5
Do Yo Feel Loved 5/5
Mofo 5/5
If God Will Send His Angels 4/5
Staring At The Sun 4/5
Last Night On Earth 4/5
Gone 4/5
Miami 4/5
The Playboy Mansion 4/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 4/5
Please 5/5
Wake Up Dead Man 4/5

55/12 = 4.25

ATYCLB

Beautiful Day 4.5/5
Stuck In A Moment 4/5
Elevation 3/5
Walk On 4.5/5
Kite 5/5
In A Little While 5/5
Wild Honey 3/5
Peace On Earth 4/5
When I Look At The World 5/5
New York 4.5/5
Grace 3/5
Ground Beneath Her Feet 4/5

49.5/12 = 4.125

HTDAAB

Vertigo 4/5
Miracle Drug 4/5
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 4/5
Love And Peace Or Else 5/5
City Of Blinding Lights 4/5
All Because Of You 2/5
A Man And A Woman 3.5/5
Crumbs From Your Table 3.5/5
One Step Closer 4/5
Original Of The Species 3/5
Yahweh 4/5
Fast Cars 4/5

41/12 = 3.75

RESULTS:

AB 4.58
Pop 4.25
JT 4.0
ATYCLB 4.125
R&H 3.94
Zooropa 3.9
UF 3.9
Boy 3.86
HTDAAB 3.75
October 3.68
War 3.45


NORMAL RANKINGS:

AB
Pop
JT/Zooropa/UF
Boy/ATYCLB
R&H/HTDAAB
October
War


I figured War would turn out to the bottom. I think I’m a much harder grader than many here. Judging a song on a 1-5 scale is hard because there are songs I think ordinarily I’d give a 4 or 5 but considering what points I gave another song, I just couldn’t do it. I’m not sure if that made any sense. Ranking an album just on the quality of the individual songs is also difficult because you can’t take into account the overall feel of the album. I mean, I’d much rather listen to UF than R&H, yet the results would suggest otherwise. Yet, I feel as if UF is a greater whole album that the latter.

[Axver]

Wow, this thread is back from the dead. I wonder what my results will be like with a year's worth of taste evolution.

I'm still sticking with 1-10 rather than 1-5.

BOY
I Will Follow: 8
Twilight: 10
An Cat Dubh: 9
Into The Heart: 8
Out Of Control: 8
Stories For Boys: 7.5
The Ocean: 6.5
A Day Without Me: 9.5
Another Time, Another Place: 8
The Electric Co.: 10
Shadows And Tall Trees: 7.5

Total = 8.363636 recurring

OCTOBER
Gloria: 10
I Fall Down: 6
I Threw A Brick: 9
Rejoice: 9.5
Fire: 9.5
Tomorrow: 10
October: 7
With A Shout: 8
Stranger In A Strange Land: 7
Scarlet: 10
Is That All?: 6.5

Total = 8.409090909 recurring

WAR
Sunday Bloody Sunday: 8.5
Seconds: 8
New Year's Day: 10
Like A Song: 10
Drowning Man: 10
The Refugee: 8
Two Hearts Beat As One: 6.5
Red Light: 2
Surrender: 10
40: 7

Total = 8

THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE
A Sort Of Homecoming: 10
Pride: 10
Wire: 10
The Unforgettable Fire: 10
Promenade: 10
4th Of July: 10
Bad: 10
Indian Summer Sky: 10
Elvis Presley And America: 9
MLK: 9

Total = 9.8

THE JOSHUA TREE
Where The Streets Have No Name: 10
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: 7
With Or Without You: 8
Bullet The Blue Sky: 8.5
Running To Stand Still: 9
Red Hill Mining Town: 10
In God's Country: 10
Trip Through Your Wires: 6
One Tree Hill: 10
Exit: 10
Mothers Of The Disappeared: 10

Total = 8.95454545454 recurring

RATTLE AND HUM
Van Diemen's Land: 9
Desire: 8.5
Hawkmoon 269: 8.5
Angel Of Harlem: 8
Love Rescue Me: 5
When Love Comes To Town: 9
Heartland: 10
God Part II: 10
All I Want Is You: 9.5

Total = 8.611111 recurring

ACHTUNG BABY
Zoo Station: 7
Even Better Than The Real Thing: 5
One: 1 (pun somewhat intended)
Until The End Of The World: 8
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 4
So Cruel: 3
The Fly: 10
Mysterious Ways: 6
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World: 0
Ultra Violet: 0
Acrobat: 10
Love Is Blindness: 10

Total = 5.33333 recurring

ZOOROPA
Zooropa: 10
Babyface: 2
Numb: 10
Lemon: 10
Stay: 8
Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car: 4
Some Days Are Better Than Others: 7
The First Time: 5
Dirty Day: 6
The Wanderer: 10

Total = 7.8

PASSENGERS
United Colours: 10
Slug: 10
Your Blue Room: 10
Always Forever Now: 10
A Different Kind Of Blue: 6.5
Beach Sequence: 10
Miss Sarajevo: 8
Ito Okashi: 7
One Minute Warning: 10
Corpse: 9
Elvis Ate America: 0
Plot 180: 7
Theme From The Swan: 8
Theme From Let's Go Native: 9.5

Total = 8.2142857142857142857 recurring

POP
Discotheque: 5
Do You Feel Loved: 7
Mofo: 9
If God Will Send His Angels: 6
Staring At The Sun: 6
Last Night On Earth: 10
Gone: 10
Miami: 4
The Playboy Mansion: 4
If You Wear That Velvet Dress: 10
Please: 9
Wake Up Dead Man: 10

Total = 7.5

ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND
Beautiful Day: 7.5
Stuck In A Moment: 1
Elevation: 5
Walk On: 8.5
Kite: 8.5
In A Little While: 0
Wild Honey: 2
Peace On Earth: 6.5
When I Look At The World: 10
New York: 6
Grace: 9
The Ground Beneath Her Feet: 10

Total = 6.166666666 recurring

HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB
Vertigo: 4
Miracle Drug: 7
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own: 3
Love And Peace Or Else: 9
City Of Blinding Lights: 10
All Because Of You: 5
A Man And A Woman: 6
Crumbs From Your Table: 10
One Step Closer: 10
Original Of The Species: 7
Yahweh: 7
Fast Cars: 9

Total = 7.25

OVERALL
1. The Unforgettable Fire: 9.8
2. The Joshua Tree: 8.95454
3. Rattle And Hum: 8.6111
4. October: 8.40909
5. Boy: 8.3636
6. Passengers: 8.2142857
7. War: 8
8. Zooropa: 7.8
9. Pop: 7.5
10. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb: 7.25
11. All That You Can't Leave Behind: 6.166
12. Achtung Baby: 5.33333

LAST TIME AROUND
1. The Unforgettable Fire - 9.9
2. The Joshua Tree - 9.83636
3. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - 9.666*
4. Boy - 9.40909*
5. Rattle And Hum - 9.2777*
6. War - 9.1
7. October - 9.0909*
8. Zooropa - 8.65
9. All That You Can't Leave Behind - 8.41666*
10. Pop - 7.958333*
11. Achtung Baby - 7.791666*

CURRENT NORMAL RANKINGS
1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. The Joshua Tree
3. Passengers
4. Boy
5. War
6. October
7. Zooropa
8. Pop
9. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
10. Rattle And Hum
11. Achtung Baby
12. All That You Can't Leave Behind

I'm really surprised that Achtung came last this time, as I expected ATYCLB would. Maybe I was just too kind to ATYCLB. I'm also a tad surprised at how low Passengers came, but I suppose Elvis Ate America really ruined its chances. I've deleted that song off my iTunes and I love the album so much more now that it flows better and doesn't have a single crap song. Also, I think Rattle And Hum has placed artificially high: the studio songs themselves are great, but the overall album is just dreadful, with no flow and all those annoying live tracks. So the mathematical ranking reflects my opinion on the tracks, but my normal ranking reflects my opinion of the album as a cohesive (or incohesive) whole.

[thefly418]

BOY

I Will Follow 5/5
Twilight 3.5/5
An Cat Dubh 4.5/5
Into The Heart 4/5
Out Of Control 5/5
Stories For Boys 3.5/5
The Ocean 3.5/5
A Day Without Me 4/5
Another Time Another Place 4/5
The Electric Co 5/5
Shadows And Tall Trees 3.5/5

45.5/11 = 4.14

OCTOBER

Gloria 5/5
I Fall Down 4/5
I Threw A Brick 3.5/5
Fire 3/5
Rejoice 4/5
Tomorrow 3.5/5
October 4.5/5
With A Shout 4/5
Stranger In A Strange Land 3.5/5
Scarlet 3/5
Is That All 3.5/5

41.5/11 = 3.77

WAR

SBS 5/5
Seconds 4/5
NYD 5/5
Like A Song 4/5
Drowning Man 4/5
Refugee 3/5
Two Hearts 3.5/5
Red Light 3/5
Surrender 3.5/5
40 4.5/5

39/10 = 3.9

UF

A Sort Of Homecoming 4.5/5
Pride 5/5
Wire 4/5
UF 4.5/5
Promenade 4/5
4th Of July 3/5
Bad 5/5
Indian Summer Sky 3.5/5
Elvis 3.5/5
MLK 3.5/5

40.5/10 = 4.05

JT

Streets 5/5
Still Haven't Found 5/5
WOWY 5/5
Bullet The Blue Sky 4/5
Running To Stand Still 5/5
Red Hill Mining Town 4.5/5
In God's Country 4.5/5
Trip 3.5/5
OTH 4.5/5
Exit 3.5/5
MOTD 4/5

49/11 = 4.45

R&H

Van Dieman's Land 4/5
Desire 4/5
Hawkmoon 269 4/5
Angel Of Harlem 3.5/5
Love Rescue Me 4/5
When Love Comes To Town 3/5
Heartland 4/5
God Part II 4.5/5
All I Want Is You 5/5

36/9 = 4


AB

Zoo Station 4.5/5
Even Better Than The Real Thing 4/5
One 5/5
Until The End Of The World 5/5
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 4/5
So Cruel 3.5/5
The Fly 5/5
Mysterious Ways 5/5
Tryin' 3.5/5
UV 4.5/5
Acrobat 3.5/5
LIB 4/5

51.5/12 = 4.29

Zooropa

Zooropa 4.5/5
Babyface 3.5/5
Numb 4/5
Lemon 4/5
Stay(Faraway, So Close) 5/5
Daddy's Gonna Pay 3.5/5
Some Days 3/5
First Time 4/5
Dirty Day 4/5
Wanderer 3.5/5

39/10 = 3.9

Pop

Discotheque 4.5/5
Do Yo Feel Loved 4/5
Mofo 4/5
If God Will Send His Angels 4/5
Staring At The Sun 4/5
Last Night On Earth 4/5
Gone 4.5/5
Miami 3/5
The Playboy Mansion 3.5/5
If You Wear That Velvet Dress 3.5/5
Please 5/5
Wake Up Dead Man 4/5

48/12 = 4

ATYCLB

Beautiful Day 5/5
Stuck In A Moment 4/5
Elevation 4/5
Walk On 5/5
Kite 4/5
In A Little While 4/5
Wild Honey 3/5
Peace On Earth 3/5
When I Look At The World 4/5
New York 4/5
Grace 3/5
Ground Beneath Her Feet 4/5

47/12 = 3.92

HTDAAB

Vertigo 4.5/5
Miracle Drug 4.5/5
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 4.5/5
Love And Peace Or Else 4.5/5
City Of Blinding Lights 5/5
All Because Of You 3.5/5
A Man And A Woman 3/5
Crumbs From Your Table 4/5
One Step Closer 3/5
Original Of The Species 4/5
Yahweh 4/5
Fast Cars 4/5

48.5/12 = 4.04

RESULTS:

1. JT 4.45
2. AB 4.29
3. Boy 4.14
4. UF 4.05
5. HTDAAB 4.04
6. Pop 4 (R&H has good individual songs but i really don't like the feel of the album so Pop gets 6)
7. R&H 4
8. ATYCLB 3.92
9. Zooropa 3.9 (tied with War but i like the overall atmosphere of Zooropa better so it gets the 9 spot)
10. War 3.9
11. October 3.77


NORMAL RANKINGS:

1. JT
2. AB
3. Boy
4. Pop
5. HTDAAB
6. UF
7. Zooropa
8. ATYCLB
9. War
10. R&H
11. October

What i can conclude from doing this for the first time........I have greatly underappreciated UF.......while making my list i had to re-listen to some songs and i discovered how GREAT on an album it actually is.......i thought songs like Elvis, Indian, 4th, and MLK were throw-aways but when really paying close attention and listening closely you discover the beauty in each of them...after making this i will make a new list of my favorite u2 albums in order....

NEW ALBUM RANKINGS
1.2JT
2. AB
3. Boy
4. UF
5. HTDAAB
6. Pop
7. ATYCLB
8. Zooropa
9. War
10. R&H (agree with Axver....the songs indiviudally are good but not as a cohesive unit)
11. October

[Stefan]

A bit harsh on some of the Achtung songs, aren't you Axver

[Axver]

Originally posted by Stefan
A bit harsh on some of the Achtung songs, aren't you Axver

I thought I was being a bit lenient actually.

[Irishteen]

Last year:
TUF:4.7
TJT:4.55
AB:4.54
War:4.5
ATYCLB/HTDAAB 4.45
R&H:4.28
Boy:4.25
Zooropa:4.2
October:4
Pop:3.92

This time around:
TUF - 4.55(-0.15)
ATYCLB - 4.54(+0.09)
AB - 4.29(-0.25)
Boy - 4.27(+0.02)
HTDAAB - 4.25 (-0.2)
War - 4.25 (-0.25)
Zooropa -4.05 (-0.15)
R&H - 4.03 (-0.25)
Pop - 4 (+0.08)
October - 4 (same)
TJT - 3.86 (-0.69)