U2

U2 catapulted over its post-punk peers to become the biggest rock & roll band in the world, a title they earned after the release of The Joshua Tree in 1987 and maintained well into the 21st century. Alone among all the groups to emerge from the post-punk era, U2 channeled their yen for moody, experimental aural textures into clearly defined rock anthems and ballads -- songs that sounded majestic yet felt personal. Much of that sense of intimacy can be attributed to Bono, a lead singer who gravitates toward grand gestures yet remains grounded by his belief in humanity and the ...